Cyclists-Expert advice appreciated!

NOT an 'Expert' but I ride a lot ....

Yeap - go to a bike shop first and make sure that you know what frame size you need.... (you can always buy one 2nd hand after - but you NEED this information!!!!)

Then when you do get you bike - you need to make sure that it is set up CORRECTLY for you (google Bike Fit) - seat height, handle bar height and position, Crank Length, Cleat position etc... etc..) - you'll be surprised exactly how important it is and how many people ride around on a mal-adjusted bike!!

Next - learn to ride again - seriously it's not just about jumping on and turning the pedals - you need to be in the right gear and turn at the correct cadence (pushing high gears at low cadence can bugger up your knees - watch the cycle races and you'll see they 'Spin' at quite a high rate ..... I tend to spin at around 90+rpm - but there is a lot of info on line (some conflicting ... [shock!!])

Get your BIKE fitness up - take it slowly and add mileage at a conservative rate - don;t burn yourself out or get injured.

DISCLAIMER: I'M NO EXPERT, but have ridden a bit in the past and just got back into cycling. I agree with the others on here that said stop by your local bike shop.
I went to three or four in the Tampa Bay area before I found one that "felt right"!
At a few of them I was ignored as if they didn't think the older fat dude would spend any money!

The one I went to actually discouraged me from buying a bicycle more expensive than I ended up with - who does that these days??

As for how much to spend, that's a personal preference and personal finance issue, but if you want something that will last figure on something in the $500 and up range if you buy new. I went pricey and added a high-tech bike computer from Cateye w/GPS, but then again I am an I.T. professional and gadget freak. But if you get a mount for your cell phone you can actually use apps like Endomondo, Strava, MapMyRide, etc to record your rides and then they'll post calories expended to MFP autoMAGICALLY!

It's great to have your rides tracked online if you are into comparing ride speed and heart rate (most apps work with HRM's)

Back to the bike itself, what was said earlier about proper "fit" CANNOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH!!!
If you get a bicycle that doesn't fit you, you will NEVER be comfortable - spend the money with a local shop that gives you a good level of service and will take care of you. The shop I chose even does adjustments FOR LIFE when you buy from them!!

Another sign you are at a good bike shop is if they let you do test rides. I found a shop that INSISTS on you riding the bike before the sale. It ensures that you are happy with the handling and fit of the bike.

As for Carbon Fiber bikes being useless to a newbie cyclist (as stated by another person on here) I have to disagree.
I've never owned one before but LOVE the lack of vibration, I'd ride one just to see how you like them - you may prefer the feel of a carbon frame. Actually ride several different bikes to see the difference in handling, fit, and feel! You may be more comfortable on a "city bike" with a flat handle bar, or you may like the traditional road-bike with drop bars....you'll only know after riding them.


As for clothes, Lycra may not make the man, but denim shorts will certainly RUIN THE MAN -= proper bike shorts make a world of difference in comfort.

Oh! and a good pair of cycling shorts. It's very "owie" on the butt in the beginning.

there might be a little more mileage asking this question in one of the cycling related groups mate :-)

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/344-bicycling-road-and-mountain

would be a good place to start...

Oh! and a good pair of cycling shorts. It's very "owie" on the butt in the beginning.

especially if you want to do long distance!... otherwise you're gonna be sore

No "expert" here either but I typically ride 100 or more miles per week. Most of the information above is true and accurate, but I like another poster I disagree with the "carbon/titanium/et al is useless for beginners" sentiment. The fact is that different frame materials have different ride quality and different strengths and weaknesses. Aluminum bikes are relatively light and economical but their ride quality isn't as good as many carbon bikes, especially the newer "comfort" or "endurance" bikes (Specialized Roubaix, BMC Gran Fondo, Trek Domane, etc) and will generally be heavier. Just keep that in mind and don't get hung up on frame material too much at this point.

My recommendation would be to find a local bike shop you're comfortable with and start building a relationship. You can look around there and get a feel for what things cost vs. what you're willing to spend. I'd also ask about local cycling groups or clubs that might be a good fit for you as a beginner to get some mentoring. There are a TON of things to learn, from equipment selection to training to best practices to road and bike handling skills.

Feel free to add me as a friend and/or message me if you have any more specific questions. I'm kind of a cycling gear nerd so happy to help.

I am wanting to add cycling into my fitness repertoire....any guidance by those MPF'ers in the know would be greatly appreciated.....I am a complete newbie to the sport meaning I know how to ride a bike but not much else. I want to start with a road bike/long distance type riding. Most importantly, what bikes should I be considering in terms of buying what I need but not spending too much-meaning I want to spend as much as NECESSARY but not more than necessary. What do you cyclists out there recommend in terms of type of bike, setup, etc that would last me about two years without upgrading? Should I buy something off Craigslist or opt for a new bike? What are the pro/cons, etc. Help me out guys! Thanks.

Get a bike that fits your budget, and most important - that fits!!! Sure, we can ride a bike that doesn't fit so well, but you mentioned long distance type of riding. You can get away with 1 - 2 hour rides on a bike that doesn't fit, but when you start riding 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 hours anything that causes discomfort will be HUGELY magnified.

Unless you are really flexible and are not racing, I would avoid road bikes with race geometry. The "industry" is finally getting it and producing bikes that are called "endurance geometry". They have taller head tubes so your handlebars are higher, and they come with drop bars that are a shorter reach and have less drop so that you can actually use all three positions (hoods, flats, and drops). Specialized Roubaix is in this segment. As is the Trek Domane. Plenty of others as well.

New or used? Either if it fits. In the newer trend, disc brakes are and will be common place on road bikes. Depending on where you live, that is a nice boon if you ride in inclement weather, on gravel, on streets that have a lot of grime, sand, salt during the winter months as the streets/highways are treated.

I have the Specialized Roubaix from last year without the disc brakes as they were not available last year in my size of bike. It's been a great bike for me because it fits and performs what I need for the long endurance riding. My son, who is very flexible, has the Specialized Tarmac because he likes to be down in the racer position and it has not been a problem for him to ride endurance length of rides at all.

It all depends on your body, preferences and budget. Just make sure the frame fits you and the wheels are designed to handle your weight/size. Consult online fitting charts. Test ride several sizes. Ask for guidance and alterations that can be made to dial in a fit at the bike shop. They have bikes from $1K all the way up to $15K+.

You could start out with a used bike in good shape to get started at a lower cost. Then, you will start to get a feel for what you like and don't like. You can test ride and demo bikes to help you feel and see what is out there that would work for you.

There is no right or wrong answer outside of getting one that fits. ;-)

I'm a life long cycler and currently have four bikes hanging in my garage. First you should do some research. Do you want to road bike or mountain bike? Or a combination of both? To what degree? Different types of biking are totally different experiences. Once you've settled on a type of biking, do some research on bikes. If you buy a cheap Wal-Mart bike you may fail in your plan because you don't have good equipment. You don't have to spend a fortune but you have to resolve to spend enough to get a quality bike that will serve your purpose. You'll get your value in a lot more pleasure and benefits, because if you enjoy it, you'll do it more. I ride as often as I can just for the sheer pleasure of it. Take your time and plan.

Ditch the road bike idea and get a mtn bike :-)

Why? The OP stated that he wants to ride distances, a road bike is far more suitable for this than a mountain bike. mountain bikes are great for riding trails, they're built with sturdy, heavy frames for a reason. A road bike (whether it's aluminum or CF) will be lighter, faster and more comfortable for riding long distances.

No expert here. I just bought a road bike, which I'm learning to love, but my first, and true love is my mountain bike. Most important thing is fit. Get one that fits, by someone who knows what they're doing. I'm on the short side, and once you get the right fit, ahhhh, there's nothing like it. Test ride if you can, get an idea of how much you want to spend. You can get a decent bike for around a thousand. Others, who know much, much more than I on this will chime in. It's what you can afford. My new road bike is sweet, I can lift it over my head and do presses with it. I just need to gain experience and confidence, it all comes with time. Ride on!:flowerforyou:

Ditch the road bike idea and get a mtn bike :-)

Why? The OP stated that he wants to ride distances, a road bike is far more suitable for this than a mountain bike. mountain bikes are great for riding trails, they're built with sturdy, heavy frames for a reason. A road bike (whether it's aluminum or CF) will be lighter, faster and more comfortable for riding long distances.

Aren't you sharp as a tack. It was a joke.

See what I did there? ;-)

Ditch the road bike idea and get a mtn bike :-)

OP says he wants to do road riding, not mountain biking.

It was a joke, boss.

I have some knowledge, since cycling is my cross training sport of choice.
I dont train to be pro at cycling, but I do train for competitive inline speed skating, which is quite close.

When you say "long distance", you should specify the amount of hours you want to workout per session.

Road cyclist, in my eyes, are ****ing insane in terms of distances. What some cyclist call "fondo" it's actually more like an ultra marathon or a "grand fondo", talking about waaay over 2-3 hours of riding. From what I've seen, that's usually the norm for road cyclists. Based off your profile pic, you would have to lose sh*tloads of muscle to compete at those distances. And even if you do not compete, you will have to have spot on nutrition to not lose as much as you are gaining at the gym.

I am a long distance junkie, don't get me wrong. But, for me, that means 2 hours max. per session. Anything over that... it's not long distance. It's more like ultra long distance.

My point is that you'll want to focus on a distance (based on hours, more than km) and train for that. Explore for yourself and understand what you like and what you don't. I'm just telling you the reason why I can't train with my local road cycling club, even though I train real hard to compete and I'm stronger at shorter distances than most of their riders. But when you do rides over two hours long, the body requirements change to a whole different level. What gets you riding fast, wont get you riding long. And what gets you riding long, won't get you riding over 90-120mins.

In terms of bike setup, I would recommend you to get a new bike. If you knew enough of the sport, or one of your friends was pro at cycling materials, you might get a good deal off of craiglist. But if you don't have access to that knowledge, I would go for the cheapest of the mid range quality bikes if you are on a budget, or aim for a ~1000$ bike if you can invest a bit more. Those will be cheap bikes, but you can find really good bikes in that range. Anything over 1500$ will more than probably be top quality non carbon materials. Carbon get the costs to rocket sky high, for really small margins of improvement, so I would avoid it for any entry level bike, even top quality ones. Also, anything under 800$ probably wont have enough quality for you.

With that in mind, I would go to local stores, and spam them with questions. The store that can stand those million questions without a problem, or feeling awkward, will be the one you should buy from. That's what you actually need as a newbie, someone who can teach you the sport, not someone who can sell you a bike. Almost anyone could do that, imo, even someone who has no freaking idea. Just be a little skeptical, and you'll be fine.

I hope this helped. I don't read the forum very often, so if you have any question regarding training or anything else, feel free to send me a message or a friend request. I'll be happy to help in anything I can.

Happy riding.

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