Recommend me a "compliant" bike.....

[riggsbie]

Managed to have a 2 hour test ride on an XL framed Roubaix Elite (a Large is ok for me but wanted to try a x-large frame with longer head tube)....

Turned stem riser so it lifts the bars a bit, rotated bars a bit as well....

Bit of numb Jon Thomas after 40 minutes so dropped the nose of the seat a bit....

Managed to complete 60km in 2 hours on pretty coarse chip roads....a lot of the harsh high frequency vibration was eliminated. Very smooth ride.... The double tap shifters took a little to get used to.....this bike has SRAM Rival.....

And there was 20-30kph headwind for half the ride, so I was very pleased !

So going to see how my back is over the next few days and then make a choice....

Thanks for making me look at a Roubaix !

Riggsbie

 

[riggsbie]

Right, update......

Mid-week I did a 100km hilly route down the Great Ocean Road, and I can climb rather well on this and 3.5 hours in the saddle was OK.....a little stiff in the lower back the next day, a little bit numb occasionally down below.....

Then did another 80km ride on Saturday and she goes very well.....

Decided to buy the bike but do need a slightly shorter stem so I can move my seat back a bit as my knee is 25 - 30mm forward of the front of the crank arm (when at 3 o'clock)..........the bike was almost half price here in Oz as the 2013 bikes are just around the corner so good for me......

Next question, I need a good road helmet....apparently I am breaking lots of Velominati rules by wearing a MTB helmet on a road bike and non matching clothes and my QR's were at the wrong angle ;-)

All good fun !!

 

[KRUSSELL]

I have had a couple of back opps, so I was worried about which bike to buy. I bought a Hybrid which was fine but after a couple of years I wanted something quicker. My mate was selling his Madone (road bike) and said I could borrow it to try.
Well I wish I had tried a road bike first and would have saved a few quid.
So, the moral of the story is "if you get the chance, try before you buy" if you have a mate who will lend it to you!