New Bike

In message <[email hidden]>, Ted Wager <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

I am coming back to cycling after a 3 year break and find my old audax bike is now very
uncomfortable.. I have the choice of getting a new audax frame built and moving most of the old
parts over or buying a ready built bike...I was thinking of a mountain bike as they do look very
comfortable.. The parts on my old tourer are Campag Mirage and are quite new..I only did about 100
miles on it before I was taken into hospital and have not ridden it since up until now... Any
advice on the choice appreciated...My riding consists of 20/40 miles in an afternoon with
occasional days doing around 90/100.... Regards Ted

You don't say why your old audax frame is uncomfortable (I assume this is the same as the tourer you
subsequently refer to). Might it be the case that you're simply out of practice and you'll get used
to it again? Was the fit wrong right from the beginning? Can't you make a few adjustments to make it
more comfortable? For the mileages you do a mountain bike would not be the best choice, a touring
bike seems much more suitable.
--
Michael MacClancy

www.macclancy.demon.co.uk

Ted Wager said:

I am coming back to cycling after a 3 year break and find my old audax bike is now very
uncomfortable..

As Michael asked, how so?

Quoted message said:

buying a ready built bike...I was thinking of a mountain bike as they do look very comfortable..

There's different types of comfort. If you're doing a long ride on roads then extra chunky tyres and
gearing designed for marginal trails up near vertical ultimately becomes a source of discomfort: the
Audax bike's drop bars give you more hand positions and better aerodynamics while the tyres give
lower rolling resistance, so they're more fun for many over distance. Rather than an MTB, a flat
barred road bike may be a better bet as the gearing should suit road riding better and you won't
have to bother changing the tyres.

But if you really want to be comfortable for road riding then get a recumbent of some description.
No weight on your arms and a bit comfy, supportive seat rather than a wee saddle. They come in all
sorts of flavours and several designs are available that fit "fast tourer" like an Audax bike. For
example, the HPVel Speedmachine (see bikefix.co.ukbikefix.co.ukOpen ↗ and kinetics-online.co.ukkinetics-online.co.ukOpen ↗
for the UK dealers, who have demonstrators for you to try), though that's far from the only game in
town for the job.

Quoted message said:

The parts on my old tourer are Campag Mirage and are quite new..I only did about 100 miles on it

The HPVel stuff is available as frame kits if you do want to transfer it, but OTOH it'll make the
bike easier to sell on if you decide you don't like it. The bits won't be much use to you on an MTB,
I'd have thought.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Ted Wager said:

I am coming back to cycling after a 3 year break and find my old audax bike is now very
uncomfortable.. I have the choice of getting a new audax frame built and moving most of the old
parts over or buying a ready built bike...I was thinking of a mountain bike as they do look very
comfortable.. The parts on my old tourer are Campag Mirage and are quite new..I only did about 100
miles on it before I was taken into hospital and have not ridden it since up until now... Any
advice on the choice appreciated...My riding consists of 20/40 miles in an afternoon with
occasional days doing around 90/100.... Regards Ted

Don't get a mountain bike unless you're spending most of the time off road. I crashed my road bike
and have gone back to using my MTB while it's being repaired. Even with slicks, I feel like I need
new lungs after a ride on it compared to the road bike.

Charles
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