Determined not to repeat a past purchasing mistake, I’ve been pestering bike shops to let me try shiny new road bikes out for size, as I approached my fortieth birthday. I won’t put you through the same agony that I went through, trying to get one that fitted just right, but I emerged with a Trek 1400 in a daggy blue, satisfied that it was the closest fit I could get. So, on Sunday I rode up to Humevale (or the turnoff to it) and tested my back and arm reach in the process. After watching some time-triallers grind their way up a 10k hill with a 4% gradient, I prudently decided not to pay my $5 for the same priviledge, and struggled home into a southwesterly for 36k. With 10k and a couple of big hills to go, my triceps (of all things) were nagging me, and my back was getting uncomfortable. I’m sure I would have been sore on my old bike also, but I keep reading that your body has to adapt to a new bike. I hope it doesn’t take long.