Gear learnin'

I went out tonight in search of learning more about road bikes and what is going to be the right fit for me. I am going to be making the investment to get into a decent road bike and have it all setup for me. I knew I would be adding clip in pedals and some aero bars, but other than that I really didn't know what to look for. I went with my husband so we could ensure we covered all points and he is more into the technical things than I am and we found a very knowledgeable gentleman to help us out. These were the biggest questions we had.

What is a carbon fork? Well, I learned that by adding this onto the front tire it helps to reduce the shock and make the ride smoother.

What size bike do I need? Road bikes have a stem measurement in cm and it's based on your inseam, you basically want about an inch clearance between your nether region and the bar, to avoid any damage. That essentially puts me at a 52cm bike. I also learned that my build is a great advantage for biking, a longer torso and arms with short legs. For once that will work for me!!

What is the difference in brands? I learned the aluminum frame bikes are all basically the same but once you get into the carbon fiber bikes each brand has their own model. You just need to look at the stem length and the head tube length as they are each setup for a different riding position type. I need to start with something more neutral and then I can adjust in a few years if I want a more aggressive riding position.

There is a bike swap 15min away from my home on Saturday with a $5 admission charge and I'm hoping to score a good deal on someone's used bike. I could potentially get into a $3,000 bike for under a grand. I really don't want to drop any more than that on a bike and if I have to get a new one the best fit for me is a little over that price. Here is to hoping I actually have a little luck on my side, I am going to try to get there early for the best deal.

After brining up the bike swap to the salesman he went in back and pulled out his wife's bike that they were putting into it. They are asking $800 for a full carbon bike that was a pretty penny when new, but it was 53cm and my lady bits just wouldn't work with it. Darn my luck!!