Do you bicycle often?
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I got mine second-hand from a local retailer, and bought bits to go on it. I bought a commuter bike with 21 gears.
Big padded seat, paniers and lights.
But, then I ride mine 200 miles a week.
In fact, I did 40 miles just now on it. Sure my ar5e hurts, but then sat in the saddle for 3 hours will do that, I guess.0 -
I've read all these posts & also just did a lot of research about bikes... in the end, I went to a few different shops, you'll learn a lot from then to figure out what you want, then you have to ride them to see what you feel best on...
also, if you are using the bike as a 'workout'... i suggest more than 5-10 miles... if you are biking hard to get your heart rate up, i average a 5-6 min mile... I like bike riding vs running b/c i can bike longer & get more calories. 4-5 times, i've done 25/26 miles & burned 1300-1500 calories depending on weather, temperature, etc. Have fun!
ps, I was between a Specialized Ariel & a Giant 29er bike... I got the Ariel & my husband got the 29er. I love my bike! its made for prairie paths (gravel) & paved trails.0 -
what are some good manufacturers besides Trek, it seems everyone I talk to has a trek. Or are they just the best at all types?
There are literally thousands of good manufacturers. It depends on what you want.
Trek is far from being "the best at all types" but the make good bikes.
Every bike is a compromise - weight, price, geometry. Trek is an excellent compromise but I don't own any - my choices are a bit different - they serve me.0 -
I have a hybrid by Specialized. Great bike, no fancy additions, less than $600. I love to ride on trails and roads equally so it really fits the bill for me.
Totally agree that timing is important for price - You'll actually get good deals on bikes right now because they're unloading their 2012 inventory. The right bike for you depends on what you're going to use it for. I would suggest NOT going to a store by a particular manufacturer (Trek for example) unless you are sure you want a bike from that brand. I went to a bike shop that a lot of professionals use in my area, and though it's an hour away, it was well worth it for the knowledgeable salespeople and the free tuneups. If you want a bike to last a long time, find a place that takes care of its customers.0 -
Me, I ride about 1-2 a week. I ride a heavy as heck single speed (the Schwinn "Cream" Cruiser). I LOVE it. I did buy mine at a bike shop, but on sale.
*edited for typo
I'd also like to add, my bike was about $400 and I do 20+ mile rides with it. Yes, it's heavy, but for me, I feel that adds to my workout. Later down the line, I'll probably buy something lighter and with gears, but for now (a beginner) this baby is perfect. Also, yes, you can spend a crap ton of money on accessories, but the only ones you really need are a cup holder, helmet and a lock.0 -
I have a Trek hybrid that I got on sale at our local bike shop. It is an excellent riding bike and I only paid about $400. Our local shop offers a lifetime warranty and free tune-ups on every bike they sell. They are extremely helpful and very courteous. Buy from a bike shop....the employees are avid riders and interested in making sure you get a good fitting bike
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support your local bike shop0
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If you're riding on the road, then do yourself a favour and buy a road bike; drop handlebars, skinny tyres (23mm). You'll only end up buying one later if you enjoy riding. At the very least a hybrid (skinny tyres but flat bars).
As everyone has said, go to a REPUTABLE local bike shop and take their advice. Buy from them if they'll do you a 'bike fit' throw in!
I ride a (minimum) 27 miles a day (round trip) on a Carbon Road Bike (pictured in my ticker below) and I love every minute of it
Most of all enjoy!0 -
This is a great point.
Also, ask if they take any type of discounts from running clubs, triathlete clubs, or Triple A? My co-worker got a $40 annual membership to a local triathlete club and saved $550 on a bike.
Here in Ottawa OTC (Ottawa Triathlon Club) members get a 10% discount at both Bushtukah and Fresh Air Experience on both new bikes and subsequent purchases / service.0 -
what are some good manufacturers besides Trek, it seems everyone I talk to has a trek. Or are they just the best at all types?
It depends on how much you want to spend!0 -
I tried but I do not seem to burn any calories. Am I doing something wrong?
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Yup, go to a bike shop and have them help you decide. I am now getting into road biking and got an excellent deal over the labor day weekend. I got a Trek, but rode a Gary Fisher mountain bike for the last 15 years but still have it. I only bought the new bike since I ride on the road a lot more and wanted something specifically for the road. I go a lot faster on the road bike since it's a helluva lot lighter.
You can get a road or mountain bike, or even a hybrid that will go either way. just know what your primary usage for the bike is going to be and go from there.
PS: I'm all for supporting the local bike shops as well.0 -
I am looking into buying a bike to ride a few times a week about 5-10 miles each ride. Can anyone who cycles often recommend a good bike to get?
when I started I just got a cheapo from walmart.. wasn't sure I was going to like it... wasn't doing many miles... etc etc etc...
I have been through 4 bikes trying to find style I like and one that is durable (that 10$ product protection thing is AWESOME!!!)
I now ride s schwinn sidewinder... I am mostly satisfied with it...
that being said... I do intend to go to a specialty shop and get a new bike for christmas... (I have a couple in mind that are in the 400$ range) I do a LOT of miles now (in august I got 170...although I have to take time off for a broken foot from jogging... sigh) and I would love to be able to improve... I think that the bike itself is what is limiting me... (my gears keep breaking... have to do a lot of repairs on it and it is sluggish and such... but it wasn't designed for the wear and tear I put on it)
also for christmas I am getting good bike shorts and a hitch/trailer for my van... when we go on trips we usually have 5-6 bikes... and my van looks psycho...0 -
I bought a Trek that was on clearance from the local bike ship in my area. I probably could have gotten it cheaper somewhere else but I can get a tune up every year for free and their service is really worth the extra money. So if you have a little extra $, buy from a good bike shop.
However, when my 15 year old needed a bike, I bought him one from Sports Authority because I had a 25% off coupon and he was only going to be riding it short distances. I think he's been on it three times since I got it in July so I'm definitely glad I didn't spend much on it.0 -
what are some good manufacturers besides Trek, it seems everyone I talk to has a trek. Or are they just the best at all types?
Bicycle Magazine - I love it!
http://www.bicycling.com/tags/road-bike-reviews
If I had a do-over, I would have tried out the Giant:
http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/bikes-and-gear-features/2011-entry-level-1049-1100
----or Specialized
http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/bikes-and-gear-features/7-fast-fun-affordable-road-bikes
A good way to start is ask for a Road Bike (if that's what you want) and ask to start the equipment with Shimano 105 or Ultegra(more expensive). I have the Sora (derailer/shifters) and would have rather of had the 105 as a minimum, but you learn as you go along so its ok. One day, I'll upgrade to carbon
Get a bike in the 18-22 lb range.
read these forums:
http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php/152-Bike-Forums0 -
I miss riding a bike. I have been looking for a good used one. If you are getting a new though, I do recommend buying from a local shop. Just like anything else, it's always good to support your local economy!0
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I dont have much new to add except, do NOT get a big padded seat. Yes, get the padded shorts but a larger or a padded seat will actually cause more pain. May seem counterintuitive but take my word for it!0
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I waited to get my road bike at the very beginning of the season. The bike shop I went to was eager to get rid of last years model to make room for the new models they just got in so I was in the right place at the right time and got a huge discount.
What time of year is this?0 -
Get a hybrid. When you buy your bike, let them know your intentions. How often you going to ride and how far. They'll let you know which bike is good to get.0
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true thatgo to a specialty bike store...have them "fit you" into a bike that fits your needs. then go online and buy the bike cheaper. some folks have to have the newest thing on the market and revolve their bikes quickly. just a thought....Have fun!
Then buy the bike from them. The shop needs the sales to stay in business, and you will need them to service the bike every year. The service is usually cheaper if they sold you the bike.0 -
craigslist0
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Please, please, please buy the bike from a local shop if you can.
One thing people don't realize, is that the online prices aren't that much better, and most good bikes aren't available outside of a bike shop.
Know how to cut a steerer tube properly? Adjust the torque in your bottom bracket? Online retailers assume you do.
Yes, because why take the trouble to understand your bike and how it is put together, and thus get much more value and enjoyment out of it, when you could just pay someone else to do it for the rest of your life, thus spending hundreds and hundreds of pounds more than the bike was ever worth in the first place, and never actually understanding how your bike works or how to fix those simple maintenance issues?
*face palm*
If you don't understand how your bike fits together, I GUARANTEE you will end up miles from home, covered in oil, with no way to get home but to drag your broken bike back the way you came for over an hour or more.
OR
You could take the trouble to actually understand how your brakes work, how to fix a flat, how your gear cables adjust, how to tighten your saddle or handlebars, or tighten a spoke, or fix a broken chain and not only will you avoid being stranded miles from anywhere with no tools and no idea of how to use them even if you did have them, and not only will you save a lot of money by not paying someone £20 to change your brake pads but, and once again I guarantee, you will get a lot more enjoyment out of your bicycle because you will be able to tinker with it to your heart's content, personalise it and just generally be able to adjust it to get really comfy on it.
Supporting local businesses is one thing - I buy all my bike bits from my local bike repair hut - but why try to scare people into dependency on local businesses?
Most good bikes ARE available online, usually all you have to do is fit the pedals and tighten the handlebars. Alternatively, there are many excellent second hand bikes to be had on ebay, which are usually all set up and may just require some oil and a bit of TLC.
Love your bike. Know your bike.0 -
I bought a ihs comfort bike in June,love love love it. Put around 400 miles on it and I haven't ridden for years. I bought our bikes at a bike shop, labor is free for a year, and we have had multiple tune ups.0
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If you're riding on the road, then do yourself a favour and buy a road bike; drop handlebars, skinny tyres (23mm). You'll only end up buying one later if you enjoy riding. At the very least a hybrid (skinny tyres but flat bars).
As everyone has said, go to a REPUTABLE local bike shop and take their advice. Buy from them if they'll do you a 'bike fit' throw in!
I ride a (minimum) 27 miles a day (round trip) on a Carbon Road Bike (pictured in my ticker below) and I love every minute of it
Most of all enjoy!
I bought a hybrid and I love it. It's light weight, but the flat handlebar is so much more comfortable than a typical roadbike. As a girl, I love that it's easy to lift onto my bike rack and transports easily. Plus it's fast. :-). That said, the skinny tires are rough on mountain trails, so you have to be sure you really want to use it for smooth trails or roads.
One of my friends is always borrowing my bike too. He can't get over how much easier it is to work out on a good quality bike. I agree and thinks it's well worth the investment if you are serious about riding.0 -
Yes, to using a local bike shop. And do a lot of test rides for as long as they'll allow on the type of roads/terrain you intend to ride. I took about a month to decide. Every few days I would ride 2-3 bikes, make notes of what I liked, what I didn't, which one was most comfortable, and then I'd go back and ride the one I liked the best and another 1-2 bikes, and kept narrowing down. Unless I could immediately tell that the bike wasn't right for me, my test rides were typically about 30-40 minutes and included hills and other situations that I wanted to be sure the bike was good for.
Once I thought I chose the right bike for comfort, my LBS did a cool thing for me. My second choice was a bike with better gearing, lower weight, and better quality components but wasn't long enough from sweat to handle-bars making me feel a bit scrunched. They put a different stem on the handle-bars to give me about another inch. Perfection! I regularly ride long rides including some century rides and have never had a moment's discomfort or soreness.
And I have gotten some free adjustments and maintenance from the LBS including maintenance/repair lessons so I can learn to do some of it myself while on the road, if needed.
Yes to budgeting for the extras: helmet, lighting, bags and/or racks, reflective vest if you're going to ride at night much, water bottles, portable pump, tool-kit, rear-view mirror for handle-bar or helmet, etc.
I'm not sold on the need for clips. I don't use 'em and, like I said, have done some century rides and taken a few tours consisting of multiple 40-70 mile days hauling some gear and regularly ride 20-30 miles just for fun. Since I hadn't ridden a bike for about 15 years until getting my bike last February, I think I'm doing pretty good with doing long miles and I don't use clips and don't have any foot problems. I don't understand why you would. My bike's pedals have a cage but I just wrapped them up tight and use the bottom side of the pedal without the cage. My feet are happy.
My bike is considered a fitness bike but is also similar to a hybrid with tires in-between a mountain bike and a road bike so it works fine on gravel and dirt as long as it's not too loose. I can't use drop-bars as the position aggravates an old back injury so I have flat-bars with raise extensions that are nice to use on hills and, sometimes, just during the ride to give me a couple more hand positions. Experiment with several styles of handle-bars to find the type you like the best.
I totally agree with getting the right kind of seat. I have experienced very little soreness in the behind and love my hard seat that allows me to sit on the bones, not the butt itself. That's key. Soft seats do actually increase the odds of getting sore. The seat that came with my bike suits me great but you might have to get a different one. A good LBS will let you try out different ones, if needed.
I use a gel bike short, not a real chamois and it's been fine for me. Easier to wash and care for. I only use them if I'm going on bike rides that will be at least 30-miles long. Anything less than that, I really don't need the padding. And I have not worn them on longer rides of 30+ miles if I'm doing a fun little tour day where I know I'll be doing numerous stops to sight-see and do off-bike activities. I just bring this up because you might not need a padded short/pant at first until you get to the point where you're riding longer miles. It might not be something you need to buy right away.
Good luck and have fun. I love my bike!0 -
Depends on where you are going to ride. I get bored riding on the street. I have a mountain bike so I can go off rode. There are lost of beautiful trails where I live and I enjoy those rides. In my opinion it is easier to ride a mountain bike on the pavement then itis to ride a street bike on the trails. I think it is a hybrid that is designed for both. Your bicycle shops can help you decide which would best fit you.0
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Yes, because why take the trouble to understand your bike and how it is put together, and thus get much more value and enjoyment out of it, when you could just pay someone else to do it for the rest of your life, thus spending hundreds and hundreds of pounds more than the bike was ever worth in the first place, and never actually understanding how your bike works or how to fix those simple maintenance issues?
*face palm*
If you don't understand how your bike fits together, I GUARANTEE you will end up miles from home, covered in oil, with no way to get home but to drag your broken bike back the way you came for over an hour or more.
Wow. My LBS is actually teaching me these types of maintenance/repair skills for free.
*face palm* that you think just because one buys a bike at an LBS that they aren't trying to learn these types of things and will forever be dependent on their LBS for all of it.0
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