I'm not loving my new bike...

Well, the bonding of my new bike is not going well.

I purchased a Cervelo R3 SL bike off bike exchange.  The same size as my Cervelo Soloist.  The R3 SL is running SRAM Red gearing which I was looking forward to checking out as I had problems with my Ultegra gearing on my Soloist since I purchased it.   I learned to live with it, but it was never right.

Well, I am now having problems with my SRAM Red gears.  It begs the question; is it the user??  I don't claim to be a great cyclist and I have on many occasions been told I'm in the wrong gear...  However, in the few small weeks I have owned my R3 SL I have; broken a chain, jammed the chain 3 times, had trouble going into the big gear ring and getting out of the big gear ring.  It has been a case of every time I have ridden it I have been frustrated with it.

Initially we took it to our LBS a couple of days prior to Noosa Triathlon just so that I could get it running well enough to do the tri.  They made it better, but I broke the chain after they tweaked it and have had plenty of problems with it since.

I have had Dad tweak it and replace the chain for me and he has made it better, but it is still not right.  I am still having trouble.  So it is now with Troy Hawkins and I am hoping that he can fix it up and get it running right.  I have lost a lot of confidence in the bike and I really need to start clocking up the k's on it pretty soon!

Needless to say, the jury's out on SRAM Red just for the moment.  I'll reserve judgement until I ride it after Troy has fixed it up.