On Jul 7, 9:48 pm, "Zen Cohen" wrote:
I like to ride fast but now that I'm in my 40's my body doesn't withstand
the road shocks as well. Are bikes like Specialized Roubaix, Trek Pilot and
Cannondale Synapse really that more comfortable than road bikes with racing
configs? I rode a Roubaix around the LBS parking lot and it felt pretty good
but the only way to really know is on a longer road ride.

Comments appreciated.

Seriously, ditto the comments about tires. I'm an arthritic 55-year
old who still rides thousands of road miles a year (mostly urban
commuting) on touring bikes with 700x32c or 700x35c touring tires. The
combination of fatter tires and relatively compliant frames (one ti,
one steel) give these bikes all the shock-resistance they need, as
long as I don't ride purposefully over severe obstacles without
unloading the saddle by distributing my weight between hands and feet
and letting my knees fles over the bumps. Springs would just make the
bike heavier and harder to maintain with no benefit.

The arthritis in my hands has made it especially important to remember
my padded gloves, but they're secondary to the benefit of riding with
a light grip, something I trained myself to do long ago.

I would hate to give up the versatility of drop bars; their variety of
available hand positions is a real benefit to me.

r