Bar ends are great, but they shouldn't be vertical. They should be pointed forward so you can grip them from the side. The important thing is to move your hands around so that you don't put pressure on one part for too long.

Thanks guys and Rob for the advice. ;)
I don't think I really have any pains.
The seat height seems to be perfect and I think my legs are almost extended with the ball of my foot on the pedal.
I plan to take a photograph to make sure.
I do hope that my butt will stop hurting as it makes it uncomfortable to be one the bike. Atleast I don't seem to walk funny.

It seems I won't be installing a mirror for the time being.
I went to the shop of this guy who is famous for being a celebrated athlete and bike engineer for the national team. He is also known for being a man of few words and certain attitude. He wasn't as bad as the reputation makes him be, but when he told me "no mirror" (for you have no time to avoid a speeding car anyway), I jumped to attention and said "Yes, sir!". The funny thing is that he has a whole bunch of them, handle mirrors and column ones, but he doesn't want to sell them. One can't argue with that!
I guess its one of those things that is up to the individual to decide as there are strong opinions from both camps. So far I haven't had a great use for a mirror (because traffic is either too slow and thus easy to check with the head or too fast and a mirror wouldn't help).
I did get some bar ends though. He installed them so they are just right. They feel very comfortable but of course one can't reach the brakes.

This thread has turned into "Aristos' Everything You Wanted To Know About Bicycles And Were Afraid To Ask".
From buying a bike, to racks, brakes and accessories, to safety and butt pain issues.

Ok Ari, to highjack your thread :)

Yesterday I stopped off bike to put end of my pants into socks (not wanting to get them into chain and cogs) and then it happened: As parking leg is on rear wheel, not at center of bike (as in good old bikes from mine childhood), and basked carried relatively heavy backpack, bike wasn't balanced enough and it felt. But not on parking leg (left) side, oh no, I would be happy if that was case. It felt on righ side, right on gear mechanism. Gear mechanism bent and now situation is: When I put some gear, my bike drive in 1 gear lower (Let say I put bike in gear 4 it drive in gear 3). But that was not all, if only that. In gear 1 on gear mechanism on rear wheel, no matter in which position of 3 big gear cogs, gear mechanism get into wires of rear wheel, and it can destroy wheel and mechanism itself.

Irony is: I have shop/service (and there I bought my bike) 20 meters from my house. But, there they don't have specific tool to repair this particular problem, so I must go to central service which is 1,5 hours bike ride from my house. And they will take bike and reapir it in about 2 minutes, but I must drive 3 hours because of those 2 minutes of repairing. While happy to drive, I hate reason for that particular drive. Well, I will check, clean and lubricate bike while I am there, so good thing from bad at the end :)

Moral of this story: Be carefull not only not to fall from bike while driving it, but not let bike to fall itself, it can end with costly and time consuming result.

It sounds like it is only a small bend if it has only made a difference of one gear. If you are careful you should be able to CAREFULLY bend the mechanism back to how it was originally.

When I wear jeans, my butt gets sore. When I wear padded cycling shorts, everything feels so much smother and more comfortable. Of course, when off the bike it feels like I have a huge foam pad in between my legs.

Anyways, use your ears. Cars aren't exactly silent you know.

Electric ones are deathly silent!

Trust me when I say that you will not even hear an electric car when you are pedaling along, your lungs make more noise than the tyres of these silent cars.

Voice of experience here.

Mick.

Anyways, use your ears.

Do you have ears like pedals?

Andy, I thought of that. But I am not sure how to do it. And man working in near service said, he is afraid to bend it back without special tool, he think he might break something. Thing is, mechanism in not bent in solid parts, but at joints, so that is why he wasn't confident to try. And as I have no experience at all, I will not either.

In fact, I tried to see if I can do something last night when return home, but I had no idea, and then decided to drive it to service.

Ari, I really recommend gloves. I wear padded gloves and for 6 euros they make big difference. Also, clothing is important too, I agree with reub2000, me too find bike and jeans don't go together :)

Reub2: You are right. Actually, I forgot to mention that the super-store owner stressed a lot the importance of hearing while cycling and that they are the main sense to use to check your back. Eyes in front and ears on the back.
Mick: No electric cars around here, only very loud cars and motorbikes. Bicycles are the silent ones I need to watch out for. And pedestrians of course.
Haris: Good luck with your gear problem. Three hours pedaling sounds like a lot. How about the local shop takes the gear mechanism off, then you take it with you to the far away shop via a motor vehicle, they fix it and bring it back to the one close to you to get it back on the bicycle?
Thanks for the advice for the gloves. Maybe I should have grabbed a pair today at that shop. The one close to me doesn't have much of a selection of accessories and gloves seem to be very much a matter of personal taste and comfort. Damn, all those accessories! I can't deny that its fun to shop and accessorize a new toy and fortunately they are cheap enough not to hurt my dire financial situation a lot, but still! Every time I think I am done and every time there is something more! One thing I won't be getting is a cycling computer though. Sounds pretty useless unless you are doing long rides and training.

Thanks, Ari. It is faster for myself to go to service than them to get it there and back. Bike is drivable in middle gears so I will drove it myself. Gear must be serviced on bike, because it must be adjusted to bike on which it is.

And about cars and silence. I was riding and come to crossroad, traffic light. I waited for green light, looked back to see if cars are going right turn from right turn lane, there was no cars, and I was off to make crossing. Then some idiot made hash right turn from midlle cars lane, lane which is not allowed for turning, right or left. I hit brakes, he hit brakes and we stopped. Then he raised hand in gesture of apologise. If I had gun then... One can never be too carefull.

Diagram:

If I had gun then... One can never be too careful.
Of an armed bicyclist?
Over here at least, if you spot a black utility vehicle, with black windows, it is probably driven by black shirt wearing villagers. We call them "black shirts" and they are dangerous: small minded, quick to anger, they are often armed and looking for a fight. They also could be the ones providing hashish and slave-girls to the local market, so they are to be avoided at all times, especially if they are driving. Of course not all "black shirts" are bad, but one should take care none the less...
And you think you have crazy people!

Of an armed bicyclist?
Over here at least, if you spot a black utility vehicle, with black windows, it is probably driven by black shirt wearing villagers. We call them "black shirts" and they are dangerous: small minded, quick to anger, they are often armed and looking for a fight. They also could be the ones providing hashish and slave-girls to the local market, so they are to be avoided at all times, especially if they are driving. Of course not all "black shirts" are bad, but one should take care none the less...
And you think you have crazy people!

We have those here too, they usually drive motocycle, BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Hammer or tuned different cars. And they do not have darkened windows. They usually are polititians, police officers, businessmen... Not many from mafia circles, they are mostly "respectful" citizens.

Now, bike service saga continues :):

Just returned from service. I drive bike to job and as I have uphill drive in front of working place I left gear mechanism in middle gear, but shiifted big cogs to easiest driving, and gear mechanism get into wheel wires. Luckilly it didn't destroy wheel wires. Ordered taxi, bring bike to service and fortunatelly, gear mechanism is OK. Just plate which use to mount gear mechanism to frame of bike (it is used for purpose if bike falls, as in my case, and gear mechanism bend, it protects bike frame to be broken, just that plate break) is bent. It can break if try to straighten it, and should be replaced. And repairing costs about 10 euros, including adjusting, only I have to wait my turn. I hoped it will be serviced imediatelly, but no such luck :)...

I am little impatient man, but as I bought bike, bike didn't bought me, I am not really upset. It is only a thing :)

Just think Haris that it is a bicycle and not an expensive BMW motorcycle... repairs are easy, fast and cheap!

Yes, exactly. I am upset only because I wasn't carefull and I caused all that, not because it happened :)

Now, everybody get on their bikes and with their thumbs on the bell, recite together the Hymn:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiikJn1jGNw&feature=related
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my
Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah!
Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race
Bicycle bicycle bicyI want to ride my bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race

You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate
For Vietnam or Watergate
Cos all I want to do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

I prefer this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPowpIRVOuY)... ;)

or this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsKqa3ej5sU)...

Yeah, but the Queen video is far superior for obvious reasons...

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU4I1C8qeaM) is pretty good too...

In fact any excuse to ride your acoustic motorbike (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGojTgI1xBk) will do...

Some people love their bikes way too much...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4rIJukP1aE0
(now this is getting silly)

Some people love their bikes way too much...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4rIJukP1aE0
(now this is getting silly)


Haven't I seen that guy with less beard and wearing flying goggles..? :D

I rekon you two are headed the way of this guy...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7095134.stm

Ari, I'm glad that you are feeling better.
Andy, the corporate filters (at work) are blocking everything you are posting, it must be good stuff, can't wait to check it out when I get home.
Rob, your post demands a reply, but I'm speechless.

Terry