bike question (Read 1351 times)

What sort of riding do you want to do? Just cruising, or cross training? Definitely go to a bike shop - they'll fit you to a bike far better than you'd get from a department store, and you'll have a much better bike. Brands? Nobody makes a truly bad bike. For a road bike, my standard "how much" advice is to allow $1000 - that gets a good starter bike, some clothes, a helmet, an air pump, and stuff for fixing a flat tire on the road. If you're just cruising, get a hybrid and a helmet, and you'll be fine... did

I completely agree with Diddidit. If you're planning on cross-training fairly often, I strongly suggest you snoop around on the web for a good bike store with knowledgeable salespeople that will take the time to make sure you're getting the right bike for your purposes. Getting a bike is kind of like getting a pair of running shoes - it has to fit you and meet your particular needs. The main difference is cost and the fact that bike-fit is infinitely more fiddly than shoe-fit (in my experience). Most people who ride recreationally probably don't think so much about bike fit, but spend an hour or longer on your bike saddle during a training ride and trust me, your body will tell you whether your bike is fit properly. Did's recommendation of about $1000 for a starter bike plus accessories and gear sounds about right to me. It may seem like a lot, but keep in mind, if you take care of it properly, this could be the last bike you ever need to buy. As far as what type of bike is best for cross-training, if you're sticking to pavement and paved bike paths, then I would just go with whatever feels the most comfortable to you. Road bikes typically aren't that comfortable to ride for long periods of time until your body adapts because of the aggressively prone position, though if you get a touring bike, the riding position will be a little more comfortable than if you get a racer. Hybrids and cruisers have a much more upright riding position, making them much more comfortable to ride, but the trade-off is going to be speed. I'm an aspiring tri-geek, so I can't really imagine training on a hybrid but if the point is just to supplement your running with cycling, then I suppose the point will be just to get your heart rate into the proper aerobic/anaerobic/lactate threshold training zones, in which case you really just need a bike you can pedal aggressively. I would stay away from cruisers for cross-training. They're really comfortable to ride, but they tend to be really heavy and aren't all that stable at fast speeds. A good option might also be a mountain bike with no suspension (shocks) with road tires. That way, if you ever decide you want to go trail riding, you just need to swap out the slicks for knobbies. Your height may limit your choices. I don't *think* that 5'2" puts you in the custom-frame realm, but it might. Again, you're best bet is to find the best bike store in your area, where they'll take a measurement of your inseam and point you towards a few different models to try out for size. Good luck, and happy bike shopping.

I worked in a bike for about 2.5 years. The best advice I could give is to buy a true road or a mountain bike. Do not go with a hybrid - they are the worst of both worlds - not great on the road and not great on trails. Too many people get pulled into the idea that a hybrid will be a good ride and they are often dissappointed. Beyond that - just get out there and start looking. Steer away from any shop that is not willing to spend a decent amount of time to make certain the bike fits you. If it does not fit - it will not be comfortable and you will not ride it. Good luck. Kevin

Your height may limit your choices. I don't *think* that 5'2" puts you in the custom-frame realm, but it might.

Lisa, a few companies make junior scale road bikes, which is an option, too. The Specialized Allez comes to mind. I believe it retails for ~$500, but it's a really good bike. It's a smaller scale model of the standard Allez. The junior bikes are kind of designed for kids who are not quite big enough for a full sized road bike, but AFAIK they have the exact components, but are scaled for kids who are probably ~4.5-5' tall. That's what we plan to get for DS when he is a little bit bigger. Right now he's about 4' tall.

Woot! I hope you get great weather for riding! Nice bike!

Congrats on your new bike! I wish you many hours of happy riding! I did notice in your original post that you mentioned the possibility of riding on bike paths and I see that you bought a road bike... you probably already know this, but keep that road bike on paved roads and off dirt (even packed dirt). The thin tires are an accident waiting to happen on any sort of surface that isn't asphalt or concrete. Happy riding!!!

Now I have a Cervelo Carbon Soloist

Swoooooon..... love the Soloist Carbon. If I ever buy another road bike for group rides, it's at the top of my list. I'm picking up a P2C in a few weeks.