Buying a Bike

What's your budget? Yes, it makes a vast difference.

<<<<See avatar. Just say no!! Lol. kidding. I love mountain biking but I am sidelined for yet undetermined amount of time thanks to what happened to my leg during that wipe out.

Some good starting out bike brands.. imo ..Trek or Damond Back, I really like K2 as well.

This content has been removed.

Do you want a more upright ride or more aggressive ride? I got a hybrid a couple years ago to do what you are doing, now I like riding on roads and I am looking for a road bike. Personally, I get a better work out riding on the road . Hybrids are not my favorite, they are okay riding on everything, but they are great at nothing.

I have a Specialized Vita Elite Hybrid. I ride it on trails , packed roads and regular roads. If you are in the market for a used bike there is a great website called bicycle bluebook.com that will tell you the value of used bikes. You can pick hybrids up on Craigs list for cheap. Also, your LBS can help you find a bike that exactly what you need. Cannondale make a nice hybrid called the Quick.

Do not walk into a Big Box store. Go to your LBS (local bike shop), several if you have them, and talk to them. They live bikes and can walk you though everything. You can also test them out in the parking lot or at the least on a trainer.

This will make the difference between getting a bike that isn't used and the one that changed your life.

Go to a couple of local bike shops, and bring what you would wear while riding (including your helmet!!!) The good ones ask you what you're looking to use the bike for, and will let you take a few different ones out for test rides to get a feel for each and see what you like/don't like about each (while leaving your car keys and wallet with the owner or behind the counter). Then once you've decided on a bike, make sure they do a bike fit - this is where they get you on the bike on a trainer and take measurements and do adjustments to make sure that the bike is properly fitted to your body (ie saddle and handlebars at the correct height, stem at the correct angle, saddle in the correct forward/aft position, etc).

I did this when I got my Larkspur. She is a beauty...a great hybrid. And she was absolutely PERFECT for her intended purpose when I bought her (commuting roughly 9 miles each way to/from work 3-4 days a week). But then, I got into triathlon. So far, she's been...*sufficient*....for practicing and 4 sprint tris. But the Olympic distance tri on some seriously rolling hills that I did with her last year was a MAJOR challenge. And I want to do the local Ironman 70.3 next year or the year after, but there is a HILL on that course....well...there is more than one hill...but I'm talking THE hill....it is a steep hill to go up in a car....my Larkspur would NEVER make it.

I did a group ride yesterday morning, and afterwards, I was looking at road bikes. Both the tech (who races and does tris) and one of the tri coaches who led the ride were absolutely shocked that I finished that Olympic bike course at all with my Larkspur, let alone in under two hours. They said it was "a testament to my fitness level" that I was able to power her up all those hills in only a little over 90 minutes. So then I test rode a couple of road bikes. the Specialized Ruby and the new Specialized Alias Sport. I am in LOVE with the Alias...but she's a good chunk of change....almost as much as my new-to-me motorcycle was. The Ruby was a nice ride too...but the fit was different...although more reasonable price wise....that's going to be a "make an appointment, take the day off, and go in during the middle of the work day when fewer people are coming in, and do some test rides after they make some adjustments (ie swapping saddles, stems, etc), so I can make the best decision" type of thing.

Go check out and ride a few different makes/models/sizes. The right bike is the one that gets ridden... and the one that fits you best is gonna be ridden most. I've had a hybrid/comfort bike for years, and it's served me well. Just like people asking what shoes are the best for running, go get fitted.