Getting used to my new bike: A daily diary

Here is my daily diary (bought to you by my training log) of what it was like getting used to my road bike. I am pretty much used to it now, but still can not believe how fast it goes! I am so excited to use it in the triathlon on Sunday! Maybe it won't take me 3 hours to finish the 25 mile bike ride now! I am secretly hoping to finish the bike ride in less than 2 hours with my new, lightning-fast Trek Pilot 1.2. That would be so neat if I can make that goal!

Mon Aug. 18:

I got a new bike today!!!!! It is a Trek Pilot 1.2. It is so awesome and I can't wait to ride it! I test rode it in the parking lot of the bike shop, and it is SO fast compared to my mountain bike!!!

Tue Aug. 19:

I did an easy ride today (I rode for about 45 min) to get used to my new bike. Oh my gosh! It is so fast!!! I had to keep breaking and coasting to keep my speed down. I am not used to going so fast!

Tomorrow, I will try pedaling normally on the bike to get comfortable with the new speed.

My elbows are also really sore from riding my bike in a different position.

I LOVE MY NEW BIKE!!!

Wed Aug. 20:

I did another ride today to get used to my new bike. I rode for about 55 mins today. I am still getting used to the extra speed, but I am breaking and coasting less (I only did that a little on the down hills)!

I'm still getting used to the hand position too. My elbows were less sore, but my hands were kind of sore today. I am also getting used to the new way of turning. I accidentally went off the road twice while trying to turn!

I'm getting used to this bike :)

Thur Aug. 21:

I'm getting a little more used to this bike now. I was actually able to ride my normal route today- that I was originally riding with my mountain bike. I actually added 2 miles to the route and STILL finished in the same time that the mountain bike ride would have taken me (about 45 min)! I also wasn't even working that hard (I was barely sweating when I got home). I need to work harder and get used to all this free speed!

The turning is getting a little better too. I only went off the road once today!

My elbows and arms are still a little sore (though not as bad as yesterday) but I will get bike gloves to help with that.

Maybe I won't finish dead last in the triathlon Sunday. That is a BIG maybe...

Fri Aug. 22 ("That is today!" says Captain Obvious):



I love my new bike!!!

The same loop I rode today took 2:55 in May.

With my mountain bike a couple weeks ago, this loop took 1:55.

Now this loop takes 1:27!

I am getting better used to this bike now. I still have to break before I turn (which probably isn't good on the breaks) but I didn't run off the road once today.

This bike is so light. I feel like I can ride forever on it! The only problem is my hands hurt. I will get bike gloves for that this weekend.

I can't wait to see how fast I can go on the triathlon!

New bike!!!

I finally got a road bike yesterday! It is so awesome and fast! Shown above is a picture of my new bike. My new bike is a Trek Pilot 1.2 and I love it!

My mom paid for half of the cost of the $660 bike. I had to pay the other half. I am now $330 poorer, but the bike is definitely worth the expensive cost. Maybe I will actually get to finish second to last in a triathlon (as opposed to dead last like I normally place!).

I took the bike on a test ride in the bike store parking lot yesterday, and was immediately amazed at the lightness and speed of the bike. I was even more impressed when I took the new bike on its first ride today.

The ride I did today was mostly just to get used to the bike. I rode the bike up and down the street right next to my house, where I wouldn't have to worry about cars. I practiced shifting gears and basically just getting used to the new feel of the bike.

These are the things I noticed while taking my new bike on its first spin today:

1. This bike is so much nicer than my previous steed- a $100 piece of crap from Wal-Mart.

2. This bike is so light!

3. The gear shifting on this bike is so much different than that of my previous bike.

4. The hand position is different too. My elbows are kind of stretched out and sore today, but I'm sure I will eventually get used to this new position.

5. This bike is SO light. I can actually lift the bike many feet above the ground. My other bike, I may have been able to lift an inch off the ground.

6. The suspension on the bike is very different. I can feel every little leaf and bump now. Now I see why people complain about bumpy roads in triathlons! On my old bike, I never felt any of the small bumps!

7. This. Bike. Is. So. Fast. The speed I can maintain pushing as hard as I can going downhill on my mountain bike is the same speed I can now maintain while barely pedaling on the flats!

8. Going faster is kind of scary! I had to keep braking and coasting because I wasn't used to all the new speed! I WILL get used to the new speed on this bike, and I WILL be comfortable enough to pedal normally and fly down the roads (They don't call this bike a 'Pilot" for nothing!).

9. This bike has no kickstand. I had issues leaning my bike against the wall today; having it clatter to the ground twice and making me look like a HUGE klutz!

10. I love my new bike and can't wait to ride it again tomorrow!

P.S. My mom and dad also got new road bikes yesterday too. My mom got the Trek 1000 and my dad got the 1.5 model of my bike. They couldn't stand me having something nice that they didn't have! All they had before they got these new bikes were 20 year old Schwinn mountain bikes, so they needed new bikes more than I did!