# New tourer, new bike (pics!), 150 mile ride for MS this weekend



## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

Hello all. First post and just getting into cycling, and I'm into forums, so brief intro. Caught the bug about two months ago, after spinning on Real Ryders for several months; bought a 2005 Trek 1000c on Craigslist, and started riding every weekend; about a month ago did my longest day ride, 103.8 miles to the Florida Keys (would have gone all the way to Key West, but wife caught up with me in the car).

Joined Team Bacardi, with 300+ riders, and signed up for the MS 150, a 150 mile 2-day ride to Key Largo from Miami to fight multiple sclerosis, and that's tomorrow. Bought another bike 3 days ago, what I hope will be my bike for a long time, a 2011 Specialized Roubaix Elite SL2 Sram Apex. The gearing is taking some getting used to. Haven't tried it on any bridges yet (no hills in Miami).

I wanted to know what you guys thought about the Roubaix as a long-distance bike with little to no climbs. Won't be doing any races anytime soon, but havent' ridden this bike for more than 30 miles at any given ride, so I don't know what it's like after 70+ miles straight. I know, I know, "if it fits, la la la..." I had it sized and fitted at the LBS, and I feel a LOT more comfortable than my old Trek 1000c (where the "c" stands for "comfort"). But I don't know how comfortable it will be after 4+ hours. Sorry for the long post, and thanks everyone! Great forum, by the way. Lots of smart people, it seems.

PS. in the pics, I'm the one on the right, my brother with the Argentina jersey is on the left (guess where we're from  )


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Bienvenidos. The bike should be great. I'd only be a little apprehensive about going that far on a bike I had so little time on, because it's hard to be sure about fit in such a short time. One specific issue: is the new saddle very comfortable for you? Are you sure? Saddles are very individual, and it's sometimes hard to tell right away what will work. If you're not absolutely sure, and the saddle on the old bike was comfortable for that hundred-miler, I'd consider putting the old saddle on the new bike for this trip.

It must be weird riding all that distance on those flat causeways (I go nuts on rides with no hills). Does the wind blow a lot? I guess the scenery is invigorating. Have fun.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

JCavilia said:


> Bienvenidos. The bike should be great. I'd only be a little apprehensive about going that far on a bike I had so little time on, because it's hard to be sure about fit in such a short time. One specific issue: is the new saddle very comfortable for you? Are you sure? Saddles are very individual, and it's sometimes hard to tell right away what will work. If you're not absolutely sure, and the saddle on the old bike was comfortable for that hundred-miler, I'd consider putting the old saddle on the new bike for this trip.
> 
> It must be weird riding all that distance on those flat causeways (I go nuts on rides with no hills). Does the wind blow a lot? I guess the scenery is invigorating. Have fun.


The scenery is great! And the wind is absolutely killer. Either it's fantastically propelling you to 22-25mph with mild effort (solo ride), or you're grinding away at 15mph. As for the saddle, it oddly feels a lot more comfortable than the one on my old bike. Perhaps it's the fitting, but I did 2 ~20 mile short rides since I got it, and felt pretty darn comfy at the end. Just hoping that will last.


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## mcaswell (Mar 5, 2011)

Ditto the saddle concerns... my bike came with that same saddle (Riva), and although it was tolerable for 30 minutes or so, discomfort and numbness would set in, limiting my rides to about an hour. Upgraded to the Avatar, and it's a huge difference... spent 4.5 hours in the saddle a few weeks ago on my first metric century, and felt fine.

Of course, everyone's different... you might be fine with the Riva. But it would really suck to be a few hours into this ride and discover that the saddle isn't working for you!

--Michael


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

mcaswell said:


> Ditto the saddle concerns... my bike came with that same saddle (Riva), and although it was tolerable for 30 minutes or so, discomfort and numbness would set in, limiting my rides to about an hour. Upgraded to the Avatar, and it's a huge difference... spent 4.5 hours in the saddle a few weeks ago on my first metric century, and felt fine.
> 
> Of course, everyone's different... you might be fine with the Riva. But it would really suck to be a few hours into this ride and discover that the saddle isn't working for you!
> 
> --Michael



Hmmm...could saddle discomfort manifest first only after 1 hour of riding? In other words, if I felt comfortable after an hour, but rode no more than that, is it possible that at 2 or 3 hours, I'd be uncomfortable? Great advice, by the way, thank you everyone.


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## GumbyN (Dec 6, 2010)

damn, now i kinda wish i would've gotten the all black one.
i have the same bike, only the white/carbon/gold color....

as far as riding it on flats, i don't know, nothing around where i live is "flat", it's all an incline/decline to varying degrees here in NW KC area (i've actually been trying to find a long stretch of flat ground just to see what my average speeds could be, but haven't found any yet).

beautiful bike, though... that all black is really sweet.
here's mine.


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## DWbikeNY (Aug 26, 2010)

Congrats with the new bike and the accomplishments after recently joining the sport. Makes me feel better about my upcoming 150m 2 day MS ride in Boston. I haven't trained nearly enough but I'm in general good shape. Just need to build up saddle time and endurance. 

With regard to the Roubaix, aren't they made for comfort and distance? I nearly got one but opted with something else. I agree though that the matte black look is great.


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

I'd be a bit apprehensive about riding a bike you've only had 3 days on that long a ride. Great looking bike and I hope you have fun, but if I were you I'd use the bike you are accustomed to (if you still have it).


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

GumbyN said:


> damn, now i kinda wish i would've gotten the all black one.
> i have the same bike, only the white/carbon/gold color....
> 
> as far as riding it on flats, i don't know, nothing around where i live is "flat", it's all an incline/decline to varying degrees here in NW KC area (i've actually been trying to find a long stretch of flat ground just to see what my average speeds could be, but haven't found any yet).
> ...


I guess thegrass is always greener, right? Yours is a gorgeous bike, buddy. Congrats!


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

Well, MS ride's over! Sadly. Had a great time. Surprisingly easy, actually. Bike is fantastic. Had a significsnt amount of lower back pain after 45 miles or so (you guys were right!), but after adjusting the handlebars to turn back a little for a higher position on the hoods, all was well. On the way there, we had 15-20mph headwinds for about 40% of the trip, and same crosswind for another 45%. Brutal, and pulling the last 10 miles was certainly a challenge. But I kept repeating Rule 5 and felt awesome at the end. The second day we had the same wind, but on our back, so we were pushing 22-25mph through much of the way. THEN, at about 10 miles to go, a huge thunderstorm developed and we had 40+mph headwind gusts that knocked off some riders. Freaking awesome. Combine that with lightning and thick hard rain--THAT was memorable. Sadly, they cslled off the ride 4 miles to the finish because of all the lightning, so it was actually less of an MS 150 and more of an MS 146. I'm going to have the bike refitted and will be doing a century this weekend through Miami Beach. Should be fun. Thanks everyone for all the great advice! Ill post some pics as soon as i get to a computer (cant upload with the ipad).


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## vancouver-rider (Apr 14, 2011)

Great report gaspi.

The bike you have is a good one. The goal now is to log more miles and fine-tune your fit. As you ride more, your weight will come down and your flexibility will improve. You will also come to love being able to achieve an aero tuck to fight wind. Grow at your own pace. Your butt will toughen as your sit bones adapt to riding long distances. 

The main thing to watch out for as you pile on the miles is knee pain. 

Enjoy!


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

vancouver-rider said:


> Great report gaspi.
> 
> The bike you have is a good one. The goal now is to log more miles and fine-tune your fit. As you ride more, your weight will come down and your flexibility will improve. You will also come to love being able to achieve an aero tuck to fight wind. Grow at your own pace. Your butt will toughen as your sit bones adapt to riding long distances.
> 
> ...


Interesting you say that--I get some knee pain, usually at about the 50 mile mark, but I stretch out the leg or rest for a minute or two and it gets better. Last weekend I just put biogel on it an rode through it until it went away. What does knee pain indicate? Will it get worse? And here are some pics from the MS ride this weekend.


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## vancouver-rider (Apr 14, 2011)

Great pics and looks like you're having a good time!

Here is the most succinct article on cycling knee pain:
http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

On the other hand, it could merely be a symptom of over-use. Remember both legs are seldom equally strong. One is usually stronger than the other. This is why many training regimens recommend not adding more than 10% mileage per week to allow the body to adapt.

Ride, tweak, adjust, Advil.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

vancouver-rider said:


> Great pics and looks like you're having a good time!
> 
> Here is the most succinct article on cycling knee pain:
> http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm
> ...


I've posted that link a number of times and think it's an excellent source for leg/ knee/ hip related issues, but it's just a sampling of what the CPTIPS site offers. Here's a link to the TOC:
http://www.cptips.com/xtocdet.htm#


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> I've posted that link a number of times and think it's an excellent source for leg/ knee/ hip related issues, but it's just a sampling of what the CPTIPS site offers. Here's a link to the TOC:
> http://www.cptips.com/xtocdet.htm#


Excellent link! Thanks. Also, what helps a great deal is to just pull up on each stroke rather than push down. How do I know whether my cleats are aligned properly? (that's one of the possible reasons for knee pain). Thanks again!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

gaspi101 said:


> Excellent link! Thanks. Also, what helps a great deal is to just pull up on each stroke rather than push down. How do I know whether my cleats are aligned properly? (that's one of the possible reasons for knee pain). Thanks again!


Yes, it's not only an excellent link, but it links to some excellent resources covering a myriad of cycling related topics as well.

That belief that riders actually pull up on the upstroke has been pretty much disproven, and when you consider that at a cadence of ~90 the amount of time spent in that part of the pedal stroke is measured in milliseconds, you can understand why. But if it makes you feel better to believe it helps...  

Rather than focusing on cleat set up, it would be better to narrow down the location of the knee pain, and when you experience it. From there, you'll be better able to determine a fix, because they vary depending on cause. 

If you can offer some specifics here, we may be able to advise. But fit issues/ remedies being more gray than black and white, there are limits to what can be accomplished sight unseen.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> Yes, it's not only an excellent link, but it links to some excellent resources covering a myriad of cycling related topics as well.
> 
> That belief that riders actually pull up on the upstroke has been pretty much disproven, and when you consider that at a cadence of ~90 the amount of time spent in that part of the pedal stroke is measured in milliseconds, you can understand why. But if it makes you feel better to believe it helps...
> 
> ...


What do you mean? It's a different muscle when I lift with my leg rather than push down, isn't it? What do you mean by disproven? I'll try to take some pics of the cleats to demonstrate the specifics.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

gaspi101 said:


> What do you mean? It's a different muscle when I lift with my leg rather than push down, isn't it? What do you mean by disproven? I'll try to take some pics of the cleats to demonstrate the specifics.


Sure, different muscle groups are used, but that's partly my point. At a cadence of ~90 our bodies aren't capable of alternating muscle use through the pedal stroke. We make the vast majority of our power through the downstroke, very little (if any) on the upstroke. 

Re: the pics, what I meant was explain specifically where your knee pain is occuring, and when. Seeing your cleats isn't going to tell us much.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

GumbyN said:


> damn, now i kinda wish i would've gotten the all black one.
> i have the same bike, only the white/carbon/gold color....
> 
> as far as riding it on flats, i don't know, nothing around where i live is "flat", it's all an incline/decline to varying degrees here in NW KC area (i've actually been trying to find a long stretch of flat ground just to see what my average speeds could be, but haven't found any yet).
> ...


Hey, Gumby: Do I see a cadence/spedometer cateye installed on your bike? I got one and can't get it mounted correctly witout having the wheel sensor touch the spokes. No matter where I put it. Had to turn it all the way up so it's above the bar...not elegant.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

gaspi101 said:


> Hey, Gumby: Do I see a cadence/spedometer cateye installed on your bike? I got one and can't get it mounted correctly witout having the wheel sensor touch the spokes. No matter where I put it. Had to turn it all the way up so it's above the bar...not elegant.


Can you post a couple of pics to give us an idea of what you're describing?


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## jeremy5000 (Aug 22, 2010)

Nice looking bike, I have the same on in the White/Gold color combo, but am selling it tomorrow to upgrade to something with Force or Ulteggra... what was your thought on the Apex?


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

I must say i like Apex quite a bit. Sharp, quick, and reliable shifting. I can time my shifts to my pedal strokes perfectly and haven't missed a shift yet. I especially like the shift levers that you can slide down while in the drops. Why are you upgrading? Unless you're doing hardcore racing, the 2011 roubaix elite should be plenty for any rider, no?


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## jeremy5000 (Aug 22, 2010)

gaspi101 said:


> I must say i like Apex quite a bit. Sharp, quick, and reliable shifting. I can time my shifts to my pedal strokes perfectly and haven't missed a shift yet. I especially like the shift levers that you can slide down while in the drops. Why are you upgrading? Unless you're doing hardcore racing, the 2011 roubaix elite should be plenty for any rider, no?


I work at a bike shop now, so I get great discounts... when I bought the bike, eventhough it was less than a year ago, I was nowhere as knowledgeable as I am now, and the bike was sized poorly to me, so eitherway it had to go. I sold it for $1800, and now for $1800 I get bikes with Ulteggra and Force, so just figured I'd upgrade in the process, but the Apex never seemed to really work well for me at the beginning, but once properly adjusted by one of my friends it worked pretty flawlessly.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

I just noticed this thread--I was in that MS150 ride. I rode with Mack Cycle and was somewhere in that day 2 start picture above. It was a great event, very well run for the most part, and a lot of fun. Flying down the busway with a tailwind is the best!. I got back to the speedway before the storm hit and was very glad to have done so because it did get ugly.

That Bacardi team tent was close to ours, like a big open-air bar. Very cool, and the Bacardi girls walking around in short black dresses were certainly pleasant on the eyes.


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## Rusted Angel (Sep 19, 2010)

GumbyN said:


> damn, now i kinda wish i would've gotten the all black one.
> i have the same bike, only the white/carbon/gold color....
> 
> as far as riding it on flats, i don't know, nothing around where i live is "flat", it's all an incline/decline to varying degrees here in NW KC area (i've actually been trying to find a long stretch of flat ground just to see what my average speeds could be, but haven't found any yet).
> ...


Black is my favorite color!


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

Fireform said:


> I just noticed this thread--I was in that MS150 ride. I rode with Mack Cycle and was somewhere in that day 2 start picture above. It was a great event, very well run for the most part, and a lot of fun. Flying down the busway with a tailwind is the best!. I got back to the speedway before the storm hit and was very glad to have done so because it did get ugly.
> 
> That Bacardi team tent was close to ours, like a big open-air bar. Very cool, and the Bacardi girls walking around in short black dresses were certainly pleasant on the eyes.


That's awesome that we rode together! Mack Cycle is also my LBS--best shop there is--ive dropped several paychecks there. Did you make it back before they cancelled the ride due to lightning? We got pulled off at the last rest stop---4 miles to go and we were told to stop! Great ride nonetheless. Does Mack Cycle still ride during the year? It'd be nice to be in a 19-21 group, but cant find a stable one...cheers!


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## ebtromba (Aug 16, 2010)

man. florida looks amazing.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

That is cool! You picked a good event to join. I was up toward the front (I made it back in 3:20) so we finished before the called the ride. Last year it was such a monsoon that they cancelled the second day entirely.

I used to live a few blocks from Mack Cycle so have been going there for years--also a cousin was one of the ride officials. I'm pretty sure they still do weekly rides, and Everglades Bicycle Club has a regular schedule of rides you could check out on their websites.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

ebtromba said:


> man. florida looks amazing.


Have to tell the truth....it aint bad. . We can bike year round. In the summer you just have to do it in the morning before it gets too hot, that's all. Come down!


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

Fireform said:


> That is cool! You picked a good event to join. I was up toward the front (I made it back in 3:20) so we finished before the called the ride. Last year it was such a monsoon that they cancelled the second day entirely.
> 
> I used to live a few blocks from Mack Cycle so have been going there for years--also a cousin was one of the ride officials. I'm pretty sure they still do weekly rides, and Everglades Bicycle Club has a regular schedule of rides you could check out on their websites.


Im going to check them out. Thanks! Doing a century in Davie tomorrow, along the coast...never been there. I hear there are pelotons going back and forth through A1A, so ill give it a go. Should be nice.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

Sweet! Have a great time.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> Can you post a couple of pics to give us an idea of what you're describing?


Here it is.

View attachment 233140
View attachment 233141


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

The manual suggests that the wheel sensor be positioned downward and adjusted from that point. Refer to #1 and 2 of the installation guide and also the trouble shooting guide at the end. 

They mention a max of 5mm's clearance between wheel sensor and magnet. Also, check to ensure that the magnet goes through the relevant sensor zone.

http://www2.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upload/manuals/uk/CC-RD400DW_ENG v2.pdf


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> The manual suggests that the wheel sensor be positioned downward and adjusted from that point. Refer to #1 and 2 of the installation guide and also the trouble shooting guide at the end.
> 
> They mention a max of 5mm's clearance between wheel sensor and magnet. Also, check to ensure that the magnet goes through the relevant sensor zone.
> 
> http://www2.cateye.com/sites/cateye/upload/manuals/uk/CC-RD400DW_ENG v2.pdf


I know, but you can't put it down between the bike and the wheel without it touching the spokes. Not enough clearance. :-(


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

gaspi101 said:


> I know, but you can't put it down between the bike and the wheel without it touching the spokes. Not enough clearance. :-(


I'm thinking curved chainstays are the problem. If so, I would think the only other options would be to relocate the sensor either closer to the BB or closer to the rear hub in an effort to clear the spokes. Probably the latter, but the crank magnet would also need to be relocated nearer the left pedal.

Figure #2 of the instructions suggests adjusting the cadence/ wheel sensor placement prior to tying it down. If you've done that you could try turning the wheel magnet 180 degrees (facing the opposite chainstay), then test to see if the computer is still picking up the reading. Should be a max of 5mm's between wheel sensor and magnet.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> I'm thinking curved chainstays are the problem. If so, I would think the only other options would be to relocate the sensor either closer to the BB or closer to the rear hub in an effort to clear the spokes. Probably the latter, but the crank magnet would also need to be relocated nearer the left pedal.
> 
> Figure #2 of the instructions suggests adjusting the cadence/ wheel sensor placement prior to tying it down. If you've done that you could try turning the wheel magnet 180 degrees (facing the opposite chainstay), then test to see if the computer is still picking up the reading. Should be a max of 5mm's between wheel sensor and magnet.


All great ideas, but unfortunately none work. The bike is brand spanking new so absolutely no deformities (all carbon anyway), and there is no physical way to mount the damn thing and have the cadence magnet also hit the sweet spot without twisting it up, which is clearly not the intended installation application. Here's another pic.


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

Also, does anyone know if it's normal to have nicks and deep scratches on the rear bottom bracket? I'm thinking this is chain slap, which I sometimes (but bit often) hear. see pic:
View attachment 233392


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