bicycle (road) advice

I havent. I don't think its big in CA yet. theres a series in LA and north of there, but nothing by me in San Diego.

I suspect ill do some gravel fondos/races before I do a CX event just because of accessibility. Belgian Waffle Ride is here and ive already ridden a bunch of the route.

 

Just like on a motorcycle your bike helmet is the most important piece of kit. Even without traffic there are dogs, kids, headphone wearing pedestrians, and other hazards constantly around to take you down.

 

Go by and see Mark at Truly Spokin, he's at the Milton store on Tuesday-Saturday. He's a great guy and won't steer you wrong, the good thing about him being at the Milton store is that it's right there at the trail & he'll let you test out several bikes & get the one that best fits your needs. Hell, if you want to try it out for a while to see if you're going to like the cycling thing before you make a purchase, you can go by my house and grab mine & ride it for a while.

To answer some of your questions, yes the shorts are necessary (your ass will thank you). The clips & shoes aren't required but definitely make it easier, from someone who started out with the cage pedals then went to clips & shoes, it's a night and day difference.

 

That seems small to me, I ride a 56 and I'm 5'10", been riding and racing that size for over 30 years.

 

Check out bikesdirect.com lots of good deals on every price range. I've had great experience with multiple purchases from there.

 

Search for an online fit calculator (i use the one on competitive cyclist) to determine frame size and baseline geometry. Professional fit is better, but not cheap.

If you’re just getting started, i wouldn’t pay LBS pricing. Online is fine, if you torque all your bolts to spec and grease everything properly. Easier than a motorcycle.

Clipping is is never essential, but i would absolutely recommend it. Spend some time on a fixed-gear spin bike, and you’ll appreciate what hardcore riders mean when they say ‘spinning a better circle’ or whatever.

I clip in for road rides, mtb trails, cyclocross, gravel - everywhere except the indoor bike park. And i would clip in there if i went often enough to really know my way around.

“Mashing” on a road bike seems inefficient and unnecessary to me, but do what you’re comfortable with. Just keep in mind that initial discomfort may not last. Like driving a manual transmission. I hated it for a while before i started to love it.

 

Find a few bikes that you could live with, and find out what size in each will work for you. A M (medium) in one might be different in another brand. Have to go by pure geo numbers. Effective top tube, reach and stack tell you most of what you need to know. Do the online fit calculator, then try it out on a bike in store and adjust your target numbers. This time of year is great for run out deals on 2018 bikes. Rim vs disc is up to you, but I'd get discs and Shimano every time.

 

Brain no working. It's actually 58

 

I've used the Competitive Cyclist fit calculator to get an idea of good frame geometry for me. They give you a couple different fits to choose from that range from a more aggressive race fit to a touring fit.

As for shorts, I have been using Przewalski bibs lately and have been very happy with them, especially for the money.

If you're buying online, I'd take a good look at Performance Bike and Fuji. Their customer service is awful, but the prices are solid and Fuji makes a great value bike - I raced and crashed on a carbon Fuji for years and that bike held up great. If you're a Team Performance member, they'll sometimes run 30% back deals, so you'd get a couple hundred back to buy accessories after purchasing a road bike.

If you're a size 10-11 in shoes, I have some old clipless shoes I'll send you at no charge for you to try, just have to pay shipping.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp

https://www.amazon.com/Przewalski-B...470576&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=bib+shorts&psc=1

https://www.performancebike.com/sho...ikes/fuji-transonic-25-road-bike-2018-31-8548

 

Interesting note regarding the Shimano groupsets: Updates trickle down each year from the next higher version, at least between the Tiagra and 105 level. For example, I have a 2015 Tiagra groupset that is the same spec as a 2014 105. And the Tiagra crank is actually better than the 105 crank, but the shifters and brakes are the same. So don't be scared by the name of the groupset, as I have found that older 105 groupsets suck compared to the newer Tiagra. My next step is to get an older Ultegra to replace my Tiagra, since the price jump (used, obvs) isn't too terrible.

 

For ride quality, steel is real. If you do any gravel or rougher secondary roads, you'll tell a difference. A pound or two difference in weight? Stand before a mirror and determine if you're carrying an extra pound or two.

+1 on the Shimano groupset advice above.

Cheers,

Dave

 

Ha ha. I am 48 ...
Trying to avoid the Lycra look.

 

Baldwin, FL?
Used to ride there with the family a lot when we lived in Jax.
We have the same thing here in Pcola.

 

Like a few others have said, get a mountain bike. You can ride it on the paved trail you mentioned, and you can also go hit the single track trails(especially this if you want to smile like a kid again) and/or ride dirt roads.

 

I'm 58, I like comfort As others have mentioned a Mtn works too, I used to put slick fat boy tires on mine when I did road rides.

 

Another solution for the pedals are “Campus” pedals that are platform on one side, and clip type on the other.

 

I have a multi-tone horn that comes in handy a lot.
I use a friendly sounding beep if I'm approaching a group blocking the whole trail so they know I'm coming.
I use a harsh tone for little animals that tend to dart out and freeze in front of you, it startles them to move again.

 

Start modest and work your way up if you like it. Soon enough, you'll either be quitting or going all out lycra, clip-on pedals and all that shit. It happened to me and I'm liking every minute of it. I started with a used aluminium Cannondale and it did the job very well. I now ride a carbon frame and it's awesome. 56" should be about right for your height.

 

You talking SoCal Cross? I have friends that race it, it’s getting bigger. There’s lots of other cross events around too. The Hunkr series is also putting on some gravel races, first one is November at Castaic. I want to enter but it’d tear up my road bike. I’m building a gravel/cross bike now, mostly gravel. Picked up a new Soma double cross, gonna throw a carbon fork on it. A gravel bike is a pretty awesome setup for riding in Socal if you like mountains (I do). Hopefully I can do BWR next year.

 

A full on mountain bike is slow as fuck on roads. Doesn’t make for a practical mix. You can definitely use a good gravel bike as your sole machine though. I’ve seen some decent gravel bikes with mountain frames as a base, though I don’t know how good the geometry is. Problem with gravel/cross bikes is knowing what’ll suit you comes with experience. I’m building mine from the ground up because I want to choose every component, as I don’t like the full bikes on offer at the prices I’m willing to spend. The OEM gearing selections are fucking retarded too. They gear these bikes like everyone buying them is a pro, it’s just ridiculous.