Any bikers out there?

I've been biking for about a year and a half and I love it. I want to get clips this summer I just haven't had time to look around for them. Biking is one of my favorite sports, nothing as rewarding as getting to the top of a big hill...... and going down!!:happy:

I was hoping to become a biker, but it kills my knees, not sure why, don't remember ever having an injury, maybe I have the wrong bike I don't know, I can ride recreational with my kids but thats it, so I'm going to take up jogging instead, so far so good. I would love to run a 5k, someday.

I love biking, a great way to get fit. I have 2 bikes...a Trek hybrid for light trails and a Cannondale road bike. I'm trying to ride an average of 100 miles per week. Really addicted!

Love love love biking!!! Best investment I ever made!!!! Great exercise, but also a great time to clear my mind of the stresses and every day worries of normal life! So good for the heart, body and soul!

I was hoping to become a biker, but it kills my knees, not sure why, don't remember ever having an injury, maybe I have the wrong bike I don't know, I can ride recreational with my kids but thats it, so I'm going to take up jogging instead, so far so good. I would love to run a 5k, someday.

go into a bike shop and have them do a bike fit, your seat is probably not high enough.

Just to add, your seat is properly adjusted when you can remain sitting and your leg almost fully stretches out at the lowest part of the peddling motion (when your foot is farthest away from your body). It may seem a little, well, a LOT high if you're used to having your seat much lower, but you'll quickly appreciate the difference both in power and in how it feels for your body.

If you can't lift your seat that high you may need a different bike, or a longer seat post (depending on your options, not sure what sort of bike you have).

I was hoping to become a biker, but it kills my knees, not sure why, don't remember ever having an injury, maybe I have the wrong bike I don't know, I can ride recreational with my kids but thats it, so I'm going to take up jogging instead, so far so good. I would love to run a 5k, someday.

I agree with the others who say to check your saddle height. Also, you may be pushing too hard of a gear. You want to spin not mash...shift until you can pedal around 80 rpm easily. If you are pedaling hard and slow you are in too low (hard) of a gear. Cycling is one of the best sports for the knees. I love it!

Good thing I invested in that comfy gel seat!

I think that will be my next purchase...love the bike but the seat hurts my @ss. :embarassed:

I got what I call my "big butt seat". It is much wider and WAY more comfortable. I got it at Walmart but had a really hard time finding it (there aren't too many bike shops where I live) since some of them don't carry them. I hope to get a better bike someday soon.

The big butt seat is essential!

I always used to bruise because of the weight being put on my pelvis (I've got wide hips, so I wasn't on my bum). I'd end up so sore I couldn't ride more than 1 minute at a time. Now that I'm on the bigger seat, my bum is taking the brunt of the pressure and I can ride for hours.

Best $30 I ever spent at Canadian Tire.

That plus my sippy backpack make me unstoppable!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bike I bought last year. I hadn't done much riding since I was a kid and the last adult bike I tried to ride KILLED my knees -and that was before I totally destroyed them with osteoartritis.

I agree with all the posters that say your knees hurt because your bike isn't sized or adjusted properly - that was exactly my problem. Last year I went to our local bike shop and spent 2 hours test driving bikes around their block before I settled on the "Specialized Expedition". http://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2008&spid=32564

I got the mother of all wide seats with it! I also have back and wrist issues, so your standard 10 speed or mountain bike where you lean over the handlebars was totally out of the question. They showed me these Adult Comfort bikes - I have quoted their website below, which includes links to two manufacturers as well as a description. The best thing is that most of these bikes come in different frame sizes, to accomodate the most petite height of person to those with long spider legs and they are solid enough that your weight is totally not an issue.

The advantage to a good bike shop is that they will set it up for you properly and should provide you with free adjustments when you need them. Mine was about $500 CDN - twice the cost of a commerical bike, but well worth the investment. Even if you are going to go a less expensive route, I would suggest you go to a bike shop and pick their brains and do some test driving to see what works best for you! I originally tried a bike from Canadian Tire, but they wouldn't even let me test drive it, so it wasn't until I got it home that I figure out it was a poor fit, THEN I had a real fight with them to be able to return it!

Put it this way, despite the fact that I hadn't been on a bike in years, even after all that test driving, I still rode my bike 2 miles home from the store!!!



Adult Comfort Bikes http://www.gearsbikeshop.com/
Anyone can ride a bike. If you haven’t bought a bike in a while, say more than 5 years, you will be amazed at the evolution they’ve undergone.  During the 60’s you could buy a steel 3 speed with a steel sprung saddle poking up at you. In the 70’s and 80’s drop handlebar racers were all that you could find, then in the 90’s it shifted to flat handlebar, skinny saddle, bulky fat knobby tire mountain bikes, ugh. Today, all of those bikes are still available in a considerably refined form however in addition to those you will find the most luxurious, easy to handle, comfortable bikes that have ever been made!  

Comfort bikes can either be Comfort Mountain Bikes, or Comfort Hybrids. The comfort mountain bike has the same 26” wheel as a mountain bike, but it has 3 distinct changes that make it the perfect casual ride:  comfy saddle, comfy upright handlebar and stem (no more bending over), and comfy smooth tires with just enough tread to keep you secure, but not to slow you down. These bikes are perfect for people who want to feel secure, connected to the ground. They are good for gravely cottage roads, or terrain where the pavement may end. The tires are still fat and can be plush so any terrain is fair game.

FOR NEW OR TIMID RIDERS
Giant makes a bike called the Suede. This bike has been especially designed to put you in a position, so that no matter what you will always be able to easily put your feet on the ground, but still be able to pedal comfortably without your knees hitting your chin. It has been designed for maximum stability and balance at every start and stop. Designed with a low centre of gravity the Suede is easy to control and maneuver. Come in for a test ride we will go with you and show you how much fun riding a bike has always been.

The comfort hybrid is called that because it is a cross between a road bike with a larger wheel 28” (700c), and the stylish flat handlebar and component system of a mountain bike. These bikes also have comfy seats, and upright handlebars and smoother tires, but the larger wheel is “quicker and swifter” than a mountain bike.  Unlike a road bike the 700c wheel is not super skinny, but twice the width of a racer and _ the width of a mountain tire.  It is the perfect mix for fast, smooth, safe and comfortable riding.  These bikes are perfect for those who want to go out for a couple hours of recreational community riding.  Any existing path up to light gravel is safe to ride.

Specialized www.specialized.ca and Giant www.giantbicycles.com bicycle brands make the best quality, most attractive Comfort bikes in the world, and we have the full lineup of each on display at Gears Bike Shop.

I am a biker chick! I love it! Going out for a ride with my hubby later today! My goal is to ride 2000 miles on my bike in 2009. Right now I am about at 600 for the year...got a ways to go still!

I'm not a die hard rider but I enjoy riding when the weather cooperates. I currently have a Giant Sedona, but I plan on rewarding myself with a new bike when I drop a few more pounds. I had my heart set on a new road bike, but I believe I'm going to get a mountain bike. I like the woods better and I still worry about those skinny little tires.