Cycling

[1fastredsc]

I need some bike information. I haven't ridden one since before i got my first car, but thought it would be a good excercise method. I was thinking of a good mountain bike, because at least mountain bikes are made for offroad, but can be ridden on road. Any suggestions on brands or websites?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I'd get a cheap-ish road bike for starters unless you'll be doing a fair amount of riding on trails. Look on Craigslist and buy a beater for 300-400 bucks until you're sure you're going to stick with it.

If you're seriously going to do trail/off-road riding, then look at a similar mountain bike. It's annoying to ride on streets/paved paths on a mountain bike since the gearing is lower, you won't be able to go nearly as fast (or as far), the suspension takes power away from your pedal strokes, etc. The knobby tires also make the ride a little annoying over time. Yes, it can be done (I've done 40-50 miles rides on paved streets on my mountain bike) but it's one of those "right-tool-for-the-right-job" things.

I bought an old Pinarello road bike for $300 for road cycling and love it. I don't see the need to "upgrade" (translation: pay >$2,000) to something else unless I'm going to be competitively racing or anything. I ride for my own enjoyment/health. This does the job perfectly. I even upgraded a few components (gears, derailleurs, shifters) so it was more suited to my needs and I probably COULD race it competively if I wanted, all at a fraction of the cost of a new one.

I also have a Cannondale mountain bike which is ideal for trails. A bit old now ('96 model I think) but more than adequate for my needs. You should be able to find something similar in classifieds for $500-ish.

[1fastredsc]

Well i browsed a few road bike hybrids and they seem to be a nice compromise. They have tires with slight treads in them so that i don't panick if i see some dirt in the road (good'ol new mexico) and the normal straight handle bars while still being a road bike frame and meant primarily for road.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I rode a homebuilt hybrid all through grad. school (commuter bike). Not a bad idea either. Mine was an old Peugeot frame to which I added the slick tires but a set of Rock Shox to the front to make it easier riding on Chicago's pothole-infested streets. That bike was a tank. Still have it. Probably weighs a good 40+ pounds (full steel frame). Commuter bikes are an entirely different discussion, but yea - a hybrid might be a good starter also. True "road bikes" can be a bit delicate if you don't know what you're buying and the cost of maintenance/repairs might be discouraging.

[Laneco]

Above is very good advice - let me add a bit more. Frequently bike shops take in bikes on trade, then recondition/resell them. They are not usually "great" bargains, but are often quite affordable. The nice thing is that the bike shop can fit you for the bike. Fit makes all the difference in the world when you buy a bike. They can swap out stems, seats etc., to get you fitted. On a used bike, you will wind up paying for these parts and service (new bikes it's usually free or very low cost).

Try to stay with something fairly light. Older used aluminum framed bikes are often very good deals. For a mountain bike, 28-33 pounds is pretty affordable for a bike with front suspension. The lighter the bike, the more money it is. I've seen front suspension bikes around 20-21 pounds. Even used and beat to snot they are expensive (like cars, light parts are $$).

For starting out, avoid all the full suspension bikes. Good ones are expensive, bad ones suck all your pedaling strength and have weak troublesome parts.

A used roadbike is THE bargain in the bike world. They are cast aside often in flawless condition because someone buys the newest best thing every year. These are the screaming deals. On a used roadbike, stay 25 pounds or less if possible. When you get down to the 16-17 pound range, they are somewhat fragile and frightfully expensive.

Best time to buy a roadbike is when the weather turns cold and wet. Like motorcycles, they are seasonally cheaper. In your case though, don't wait. Get a bike, some bike, any bike that fits you and start riding!

angela

[1fastredsc]

I'm going to albuquerque bicycle tonight, i'll see if i can get some advice that hopefully doesn't lead to a severe pocket lightening.

[jyl]

You can get a decent used road bike and put cyclocross tires on it (dual-purpose tires), or even get a second set of wheels. You get the light weight, road-oriented gearing, drop bars (many hand positions), and forward riding position. Can handle light off-road (e.g. smooth dirt roads).

[teenerted1]

why not visit this shop? they are in Las Cruces
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES II
1424 E MISSOURI AVE, LAS CRUCES NM

good shop that knows bikes in your town

[1fastredsc]

Originally posted by teenerted1
why not visit this shop? they are in Las Cruces
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES II
1424 E MISSOURI AVE, LAS CRUCES NM

good shop that knows bikes in your town

Thanks for the heads up. When i get back to las cruces i will. Right now until the end of this week i'm in albuquerque so i might as well see what's around.

[Drago]

teenerted1 speaks the truth when it comes to bikes.

Been in the business for what, something like 23 years now?

[artplumber]

Hybrid is a great way to start if you're not sure what you want. (Or you could always buy that infomercial bike )

[scottbooth]

IMHO...

If you are planning to ride on the road I would get a good (used or new) road bike, get used to riding it on the road, and try not to be scared about riding over patches of dirt. Road bikes still work there, they just get a little dicey with regard to turning and stopping. Kind of like driving a Porsche and hitting some wet road or ice, you just need to be careful about dealing with available traction. On less-than-ideal surfaces, standard track driving rules apply: pay attention, do your braking in a straight line, turn when you have slowed down, etc. I have never dumped my road bike due to road conditions. I have ridden it on dirt roads and in sand. I do not recommend the sand.

I have both a road bike and a mountain bike, and have ridden hybrids when I have rented them on vacation. Hybrids get the job done but have nowhere near the handling precision, and outright speed, of a road bike. Nor the trail handling ability of a mountain bike. They are all about compromise.

After you have ridden a real road bike, getting on a hybrid or a mountain bike feels a lot like stepping out of a sports car (Porsche, BMW, etc.) and into a good SUV or station wagon. Yes you can still get there, and it may handle the turns with some degree of competence, but the feel is not the same, and that is a big part of enjoying the ride.

I have owned two road bikes in my life. The first was a Miyata (always fun to have to describe to friends that it was not a Mazda roadster) that I paid $500 for brand new in 1988. I rode it until 2003, when the frame cracked due either to the fact that it could no longer cope with my blistering strength, or possibly just years and years of fatigue in what was a pretty cheap frame to begin with.

I went way upscale and replaced it with a Trek Madone (Lance's bike from the last year's tour) because while I may never be able to afford a high end Porsche race car (still hoping though), I can at least stretch to pay for a semi high end race bike. And amortizing 16 years into the future, it did not seem like a bad deal.

The Madone is a classic example of being partway up the sharp bend of the price/performance curve. Yes it is better than my old bike, but nowhere near justifying the price. If you are more reasonable than I, you can get a good road bike for $800 brand new, cheaper used. My riding buddy has one of these, I tried it once and it is almost all there compared to my bike. He thought his bike was "twitchy" until he rode mine. It is part of the genre, and the more-expensive, lighter ones are more that way. But you get used to it, and the payoff is in efficiency and speed.

Or, if you are wanting to hit the trails, go with a real mountain bike. They feel nearly worthless on the road, but trails are a lot of fun.

Given my appreciation for good handling on the road or on the trail, I have a hard time justifying a hybrid for anyone except the most casual rider who aims to stay casual. If that is you, go for a hybrid and be happy. It is far better to ride than to not ride. But if you want to ride fast, on the road or on a trail, get a bike that is set up for what you want to do.

Off soapbox...

Scott

[dd74]

1fastredsc - before considering a purchase, you should know your measurements, particularly your inseam and the correct length of the bicycle frame's top tube in correlation to your upper-torso length. It can't be stressed enough how an improper-sized bicycle will truly ruin your cycling experience.

After you figure what sized frame will fit your height (especially in the top tube), it helps to have an idea of what the frame is made from. If steel, you'll have a comfortable ride with very nice road feel, but is a bit heavy. Aluminum is lighter, yet unless you're in reasonable shape, might feel harsh if you ride for long periods of time. Carbon fiber gives good response, is lighter than aluminum, has steel-like qualities, but if you're on the heavy side, you might snap the frame.

When you get those two basics down, go :
here.
Lot's of ex-racers post their bicycles for sale for cheap. I liken these classifieds for buying a bicycle to Pelican's "Cars for Sale," as you can really trust the seller.

[1fastredsc]

Talk about a wealth of information, thanks for all the replies and help. I think i'm going to take porsche-o-phile's advice and buy a beater for now. If i think i'm starting to get serious into it, then i'll upgrade to a better bike (and likewise a steeper investment) with time.

[JavaBrewer]

A hardtail MTN bike with some street tires makes a nice commuter bike that's robust and fun to ride (curbs, jumps, stairs, etc...). The fatter tires are also more foregiving and less prone to puncture. Just a thought.