being that this was my first real ride on my road bike, i learned a lot, about my bike, about my preferences on this bike, and riding on the road in general.
it was a gorgeous day, we woke up to a chilly morning at the house, ate breakfast, then drove about 45 mins to etowah where we parked and began.
it was a less hilly ride for the area, at 22 miles we only ascended about 600 ft.
around mile 15 i started to feel that i had hands, a lower back and shoulders, but i definitely would not call it pain.
now today, i have pain, tightness in my shoulders, happily surprised was i that this is the only place of discomfort.
most of the parts on this bike i bought on e-bay, the frame is a french motobecane, a lugged steel mixte. i really like riding a womens frame, i am much more confident on a bike that i feel i can jump out of the saddle and touch the ground.
these are by far the thinnest tires i've ridden on.
the wheels i bought new and are alloy, measuring 27", the tires are 1-1/4"
i bought new cables and housing and with the help from bf and a local mechanic who tuned it up before the weekend, everything is in great working condition.
the crankset is original to the bike bought separately on ebay and the 5 spd freewheel in the rear i bought new through amazon
brakes are also original, bought separately and installed with new cables and pads
a new brooks saddle, flyer S
you can't tell in these pics but somehow when i was adjusting something my handlebars got turned down and so my long ride i rode on the hoods drastically forward, i re-adjusted tonight and they are much more comfortable
this was the only area of pain i had during the ride my hands became a little fatigued as this whole thing was incredibly new it felt like the same discomfort i endured when i first started working at craft and quenelled like 300 scoops of ice cream a night!!
there she is in all her glory!! also, as i was building her up, i purchased on ebay a set of spd pedals and specialized shoes and thus far i really like them, i was unsure how i would like it, and it definitely takes some forethought as far as stopping at intersections and such, but i feel i have a lot more power, and like the bike is an extension of my body.
also, the shoes are a lot like a pair of shoes i would just buy, they have recessed hardware and look like a trail runner, not too stiff either!
i really like this bike and look forward to getting to know it
update: today being my first commute to work and back, and crossing the bridge, my only complaint is that when she gets going on the downhills at a certain speed she gets incredibly squirrelly, it is not a comforting feeling and i immediately slowed down, no likey!!
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