Yes! Finally! 🚴‍♀️

[linda9389]

... I ordered a new bike 🚴‍♀️👏👏👏

I've been dithering over spreadsheets for months now , calculating gear ratios, learning about cogs, chainsets, cassettes and more ...

Finally had time to phone a local bike shop yesterday and got a super helpful guy who made a recommendation. Had another 24 hours thinking about it and have taken the plunge this morning.

Now just to wait til January for stocks to arrive in the UK .... (great time to try out a new bike, not!)

Just managed to run a 5k PB in my virtual duathlon this morning - maybe in 2021 I can improve the cycle segment for a new PB 🙂

(Trek FX 3 - hybrid which errs to being a road bike with some compromises for our local hills and not wanting to try drop bars - flat handlebars, good gear range, no suspension, light).

[Hidden]

Wow, that sounds fab but such a shame to have to wait until January for your new toy! Also sounds very technical which I assume means expensive 😂 Who said keeping fit is cheap!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Hmm. It's not cheap! Part of why I dithered - who spends that much on something you've never seen, let alone sat on or ridden! But the stock situation is so dire I'm not sure when it will be possible to check a bike out properly. If I really hate it the shop said they would be able to sell it - it's a popular bike! Also, given the timing I reckon it can be my Christmas present from everyone rather than just a gift to myself 😅

[Hidden in reply to linda9389]

The stock situation is dire. There are chaps at work looking at specific bikes @£3k and they can't get them at the moment. I'd be just happy with a seat that doesn't hurt my bum or lady bits 😂 Seriously looking at a padded seat cover for starters.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Mine now sounds cheap - yay, thank you! Do you wear padded shorts? Definitely better than a padded seat. I actually prefer the seat on my son's MTB to the one on my old ladies bike. His has no padding and is much more streamlined - looks super uncomfortable but is the exact opposite. Padded shorts. Nothing underneath. Protect your bum and lady bits 🙊😅. Only way to go 👍

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

My husband swears by padded shorts. I bought him a pair recently and thought they looked and felt a bit like shorts with a built-in nappy 😂 which I guess they are...sort of. But they look great on and you don’t see the padding at all 🙂

[Hidden in reply to Irishprincess]

Oh really?? I was worried that I would look like I was wearing a nappy, my bum is big enough! Mmm food for thought. Are there seats that are so comfy that no added padding is needed??? If not I shall check out extra padding 🤔

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Hidden]

No! They maybe show just a little bit, but theyre not as obvious as you might imagine. I just ran round our local town in my padded shorts (the super padded ones that I've cycled 130km in)! Felt weird the first time I did it, but now I don't even notice. Although I reckon running makes me feel younger than ever before, I don't think I've gone as far as re-embracing nappies 🤔😀

[Hidden in reply to linda9389]

Regressing to nappies 😂😂😂

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Honestly, once they’re on they look fab, no bulges in the wrong places if you know what I mean 😉

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Well done on your 5K PB Linda! At least the running bit of a duathlon should be a dawdle for you....

I know nothing about bikes. They’ve changed so much since I had one as a child 🙄 but yours looks very smart. Lovely colour 🙂

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Haha. I asked the guy if he'd recommend the women's or the mens frame - women's for the slightly shorter handlebars he said - unless you don't like the colour 😀

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

The colour is very important!

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Fabulous!!!!! xxx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Very excited, but going to have to be patient 😊

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Managed to close lots of open windows on my laptop tho 😅😅😅

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to linda9389]

LOL!!!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Sounds super snazzy Linda! Bit of a step up from my Raleigh Shopper back in the day! 🚲

You’ll be unstoppable on the bike as well as your running now - well done on your 5k PB too! Smokin’ 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

A definite stepbup from the Dawes I was riding until early lockdown too! I'm hoping it will make me super super speedy with no extra effort 🤞🤞🤞😅

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

Sounds good. Late Christmas present? 🤔

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Deals1]

Yes I think so 😍 ... or maybe a few accessories will slip onto my Christmas wish list 🤔

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Sweet! You will be riding forever now!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Decker]

Maybe ... but what I'm really hoping for is faster 😅