Biking help!

[U2Girl1978]

I know that there are several people who are avid bikers on here. I'm going to be doing a couple of rides later on in the summer and I need to know what kind of bike I can get to do these rides. I don't want to be spending a whole ton of money on a bike though. I really want to start doing some training rides on my own so I know what I'm getting into. Any advice, tips, what to eat, etc? Thanks so much for any help you guys can give me.

 

[Liesje]

I used to bike on the road 20 miles a day. I could never afford a decent road bike (a cheaper new one of a decent brand would start near $1000) so I got one of the "hybrid" kinds that have the shape/frame of a mountain bike, but thinner tires that have treads so that you're only riding on the thin center of the tire. I've had this bike for about five years and I really like it. Sometimes at our cottage I have to bike on sand or in the woods, so it's nice that I can still do that (would be nearly impossible with a road bike), but feel like I'm on a road bike when I'm on the road.

 

[Mr. BAW]

 

[Techie2000]

I got a Trek 7200 hybrid and love it. It was my graduation present, and I thought about a road bike, but expense kept me away from it, and I bike on trails that are gravel and they aren't really suited to road bikes. I'm thinking of complementing it with a road bike after the summer because I want to do road racing with my college team, and you can't really do that with a hybrid, but the hybrid can still be used to train for them.

What bike you get will depend on what exactly you're trying to do, and what kind of terrain you're going to be on. More details would help...

 

[Cleasai]

I don't really have any opinion on a specific frame you should get as I've been out of the sport for so long. I have no idea what's on the market these days. However I will say that as a begining cyclist you'll find that gear ratios on Mountain Bikes are easier to work with versus the ones on road bikes.

 

[close your eyes]

Hybrid...similar to the one Techie2000 suggested. I just bought one for my girliefriend/roomie. She hasn't been on a bike since she was like 15. She has embraced the bike and we have been increasing our mileage weekly. Trek has special design bikes for woman...and I feel they are fairly affordable. Take a few different bikes out for a spin though.

Along with the bike I just bought her - I just bought myself a slick Trek 7.6 FX. It has the geometry of a mountain bile (with a flat bar), yet it has a lot of the roadie components. If it would just stop raining here...I could actually get on it.

I also have a older modified mountain bike with road-like tires AND a fairly expensive (but not in the smae range as Mrs. Edge and cydewaze) road bike I have under used/neglected. I would be shot in some circles.

Yeah...so a lot about me. But I say go hybrid/fitness!

 

[U2Girl1978]

Oooh thanks for the help all. I've been thinking about getting a trek bike.

And Mr. BAW..

 

[Mr. BAW]

50% off if you buy this one....

 

[Liesje]

This is the current version of what I have:
http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/bikes_detail.php?id=624

It has the frame of a mountain bike (but pretty lightweight), and thinner "hybrid" wheels (the one in the link might actually be a mountain bike), it only rides on two thin treads of the tire, so it's like a road bike. Plus, it's cheap. I'm not sure where Schwinn's rank, I've just always got them, because I started with a Schwinn and they let me trade them in for store credit, so I always end up getting another Schwinn.

 

[U2Girl1978]

Lies, do you think that would be right for a 50 mile ride to 100 mile ride?

 

[Liesje]

Lies, do you think that would be right for a 50 mile ride to 100 mile ride?

Yeah. According to the site, it's considered America's most comfortable bike. I used to ride 20 miles a day (usually 10 miles in the afternoon and 10 miles in the evening...this was when I was 14-17 so had nothing better to do). Of course, a good road bike is going to be lighter, have less friction against the road, and shaped better for speed and distance, but it's going to cost you $1000 min. Maybe you could check some local shops for used road bikes? However I'm glad I went with the hybrid after all because it's more versatile.

 

[U2Girl1978]

$1000??

 

[Liesje]

$1000??

Yep. The road bike market is more of a niche market. People that buy road bikes are people that need a superior quality bike - lightweight, good materials. There's not too many choices for less expensive brands because typically road bikers aren't interested in something cheap.

When I went to buy my latest bike 5 years ago, I wanted a road bike. The cheapest I could find was $800. That's why I got the Schwinn hybrid.

You could look for something used though...

 

[deep]

oops,
never mind


thought you wanted

Bikini help.

 

[wizard2c]

reply

Trailmix....I guess {you asked what to eat?}....I haven't a clue about bikes but you would also have to consider what to wear, helmets, shin guards, proper shoes for peddling, perhaps rider's insurance........seems like it could get costly.

 

[close your eyes]

shin guards?

odd bird!