what's with new bikes?

u751904

I bought a lovely trek bike on the bike to work scheme. I tried it out and it is a good bike. I felt a bit odd but thought that was my lack of recent experience and lack of fitness / strength etc.

I stopped cycling after a while then thought must do this so have started againe (typical story).

But my membry is going back to a bike I had when I was a kid. It was a dawes, an upright ride with a low step over. I felt much safer and went fast enough. It only had five gears on it and I didn't mind. The reach was more comfortable and I didn't get the pull on my back or ache in my arms.

My trek is designed for women. I know I must be mad but part of me wants one of those upright bikes for comfort instead of the hybrid bike that I have today.

Am I the only person to have found this. Why aren't modern bikes so comfortable?

I am not interested in speed, stability and comfort is more important personally.

Thanks

Yorkie1

I have the trek t30 for ladies from a couple of years ago, it's quite an upright riding position.

backinbusiness

It sounds like your bike is not set up properly for you - a pull in your back and ache in your arms suggests to me that you are stretching to reach the handlebars.

This can be altered (a little) through shortening the stem.

Did the bike shop where you got the bike from not spend any time setting it up for you??

Can take a while to sort seat height, angle, reach etc all out, but once it's done you should feel as comfortable as you ever did as a child.

Good luck.

bib

Mrs_Arcanum

Bought exactly what you used to have with Cycle to Work Scheme except with 7 gears. A Dawes Continental. Nice step thru with comfy seat. Included front dynamo light and rear rack. Lovely. Gets me to work in 5 minutes.

u751904

I have to say they did do this for me I am going to keep at it - but I find myself looking for second hand dawes which I know is stupid. I am sure it is something the geometry of new bikes .. or perhaps just age !!

thistledome

u751904 wrote: »

I have to say they did do this for me I am going to keep at it - but I find myself looking for second hand dawes which I know is stupid. I am sure it is something the geometry of new bikes .. or perhaps just age !!

Me too. I find my so-called "comfort bike" very uncomfortable. The last time I owned a bike (I was 13) it was comfy enough to ride around on all day.

It's quite likely to be advancing age IMHO, but I keep telling myself if I could afford a Pashley Princess I'd be comfy again

u751904

thistledome wrote: »

Me too. I find my so-called "comfort bike" very uncomfortable. The last time I owned a bike (I was 13) it was comfy enough to ride around on all day.

It's quite likely to be advancing age IMHO, but I keep telling myself if I could afford a Pashley Princess I'd be comfy again

re pashley work out how many hills you'll have to climb in your area. you'll either get very fit or won't have to mind pushing the bike up them. Personally I have to do a combination as I have a killer hill and I am not there yet.

gilbert_and_sullivan

As new Pashley ladies bike for sale here, however for normal use Dutch bicycles take some beating.

My Batavus mens is so comfy, plenty fast enough, comfort traditional handlbar, full proper mudguards, rear carrier and a 3 speed Sturmey Archer rear hub...blissful in it's simplicity and ease of riding.

It's image that dictates Britons choices in nearly everything they buy, most wouldn't be seen dead on my extremely old fashioned 2 year old Dutch bike, they'd rather look cool in the eyes of the impressionable and hobble on some fashion statement with more gears than you can shake a stick at, weird.

Strider590

Just want to point out that comparing a bike now, to a bike you had some 30 years ago is somewhat pointless...... You were a different person, you were probably fitter for a start.

What the OP seems to be seeking is the "sit up and beg" riding position, something which is greatly disadvantaged by head winds and makes riding up hills a real task.
Im not sure how you've come to the crazy conclusion that these bikes are more stable though?

u751904

[QUOTE=
Im not sure how you've come to the crazy conclusion that these bikes are more stable though?[/QUOTE]

totally agree with the point regarding age and fitness I am sure that there must be a lot of truth here...:o

As far as the stability of the bike simple: centre of gravity is shifted forward on a hybrid bike v comfort bike. So you do feel more stable, my hybrid bike being carbon and alloy is so light etc etc. There was this dutch woman who was buying a bike the same time as me and she didn't feel safe on our 'english' bikes. I know it would slow me down but I am not too bothered about that, depends on hills etc.

I am just wondering whether anyone else has changed their mind or prefers old style bikes. Until recently there wasn't a great deal of choice until retro came back into fashion.

Strider590

u751904 wrote: »

As far as the stability of the bike simple: centre of gravity is shifted forward on a hybrid bike v comfort bike..

No, no, no.... The centre of gravity is lower and spread from front to back, that's why 4x4's and Vans look like they're gonna roll over when they go around a corner too fast (high centre of gravity). I've seen and ridden the "sit up and beg" type of bike and I know that once you get a wobble on, the lack of control and leverage means your pretty much doomed.

The lower the centre of gravity, the more stable, hence why racing cars are so low to the ground.
If you had a fictional bike where the centre of gravity was below the wheels, it would stand up on it's own and never topple over.

The issue here is purely about how something feels to you and the mental block that's making you reject it.

To be fair however, there's a lot involved to making a bike fit one person, it's not just about saddle height. You have to think about the angle and length of the cranks, the reach from saddle to handlebar (arm length) and all of the above "mess" with eachother, adjust one and it throws the other out. Finding a bike that fits actually requires a lot of work.