So I went to Dizzy Cycles and tried a road bike and a hybrid yesterday - let me just say that I am woefully out of shape and need to have better cardio! Also, my butt hurts from the saddle. Shorts are definitely going to be needed if I ride for longer distances. Matt at Dizzy was great, a totally awesome guy who taught me the basics of road bikes from A to Z. Tried the Specialized Allez, and the Kona Dew Plus so I could try both road and hybrid styles.

The Allez was my first-ever ride on a road bike so it seemed to be twitchy, and I did not feel stable when turning on it - probably due to the posture. I hit the curb a few times (:() trying to turn and was not very confident. The brifters were weird - I had to get used to how they work in comparison to the regular shifters you would see on a mountain bike. The Allez felt better when they flipped the stem and raised the handlebar a bit, and I began to get used to the bike and could turn more confidently. It was very good in a climb, which is something that I like a lot. Another note - do the brakes of road bike suck, or was it just the Allez? There didn't seem to be a lot of stopping power available. The drivetrain was also acting up a bit, maybe - the front derailleur did not want to shift up to the big crank at times, and took a while to do that when it did. Very rough shifting.

The Kona was more like a regular MTB so I took to that like a duck to water, and the disc brakes on the bike were great! However, it was much heavier in a climb and it took quite a bit more effort even with changing to an easier gear. It was a lot more comfortable but I guess that it was also due to the tires.

By the end of the test rides I was getting used to the Allez, and I think I may go for a road bike, but now to figure out which one... or to find a hybrid that is more like a road bike than the Dew Plus was.

EDIT: Also, can someone figure out the differences between these two? One is 2011 and the other 2013, but the prices are nearly identical. I'm thinking maybe I can bargain down the 2011 a little.
2011 Roubaix Elite SL2 Apex Compact
2013 Roubaix Compact

One uses SRAM Apex and One uses Shimano Sora.

I would try to bargain for the 2011 one and use the savings on a nice bib/jersey + shoes.

In terms of the shifting issue, it may be because the shifters were not properly tuned prior to testing?

^ I have years and years of experience on a mountain bike, and very little on a road bike. When I purchased my road bike last year (Hadn't touched one in 8-10 years), it was extremely twitchy so you are not alone. I would say your lack of braking power is probably due to the fact you don't have your hands on the drops (The part of the handlebar which curls down). You will get much better leverage if you try braking from there. Comfort will come with time. The narrow bars, and the steep headtube angle certainly give road bikes a quick nimble feeling, at the expense of twitchiness.

If roastpuff is used to a mountain bike, especially one with disks, then yes a road bike with rim brakes is going to suck in comparison. That's why I opted for the best of both worlds! Basically a road bike with disks. :toot:

Drivetrain would most likely need a tune as its just slapped together and the cables have stretched. A new bike should shift quite well even with entry level components.

As you get more saddle time, your will soon love drop bars and the precision of a road bike.

Here is some basic drop bar riding positions: Lovely Bicycle!: Drop Bar Hand Positions: an Introduction

Say no to Sora. Get the APEX.

re: Jerseys...

I'm liking the idea of the Cima Coppi merino jerseys. The merino option especially for Vancouver sounds ideal, save for the summers. I've e-mailed them so just waiting for a response.

Heading out the door for my first Century. Better not pussy out at the 60k mark when I pass by my front door. Wish me luck. haha

^Great day for a ride!

Just got an email from Cima Coppi:

nice i'm down for Cima Coppi as well! no minimums + quantity discount is awesome and the designs look pretty slick too.


will the 100% wool be an issue for warmer weather? not a huge deal as I was still riding with warmers into mid june last year.
one thing to consider about the design, it looks like more complex we want it the more seams there will be.

Some huge advantages with Cima Coppi:

1. Clean, simple designs. We don't need blown up, in your face logos or anything
2. Supporting a local business and craftsmanship
3. Lifetime warranty on their apparel (minus wear and tear)
4. Merino wool. C'mon. Need I say more? 604CEFIRO is a living testament! :D
5. Reasonably priced quality jerseys. No need to shell out $200+ for a Rapha! :fullofwin:
6. We can go try on the jerseys locally at their studio

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Got lost... Ended up in pomo
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I got lost in the exact same spot lol!!

:pokerface:
Insane lol, looks like you're going to just miss the century mark if you finish in the same spot.

I wish I could jump in on the jersey, broke ass living off student loans and my "employment status" is volunteer lol.

Totally spaced out this entire time, probably could have got another "sponsor" for the jersey, but my friend who works at his family run nutrition shop is on vacation.

Did my first metric century of the season on Monday in he crazy winds. Headed out to pt roberts from vancouver. Worst was going over the alex fraser where the uprights were.. Fun going with the wind cruising at 40kmh. Not so fun into the wind At 18 kmh. Most tiring part? The tiredness of my ears after listening to wind buffet for 4.5 hours.
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Just got home from a quick ride. Nothing spectacular as it was a lunch cruise with a good friend of mine.

https://www.strava.com/activities/51809744
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We can do a second round of jerseys if/when people change their minds for later! :)

Bike Ride Profile | First Century Ride! near Vancouver | Times and Records | Strava

:accepted:

I won't lie. That is too long to sit in a saddle. Must get faster. Lol

headwind can probably be the most demoralizing thing when it comes to riding. it's like a higher power is saying "nope" to you with every pedal stroke.

Oh Gawd! Your elevation gain is sickening! lol

@Mike
Makes sense, I'll let you know the feedback I get from my buddy and if possible get you a contact for the future.

I found this sick web app that syncs strava, runkeeper, and endomondo. Now I compare my pathetic times from endomondo with ya'll on strava.
https://tapiriik.com/

Anyone know where abouts I can get my bike tire fixed up? Something must've punctured it.

Certainly not in my closet. :troll:

You can DIY if you have a patch kit otherwise, whereabouts do you live? (No point in telling you to go to Langley if you live in Richmond.)

I'm spent...

Bike Ride Profile | Got lost, found hills, found some more hills... thx Jeff. near Vancouver | Times and Records | Strava

Apparently 2119m's climbed lol. and i hit 100+ clicks too :toot:

lol, I live in south van. I'm not too familiar with bikes, but for the patches do they work similar to the ones for cars?

what kind of bike is it? And have you checked what is the cause of the puncture?

Typically, is quite cheap to just buy a new tube at MEC or at your LBS.