Road bike

Bike transition 2017

If you saw my first post, my spring was spent reviewing and testing many road bikes and I’ve been asked…what did I buy?  I purchased a Specialized Dolce.  Since purchasing, I attended a free maintenance workshop at The Wheel Thing to learn how to change the tube, as well as various maintenance techniques to keep it running smoothly.  After the initial first 5 mile ride, I heard some rubbing of the chains so I went to the bike shop.  They said that was a smart thing – take it for a 5 mile ride to start getting the ‘new bike’ kinks worked out.  The employee made a couple of adjustments, explained what he was doing, and gave me great tips.

On my bike, I carry two bags.  One on the top tube and one on the seatpost.  In the bag located on the seatpost, I carry a few items to assist me if the bike breaks down while on the road.  The bag includes a new tire tube, tire lever, co2 cartridge, disposable latex gloves (changing a tire can be greasy), rain jacket, and cell phone charger.  For the bag located on the top tube, I wanted to find a bag that had a zipper to protect the contents as I tend to always get stuck in unexpected storms.  Always.  This is the easy access bag so I keep my cell phone, nutrition, and Kleenex.

Bike diagram (not of my bike)

 

I am a member of AAA and a fantastic feature they added this year called Roadside Bicycle Assistance.  If you are a AAA member, check to see if this free service is available in your city.   Although I have went through the workshop to change my own bicycle tire (yes, I can change a car tire as well), I have a safety net of AAA.  This service is included on all membership levels.

Overall, I am enjoying my bike, still learning aspects of it, and hope to improve my riding abilities over the next few months.

 

Share your thoughts!

%d bloggers like this: