Scared of my new road bike :(

[dub-no-bass]

Since I had the opportunity to get a new bike with the cycle-to-work scheme, I thought I would graduate from my hybrid to a lighter, faster road bike. One voucher later, and I am in posession of a new Trek 1.5 WSD.

I asked the chap in the LBS if he had any tips, and he said things like "always pedal in a high cadence in a low gear" . I explained that I meant more tips for handling the differences between my new and old bikes, and he said I should get out of the saddle to go over potholes, or learn to bunnyhop over them. Yeah. On a road bike.

So, it's got skinnier tyres (25C) than the last bike (28C), with correspondingly twitchier wheels. Obviously it's also got brake/gear levers on the drops. This makes me very nervous, as I usually ride with a finger on each hand over the brake lever on my hybrid - 78 sets of traffic lights across central London on your commute will do that to you. I had a go at pulling the brakes with my hands on the hoods, and it was do-able but took a lot of effort.

What is a usual riding position? Is it more usual to not have your hands on the brakes on a road bike, and only reach for them when needed?
If so, how do I get out of the mentality of needing my hands on my brakes at all times?
I could really do with some tips for adapting to it, things to avoid at all costs etc - seems a shame to have a new bike at home but dread riding it

 

[Sittingduck]

Nearly always with hands on the hoods for me - sometimes slip them to the top of the bars for comfort, providing there's no immediate dangers in view. Hardly ever ride on the drops - unless descending at speed. It will take a little getting used to and I remember it feeling really weird for the first couple of weeks or so when I went from hybrid to drops back in the spring. You may be able to adjust the brake levers so that you can reach them easier from the hoods or brake with them using less effort. Stick with it - it will soon be easier and you'll gain confidence I would never want to go back to the hybrid, now that I've been riding on drops for a few months.

p.s. might be worth taking it out early on a Sunday morning for a gentle ride round to help build up some confidence and get used to how it feels.This certainly helped me a lot.

 

[buddha]

I was in a similar position to you around 3 months ago. Nose down, bum in the air felt scarily twitchy on some of the lumpier South London roads, especially when going downhill fast.

I assume you've had the bike fitted properly at your LBS? Maybe a ore upright position may help until you get used to it.

Re braking. I tend to ride 'on the hoods' 95% of the time. That way my fingers are either to the side of the brake levers, or over them. Only go into the drops on longer descents on when there's a headwind. I also got some Slim Shims to bring the levers a little closer to the bar

Potholes and the likes. Avoid if you can, otherwise being light on the saddle is what the chap in the LBS meant, I think. Funnily enough I had to hop a pothole this morning. Said "Hello" to a copper on the street and didn't see the approaching hole in the road in time to avoid!

Gradually I got used to riding my road bike. And now feel uncomfortable when on the hybrid/more upright bike. So keep at it

 

[Downward]

Braking is pretty much a bit hairy on the hoods - You need to really be pretty strong in that department on the steep hills and going from the drops to the top is a learning process.

 

[Tharg2007]

best advice is to get out there and ride it!!! Experience is the greatest educator imo.

 

[Garz]

Braking is pretty much a bit hairy on the hoods - You need to really be pretty strong in that department on the steep hills and going from the drops to the top is a learning process.

Any downhills you should be on the drops for better control and braking grip, at least if your doing a decent speed. Guessing this is what downward meant, hoods is comfier otherwise (i.e. on flats and most terrain).

 

[GrasB]

Get out & ride, any one who's ridden on drop bars will give you loads of advice however if will conflict etc. get out there & find out how you feel comfortable riding that bike. Expereiment with hand, brake & bar positions, what feels comfortable what doesn't etc. as you do this you'll gain confidence in your self on the bike. Early morning runs are the best time, this is why I love getting into work at 5:30am, I can almost always take the positions I want for what ever reason I choose without getting in anyones way

Bunny hops are essential on a road bike, not 3ft in the air jumping over small children but 1 or 2" to get over that pot hole you can't avoid & give the hubs a bit of a rest. You can land far more softly than your tyres can absorb a big step in the road.

 

[Tynan]

I found it well nervy for the first few days, it quickly become the most natural ride ever, the bike is that much more lighter and responsive

get on with it

 

[Fab Foodie]

d-n-b

Firstly, relax, then bike will start to feel less twitchy as you become less tense.
Secondly, maybe raise the bars a tad and rotate them so that the hoods come towards you a tad to get better leverage on the brakes from the hoods. Finally, you could always get softer brake blocks like Koolstop Salmon.

As others have said, it does feel odd at first but you soon get used to it. I'm the opposite, having ridden drop bars for nearly 30 years now anything straight barred and more sit-up and beg feels weird!

 

[roundisland]

d-n-b

Firstly, relax, then bike will start to feel less twitchy as you become less tense.
Secondly, maybe raise the bars a tad and rotate them so that the hoods come towards you a tad to get better leverage on the brakes from the hoods. Finally, you could always get softer brake blocks like Koolstop Salmon.

As others have said, it does feel odd at first but you soon get used to it. I'm the opposite, having ridden drop bars for nearly 30 years now anything straight barred and more sit-up and beg feels weird!

Great adivce, did all those things when I moved onto my drop handle bar bike especially the relaxing and not being so tense really helped me.

 

[HonestMan1910]

D N B,

I had my first proper ride this morning on my new road bike and found all the advice given above top be spot on.

The best advice I can give is relax and enjoy the ride !

 

[dub-no-bass]

Thanks for the advice. I'll have a go at riding to work and back on Friday, and will take it for a longer romp at the weekend. Apart from anything else, I want to see just how fast I can go on this thing, on long flat stretches with no hazards
Several laps of Regent's Park on Sunday morning should do it..

 

[gavintc]

I have only been a 'roadie' for 4 yrs and can well remember the first ride. The wow feeling of both speed and twitchiness. You feel out of control and more susceptible to the road surface. I think the best advice is to ride it and relax. But, try to find some country lanes with fewer cars for your first miles. If necessary, shove the bike in a car and drive into the country. You will be susprised at how quickly it becomes normal - certainly no more than a few rides.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Also...
Road bikes are a tad twitchier at low speeds, the faster you go, the more stable they feel.
Don't be tempted to 'death-grip' the bars, a bicycle when rolling naturally wants to go straight and uneven road surfaces may cause a bit of shaking but the bike will tend to re-centre itself. Releasing the death grip is particularly important going downhill, newbies to drops often get scared and grip like hell to the bars, the effect is the bike often "Shimmys" or gets a speed wobble, relaxing prevents this too.
The Regents Park plan sounds good. Also practice braking, it's surprising how quickly a road bike can stop on those skinny tyres, but you need to learn how!

Enjoy!

 

[dub-no-bass]

So, I rode it to work this morning (about 11 miles).

AWESOME!! What a revelation!
I tried to relax, and yes, it helped.
I am amazed at how fast it goes uphill. It's as though it was on the flat, it just zooomed along. On long flat stretches, you can step on it and go at a real pace without even trying. All of a sudden, Cyclecraft makes sense - now I see can you really can take the primary position most of the time. I just couldn't get up to that speed and maintain it on my hybrid so it seemed rude to sit in the middle of a lane and hold up traffic - no such problems on this baby.

The riding position didn't seem very awkward at all, when it came down to it. I think my viewpoint was skewed on Monday by riding it home with a giant heavy rucksack on my back. I'm deliberately travelling light with this bike - no rack, no rucksack, just a pump, tools and spare inner tubes strapped to the frame. The difference in weight makes a massive difference. I usually take 55 minutes to cycle in - today, even being quite cautious, it took 45 minutes.