Hendricks97

After breaking my back a year ago, I have continued to having issues with it mostly when walking or sitting. For some reason, I can ride, but cant do any long distances on anything aggressive. For anything more than 25 miles or so, Ive been riding my Fargo. As Im still improving very slowly, Im starting to think about getting a new road bike that is less aggressive than my Felt F75. Im leaning towards either the Salsa Colossal or the Foundry Thresher. Any other suggestions of something similar?

WestPablo

Ride a bunch of different styled bikes. Then get the one that's more soothing to your back. If I were you, I'd just stick with the Fargo until I was 100% recovered.

rpenmanparker 

OP, if you like your Felt, and think you will continue to improve, why not just invest in an inexpensive replacement stem that will accomplish your goal temporarily. Say one with a shorter reach and higher rise angle. Stay on the bar tops. You may not like how that looks and would prefer a less aggressive frame instead, but that may not be necessary. You can resell the stem on ebay and be out just a very few bucks when you are finally ready to ride aggressively positioned again. Or maybe you WILL decide later on to change bikes. Still not much investment to find out definitively whether or not that is necessary.

joejack951

Another option would be an entire flatbar set up which for me would be far more preferable than riding the tops of road bars all the time (with no access to brake or shift levers). The conversion would probably run about $200 but you could easily go back to drop bars and you wouldn't have to buy a new bike.

zvez

are you still getting physical therapy? The therapist might be able to improve your flexibility/comfort.

Dudelsack 

Or you could check out recumbents.

Hendricks97

I completed therapy last month (Its been a year since the accident) and there is no guarantee that I will get any better than I am right now. Even before the accident, the Felt was never a comfortable bike, but it weighed nothing and was fast as hell. I did 3 centuries on it last year before the accident, but it wasnt the most enjoyable ride. Plus the Felt is no longer mine. I had told my son that when he grew into it, it would be his (I just didnt figure it would be this soon).

rpenmanparker 

In that case it is a no-brainer. The only question is how far to you have to move away from road bike positioning to be comfortable. Less aggressive road bike? Flat bar road bike?
Even further? You will have to do a lot of test riding.

SirHustlerEsq

A buddy of mine just got a Colossal and it's a really, really cool bike.

Hendricks97

hence the request for bikes that would fit a less aggressive profile. The problem with test riding is that I need around a 60cm frame and most of the LBS around me tend to not carry that size outside of special order. I have ridden the Colossal and found it very comfortable, but not sure that I want to spend the money on the titanium even though I like it better than the steel version. Ive also considered (but never rode) the Salsa Vaya, Surly LHT, Rivendells, and the Kona Rove. Im just not sure that the type of riding I do now, couldnt just as easily be handled by the Fargo with 2" Schwalbe Big Bens and thus not needing to spend the money on a road bike.

MingusDew

In your position I would rent a few different style bikes and take them out for long rides. My LBS has several different showroom models that they'll let you take for rides, and when I was looking for a new bike I would take them out for 15-30 min. Sometimes you need more than a 15-30 min ride though, and they had rental bikes you could take for a day or more. This helped me determine which style road bike I would be comfortable on, and if you can find a LBS in your area with a similar arrangement you may be able to do the same.

As encouragement I'll also add that a friend is making a great recovery after being hit while commuting on his hybrid and fracturing one of his vertebra, while his injury may not have been as severe as yours it was still pretty serious. It has been less than a year and he has been going out for short rides on his Cervelo S2 with me, and is steadily improving. The Cervelo is a pretty aggressive frame and so far he is doing well with recovery and riding. I've also had my share of injuries (Army life was not easy lol), and I know the road to recovery can be long and painful (those PT's are all sadists I swear ...). From my experience I will say that even though you have finished your therapy it is essential you continue to do stretching and strengthening exercises, and as you progress start increasing your resistance training until you are back to weights. Resistance training will help strengthen your core and support muscles. Stronger muscles will help support you despite your injury, and you'll look better when wearing spandex ... but seriously, frustration and depression is easy during recovery, but don't give in. Take this one day at a time, and good luck

crank_addict

The thought of sitting more upright puts more compression on the spine. The older bikes with 'preacher' bars typically have saddles with springs to compensate especially over rough terrain. Heavy and inefficient - wasted energy too.

Disregarding the talk of having an aero advantage, a lay forward position on drop bars unloads and distributes weight which easier on the spine. The trade off is having to be more conditioned back muscles, wrist, etc.. I guess you have to find that balance of comfort and control. What about experimenting with one of those quick angle adjust stems? Easy and fast adjustment out on the road.

the fly

How bad did you break your back? 15+ years ago I fell off a ladder and crushed my L1 vertebrae. Had my spine fused (T10 to L3) with bone from my hip + rods and hooks. It took a little while, but I was pretty much back to normal with a few exceptions in less than a year. My doctor would have had a stroke if he'd seen me loading bags of cement in my truck while wearing my hard back brace. I wasn't cycling during that period in my life, but now at 44 yo and out of shape I can hop on my Giant TCR and do a century. I will have to stand on the pedals and straighten my back occasionally, maybe stretch a little, but it's not unbearable. I guess I'm just saying hang in there, ride as much as you can and it'll probably get better.

Hendricks97

I shattered my T8 and fractured my T7, 2 Titanium rods were screwed into my pistulas from T5 - T10. A year later however, most of the pain is in my lower back. Next Saturday is the actual 1 year anniversary and I will be riding my Fargo with 2" Big Bens for 100 miles. Not exactly the bike I would have picked for this before the accident, which is what is prompting the question of whether I will need a road bike at all. I know a full suspension bike is in my future for whenever I feel up trying some of the technical off road stuff

Cyclelogikal

I was thinking the same thing. I have a friend that broke his neck and due to that had to leave traditional bikes in favor of this. He actually liked it.

surgeonstone

Do we need air, is the sky blue, are women fickle, are men dogs, does it rain in Seattle, is ice cold, is the Pope Pcad?

MikeyBoyAz

Frankly the Fargo is a sick awesome bike. I would put on some less aggressive tread tires and perhaps drop the bar a bit if you want, but if it ain't broke...

Blue Belly

There are a lot of bikes out there that are built for comfort. Less punishing on the body. I owned a Merckx Century for a short time. It wasn't the most responsive bike I've ridden but, I did a 130 miles on it once & I had never felt so fresh after a century. It was a great bike for long rides. It was built up with the same wheels, tires & saddle I build my steel bikes with, Nothing different. Geometry & tubing selection are everything.