Bicycle help, please.

SCP0914

I'm interested in purchasing a bike for fitness and fun purposes, but I haven't really ridden one since I was a kid. So my question is what kind of bike should I be looking to purchase?

HopHead28

Choosing the right bike largely depends on how you want to ride.
Here is an article that does a good job of sharing the differences in bikes. I would say take a look at this to get an idea with what type(s) of bike you are interested in and after figuring that out you can head out to a local bike shop and test ride those styles.

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bicycle.html

girlinahat

HopHead28 wrote: »

Choosing the right bike largely depends on how you want to ride.
Here is an article that does a good job of sharing the differences in bikes. I would say take a look at this to get an idea with what type(s) of bike you are interested in and after figuring that out you can head out to a local bike shop and test ride those styles.

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bicycle.html

that's a good article. I would also add that unless you are planning on riding some REALLY rocky trails, you DON'T need front suspension forks. All they'll do is add weight to the bike which will make you less interested in riding it. Many hybrid bikes are over-specified with unnecessary add-ons. personal experience - I bought such a bike, hated it, rarely rode it, found it uncomfortable and heavy. Bought a cyclocross bike, was properly fitted for it, love it.

FrankWhite27330

I ride a dpt store mtb bike.. it had front suspension but it has frozen stiff haha I ride mainly highway. I want a hybrid it's a flatbed like a mtb with a skinny tire. Just buy what u will ride

bigme3505

As others have said, it depends on what type of riding you want to do. I will say that unless you are planning on doing a lot of off road riding, a hybrid bike is generally a little lighter and will ride faster on the roads. I know guys that ride mountain bikes on the road, but it's not the easiest task. I started out with a hybrid several years ago before moving on to a road bike.

beemerphile1

Go to a local bike shop, not a discount store, and buy a lower priced hybrid. It will have mountain bike gearing but a road bike frame and tires.

You might be tempted to get a comfort bike because it has suspension. Keep in mind that for typical riding suspension is unnecessary and adds a LOT OF WEIGHT. At the most a suspension seat post is nice and does not add much weight.

Stay away from the wide seats that look comfortable. You want a narrow seat and your bum will get used to it. A wide seat will cause chafing and soreness if you actually ride it.

BrianSharpe

beemerphile1 wrote: »

Go to a local bike shop, not a discount store, and buy a lower priced hybrid. It will have mountain bike gearing but a road bike frame and tires.

You might be tempted to get a comfort bike because it has suspension. Keep in mind that for typical riding suspension is unnecessary and adds a LOT OF WEIGHT. At the most a suspension seat post is nice and does not add much weight.

Stay away from the wide seats that look comfortable. You want a narrow seat and your bum will get used to it. A wide seat will cause chafing and soreness if you actually ride it.

Good advice. A bike shop will also (usually) do at least a basic fit for the bike, something big box stores can't offer, and will often throw in a free tune up or two.

I've seen bikes assembled incorrectly at big box stores and resist the temptation to buy online (normally you have to assemble the bike yourself and if there are problems you're on your own) There's more to value than just price.....

sheermomentum

Agree that the bike should suit your purpose, but I love my hybrid comfort bike! I love its front suspension, and I love its wide, suspension seat! I ride on the street and on smooth trails, and while I'm sure I could manage without it, I do notice that when I hit potholes or rough patches, my (problematic) back doesn't feel it at all. I haven't experienced any chafing from the seat, but I have experienced much less pain than I used to with a narrower seat (even a very well-padded one). I do wonder if perhaps womens' wider-set hip bones might have something to do with that. I don't know how much weight it adds, but the whole bike is 30 pounds and I can lift it up pretty easily when I need to. Its surely heavier than any racing machine, and surely lighter than any bike from a big box store. I got it from here: http://www.crosslakesales.com/. I found them accidentally on eBay.

cwolfman13

1 - stay away from big box stores and go to an actual bike shop...probably a few of them and test drive multiple bikes...even bikes of the same size are going to ride differently and feel differently...you want your ride to feel good, or you'll never get out there.
2 - talk to sales staff about how you intend to ride most of the time
3 - stay away from the "comfort" bikes...unless you're just doing some beach cruising or something, you're likely not going to enjoy actually riding it for any duration.
4 - hybrids are ok to start with, but I'd still think long and hard about it...for a little more you can get a road bike which in my experience most people who end up doing a lot of riding upgrade to at some point anyway unless they get into mountain biking. many hybrids are also referred to as "fitness" bikes.
5 - don't bother with a mountain bike if you're going to primarily be on the road.
6 - if you do plan on multi-terrain riding, talk to sales about a cyclocross bike...entry level cx bikes are very versatile and do most things well enough...I have since upgraded to a road bike after starting out with a cx bike given that as my riding has evolved, I just was way more into road and started doing road endurance events...my cx bike was capable, but I was much slower and had to work much harder than those people with a proper road bike. many entry level cx bikes also have attachment points for racks and whatnot as they have become increasingly popular with commuters.
7 - I would start with aluminum frame unless you are fairly convinced you will be doing a lot of riding...i love my carbon bike, but it cost a pretty penny...but I ride a ton.
8 - plan on spending a little cash...your investment now will pay off later with greater riding pleasure.
9 - if you are really looking at road bikes but you're not planning on competitively racing, look at endurance road bikes (a good example would be the Specialized Dolce)...these types of bikes are made for long endurance riding and will absorb more road than a true racer or aero will.
10 - fall and into winter are the best times to buy...most shops will be trying to liquidate prior year models to make room for the new years models coming in. the best deals can be had after the holidays money wise..but you'll be more limited in RE to what you can actually get, sizes, etc.

kcjchang

What is your budget? What kind of riding? What is the level of fitness you want to achieve? A fast group ride without getting dropped, a metric century, a century, a tour, racing, etc. Make sure to include clothing, helmet, spares, and tools (to get you home if you run into trouble) in your budget. You might also consider buying a used bike to test the water. Talk to your local bike club or advocacy group for advise.

Assembling a bike isn't rocket science and there is plenty of guides on YouTube. Mail order if you know or can figure out your fit (plenty of online calc that will get you to the ballpark) and are willing to wrench. If this doesn't apply, go to a LBS. Just don't waste their time.

Also not all LBS are the same, some are worst than big box stores. I used to work at a two store chain where the main store just slap things on. The second location which I worked during summer breaks catered to a different crowd where $2k+ purchases was pretty common and that was back in the late 80's (probably inline with $4-6k today). We know what we were doing and did it well. (In fact still do and shops around me are just so so.) I also worked in my college's bike shop where half of us raced and serviced/built our own bike. The other half don't and have no clue. If this is going to be a substantial investment, talk to your local bike club or advocacy group for advise. They should know the lay of the land.

SCP0914

Thanks guys! Great advice. I think I'll hit my local bike shop and at the very least get their opinion.