First ride of a road bike

[Renmurew]

Having been bitten by the cycling bug, and currently lugging around the ubiquitous "bike at the back of the garage", I road tested my first road bike today. After a couple of hours at the weekend in my LBS getting properly fitted to a bike, I booked the demonstrator which is a Specialized Ruby Elite Disc. Wow. I think I just experienced real cycling . I did just over 10 miles with an average speed of 11.5 miles per hour. Not bad for my first ever experience of drop handle bars and gear levers. I even managed to swap between grip positions around the bars, manage to find my way round the gears and negotiate pedal clips without falling flat on my face.

I have another run planned for early Thursday morning, weather permitting before handing it back and I'm already looking forward to it.

Maybe I'll just forget to take the bike back............

My question.......putting the cost difference aside, at my level, is it worth looking at the carbon fibre option, or is the aluminium Dolce as good for me?

Wendy

 

[vickster]

They are different to ride, neither is better or worse, just different and depends what you prefer. Test ride both

 

[Nebulous]

It depends on lots of things - how much you value it and whether you can afford it for a start.

I had had a 'racer' when I was younger, then about 4 years ago I bought a specialized allez, which is an alloy road bike. Thousands of miles later and I've now bought a carbon fibre tarmac, which is about 3 times the cost. I don't regret starting with the allez, but I would probably have moved on much more quickly if I had been in a position to buy a better one earlier.

 

[derrick]

I bought an ally road bike and loved it, i had it for a year before changing for a carbon one, I really got the bug so i thought it was worth spending the extra money on a Carbon frame. No point in spending loads of money to start with, i know a few people who have bought expensive bikes and after a couple of weeks they are hung on the garage wall. Although saying that i know a couple of people have just bought Planet X Carbon bikes and they think there great.

 

[Apollonius]

The Dolce is an excellent bike for a woman. Three of the women in my life have them and all love them. (one wife, two friends of said wife, before you ask!) The main reason they love them so much is that they are properly scaled and shaped for a woman's body, as the reach, in particular, is right.
As for alloy or carbon. Well, carbon is lighter and stiffer and gives a better ride, in my view, but you still pay a big premium for a carbon bike. If you have the money, I doubt you will regret going for carbon.

 

[themosquitoking]

The Dolce is an excellent bike for a woman. Three of the women in my life have them and all love them. (one wife, two friends of said wife, before you ask!) The main reason they love them so much is that they are properly scaled and shaped for a woman's body, as the reach, in particular, is right.
As for alloy or carbon. Well, carbon is lighter and stiffer and gives a better ride, in my view, but you still pay a big premium for a carbon bike. If you have the money, I doubt you will regret going for carbon.

My mind went the way you seem to be discluding and i was more impressed.

 

[Mummy3monkeys]

Wow. I think I just experienced real cycling . I did just over 10 miles with an average speed of 11.5 miles per hour. Not bad for my first ever experience of drop handle bars and gear levers. I even managed to swap between grip positions around the bars, manage to find my way round the gears and negotiate pedal clips without falling flat on my face.

It is fab to be bitten by the bug, and it is so different to ride, I don't know about different types, but I would say get what feels comfortable with what you can afford, and enjoy!!!

 

[biggs682]

It is fab to be bitten by the bug, and it is so different to ride, I don't know about different types, but I would say get what feels comfortable with what you can afford, and enjoy!!!

well said @Mummy3monkeys