Check pic:
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o197/saintmoi/bicycle.jpg
For those experienced and seasoned riders, what do you think of my new road bike? 2nd hand it was $420 for the bike, shoes, helmet, pedals, computer etc. It’s aluminium, not carbon. It’s a 9 speed.
Your crit would depend on what I use it for. I bought it as I’d like to be a racing demon. There’s a major cycle race, 109km, in March that I want to train for. So I guess it’s not for casual cruises among the flower beds at the park. I want to learn to ride, and fast.
Concerns I have are (as posted previously) :
- the seat anhialates my butt
- I can’t seem to go fast enough on straights
- I can’t go up hills, the smallest gear setting is SO tough
- it might not be the lightest bike, kind of on the heavy side
Did I make a mistake choosing a road bike? A mountain bike with road tyres would be so much safer, easier to control, more familiar. Any thoughts or comments to all of the above?
Thanks 
re: Seat
I’m 190cm tall, what in N America that’s 6″3? So I guess the seat is naturally high. I’ve taken it down a bit from what it is in that pic. And as much as I’ve tried tilting it forward, when I get on it shifts hack to level. The back doesn’t feel wide enough to meet my ’sit bones’. Those are actually ischial tuberosities for the anatomically inclined ppl. Not the pubic bones. The pubic bones are getting punished at the moment. Think I need a wider back, even if it means getting a MTB seat.
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It looks like an out and out road bike. Maybe you wanted a touring bike instead? 9 speeds? Did you mean 14? This is for super fit people who would still zoom up the hill and not miss the extra gears. I’ve been left for dust by road racing people when we get to the hills. It doesn’t look too heavy to me.
As for saddles, a good shop will let you try out saddles. You need to do a couple of miles to see if you will get on with a particular saddle. The alu frame is rigid and this transmits more of the shocks to you.
Your butt will adapt, make sure the seat is tilted DOWN a couple of degrees.
If the smallest gear is tough, and you want to ride fast, suck it up and get in shape.
You should be able to change your gearing if you want to go faster (like in the 40mph or faster zone), but the consequences can be brutal for inexperienced riders…what do you really need to prove?
Road bikes turn really fast, and are sketchy at high speeds for inexperienced riders.
Mountain bikes are more user friendly, and you can get any kind of workout that you like.
Who cares how much it weighs, just go out and crank!
It is a good deal on a good starter bike
I couldnt go up hill very well when I got my 2007 Allez Pro
LOL
I was used to the mt. bike gears on my Epic
After about a thousand miles in these s. az high desert mountains, I find the opposite.
When I get back on the Epic off road, the big ring doesnt seam big enough.
On the straights, learn to spin, train in the big ring as much as you can.
Weight, not light but it will do till you get your income tax and get a new Tarmac HEEHE
Try a body geometry seat from specialized I use them on all my bikes and have not had a sore but t yet
Good luck
The bike is fine for your needs, but it is not set up correctly, which is the main reason that you are having problems. At first glance the saddle is too high, which is typical of many beginners. You have the front of the saddle tilted down. The saddle should be basically level fore and aft. Sit on the saddle and put the heels of your feet on the pedals. You should be able to back pedal and just be able to keep your heels on the pedals at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Adjust your saddle downward until you can do this. This will give you a better starting point from which to make further adjustments to the bike’s setup.
Ideally you should take the bike to a good LBS and have them set it up correctly for you. That is the best thing that you can do to improve both your performance and comfort. If you prefer to set the bike up yourself, expect that it will take years, and much trial and error to get it set up correctly.
I actually think you got a pretty sweet deal — it’s a real nice bike! Definitely check out your local bike shop though, and talk to them about getting a new seat. As for the issue with the gears/going up hills — just give it some time and practice, practice, practice. As you become more of a seasoned rider (it’ll happen quicker than you think!) the strain of getting up those hills will definitely ease up a bit. (I ride everyday, but if I even skip just 1 week, wow — my body and my bike start not getting along at all.) I think you made the right choice. Enjoy it to the fullest, and ride as much as you can. =)
Here is what I see taking a look at the picture.
1. The seat is crazy high. Unless it is an optical illusion, it appears the seat is at least 6 inches higher than your handlebars. That is way too great a differential and should be incredibly uncomfortable to ride. Additionally, the bike will feel quite unstable in this configuration. I imagine you feel as if you have all of your weight on your hands and arms as you ride. If the seat really needs to be this high, you probably have too small a frame size.
2. Looks as if the steering tube was cut off pretty short. Thus, if you seat needs to be this high, there is no real easy way to raise the handlebars without buying some hardware.
3. You have the seat pointed downward. This will tend to throw all of your weight onto your hands and arms, as well. It will also make you feel as if you are constantly slipping forward off the seat.
When you get the seat to the proper height, you really want it to be pretty level from front to back. I know many menfolk think they are protecting their jewels by tipping the seat forward, but it really doesn’t work. Set it level.
I’d really recommend a trip to a local bicycle shop to get them to help you get the bike set up properly.
Regarding how slow the bike seems, you need to remember the bike doesn’t win the race. It merely carries the rider to victory (or ignonomy, as the case may be). You need to get yourself into shape if you want to be competitive. If you are serious about racing, you need to educate yourself about getting in shape. I suggest you go buy Joe Friel’s “The Cyclist Training Bible.” It is a great book to introduce you to bicycle racing.
Finally, did you buy the wrong sort of bike? Well, if you want to do a road race, you need a road bike. Showing up at a road race with a mountain bike (even with road tires) would be like showing up at a gun fight with a butter knife. On the other hand, if you are planning to enter a mountain bike race in March, you certainly did buy the wrong bike.
I think you’ll find when you get the bike set up properly for yourself that it’ll feel much better, you’ll go faster and feel more stable.
Hope this helps.
First of all, the bike is way to small for you. The frame looks to be about a 53cm. If you are 6′3″, you will need a bigger frame. It’s not just about raising of lowering the seat. The entire bike must fit, this includes the top tube, stem height, handlebar width, and stem length. Otherwise you will be too cramped or the bike will be unsafe. Go here and check out how to measure yourself correctly…
http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/
Also, from the picture, your seat should be level, not pointing downward.
It also looks like the rear wheel is rubbing against the frame. That could be slowing you down too. I’ve never heard of the Omega Vortex. It could be a department store frame. It looks like you have nice wheels and components, so you may be able to switch them over to a new frame.
Your bike looks very nice!
Try changing to a more comfortable saddle. It might help.
You will need to improve your leg power and endurance to be fast on straights.
Roadbikes are really hard for climbing when at low speeds.
Try increasing your cadence around 80-90 rpm at your lowest gear when climbing and you will see the difference. It is easier to climb at higher speeds.
It is ok for a training bike. Light bikes greatly lighten up your wallet and bank account. If you are going to be serious in cycling then I think that it is time for you to invest in lighter bikes.
Some adjustment will help . Seat ? Try it out and tilt it . It will be good and nice fast ride for really good price . Nothing wrong about the gearing in this bike , I personally like it ! Tough gearing is good for you in this bike if you want to be racing demon ! By the way , this is the best way to devolop racing style and it will not take long to you to live with this gearing if you ride enough . This bike I think will help you to be much stronger and faster cyclist !
Given your height I would have started trying around a 58 cm standard sized frame.(measured centre of pedals to top of seat post). It is always hard to tell from a pic especially when it is a compact frame with a tapering top tube. This one looks a smaller than that.
There are many ways to get the saddle the right height. If your pelvis rocks even a little you are too high. If you can lock you knee straight clipped in and on the saddle then your ankle should be bent as far past 90 degrees as possible.
The saddle should be as close to level as possible erring slightly towards front down. It does look narrow for a newbie, change it. Get a print of your sit bones (ischial tuberosities) by sitting on carbon paper or play doh (on a hard surface) this will help getting the right width. A good set of knicks (shorts) wouldn’t go astray either.
Flip your stem it is a simple job.(You might have room for a spacer ,but don’t count on it.) Five Allen head screws.(retighten the one on top first) This will raise your bars a bit and reduce the weight on your arms. It will also tend to take weight off you peritoneum. Bending your back more will also help. A straight back does not equal good cycling posture.
If this doesn’t get you to the stage where you are reasonably comfortable then changing to a longer steeper stem should get you closer. If your still having trouble then your talking forks then frame.
Good luck. If you can get it to fit it was a great buy.
i hate anything to do with riding on the road. your wasting your time
A few quick comments.
Even if you lowered the seat some from the picture, the bike looks like it would be way to small for you. That will in turn make the bike hard to handle and very inefficient. Also, if the seat post is pulled out too far, it could cause the seat post to fail and break.
I would make sure the bike fits you properly before worrying about the saddle too much. While different saddles fit people differently, if your bike is too small and you are leaning to far down to reach the handlebars, any saddle will be uncomfortable.
What kind of hills are you riding on. The bigger the hill, the lower the gear. The lowest gear is the big ring in front and the smallest gear in the back. When riding around on flat ground, experiment with the different gears to see what is easier and harder. You will go faster with a larger gear, but it will make it harder to climb hills.
If you are worried at all, go to a local bike shop (not Wal-mart or other big-box stores) and get their opinion.
Good luck.