Lovacott
Über Member
The last time I had a road bike was over 20 years ago. It had a five speed freewheel with a single chainring and the gears were selected with a friction lever (not indexed).
I had those pull up brake lever extensions for when you fancied sitting bolt upright and taking it easy.
The frame was tubular steel, the handlebar tape was leather.
I lost that bike in an altercation with a car in London in 1996.
Ever since then, I have owned a few cheap MTB's and I've become very used to how they handle (2nd nature).
This week I took the plunge and bought a Boardman 8.9 SLR carbon road bike and it's like I've just bought a spaceship.
So many alien things (brake lever shifting, trim settings, pencil thin tyres etc.).
It's a work of art and engineering combined so I don't doubt for a second that it will be great to ride, but I've been using the weather as an excuse to hold off from taking my maiden voyage on this one.
I've run the bike on a stand and I've gotten to grips with the shifting mechanism (beautiful) and I've set the saddle and bars exactly to my liking.
I couldn't be more prepared for my first ride out, but I am nervous all the same (it's how I am with everything).
Does anyone have any tips on how I should approach my first ride out?
I had those pull up brake lever extensions for when you fancied sitting bolt upright and taking it easy.
The frame was tubular steel, the handlebar tape was leather.
I lost that bike in an altercation with a car in London in 1996.
Ever since then, I have owned a few cheap MTB's and I've become very used to how they handle (2nd nature).
This week I took the plunge and bought a Boardman 8.9 SLR carbon road bike and it's like I've just bought a spaceship.
So many alien things (brake lever shifting, trim settings, pencil thin tyres etc.).
It's a work of art and engineering combined so I don't doubt for a second that it will be great to ride, but I've been using the weather as an excuse to hold off from taking my maiden voyage on this one.
I've run the bike on a stand and I've gotten to grips with the shifting mechanism (beautiful) and I've set the saddle and bars exactly to my liking.
I couldn't be more prepared for my first ride out, but I am nervous all the same (it's how I am with everything).
Does anyone have any tips on how I should approach my first ride out?