I want to buy a bike.

pg3ibew

But which kind?

I have reached my goal weight of 190.
I am 5'10".
I want a bike to ride back and forth tho the gym. Over paved roads. One that is real REAL REAL comfortable to ride.
Any Suggestions?

Oh, and I want one for the wife as well.

Did I mention I want a comfortable ride?

pg3ibew

BUMP for advice.

TravisBikes

Well, do you want a road bike that is only for pavement, something you can take off road onto trails... do you want to invest a lot and become vested in the sport, or just casual? If anything stop by a couple local bike shops and talk to them about what you want and see what they have to say. Get some prices/models, do some test rides, do some research online... ask more questions...

Papillon22

Just go to a store and try a few, everybody's bum is different and what's comfortable for you might not be comfortable for someone else. I have a store nearby where each bike has a sign telling how tall you need to be to ride it, you can also go by that. As for the price, you can find anything from $80 at walmart to $400 at a bike store.
My bike was stolen, so I'm looking for a new one too.
Good luck!

TravisBikes

There are many that go well over the $400 mark..

freezerburn2012

There are many that go well over the $400 mark..

I have a 'previously enjoyed' tri bike for sale for $1250...

jamfan

I have a 'previously enjoyed' tri bike for sale for $1250...

Not so comfortable.

wellbert

A hybrid (or maybe cyclocross) with solid front fork and a fit session done to match it to your personal geometry is the most comfortable bike. A pro fitting will run 100-200 bux.

hybrids have fairly wide tires, but usually fairly smooth-ish too. The wider the tire, the more rolling resistance.
A hardtail mountain bike might work too, but you would want to get narrow/smoother tires. The knobby tires on asphalt/concrete are a waste and just increase the work you have to do.

AugustSong

To each their own, but I use a mountain bike to get back and forth to work, and love it. It's designed to handle bumps well, and the wider tires give you lots of traction. But as many have already said here, you need to try them out for yourself, to see what you like best.

jamfan

I don't know how close you are to your gym that you will be biking to. I would recommend a hybrid type of bike that combines the benefits of a road bike ie larger diameter, narrower, high pressure tires & the more upright riding position of a mountain bike.

They do have comfort bikes but I would avoid these if you plan on doing any riding other than around a neighborhood. My wife has one & I'm an avid cyclist & I couldn't ride that bike any distance beyond five miles...at best....& I ride 20-40 mile rides all the time.

Go to a few bike shops, figure out what you want, what fits in your budget, & look around. You can find deals on ebay & craigslist but dont settle for a size that's not right. You wont be happy. Additionally, discountbikesdirect.com is a place to find deals if you know what you want, don't care about the name brand & can handle the assembly.

pg3ibew

Thanks for all the advice.

Lidenbrock

I'd go for a hybrid. We have Ridgeback Momentums - perfect for cycle paths/roads - but just as good for off road stuff. Best of both worlds. Website if you are in UK: http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/momentum

Misiaxcore

Bump. I, too, am looking for a bike

rlcrittenden82

I just bought a Schwinn Cruiser and I LOVE IT!! nice big comfortable seat and big tires so the ride is very smooth. The one I bought doesnt have gears but, I am not at my goal weight so I bought one for $100, there are others with gears and hand brakes that are still very well priced. Check out target.

SPBROOKS68

I want a bike too so that I can ride the silver comet trail with my son and get in some family time and exercise.

4d9r

I have a cruiser as well. No gears, which I could never figure out which one I was supposed to be in anyway. I love this bike. My brother got it for me as a gift, plus one for himself as well. Can't say enough good things about it! Good luck. Hope you find a bike you love just as much as I love mine!

runbyme

Find a bike that fits you well and then buy a comfortable seat for it! Good luck!

summer8it

The absolute best thing to do is to go to a real bike store, talk to the people who work there, and try a bunch of bikes. Bike stores are always staffed by cyclists, and they love nothing more than to talk about bikes! (Well, maybe they like riding them more. Maybe.)

It sounds like you're going to be doing a fair bit of biking, and using it in place of your car for daily commutes and errands. Don't get sticker shock when you look at the bikes... tif you think about all the gas money you'll save by riding it, suddenly a $500 bike doesn't seem all that pricey!

I wanted to get a cheap bike for myself, but my husband insisted on taking me to a real bike store (one called "Real Bikes," as a matter of fact) where I fell in love with a hybrid Specialized. Every time I get on it, I'm grateful that he wanted me to have a good bike!

raggedyangst

Be aware that the saddle on the bike you buy really isn't that critical. You can always replace it and probably will want to. The critical thing is to get the bike sized to fit you by professionals. Believe me, that makes all the difference. Also, get the right bag for your body: some prefer backpacks, others panniers. I can't use backpacks as they make my body hurt, but I barely even feel my Timbuktu messenger-style bag, no matter how much I load that sucker up. If you live in a hilly place (I'm in Seattle, which has a fair few hills), you might consider toe clips or clipless pedals, but that's a decision for later, when you're comfortable with your bike and with riding in your area.

Enjoy!

pg3ibew

I was just in a real bike store. Holy Crap. These things are freakin expensive. They were showing me GIANT SEDONAs, a cheap bike, for 400 bucks each. One for me and one for wifey. The Sedona's are what they reccomended.

They had bikes there that went for as much as 1700 bucks.

I haven't rode a bike in 30 years. WOW, what a difference. Some of these bikes have DISK brakes. Some have Hydraulic disk brakes. WTF. I am totally amazed.

TravisBikes

Don't even start to look at the full suspension or downhill bikes.... or if it's your fancy, the carbon road bikes...

Think of it as an investment to commit.

kayemme

But which kind?

I have reached my goal weight of 190.
I am 5'10".
I want a bike to ride back and forth tho the gym. Over paved roads. One that is real REAL REAL comfortable to ride.
Any Suggestions?

Oh, and I want one for the wife as well.

Did I mention I want a comfortable ride?

a Brooks saddle is the best. It's uncomfortable for a couple consistent weeks, but then it shapes to your body, like a good pair of shoes.

The bike itself, depending on what you want to do, is less important than a good saddle. If you're only casually riding, then IMO, it doesn't really matter at all, so long as it rides. If you're going to do touring, well, that's a different scenario completely.

kayemme

and for reference:

I am a full-time cyclist. I ride between 50-80m /wk. My bike is a 1980 Schwinn 5sp. I bought it for $35 from a neighbor 2 years ago. I have ridden it on small tours (avg of 75 miles) up and down major hills.

You do not need to spend a lot of money on a bicycle. Your body will tell you what you need. Invest in a decent helmet, a good saddle and decent wheels.

grex1949

The absolute best thing to do is to go to a real bike store, talk to the people who work there, and try a bunch of bikes. Bike stores are always staffed by cyclists, and they love nothing more than to talk about bikes! (Well, maybe they like riding them more. Maybe.)

It sounds like you're going to be doing a fair bit of biking, and using it in place of your car for daily commutes and errands. Don't get sticker shock when you look at the bikes... tif you think about all the gas money you'll save by riding it, suddenly a $500 bike doesn't seem all that pricey!

I wanted to get a cheap bike for myself, but my husband insisted on taking me to a real bike store (one called "Real Bikes," as a matter of fact) where I fell in love with a hybrid Specialized. Every time I get on it, I'm grateful that he wanted me to have a good bike!

Second the recommendation to go to a bike store. The bikes are more expensive, sure, but you get what you pay for, both in terms of product quality and service after the sale.
If you have a bike co-op nearby (we have Freewheel in Minneapolis), that would be my first and last recommendation for a place to shop for a bike.
Have fun!!

Kupe

The only advice I can give you is DO NOT BUY FROM A BIG BOX STORE, go to your local bike store, they have more knowledge and expertise.

Going to your LBS and looking to buy 2 bikes with all the other gear you will need; helmets, lights, pumps etc, they should give you a better price and if not go to another until you are happy with what they offer. Don't be afraid to haggle.

Also look at a frame that is going to give you longevity, remember everything on a bike can be changed so if you don't have the cash now for top of the range components just buy the bike with the cheaper ones but has the same frame as the most expensive.

Enjoy the ride.

freezerburn2012

Be aware that the saddle on the bike you buy really isn't that critical. You can always replace it and probably will want to.

Enjoy!

Sometimes, you can get the bike shop to switch the seat when you buy the bike. Maybe it depends on how much you're spending on the bike though.

pg3ibew

Part of my fear about buying a bike is that I will NOT enjoy riding as much as I think. And I don't want to waste a bunch of money on it.

TravisBikes

Have any friends with bikes? Ask the local shops about rentals (or going to some local parks or city share bikes). Heck even checking out craigslist or contacting a local biking group.

Or if you still want to buy, after you know what size you need, look at craigslist to find gently used bikes

CeleryStalker

I was just in a real bike store. Holy Crap. These things are freakin expensive. They were showing me GIANT SEDONAs, a cheap bike, for 400 bucks each. One for me and one for wifey. The Sedona's are what they reccomended.

They had bikes there that went for as much as 1700 bucks.

I haven't rode a bike in 30 years. WOW, what a difference. Some of these bikes have DISK brakes. Some have Hydraulic disk brakes. WTF. I am totally amazed.

LOL You'd poop if you saw what a REALLY nice bike goes for. My husband and I have more money invested in our bikes than we do in our cars, and we have nice cars, LOL!

Seriously tho, you can start off on the cheaper end of the spectrum. Nobody goes out and buys a $5,000 frame for their first bike unless they have more money than they know what to do with. Get a lower end model, but one that is the PROPER FIT, to start with. Once you feel it out and determine whether or not cycling is for you, you can always upgrade later.

My first road bike was a Trek 1600 and I loved it. I loved the sport so much, I upgraded to a Blue RC4, and finally to a Pinarello. The curves on the fork of the Pinarello is what got me. What a sexy, sexy bike she is. *drool*

The most important thing to remember is FIT. Stay away from places like Wal-Mart. Go back to the real bike shop, tell them what your price range is, and have them fit you on a bike in that price point. Remember that the geometry of the bike is going to differ for each frame, so if you fit on, say a 58cm bike of one brand, that won't necessarily be the right size bike of another model or brand, so when you do decide to upgrade, don't just take the size of your current bike and assume it will be the proper size for your next bike.

Good luck. You'll love it. You burn so many calories cycling it's ridiculous, and it's so great for cardio!

pg3ibew

I did quit smoking recently. So, with all the money I save on that, I could probably be able to afford the two 400 dollar bikes in a month or so.

pg3ibew

Time to go. Keep the replys coming. Thanks for the help.