First ride on the new road bike yesterday

First ride on the new road bike yesterday
by RIBS (2020-05-30 11:43:29)

In reply to: Joined - great idea, and good timing. I have a new bike! posted by EE Trumpet

The wealth of knowledge the Backroom offers is staggering, thanks again for all of the advice earlier in the week.

I ended up purchasing the Giant Contend 3 road bike. Clearly entry-level. When I went to pick it up, I asked the sales rep about spending another $300 on the same bike with upgraded components- carbon fork, more gears, disc brakes. He agreed that it would make for a better ride, but he also suggested going cheap on this one, suggesting that if I continue to ride more and more, next year I will want to upgrade regardless. Go cheap now (If $800 is cheap), then sell this one next spring and buy a $2000(ish) bike. Makes sense.

First ride on the new bike was shocking. Coming from a 23-year old mountain bike with 2" knobby tires and shocks, the feel of a road bike couldn't be more different. The little bike is so twitchy. Every movement is magnified. I deliberately road the same route, with the same effort (heart rate +/-128), and my speed went from 14 mph (on the old bike) up to 15.2 mph over 20.4 miles. Not at all fast, I know, but a big improvement. Other than the responsiveness, the other things immediately apparent were how it felt going up any "hill" (my area is almost billiard-table flat) and when going directly into the wind. Dramatically less effort required in both cases.

It was noted that the stock saddle on an entry-level bike is junk. Junk or not, I've already ordered padded shorts. A necessity for sure.

2 months in to riding 4-6 times a week, for 45-90 minutes, I've lost 15-20 lbs. And most importantly, I'm really enjoying it. I look forward to riding every morning when i wake up. Such a good stress reliever. SO far, it appears to be sustainable, but we will see when its 95 degrees with dripping humidity in August, or when it's 12 degrees and dark 20 hours a day in January. My wife is deservedly skeptical and rolls her eyes a bit every time I spend more money on this new hobby.

Congrats. It’s not a bad strategy.

Although I kept going with a $1000ish road bike for something like 7 years before I fell off of the wagon, I can vouch that the carbon frame bike I bought this year to get back into it is a significant upgrade.

On the heat of summer....it’s usually not 95 yet if you get out early enough.

On winter, I got back into it this year in January by joining Zwift and investing in a smart trainer. My decade + old aluminum bike is now a full time indoor bike. I still have to ride inside now once every week or two because of weather or just not being able to squeaaze in a ride before dark. It’s not as good as riding outside, but I’m surprised by how much fun it still is.

95F weather = dawn patrol

Get some, “do you see me?” lights and rollout as soon as the Sun is up.

Dawn Patrol?