Newbie introduction

[formicalinoleum]

Hello everyone!

I'm new to this forum, and thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Liz and I'm a 31 year old woman living in Baltimore, MD, USA.

I've been mountain biking for about 4-5 years now (XC, recreationally). I just bought a road bike -- picked it up and rode it for the first time last night. It's just an entry-level bike, but after being so used to a mtn bike and dirt under my wheels, this new bike seems so light, fast, and responsive to me! I'm excited about adding this road biking to my routine. Those of you who do both, does road cycling help the mountain biking?

I also have some roadie newbie questions. How do you roadies carry stuff with you? I'm used to having my hydropak filled with goodies like a spare tube, a pump, gels, tools, etc. Where do roadies stash that kind of stuff (I already realized I had to go the patch kit rather than the spare tube route)?

 

[zapper]

Originally posted by formicalinoleum
Hello everyone!

I'm new to this forum, and thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Liz and I'm a 31 year old woman living in Baltimore, MD, USA.

I've been mountain biking for about 4-5 years now (XC, recreationally). I just bought a road bike -- picked it up and rode it for the first time last night. It's just an entry-level bike, but after being so used to a mtn bike and dirt under my wheels, this new bike seems so light, fast, and responsive to me! I'm excited about adding this road biking to my routine. Those of you who do both, does road cycling help the mountain biking?

I also have some roadie newbie questions. How do you roadies carry stuff with you? I'm used to having my hydropak filled with goodies like a spare tube, a pump, gels, tools, etc. Where do roadies stash that kind of stuff (I already realized I had to go the patch kit rather than the spare tube route)?

Hi and welcome,

Wedges are available that fit under your saddle like in this picture. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors and some come with mini-emergency tool/patch kits and they expand to accomodate other essentials. I'm sorta new to road as well, and I'm hooked on it..

Good Luck!!

Z

 

[zapper]

Originally posted by formicalinoleum
Hello everyone!

I'm new to this forum, and thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Liz and I'm a 31 year old woman living in Baltimore, MD, USA.

I've been mountain biking for about 4-5 years now (XC, recreationally). I just bought a road bike -- picked it up and rode it for the first time last night. It's just an entry-level bike, but after being so used to a mtn bike and dirt under my wheels, this new bike seems so light, fast, and responsive to me! I'm excited about adding this road biking to my routine. Those of you who do both, does road cycling help the mountain biking?

I also have some roadie newbie questions. How do you roadies carry stuff with you? I'm used to having my hydropak filled with goodies like a spare tube, a pump, gels, tools, etc. Where do roadies stash that kind of stuff (I already realized I had to go the patch kit rather than the spare tube route)?

Liz,

Curious...your user name is unique...Are you into kitchen remodeling or something???

 

[formicalinoleum]

Originally posted by zapper
Liz,

Curious...your user name is unique...Are you into kitchen remodeling or something???

Nope, no remodeling going on here!

It's from a song by the band the Lunachicks; two characters in a song have a child and name her Formica Linoleum. I first created the login name to join a Lunachicks message board, where it made some sense. But I am sometimes challenged in the memory department, and figured I can't remember more than one log-in name, so I've been Formica Linoleum everywhere else as well since then!

 

[utahsowle]

You can use a seat pack which zapper mentioned to carry spare tube(s), tire levers, tools, patch kit and a buck or two. You have a couple of different options for air, there are several frame pumps which fit on your top tube or down tube, or you may choose to use co2 cartridges.
As for road riding helping out your mtbing, you bet. Most mtb racers actually spend more time on the road than on the mtb because it is easier to recover from each training session, and because you are able to have control over each training session where on the mtb the terrain controls the training session.
Go out and enjoy the road bike and watch your friends become envious of your riding ablities. Enjoy both mtb and road.
Good Luck and Happy riding.

 

[utahsowle]

More places to stuff goodies is in your jersey pockets or even in your bike shorts leg portion near the bottom elastic. (where I usually stuff my gel packets.