What kind of bicycle do I need?

Help guys -

I want to casually get back into biking. I'm 37 and looking for another hobby that will help me stay in shape. Right now I do some running and stationary biking at the gym. I used to bike back in high school - mostly 20-30 mile stints on my Trek 1000. That was 20 years ago and I now know NOTHING about bikes, not that I knew much back then.

I plan on riding 10-20 miles after work or on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Would like to be able to go on dirt paths along with pavement. Would probably do more paved road riding then dirt trails. No plans on racing. Want this to be comfortable, casual, and easy to maintain the bike.

Is a Mountain Bike what I'm looking for? What do I need to spend on this? Any ideas or recommendations?

BTW - live in central MN, if that's important.

MDS

 

Sounds like a hybrid would work for you.

If you want a bit of style and panache, check out what Bianchi has in uprights.

If you're not doing a ton of offroad, the weight and knobby tires of a pure mountain bike would wear you down.

Hybrids are great.

 

Although you may not want to be competitive, I would definately recommend that you find a reputable racing or triathlon shop that does custom fittings. Even if you never go with a custom bike, getting the correct fit and frame geometry will make a HUGE difference in your comfort on the bike and lessen the chances of a repetitive use injury. Many off the shelf fit frames may work to keep cost down, but the geometry from manufacturers differs quite a bit in come cases. Carbon fiber frames will reduce fatigue and vibration, wheel choices, equipment groups will all make a difference if youre doing any long rides. Also recommend looking at ADAMO saddles, they will definately save your male areas from any damage! They look strange, but I spend 8-12 hours a week in the saddle and it really protects you from an injury below the equator if you catch my drift.

 

Fitting is the most important bit - definitely! If you're not interested in speed or racing (then why are you on a Ferrari site? ), you can get away with something more upright.

The tires decide how fast you can go, and what surfaces you can ride on: big knobby tires can look cool but are very slow on hard packed and the road. Big knobby tires need big wide rims. From the sounds of it - you don't need any suspension, they add weight and slow you down on hard packed and the road, especially uphill.

narrow skinny road racing tires can handle some off-road hard-packed trails, but not so good in the mud.

Once you've decided on the type of riding you want to do, and how much speed you want to bend into (lower = faster ), then any frame that fits your budget and fits you is fine. likely an aluminum or steel frame would be fine - carbon CAN ride smoother, but can also be very stiff, depending on the model.

Saddles are a very personal thing, I find the thinner and firmer the better for me - but also always ride in full lycra with padded shorts - so kinda weird (but fast).

Even more important than getting a frame that fits, is your helmet. get one that fits, keep it snug and wear it properly. It could save your life, mine did.

 

Fit fit fit. Whatever you choose, get it fit to you. Hybrids are sometimes considered the worst of all worlds. I don't necessarily agree, but it is a reasonable consideration. The other option (if you like the classic "10" speed fit) is to get a cyclocross bike. Faster and more nimble than a hybrid, tires for a dirt road, but not necessarily more upright than a pure road bike (which may or may not be a important consideration).

Be wary of "city bikes"--some have limited gear ranges which can be an issue if you have any hills to ride.

 

I would, if I could only have one bike and did not know what it might progress into, buy a cyclocross bike. It will run on 700C wheels, so you could put 23-25C tires on and do a regular fast paced group ride if you wanted to, but you could also put up to 38C tires on it and ride it almost as deftly off road as a rigid Moutain Bike. That would get you into the versatility of both worlds and certainly handle all the small dirt trails and jogging paths you could handle and even let you feel competitive with a group, or at least not slowed down. I have a couple of them and after racing them this winter along side my MTB on the same course, found that I could handle the cross bike as well and it was remarkably faster and actually more comfortable.

As for the fitting process, that is the most important AFTER you decide what you are going to ride and what is going to fit your needs best. Saddles are very, very particular. The best part is though that most shops now have demo saddles so that you can try several to see what works best for you. I know Fizik has four "orange" saddles which are a demo version of everything that they make. Others have followed suit with this. I would personally suggest someone that has a Retul to fit you. Amazing machine. If that is not around, I would find a Specialized dealer that offers "BG Fit" at their store. You can verify this on www.specialized.com to see who is authorized and trained to do this.

Good luck with it.

 

It sounds like I wrote the first paragraph of your Post...getting older want to stay fit..

I just bought this bike....Its drive train is as light as a race bike , yet it rides in an upright fashion for comfort and fitness...
I am able to go further faster...the CF frame absorbs much impact as well..

Highly reco you look at this model..I bought X large size frame and I am only 5'11"..You can lift entire bike with your pinky!

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/recreation-urban/recreation/quick-carbon/2011-quick-carbon-1

 

Holy shiz, that thing costs almost as much as my car!

I would also like to get into biking, my brother has been bugging me to go with him. Any hybrid bikes out there for less than $500? I'm not looking for anything fancy, just something that goes.

 

In the Bike world...by no means is this expensive..

serious Quality Components just start at this level..

 

Got to your LBS (local bike shop) and start shopping around. Ask questions. Find out what features are important for you. I'd suggest a hybrid or if you want a road bike feel that can go off road, then look at cyclocross bikes. They have a bit more knobby tires and can go anywhere.

You can get bikes on the cheap from craigslist, but you need to know what you are getting into. Unless you have a friend that knows what is what and up to date, I wouldn't bother getting one used.

Cost wise - it's going to cost for quality stuff. But that doesn't mean you need to spend 2K for it either. If you can spend up to 1K, you'll get a great bike. The advantage to bike technology is it trickles down quickly between the years.

 

I agree!..just try to get an Aluminun frame..Bike people have a saying..1 Lb. of bike weight adds 6 lbs. of cargo weight.
so for every pound that the bike gets heavier , its like you weigh 6 pounds more!...like unsprung weight
somethin like that..

You should be able to find Aluminum bikes at $599.00

 

On another forum, guys that are trying to get into riding or get back into riding often get a bike from here: http://bikesdirect.com/ You don't get a fitting, but you should know what you are getting. Ask questions!

And for deals on some of the clothing/helmets/gloves/etc. you can watch deals on www.bonktown.com There are deals on there, but you need to watch for them. Gearscan.com aggregates bonktown and others.

 

i like bikesdirect.com. some fair values there.

 

I would recommend a Cannondale Comfort or Adventure for the type of riding you are considering.

and for a really cool looking bike -- more $$$ of course -- take a look at the Cannondale Bad boy lefty

 

IMHO it's a waste of money to buy a top bike if you start riding.
Don't get me wrong, a top race bike (I have a carbon Pinarello Prince with carbon Campagnolo Bora2 wheels) is a very enjoyable machine if you are fit.
As a first bike however, I just would visit my local bike shop and take a look around. You should be able to find a good bike below 1000 USD or even at or around 5/600 USD.
Try some bikes and see what you are most comfortable with. Race bikes or MTB can be hard on your wrists and can take the fun out of riding.
The more you ride your bike, the more you will enjoy it. When you get stronger upgrading to a new bike will also be part of the fun and the hobby.

 

as others have said..get fitted at a LBS find the size and type of bike you like, buy it used you can find used bikes out there with great components cheap...you dont need new.
and blulagos..im just picked up a trek madone with the campy eurus tubless...the bora2's didnt hold up on my Felt with the rough roads i ride..I do like campy though!

 

My two cents:

I get a chuckle every time I try to figure out why someone recommends an expensive lightweight bike for exercise / getting shape.

...So you go to the gym and lift things that weigh more than they need to (never seen an aluminum barbell), and then spend lots of money to get a bike that weighs less than it needs to.

For test driving, and buying at your LBS, I like Specialized overall. If you know what you want, I generally like Diamondback from Nashbar.com.

I would seriously consider a 29 inch wheel bike.

Pic of my bike attached, to illustrate my caveman approach to exercise.


edit: and as previously mentioned, be prepared to change the seat. I also just got a great deal on Fox MTB shorts from "departmentofgoods.com", whome I've never heard of before.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Hey, That must be me you're talkin bout chuckles...

For me, Riding was fun when I was 12.....15...18....then why ride , a car will get you there as well.

I need enthusiasm...Riding is tiring ..no doubt bout it.
Who wants to excersize
a $200.00 Huffy will get me in shape just as quik...But I'll never ride it.
Thats the point..me personally, I must psych myself to do this event.
Bottom line , I enjoy this bike , therefore I ride.

BTW...I ride in central park 3 to 4 times a week...
I am seeing more and more serious $10,000.00 race bikes than ever before.

 

Agreed, get something entry level. Who knows you may not even like riding that much or you may ride a few times, put the bike away and never ride it again. My first bike was a Trek 1500R for 700.00. I rode it twice and then it sat in my garage for about 3 years and then started riding again. Just last month I upgraded my bike to a BMC SLC01.

 

SL01 is a nice bike! My story's not much different - bought a $500 MTB 8 years ago, rode for a year, parked it. picked it up 4 years ago, bought a Trek 5.5 3 years ago. Now considering a Specialized S-Works SL3.

 

I say get something a bit better than entry level, and here's why. Entry level bikes, are cheap, in darn near every sense of the word. You have extremely heavy frames, very cheap components that often wear out very quickly or work poorly, and wheels that find their way out of true if you ride over a curb.
Look in the used market (craigslist, ebay, etc.) in your budget range and go from there. I wouldnt hesitate to use a local bike shop either, but the used inventory may be close to non existant. Going that route would likely get you a better fit on the bike. I bought my MTB new and my road bike used, and I can say without a doubt I got way more bang for my buck from the road bike. But I knew exactly what I was looking for when I found it.

 

Well said...Depreciation on Bicycles is tremendous...
A higher quality bike can be bought at same price as new low Qual....

Look for better derailer components...Lesser bikes have hiccups when changinging gears...it can be frustrating

 

THIS. Your LBS will know what kind of roads and trails you have in your area and if you tell them what you are looking for they should be able to help steer you in the right direction. Test ride a half dozen bikes and see what feels right. Then research the ones that you like. If you are talking about smooth dirt trails without rocks and roots a cyclocross bike could be a lot of fun if you want something a little racier than most hybrids.

Be careful with bikesdirect.com. The bikes are cheap and not bad quality but the deals are not nearly as good as they advertise value wise once you start really looking at components and they have some build quality issues from time to time that result in most people having to take their bike to the LBS for repairs. This is not a way to make friends with the LBS who you will need from time to time. I have purchased to bikes from the same shop in the last year and have saved a ton of money on apparel, parts and have never paid a dime on labor, even if it's to repair something I broke. The relationship can be worth more than the couple hundred bucks you'll save at bikesdirect.com and you'll be supporting a local business.

(That's the end up my bikesdirect rant).

Bastard. I am lusting after a 2011 Dogma but it's not in the cards right now. Not that my Cervelo RS/Zipp 404's is huffy or anything but the Dogma is just downright sexy.

 

I have a Trek 7100 hybrid and couldn't be happier. Paid about 500 for it. If I really get into riding I'll probably get a top of the line road bike as well.

 

I looked at road bikes and hybrids awhile back, but a friend of mine that owns a bike shop told me to buy a mountain bike and put road tires on it.
He said a mountain bike weighs as much as a hybrid, but is a lot stonger.
So that's what I bought, a GT Tequesta.

Disclaimer: we're talking 15 years ago, but still, look into doing that.