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robmob

robmob

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I'm a mountain bike guy and have never owned a road bike. This past Sat I went on a 25 mile ride for the Cycle 4 Sight charity here in Napa and really enjoyed the ride. I put on a set of hybrid road tires on one of my mountain bikes for the ride. While it was nice to have the plush full suspension and the ability to pass people in the dirt when needed, I found myself wanting a decent light weight road bike like all the cool people who kept passing me.:hehe:

Are there any road bikers here?

I was thinking about picking up a Trek 2.1 Apex from my local shop and was looking for opinions on it from someone with some experience.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/sport/2_and_1_series/2_1_apex_h2_compact/#

Is clipping in and out of those funny looking pedals easy? I only use cages on my mountain bikes.

Also, are those spandex riding shorts a requirement when riding road bikes? LOL
 
robmob said:
I'm a mountain bike guy and have never owned a road bike. This past Sat I went on a 25 mile ride for the Cycle 4 Sight charity here in Napa and really enjoyed the ride. I put on a set of hybrid road tires on one of my mountain bikes for the ride. While it was nice to have the plush full suspension and the ability to pass people in the dirt when needed, I found myself wanting a decent light weight road bike like all the cool people who kept passing me.:hehe:

Are there any road bikers here?

I was thinking about picking up a Trek 2.1 Apex from my local shop and was looking for opinions on it from someone with some experience.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/sport/2_and_1_series/2_1_apex_h2_compact/#

Is clipping in and out of those funny looking pedals easy? I only use cages on my mountain bikes.

Also, are those spandex riding shorts a requirement when riding road bikes? LOL
Click to expand...


For longer rides, the shorts are a necessity. You'll get what looks like a baboon's bottom, and it will get sore.

The clip-ons are very easy to use, just clip in and go. For getting out of them you twist your foot. It's very easy.


Spandex ftw. :hehe:
 
Rob, I was the same way about the shorts. That is until a friend took me into the TX hill country for my 18 mile initiation ride. I had the funny looking shorts the following weekend. :hehe:

Road bikes are where it's at on the pavement for sure, and clipless pedals are the only way to go IMHO. Once you fall 15 or 20 times without unclipping, you'll get the hang of it. Plus, everyone around gets to laugh at you flailing about trying to get loose on the way to the ground, I know they sure got to laugh at me. They took me to downtown Houston to get used to the new pedals, both my knees were beat to hell the next day from falling over, still clipped in. :D
 
Baboon bottom. LMAO!
 
I'll be here all week, thank you. :-D

My brother in law has been bugging to go trail riding with him, and I have considered it even before he asked me. Now I just need to scrape up some cash, and find a nice used MT bike. He found a nice Trek for 500$ so it is doable.
 
It's not a laughing matter, Rob. If you've ever had it, you'd understand. I used to do long distance rides in the hill country in the early 80s and I learned about it the hard way.
 
Get some with the pump in the front like Ben Stillers on on Dodgeball :D
 
LOL

I do wear MTB shorts that have a padded liner when I ride. Not very aerodynamic on a road bike so I guess I'll have to journey to the dark side.
 
What?

LOL
 
Definitely got my interest in this thread. Alot of my friends have recently started cycling around town 10-15 mile rides. I also have been looking into bikes. Check your local craigslist it usually has some pretty good deals. especially considering you in cali there will be alot of options. Also its gonna be hard for me to justify spending 1k+ on a bike. Start with something cheap that you can easily upgrade i would say. That way if something comes up or you dont stick with it long a 1.5k bike isn't just sitting in the garage.

---------- Post added at 3:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 2:57 PM ----------

The trek is definitely nice tho. Let us know what you go with.
 
215954702.jpg
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Nice choice Rob. You don't have to use the clip shoes and pedals though, but it's nice to be able to pull up with your legs as well as pushing down.
I rode a Trek 1000 a few years ago, and it was a nice bike....I just hate road bike handlebars. I bought a dual sport 8.3 a few weeks ago and I love it.
 
B-MILLER said:
Definitely got my interest in this thread. Alot of my friends have recently started cycling around town 10-15 mile rides. I also have been looking into bikes. Check your local craigslist it usually has some pretty good deals. especially considering you in cali there will be alot of options. Also its gonna be hard for me to justify spending 1k+ on a bike. Start with something cheap that you can easily upgrade i would say. That way if something comes up or you dont stick with it long a 1.5k bike isn't just sitting in the garage.
Click to expand...


I've been riding 10-15 miles 4 days a week for a year now. I even mount my bike on a trainer when the weather is bad. I wouldn't even consider an expensive bike if I was just now getting off the couch. LOL

I will be looking into used though before I commit. There are plenty of riders that have to have the latest and greatest each year around here I suspect.
 
The MTB shorts will be fine, on the road. Honestly, you can wear pretty much anything you want, as long as it doesn't chafe you. The hardcore roadies might laugh and call you Fred. But they stop laughing, when you drop them.







*everybody forgets, Fred was the guy on the loaded touring bike, who passed all the racers, while he was riding across Europe.
 
Should get into bmx instead Rob.
 
I have a Fisher Kaitai that sees road for the most part. I have a set of Eggbeaters pedals which are great. Believe me, you will forget to clip out, or realize it when it's too late. It sucks and it's embarassing (and your elbow is probably gonna hurt for a couple days), but EVERYBODY has done it. If they say they havn't, they're lying :) Also, I use MTB padded shorts as well mostly because the spandex stuff is "3 letters - one syllable :) " looking and I'm far from hardcore anyways. I enjoy roading although I don't ride very much. I need a riding buddy..

---------- Post added at 9:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 9:08 PM ----------
slowngreen said:
Should get into bmx instead Rob.
Click to expand...

I have one of those too :) I can bunny hop and that's it. I'd like to learn how to manual though. I'm not a fan of breaking my face so skatepark stuff is not something I plan on doing. Flatland is more up my alley.
 
I loved doing flat land. Trever Meyer was my hero for a long time. All I ever really got dialed were single tailwhips. Never got the manual down either. 180's and bar spins were about it, and tail tap to fakies...
 

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