First Ride on New Saluki

[Peter M]

So went out for the first ride on the new saluki in rapidly
approaching winter NY. This being my first ride in almost 5 months due
to health issues(long story short I had dizziness and veritigo, turned
out to be migraines, not MS or a Brain Tumor, thank god) I did about
10 miles and it felt awesome. Now when I stopped riding I was 225 and
tipped the scales at 250 today so there was some "spring" in the ride
going over some big bumps but boy was it smooth and fast. My first
time using bar end shifters was really positive, i had so many places
to put my hands thanks to the smooth VO Elk Hide bar wrap that got
alot of looks. You know I used to ride a neon yellow olmo and got
compliments but today I actually got deference, like people thought
twice before trying to run me over, which in Brooklyn is really all
you can hope for. Here is a link http://www.flickr.com/photos/67889635@N06/?saved=1
to the pics, yes I know the handlebars are high, I am still trying to
get everything dialed in, front end was a little loose feeling, not
sure if it was because I had so much extension on the bars or I need
to tighten the headset a little. Anyway I have been a lurker here for
a while but since my wife and family could care less about bikes
thought I would post somewhere where people do. So i guess now it is
time to start saving for that Atlantis, I mean everyone needs two Rivs
right?

[cyclotourist]

Deference in Brooklyn, that is something to write in about!!!  Beautiful bike Peter, glad you're healthy enough to get on it before the weather comes in.  But you have fenders, so no complaints right!  :-)

BTW, the front end might feel funny due to the high bars + bag way out front combo.  That's a lot of leverage.  Try riding w/out the bag and see what it's like (presuming you rode as pictured).

Again, great looking bike!

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Cheers,
David
Redlands, CA

[Kelly Sleeper]

Beautiful setup.  I second the leverage of the handlebar bag that high up.  

I was impressed with the look of the fenders.. much better job than I did  with mine.  

Ahh the bug has bitten... after the Atlantis you will be looking for that sweet simple one.. then time to get your wife a Betty Foy for sidewalk rides in the park.. :) 

Then you'll need a loaner Hillborne for those unexpected guests.... (I can get by on a 64cm if I have to)  

Glad you are feeling better and that Saluki once again is just flat out drop dead gorgeous. 

later

Kelly

[Roger]

Congratulations on getting back in the saddle, Peter.

That stem should be just the thing while you dial in your position -
and as your preferred position changes as you start to rack up the
miles.

I was mostly sidelined for 5 years. It's been over a year since I
could ride any significant distances, and I feel better the more I
ride. My bars have always been placed where they were most comforable,
which at first was quite high, but has inched down a little at a time.
I recently switched back to a drop bar so I would have higher and
lower positions. When I find I'm riding more in the drops, I nudge the
bar down until the drops and hoods are equally comfortable.

Ride comfy and ride lots.

[Allan in Portland]

Good looking bike. And, wow, if you don't have one already you're going to have to get yourself a nice tweed suit to match those handlebars!

[islaysteve]

Peter, congratulations on a great-looking bike and more on getting out there again.  I've been there, and still am.  While I'm all in favor of plotting for another Riv, the important thing is to ride,right?  Keep it up and enjoy your bike.  Steve

[Patrick Moore]

Another congratulations. I've been off the bike in the past for months, too because of depression -- fortunately, while this still keeps me off the bike frequently, it's been years since it has done so for months altogether and now it generally is a day to day thing (and, fwiw, when I force myself to get off my ass and ride, it works temporarily far better than any medication I've taken) -- (close both parentheses) and I know the joy of getting back on and slowly (at my age) getting back into shape. And a Riv to do it on -- can't beat that! After sifting through many, many bicycles over the years I now have a very nice stable including a Herse touring bike, a Fargo (hope I don't have to sell it -- it's touch and go right now) and a Ken Rogers BRT, all of which for me are benchmarks of one sort or another; but my two Rivs are still head and shoulders above them all.

I wonder if the rearward weight distribution caused by that very high bar makes the front end feel light? I know that, when I get my bars too high and close, that is what I feel. I've found that, when I raise a bar considerably above the saddle, it very much helps handling if I also extend it further out so that the overall reach from saddle to, say, hoods or hooks is the same as with lower (but closer in) bars. My Fargo is set up like this with bars about 4 cm above saddle compared to 3 cm below for my other bikes/trikes, but the reach from saddle nose to hoods and hooks is very similar and it handles fine.

[Peter Morgano]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Yeah the fenders did take some work to get right, but I had but Honjos on my raleigh international last year and that bike was alot less forgiving that the Saluki so it was actually not as horrible as it could have been. I did readjust the front fender today after I took the pics to get it "just right" though, haha  Also lowered the bars and it seems to have alot less flop in front, I am sure though alot of it is my hiatus from riding making everything seem a little off.  As for the Tweed Suit I work in some new age "casual office" where everyone just wears what they want so I havent actually owned/worn a suit in ages, but maybe a nice tweed blazer for Xmas is in order!

On Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 2:22 PM, Allan in Portland <allan...@aracnet.com> wrote:

Good looking bike. And, wow, if you don't have one already you're going to have to get yourself a nice tweed suit to match those handlebars!

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