And don't forget that tail wind on Sunday. It was a gift! A reward for surviving Saturday

BTW - I just climbed the stairs here at work and my thighs felt rock hard by the time i got to the top - I think I;m hearing some sarcastic remarks from my muscles.

:thumbsup: OK, that's it. The cellar has officially changed my life. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to ride RAGBRAI, but of course life happens and a dream has thus far continued to be just a dream. Well, I have recently recieved a small inheritance ($1000) and thanks to this thread have finally decided to just do it, and buy the road bike I have wanted for sooooooooo long. I took off early from work yesterday and hit 3 bike shops in the area, 2 M&Ps and one larger one. I have it narrowed down to two, the '04 TREK 1200 ($720 on sale) and '04 GIANT OCR2 ($765 on sale). I am test riding today if i can sneak out of work again, but am leaning toward the GIANT pre-ride due to features (don't care about color). Does anyone have any tidbits to share before I take the plunge? :confused: Maybe I'll see you on RAGBRAI someday :D http://www.ragbrai.org/

Sounds like these bikes are very similar. I'd go with the LBS you like best. If you're going to put a lot of miles on a bike, you want a shop that's going to take care of you.

Yeah, there was a definate difference in the shops, definately liked the smallest of the three. the salesman took the most time with me, (even though there were other customers in the store) and i really liked how he explained things to me. i have done some research, but acted like i hadn't, and he didn't try to BS me at all. Plus, they had the best price!! i am SO excited. thanks for the advice!

That's a good strategy. I'd go with the small shop, they're usually more willing to work with you on changes like if you want to switch stems for a better fit. I'm not really familiar with the Tiagra component group but in the (very) long run you might want a crank with replaceable chainrings (I don't know if they are). I wouldn't call that a deal breaker though. It looks like you'll get a good frame with any of these bikes. The Giant has a compact frame which lots of folks find more comfortable. Just ride them all. If it's comfortable support Mom and Pop, they'll remember your name and think about what kind of riding you do. Enjoy! g

That tour looks cool! It's gonna take some training though.

I think you'll get a better ride out of the Trek, but both are comparable bikes. I personally am not a fan of compact geometry (on the Giant), but you'll be more comfortable when cornering and cranking out of the saddle.

And go with mom n pop, if that seems the right thing to do. Unfortunately in Princeton there are two competing shops; the smaller one does much better work and is generally more knowledgeable, but they are a bunch of assholes. The other store has maybe 1 or 2 mechanics that really know their stuff, and they have pretty consistent pricing and a solid selection of bikes. Hafta go to different places for different services. :(

Tiagra components will do fine, until you're ready for something lighter and sturdier. As long as you keep the bike in good shape, it'll treat you well after 500 miles in the saddle. :)

Sounds like a fun ride. I was in Colorado with my brother one summer, and we passed the Ride the Rockies group. They were climbing a devastating hill near Grand Junction that day - riders were strung out literally over 40 miles of terrain.

Road bikes
 

Any buying advice for someone who knows little about the things?

Make sure it fits properly (you should be able to stand with both feet on the ground and have about an inch of clearance with your crotch), and when you're in the saddle with your hands on the drop-down part of the handlebars, look down and the middle of the handlebar should block your view of the front wheel's hub.

And don't pay more than you want to. That's why Trek makes 5,000 different models. Giant has fewer options, as does Cannondale.

Well, i rode 'em, and I pick up my new OCR2 on Sat, WOO HOO!!!! :joylove: I feel like a little kid :D Got the bike, shoes, pump, tube, lube, computer, water bottle & cage, and a lock for $945 total. So that leaves me $55 for bike shorts. (already had a helmet, gloves, bag, and plenty of coolmax gear from my running hobby) Is it Saturday yet? Is there anything else I am going to wish I had? It felt SO SO SO good to be on a bike again. I rode A LOT when I was younger. The only things I want now are a pull behind carrier for my tot ~350 new i think (been looking for used forever can't get 'em), and a stand for the winter ~200. Christmas is coming.... :beer: Oh, I bought from the M&P, World Of Bikes in Iowa City.

I feel like a little kid

This is pretty cool -- I get to actually blame an online message board for getting me out (and perhaps others as well?) to get in some exercise, again. Thanks, guys, just for bringing up the topic, as it was what got me motivated to get the bike out, clean it up, and start hitting the trails!

Since there seem to be a good number of people here that do a lot of street riding, can anyone suggest safety gear besides a helmet? I went looking at lighting sometime ago and they had some insane headlight setups, costing hundreds of dollars, that used a battery that fit in a water bottle holder. Me? I just have a blinky red light under my butt. Yet, as the year goes on, the days will be getting shorter and I no longer want my riding to be restricted by the amount of daylight.

Again: damn you guys! :p
I don't have time to ride, but I must!

No experience here with headlamps or the like. I don't even have reflectors on my racing bike, which I really should considering I've been swiped by cars three times since moving here. You suddenly made me very self-conscious ...

Would you seriously ride at night when it's so dark you have to use a light? Crazy, especially on a trail. Man. Gonads.

High viz clothing is useful. I swear an old lady was about to turn right into Pete, who was wearing an asphalt gray wind breaker, until I came out from behind her in a high visability green one. She was looking right through Pete. Kinda scary how blind people are. Thanks for the jacket sweets.

You really need to try to figure out how much and what kind of riding you're going to do. Different bikes are good for different things.

Would you seriously ride at night when it's so dark you have to use a light? Crazy, especially on a trail.

Oh, no, the headlight and such are for people to see me, not to go places where I can't see. The streets are lit up by the streetlamps, but that doesn't mean cars can see you, even with reflectors. Any kind of light helps, hence the blinky LED taillight. I suppose just one of the $10 lamps that eats double A's would work fine.

There are some local groups around here that do night trail riding that requires headlights to see. They're insane! Tree roots and other obstacles come up a little too quickly. Hit one and the person who was behind you suddenly has a new obstacle to worry about. :)

When my kids were little night riding was the only way I could squeeze in my bike time. We were riding single-track and dirt roads. I only had one serious accident...