Hello, from Lucca

[matc]

Hello. Just registered, now saying hello. Live just outside Lucca, often see Cippolini flying by (actually, not for a while, come to think of of it) or strutting into a bar where I often have coffee.
Started pottering around on a sort-of-hybrid Cinelli (really a flash city bike) a while back, now really bitten by bug and love getting up the hills around and about. Don't need to tell you how popular road cycling is here, but I prefer to sweat alone and must be one of the few here who goes out in plain black if at all possible.
After a couple of years have decided it's time to move up from flat pedals and training shoes (and fat tyres), but thought I'd not start out by blowing thousands on my first road bike, just in case it's all a big mistake. I'm also 6 foot 4, so local shops tend to have sod-all in stock and won't order one just for me to try. So, am now awaiting delivery of a Cannondale R800 CAAD5, size 62, bought from eBay for 400 Euro - seems cheap to me, at least if it actually is in as good nick as it seems to be.
Anyway, I know this area of Tuscany well, and I also suspect it's a popular destination for diehards, so would be pleased to help out with any questions or advice.

Cheers, Mat

 

[HJ]

Hallo and welcome...

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Hello Mat. You are most welcome (you lucky beggar!).

Living in Lucca is a fantasy I have nursed since I first visited there seven years ago. I totally fell in love with the place. It is my ideal of a beautiful Italian town with the best food in the world on tap. Locals friendly and one of my favourite composers born there. Me envy you.....never

 

[Dayvo]

Hello Mat and welcome to CC!

Get out and show them that a big 'all black' can mix it with the best of the poseurs!

Spent a week in Tuscany nine years ago and loved it (near Sienna and San Gimigano) but my means of transport was a car! Next time it'll be two wheels.

Stay around, you'll have some fun!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

lucca is beautiful. while on honeymoon (luna di miele) there mrs alec and i hired the dodgiest looking bsos to ride around the ramparts of the city wall. i'd love to do that again on a fast bike with working brakes. and to think i offered my passport as security

 

[lazyfatgit]

Welcome

 

[matc]

Thanks. Lucca ain't without problems, of course. As for 'locals friendly' .... hmmmm .... and hmmmmm again.

But on a day like yesterday, hard to knock. Blue sky, the 97% humidity and temperatures in high 30's barely a memory (even though that was just a few months back), warm, clear, and a day off taken on a whim to try out new bike. Sixty odd kilometres down to the coast and back up again, great fun. Gearing on this (my first road bike) forces me to go faster up the hills than my legs are used to, but the difference between new and old bike is really chalk and cheese. First time with clipless to boot - arse only met tarmac once, which I'm quite pleased by.

And as for the walls and hire bikes - yep, there are some real turkeys in the hire pool. Pedal came off the last one I tried. Brakes? Pah, just shout and ring the bell.

Did a quick giro of the walls this morning after escorting daughter in to school (she's just starting out on bike, pretty much), and, at eight o clock, sun coming up between trees on the walls, just a few joggers/dog walkers for company, lovely start to the day.

Nice to be here, plenty of head-slapping noob questions to come, I'm sure.

 

[Crankarm]

Benvenuti!

One observation. Why have you bought a Cannondale when you are in the bossom of Itally with many beautifully made Italian bikes around you to choose from???

 

[matc]

Why buy a Cannondale you ask?

Not that I went out shopping for one. And a quick straw poll sees far more Specialized then Bianchi on the roads around here, so nationalism not big with the locals.

But the main reason is that this is my first road bike, and I wanted to test the waters. Nobody, but nobody here stocks something big enough for me, so as I was going to be buying blind anyways, thought I may as well start on eBay, and this popped up. Cheap, good condition, big enough for me. A nobrainer, as the young people say.

So far very happy - just wish I could get the bloody shoe cleats postioned properly. Time, time.