Ok, you guys might have seen some of my posts asking for advice and asking newbie questions about buying my first road bike, And I appreciate all the advice and tips you guys have provided me with, they really did help in choosing my bike. I was looking at either a Trek 1000,Giant OCR3, Specialized Allez, or Norco CRD2 which were all about the same price $800ish (CAD) the thing I learned while researching this thread was go with a 9 speed (Tiagra or 105) if at all possible instead of the Sora components which all the bikes I was looking at came with...So I was getting a little frustrated trying to find a bike in my budget ($800ish) that came with Tiagra or 105. Untill I visited one of the LBS's for the second time to check out the Trek 1000 again and told the guy my dilema, and he called up there other location in the city (London Ont.) and said he's got a bike for me. A new 2006 Trek 1200 in my size on sale for $899!:D by the way that is the same price that the Trek 1000 was going for so I bought it and I'm sooo excited! I'm going back on wednesday when I have a day off to get it all set up and adjusted for me. I'm so excited to start riding, although i'm sure i'll need some lessons on riding a road bike.

Congrats on the new bike newbie. Remember to post pics.

Good for you! There's nothing quite like getting a brand new bike. Enjoy.

thank you, i'll ppost some pic's when i pick it up on wednesday

I think you'll be much more happy with your choice. That's a bike that's both good for a Newbie and you can grow into without ever feeling bad about your decision. Good job.

thanks, now i need some tips on actually riding a road bike, like when to shift and the correct way. The LBS said they would show me but any tips would be appreciated. Also when do you guys start riding? is winter ok as long as the roads are dry? what about spring when the roads are damp is that ok?

There's no easy way to explain the shifting over the web unfortunately. First thing you need to work on is muscle memory in your fingers so you know when to shift to make the gearing easier and when to shift to make it harder. Probably best is to start in a an area that is flat and or slightly rolling. I think your bike came in a triple (three gears in the front) so start with it in the middle and leave it there while you play with the rear gearing. Practice over and over again shifting up into a higher gear (harder) or down into a lower gear (easier) so you get used to it. Ride about a 100 feet and shift, then another hundred and shift. Something along those lines. Gentle climbs are great because you can practice downshifting to make the climb easier but won't crash if you accidently shift into a harder gear. Steep climbs may be too much right now because you could literally shift into a harder gear, be unable to turn the crank, and fall over. It'll come pretty naturally after a while. Make sure you buy some good chain oil (like Prolink) and keep the chain in good condition. It'll help with the shifting. When you put it on make sure to gently wipe the chain off with a dry cotton rag to get rid of any excess lube though. Did the shop at least explain two finger easier vs. one finger harder on the right (rear) shifter? The gearing is opposite on the shifters. The left (front) gears get harder when you move the whole brake handle to the right and easier when you click just the inside (small) shifter. Just the opposite for the rear (right) shifter. Good luck.

Oh yeah, ride whenever the weather will allow it basically. Make sure you invest in some good biking shorts. If you're a guy, velowear.com has some good lower priced stuff. For females teamestrogen.com is good. My wife prefers shebeast brand. The pad will make a world of difference on a long ride. If it is wet outside expect to get damp and cold without some good gear. Wet roads aren't too bad, but your bike will spray crud straight into your face and will soak your tail. Not my favorite time to ride unless I'm in Hawaii. Most of the time you are good with shorts, jersey, and light jacket down to about 65, but will have to add layers as the temp drops below this. You'll figure that out pretty quick. Short finger gloves are great for the summer and warmer temps and long fingers come in dozens of options depending on the temps. For around 55-65 I usually use a good pair of MTB long fingers. Below 55 I have variety of winter gloves to chose from. Start reading the threads in the Commuting forum. They are great reading, good pics, and often answer a lot of the outdoor riding questions.

One more thing. . .if you live in a cooler or cold area right now invest in arm warmers, leg warmers, and booties. I know your money is tight so you can watch sites like performance.com for sales as the money allows. But, they are great because you can strip them off when it gets too warm but do a good job keeping you fairly warm in the cooler weather. I'm not sure what all you bought so if you have any questions just ask.

this thread is exactly what i was gonna ask about so im glad i didnt have to!.... post a pic of the new sled...since im thinking of buying my first bike real soon also.

Ridgetop-Thank you sooo much for all the info.

Focker-will do and good luck in your search, this forum will help you greatly

well I picked it up today:D , he showed me the basics of shifting but I can't wait to get out and actually ride it. He said I should avoid riding it untill spring:( because the salt will not be good for it. It's gonna be tuff having a brand new bike around the house and not being able to ride it for about another month. Anyways here are some pix, enjoy

Don't worry about the salt. Just keep your bike clean. Check out MB1 he rides anywhere and everywhere.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=86763

Nice bike, but who is the dork holding it up for you? :)

hahaha thanks, Ya it's just some loser I hired to hold it for me.

Another don't worry about the salt comment. You can wash it off in the bathtub (yep, seriously). Anyway, if you ride in salt just keep the gears and chain lubed and you'll be fine. You can wash the salt off with just water and a some wet rags. Of course the shiney new paint will turn all whitish grey :). Looks good and I'm sure you'll love it.

Hey Newb,

One more thing. . .I am assuming you're female (or if you're holding that bike it's too small for you :)). Anyway, don't be afraid to ask questions on the Womens forum. They're really nice over there and can be very helpful. Of course you're going to get answers from guys who want to be or think they know the womens stuff. I mean, I never do that. . .:).

Uhhh actually i'm male. That is me holding the bike! Now you have me all paranoid that the bike is the wrong size? they fitted it to me at the shop and seemed like they knew what they were doing?

Whoops, crap, sorry. Check your PMs.

That size looks O.K. to me, but I really wouldn't know unless I saw you riding it.

I'm gonna post a pic of me on the bike soon in the genral discussions.

just ride it! after a few 100 kms then you will have some opinions that you can then share with other people and your questions will be more directed.
ride safe

I PMed him and said I could be full of it. Just going by the pics it looks set up on the small side, but I'll be the first to admit I could be wrong. Pics are hard to tell from.

I PMed him and said I could be full of it. Just going by the pics it looks set up on the small side, but I'll be the first to admit I could be wrong. Pics are hard to tell from.


it looks that way because of that stem...once he gains some experience and flips it, it'll probably look bigger.:thumbsup: Nice bike BTW, congrats on joining the CLUB...

thank you all

that bike size looks fine.. :)
I would angle your seatdown a few degrees...play with the different configuations of seat angle, fore/aft position, as well as handlebar placement (flip step, etc). It always take a 1/2 dozen rides or so to really get a descent position on your first bike...you'll probably continually fine tune it for a few months. remember that there really shouldn't be too much pressure on your hands/wrists/shoulders....as well as your boy parts...it should all feel generally equal as you sit on the bike. if not, get out the wrench.
enjoy your new ride..

newbie,

I have a Trek 1000 with Sora gear and confirm that the Sora is barely okay, much better to go for the next level up Trek 1200 which is what I should have done. Enjoy your bike.

thanks

Have you levelled the saddle yet coz it's kinda tilted upwards.. anywya, how's the bike dude?

Ride safe

dude, sweet bike! I'm a new rider too and have only got out twice, as that's all weather has allowed. I just ordered pedals, pump ect. so i can get rid of the junky toe-clip w/ straps. It's been a couple weeks since i went on the last ride and i might have to wait until the frame pump comes in the mail b/c my tires lost pressure since last ride. I'm anxious to get the pedals and then shoes to feel more like a roadie. Oh, by the way I decided to go w/ the trek 1000. You say the lbs you were at was selling the 1000 for the same price as your $899 1200... sounds like the former was a bit overpriced. I went for the cheaper 1000 because im a poor undergrad student, and i figure i'll hopefully get at least a solid 5 yrs outta my sora/tiagra components before i upgrade to a better bike or more solid components. I'd like to by that time be able to pitch for a new ride so that i have a backup ride. i shouldn't get ahead of myself though. I'd post a pic but I don't have a digital camera. I know i went bottom of the line, but i'm proud that i took my first step in what i hope is a longtime love of riding. I love this site by the way... so many of us newbies are so much better b/c of it!!!

that's awesome man! Ya I'm loving my bike, i've been out like 4 times this week since we finally got some good weather. Ya man I'm sure the Trek 1000 is good I just wanted a 9 speed so I can upgrade it as I get better, but like you said you can just get a few years out of it than get better bike. post pic's when you can get a digi! ya I'm loving cycling and this site too!

cheers

but I agree, it looks like the saddle is pointed upwards a little...and if that is the same stock saddle that comes with most bikes at this level (Bontrager Saddle) you MAY experience the dreaded, "uh, where did my package go" sensation...:blush2: (numbness). But I wouldn't change a thing (other than minor saddle adustments and bar rotation) for at least 50-100 miles. Whatever you do, do NOT flip that stem to 'look cool' until you get many more miles as you will suffer a lot of soreness by flipping a stem with that rise....good luck, keep riding and tweaking. After some miles, you will learn what feels good and what doesn't. And don't worry about that other's think about sizing.....I am about as paranoid about sizing as you can get and you just have to remember that adjustments that lead to comfort that will lead to more miles may or may NOT look 'correct'......it's every beginner rider's choise - look cool and suffer or maybe look a little 'Fred' and ride in comfort.