AKA (Read 736 times)

I've decided to embrace cross training - like I have a choice so Chenille is temporarily Pool_Runner until I can leave the pool - hopefully in 4 weeks. I'm going to be looking for a road bike in a couple of weeks - don't mind purchasing on line - but have no clue as to type. I'm not interested in racing - but am interested in distance. I would like to keep expenses to the $300 range. Is this doable? I've seen quite a few on EBay - don't know if that's a good idea or not. I'm still going to run - but think it's best to be - gulp - this is really , really hard for me to say "conservative about milage" for the next year. Thanks, Cheryl

I've decided to embrace cross training - like I have a choice so Chenille is temporarily Pool_Runner until I can leave the pool - hopefully in 4 weeks. I'm going to be looking for a road bike in a couple of weeks - don't mind purchasing on line - but have no clue as to type. I'm not interested in racing - but am interested in distance. I would like to keep expenses to the $300 range. Is this doable? I've seen quite a few on EBay - don't know if that's a good idea or not. I'm still going to run - but think it's best to be - gulp - this is really , really hard for me to say "conservative about milage" for the next year. Thanks, Cheryl

$300 is a stretch to get started, unless you can find a used bike that fits you. For someone starting from scratch without too many budget restraints, I usually say a grand - that figures a basic road bike at $600 to $700, a couple pairs of shorts ($40-$60 a pair), a decent helmet ($40-$60), gloves ($20), air pump, a couple of jerseys, a pair of arm warmers (cool weather affects bikers much more than runners - I've got arm warmers on once it's a bit below 70), and odds and ends that you'll want - spare tubes, a multi-tool, a CO2 inflater or mini-pump to take with you on rides, etc. If you live in an area with a lot of unpaved roads, look at a hybrid bike - sort of like a road bike with wider, heavier tires and mountain bike gearing. They're generally much cheaper (mountain bike components are mass-produced at much lower price levels than road components, and are generally simpler, too) and will hold up to rough roads better. I'd stay away from department store bikes - the drop in quality is amazing. A $300 hybrid Trek is about 10 times better than a $100 Wal-Mart heap - those are made to last a couple hundred miles at best. Go to a bike shop, and you'll have a bike that fits you (department store bikes are pretty much made in just one size), was put together by a real bike mechanic, and you'll have access to gobs of knowledge. They may be able to hook you up with other novice riders, too. What it comes down to is if you spend $150 on a bike that makes you hate riding, you've wasted the money. $500 on a bike that you love to ride is money well spent. It's definitely true about calories, though - biking does not burn calories nearly as fast as running. I'm open for any questions you've got, too... did

If you're gonna cycle, you need to look good. It's a rule of the game. You get points for having the most up to date and expensive gear.

Those are called "OCP" points - "Obsessive Cycling Poseur." The goal is a Tour de France team bike, with a full matching team outfit, that you only ride to the local coffee shop. did

How important are shoes - is there a pin or something on the pedal to keep your foot from slipping? Not sure of the lingo. Hybrid sounds like what I'm looking for. Have a couple of brands that I could start looking at? Not as sure about a used bike as I wouldn't know what to check for to see if it was worth the price. Thanks - I know I'll have more questions later - I'm going to give up the great price on the garmin in favor of a bike.

Shoes and pedals are your first upgrade. To start, you'll be find with some toe clips - there are ones that just come up over your toes, and don't strap on. Those will help you keep your feet on the pedals and in the right place. Ultimately, you'll want to get pedals and biking shoes that clip in to the pedals (logically, they are called "clipless" pedals. Go figure...) Your bike shop can help with those when the time (and budget) comes. Bike shoes have very stiff soles, so your foot isn't constantly flexing while you pedal, and the clip-in pedals allow you to pull up on the pedals as well as push down, but you have to practice to make sure you can get in and out of them quickly. Inevitably, you'll fall down at least once, in a very public place most likely. did

Hmmm...I don't know anyone who has done this. Nope... k

- I probably shouldn't use any kind of clip or strap anyways until my leg is fully healed. zz - got the bike girl skirt on order

I got a biking skirt last year at REI and I love it. Ever so often we bike to a restaurant and after I fix my hair a little (darn helmets do a number on my hair) I look presentable for a nice dinner. Have to watch it though not to eat too much because then biking back is not much fun. Ewa