Well I did a maiden distance-ride this morning of eight miles and it was AWESOME! I was a little intimidated at first since there was so much different (including the first day of cooler weather gear) but I took it easy and everything became fairly natural in no time.
What a dream this bike is to ride compared to the heavy GT. Eight miles felt too short but I did feel like I was using some different leg muscles so decided not to push it on the first ride. Shifting was much easier to keep track of than I thought. Even with my vision issues I was able to easily look down at the rear cog and front crank to check position.
I did spend a fair amount of time in the upright position due to the hoods needing adjustment so I had to keep mindful that I could not shift or brake from there. The “gel tape” was very comfortable. Thanks to you guys, I had my tire pressure right so I often forgot that I was on a rigid frame. The carbon fork and seat post absorbed some as well. The chip-seal section felt like glass. Gravel sections were well received as well.
My efforts with the seat adjustment seemed pretty damn close but felt a tad nose high. Also the bars felt good but the hoods were felt just a tad too far while the lower position felt too close. So when I got home I rolled the bar up in the front one degree (the bar has markings) and tilted the seat nose 1/4” down in front.
I also found some SHIMANO PD-M8100 Cross Country Race SPD pedals at my local shop and mounted those. They came with fresh cleats so I changed those on the shoes too. $140 + tax. They have the Ergon SM Sport Men in stock so I might try that next.
Today was the real test. Buying something unseen online and hoping for a good fit, is a bit of a leap of faith. This one really paid off. I could no be happier with the outcome. Just hoping Indian Summer will stick around a bit longer.
What a dream this bike is to ride compared to the heavy GT. Eight miles felt too short but I did feel like I was using some different leg muscles so decided not to push it on the first ride. Shifting was much easier to keep track of than I thought. Even with my vision issues I was able to easily look down at the rear cog and front crank to check position.
I did spend a fair amount of time in the upright position due to the hoods needing adjustment so I had to keep mindful that I could not shift or brake from there. The “gel tape” was very comfortable. Thanks to you guys, I had my tire pressure right so I often forgot that I was on a rigid frame. The carbon fork and seat post absorbed some as well. The chip-seal section felt like glass. Gravel sections were well received as well.
My efforts with the seat adjustment seemed pretty damn close but felt a tad nose high. Also the bars felt good but the hoods were felt just a tad too far while the lower position felt too close. So when I got home I rolled the bar up in the front one degree (the bar has markings) and tilted the seat nose 1/4” down in front.
I also found some SHIMANO PD-M8100 Cross Country Race SPD pedals at my local shop and mounted those. They came with fresh cleats so I changed those on the shoes too. $140 + tax. They have the Ergon SM Sport Men in stock so I might try that next.
Today was the real test. Buying something unseen online and hoping for a good fit, is a bit of a leap of faith. This one really paid off. I could no be happier with the outcome. Just hoping Indian Summer will stick around a bit longer.
