beginning again

[picstloup]

Can I get some advice on what to buy come this June or thereabouts. I have some limitations/desires, see below. I would like light, stable on descents cause I suck at long fast hairpin turn descents but I love to do 'em. Although I suck at climbing I love to climb.

(Why I ask. cause I read about comfy endurance bikes like specialized roubaix or cannondale synapse, but also how the race bikes now with 25mm tires can be just as comfy but better handling, etc. So I am a little confused on which direction to take).

About to get back on my bike, again, after a few, 3.5, rough years. Will start in gym next week, stationary bikes, tread mill, then city bike to park to run, etc. Overweight now. No form. Need to start someplace. And it's winter and cold and I don't want to deal with it.

I do have a 1980's Tommaso SL to start with. 54cm c-c. 55cm top tube. Could probably go 54cm squared, but will get a bike fit. Things have changed.

Will buy some new tires and tubes for the Tommaso to get rolling outside around March/April. It's got 1994 Chorus parts on it. 8 speed. Heavy. I don't like heavy too much. But it is a nice ride.

Some thoughts on my needs :

low key, don't want lime green paint ;-)
not expensive (2100 euros give or take)
last years models ok with me
something that will last
comfort - easy on my 62 year old bones
always had Campy Chorus kit - potenza now? something else?
shimano 105-ultegra ok too, I can get used to it...
Depending on bike manufacturer I can fit on off the rack sizes. No problem.

Not sure what else to say, ask.
I live in the south of France. Ex-patriot from Brooklyn, NY.

I do have a Specialized store near me. I can get Cannondale. Of course all the french bikes are available, though they tend to be pricey. I was eyeing Canyon endurance and regular road bikes. Great value for money it seems, but then, no help here, no service. There's also felt, orbea, focus, and others like that. Lots to choose from, too much, but a lot way over my price restrictions. I don't want or need a 5000 euro dream machine. Don't want or need 2000 euro carbon wheels, etc...

I used to work on my old bikes. Not so familiar with the new tech and adjustments, but maybe it ain't too complicated. I mean the new headsets are easy. Not familiar with all the new bottom brackets used these days. I also like the idea of giving local business, business, even though I may get a little less for my euro.

I was looking at used carbon fiber bikes on leboncoin here in France, but a friend suggested buying new, so I could be sure of a bike that hasn't been crashed, abused. The idea of a warranty, just in case is good too.

Ok. Sorry to go on. Just trying to be thorough. Please forgive my short story length post.
Thanks
Morris

Ps. Pic st. loup is a very small range of mountains here in the south near home, Montpellier. It's so small that cousins who live in the Alps laugh about it being considered any kind of mountain. What do they know

[ergott]

Try to figure out your position on the existing bike before buying new. No point getting endurance geometry if you don't need it and vice versa. Once you feel real comfortable on the Tommaso you can pick any one of the fine bikes in that price rage with 105-Ultegra on it that also had the frame geometry to get you dialed in.

[ultraman6970]

This dude lives in a super nice city...

For that budget and for the list of requirements IMO you can just go to a shop and find a bike there, or think in taking your time to build something gathering parts here and there, 1st what I would do is maybe sort out the group you want, potenza looks neat but im biases towards campy tho. If you want shimano 105 is your call IMO. Same situation with the wheels, the good thing is that in your country you will find something nice for sure.

Then get fit in your old faithful bike and once you have the contact points established (maybe with a new frame size recommendation) in your old bike start hunting for a used high end frame or try to find a good frame.

IMO with your budget you can find a nice bike, used or new.

[stien]

If the Tomasso fits, why not upgrade that bike? You should be able to outfit it with a new group and wheels and stay well within budget. It will be a game changer. Even just good wheels will be if you kept the group.

[weisan]

>>
something that will last
comfort - easy on my 62 year old bones

Loup pal, I applaud your efforts and desire to get back to cycling.

If you have been keeping up with the old vintage bike appeal thread, then you know - some things have changed for the better, many things haven't really in terms of experiencing joy, comfort and efficiency on a bike.

Here's what I would say first: Trust your instincts. You are far from being a novice, you have ridden a bike before, just because you have taken a long break and coming back now doesn't mean you are starting all over. Far from the truth, you can draw on your past experience, you know what you like and what you prefer, those things don't change. What changed is your 62-yr-old body. And this happened to us all, our bodies go through changes as we age, some cyclists are able to accept that and make the necessary adjustments, others are stuck in their old mindset, still insisting on certain setup or position on their bikes as if they were still in their youths, some still expect to climb or sprint or time trial like they were young and strong. I can appreciate those desires but at the end, making the necessary adjustments will not eliminate the joy of cycling, only seek to prolong our ability to continue enjoying what we do on the bike.

We all have to start somewhere. Don't worry about you being out of shape. It's just a matter of time and getting more miles in your legs. The fitness will come in due time if you ride consistently. Maybe when you are ready, find a group of like minded and similarly fit cyclists to ride with as a way to get yourself motivated and ride regularly.

On looking for a bike, this is what I will focus on. Look for a bike that gives you the necessary comfort, and sometimes that means getting a bike that has a longer headtube that allows your handlebar to go higher, or get an older bike that still uses quill stem for that easy adjustability etc. Resist the temptation to follow the crowd or the trends. The goal is to get you on the bike and ride regularly. Kinda like someone on a weight loss program who needs to get down to a smaller size t shirt as they lose weight, it's possible that as you get fitter and stronger, you might upgrade to something different. But do this in incremental changes and progress, not trying to reach your goals in one fell swoop, don't be too ambitious or idealistic, take a more realistic and pragmatic approach to this whole thing.

Focus on the ride.

Trust what you already know, which is substantial.

Ask the folks here, they will help.

Look out for deals on our classifieds.

Bottomline: just ride!

Good luck pal.

P.S. post a picture of your current bike, that will give us some ideas....

[carpediemracing]

Originally Posted by picstloup

I would like light, stable on descents cause I suck at long fast hairpin turn descents but I love to do 'em.

Not sure what you mean by "suck at long fast hairpin turn descents" but generally speaking what I've seen (not that I've *cough cough* observed this in myself) is that riders tend to turn in too early in a turn and then compromise the rest of the corner in order not to go flying off the road (and off a cliff etc). That sets up a downward spiral of lower and lower confidence for each successive corner, slower and earlier turn ins (to make up for the wide exits an earlier turn it forces), etc. Suddenly the hairpin turn descent is really slow and definitely no fun.

My first thought whenever I see something like the above phrase is "play driving video games" or "do some go-karts" or "buy a matchbox car and play with it on the table. The goal is to learn to turn in late, or at least how to map out a good line through a given turn.

I did a short post on the turn onto my road. It's a classic late apex turn that took me a few experimental tries to get the turn in point correct. It ends up that for this turn the turn in point is probably 15 feet after the curb turns right. The drivers waiting to turn left look a bit surprised because I come pretty close to them when I do my turn in. However I don't encroach on the other side of the road.

In the post there are pictures from the dashcam point of view as well as a helmet cam (with shots of where my head is pointing, i.e. looking ahead). I understand that on a mountain descent you may not have the option of looking across the hairpin because of a rock wall or the ground or something, but the post below explains my thoughts a bit better albeit not completely.

http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...-pictures.html

For bikes a normal front end allows you to turn in "normally" and still have a stable front end at speed. For me it's 73 deg HTA and 43mm rake. A longer stem helps put weight on the front end, and if you're able to mentally commit to the turns being on the drops shouldn't be a problem, even in steep downhill hairpins. If you're unsure and trying to "get back up" then your neck/shoulders will be under a lot of stress. Don't ask me how I know.

Wheelbase is a red herring. I actually have such a long front center (56.5 cm TT with 75.5 deg STA) that my wheelbase is over 100 cm for the equivalent height of a size S Giant TCR seat tube of 40 cm (sloping top tube style). Due to the short 39 cm stays though the bike feels extremely nimble out of the saddle, but the bike feels very normal when I'm seated.

I learned about hairpin descents the hard way doing the 33-38 minute descent (for me) down the full length of Palomar Mountain. The first bit, maybe 15-20 minutes?, is chock full of hairpins. The first time I did it I was scared of going off cliffs, sliding under guardrails/cars, etc. I'd be crawling out of the hairpins with zero speed, zero momentum. Doing the descent involved riding 35-45 miles just to get to the base of the climb so a 95-115 mile ride to do the descent so I only had one chance to do the descent per day and usually 1-2 times per year. By the third time I did the descent I was fine on the hairpins on the drops, I was turning in moderately late, and I had some semblance of momentum exiting most of the turns. There were a couple blind hairpins where I never managed to commit 100% but those were blind so I felt uncomfortable going in too hot because I literally could not see anything around the corner.

Hope this helps.

[vitaly66]

The road back into condition will be its own challenge -- no matter what you are riding. It may be tempting to hope that spending money, getting a new bike, will somehow make this process easier. But there is really no substitute for getting on the bike and putting on the miles.

Fortunately the transition will come more readily than you are perhaps now imagining.

My suggestion is to start with the bike you have now. It is a fine bicycle and better than 98% of all others on the road anyway. Once your conditioning improves, you will better be able to define your objectives, and to feel the nuances that make one bicycle more enjoyable than another.

[cmbicycles]

I would say since you aren't completely new to cycling it could be fun to make some upgrades to the Tommaso... as long as it fits. Then as was mentioned you could set a "reward marker" and get something newer when you reacj that goal.

I have an older Slx Tommaso frame that I'm currently rebuilding. It was noticeably heavier, to pick up, than my carbon bike when built up but it didn't ride any slower on the road. In fact it rode really nice, and fits 28mm tires with ease. I'm going to do some paint rehab and build it up again with a Record 10 group, and use my Fulcrum zeros that aren't selling, so it should be a fun bike when finished.
This is mine...

[soulspinner]

Welcome back. These folks are a great resource. Whatever you have been through, I guarantee the mental / emotional benefits will be worth it on its own. Dont be too hard on yourself at first, the fitness will come.






Cheers,
Dennis

[bobswire]

Originally Posted by weisan

>>
something that will last
comfort - easy on my 62 year old bones

Loup pal, I applaud your efforts and desire to get back to cycling.

If you have been keeping up with the old vintage bike appeal thread, then you know - some things have changed for the better, many things haven't really in terms of experiencing joy, comfort and efficiency on a bike.

Here's what I would say first: Trust your instincts. You are far from being a novice, you have ridden a bike before, just because you have taken a long break and coming back now doesn't mean you are starting all over. Far from the truth, you can draw on your past experience, you know what you like and what you prefer, those things don't change. What changed is your 62-yr-old body. And this happened to us all, our bodies go through changes as we age, some cyclists are able to accept that and make the necessary adjustments, others are stuck in their old mindset, still insisting on certain setup or position on their bikes as if they were still in their youths, some still expect to climb or sprint or time trial like they were young and strong. I can appreciate those desires but at the end, making the necessary adjustments will not eliminate the joy of cycling, only seek to prolong our ability to continue enjoying what we do on the bike.

We all have to start somewhere. Don't worry about you being out of shape. It's just a matter of time and getting more miles in your legs. The fitness will come in due time if you ride consistently. Maybe when you are ready, find a group of like minded and similarly fit cyclists to ride with as a way to get yourself motivated and ride regularly.

On looking for a bike, this is what I will focus on. Look for a bike that gives you the necessary comfort, and sometimes that means getting a bike that has a longer headtube that allows your handlebar to go higher, or get an older bike that still uses quill stem for that easy adjustability etc. Resist the temptation to follow the crowd or the trends. The goal is to get you on the bike and ride regularly. Kinda like someone on a weight loss program who needs to get down to a smaller size t shirt as they lose weight, it's possible that as you get fitter and stronger, you might upgrade to something different. But do this in incremental changes and progress, not trying to reach your goals in one fell swoop, don't be too ambitious or idealistic, take a more realistic and pragmatic approach to this whole thing.

Focus on the ride.

Trust what you already know, which is substantial.

Ask the folks here, they will help.

Look out for deals on our classifieds.

Bottomline: just ride!

Good luck pal.

P.S. post a picture of your current bike, that will give us some ideas....

Best advice/advise I've ever read on this forum, no more needs to be said.

[Black Dog]

Great for you to make the decision to get back on the bike. Take it all a day at time and you will be a new man before you know it. Don't give up and remember that there will be some set backs and tough times. You will get a lot of support here when you are having a rough patch.

[MattTuck]

These are just some general ideas, not a specific recommendation.

Good advice from Eric about getting your position dialed in.

The single most important feature that a bike can have is the 'smile factor'. When you look at the bike, does it make you smile? Does it make you want to get on and ride it. The lightest, stiffest, etc. bike in the world isn't going to help you if it doesn't inspire you to ride.

[Ti Designs]

Originally Posted by weisan

Trust what you already know, which is substantial.

Just don't go testing what you think you know...

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by picstloup

Can I get some advice on what to buy come this June or thereabouts. I have some limitations/desires, see below. I would like light, stable on descents cause I suck at long fast hairpin turn descents but I love to do 'em. Although I suck at climbing I love to climb.

(Why I ask. cause I read about comfy endurance bikes like specialized roubaix or cannondale synapse, but also how the race bikes now with 25mm tires can be just as comfy but better handling, etc. So I am a little confused on which direction to take).

About to get back on my bike, again, after a few, 3.5, rough years. Will start in gym next week, stationary bikes, tread mill, then city bike to park to run, etc. Overweight now. No form. Need to start someplace. And it's winter and cold and I don't want to deal with it.

I do have a 1980's Tommaso SL to start with. 54cm c-c. 55cm top tube. Could probably go 54cm squared, but will get a bike fit. Things have changed.

Will buy some new tires and tubes for the Tommaso to get rolling outside around March/April. It's got 1994 Chorus parts on it. 8 speed. Heavy. I don't like heavy too much. But it is a nice ride.

Some thoughts on my needs :

low key, don't want lime green paint ;-)
not expensive (2100 euros give or take)
last years models ok with me
something that will last
comfort - easy on my 62 year old bones
always had Campy Chorus kit - potenza now? something else?
shimano 105-ultegra ok too, I can get used to it...
Depending on bike manufacturer I can fit on off the rack sizes. No problem.

Not sure what else to say, ask.
I live in the south of France. Ex-patriot from Brooklyn, NY.

I do have a Specialized store near me. I can get Cannondale. Of course all the french bikes are available, though they tend to be pricey. I was eyeing Canyon endurance and regular road bikes. Great value for money it seems, but then, no help here, no service. There's also felt, orbea, focus, and others like that. Lots to choose from, too much, but a lot way over my price restrictions. I don't want or need a 5000 euro dream machine. Don't want or need 2000 euro carbon wheels, etc...

I used to work on my old bikes. Not so familiar with the new tech and adjustments, but maybe it ain't too complicated. I mean the new headsets are easy. Not familiar with all the new bottom brackets used these days. I also like the idea of giving local business, business, even though I may get a little less for my euro.

I was looking at used carbon fiber bikes on leboncoin here in France, but a friend suggested buying new, so I could be sure of a bike that hasn't been crashed, abused. The idea of a warranty, just in case is good too.

Ok. Sorry to go on. Just trying to be thorough. Please forgive my short story length post.
Thanks
Morris

Ps. Pic st. loup is a very small range of mountains here in the south near home, Montpellier. It's so small that cousins who live in the Alps laugh about it being considered any kind of mountain. What do they know

Sounds like you have a good plan,

As someone who sells bikes for a living I suggest you go talk to your local shops and test ride a bunch of bikes. Ride the current bike to get rolling but don't jump at the first "good deal." Buy the bike that makes sense to/for you. It's out there. Don't get stuck thinking you are a 54 as there is no standard. Don't just measure the TT to determine the best fit. In some bikes you might be a 56.

Discuss your past riding experiences and what your new desires for a bike and type of riding are. Don't buy a race bike unless you are racing. The trend t'words fatter tires and a less aggressive fit is a boon for the majority of people riding road bikes anywhere IMO> That said just calling something an endurance fit bike doesn't guarantee it fits you the way you want for the type of riding you will be doing. Test ride a bunch of bikes.

Have fun with it and be open minded. Test ride a bunch of bikes.

Don't slam that stem!

[classtimesailer]

I'd suggest that you wait til next June before buying another bike. You'll make a better choice next year. Get fit and trim on your Tommaso. Reacquaint yourself with it by tuning it up with tires and brake blocks. Maybe some new bar tape and hoods for your levers. Did we get a picture yet? New bikes are not as cool as your Tommaso and your Tommaso is light enough.