Newbie Questions

eagleeye1200 said:

Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring.

Quoted message said:

I also have an older model church yard-sale Matsuishi
10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a
week
for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.

I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not
into
racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.

Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
going to want to upgrade again.

I'm a little confused by your wording. Do you want to upgrade or replace the
"Matsuishi?" Upgrade generally means making changes to an existing bike.

If you're already doing 10-15 mile rides on that bike, I don't see why you
can't do 20-25 miles. What specifically don't you like about the bike? What
do you want from a new bike that this one can't deliver? There may be good
reasons for switching to a different bike, but you have to give us more
info.

See:
http://www.sbraweb.org/choose.htm

Art Harris

Arthur Harris said:

See:
http://www.sbraweb.org/choose.htm

Nice article, Art.

"eagleeye1200" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:gs0Ud.65284$8a6.50887@trndny09...

Quoted message said:

Hello to all;

Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring. I have a

Specialized

Quoted message said:

Hard Rock Sport that I use for errands around town and light trail riding
and I love this bike. I also have an older model church yard-sale

Matsuishi

Quoted message said:

10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a

week

Quoted message said:

for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.

I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not

into

Quoted message said:

racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.

Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
going to want to upgrade again.

If you want to spend $600 on a new bike you have a lot of choices. I think
Trek, Bianchi, Cannondale, Giant, and the other big makers all have entry
level road bikes at that price point. Of course, if you know what you want
and what size you need, you can do very well on eBay.

eagleeye1200 said:

What I had in mind was purchasing
a new bike. I also mis-stated the type of bike. It is a Marushi Road
Race
RX3. Anyone ever heard of this bike? Got it a church yard sale for $10
and
have made no changes except new tires, lube, adjust. Bike is fine,
but a bit tall for me as I have short legs for my height. Think I would
also like thumb shifters rather than the old style shift levers on the
stem
like this one has.

If the bike doesn't fit properly, that IS a good reason to replace it. But
if you can straddle the frame with your feet flat on the ground and at least
1/2" of clearance it MAY not be too big. The top tube length is actually
more important. And since you suggest that your torso is proportionally
longer than your legs, a long top tube might be good.

If the bike has stem mounted shifters, it's probably a low-end model. It may
even have steel rims, and other undesirable features.

As for paying $500-600 for a new bike and never wanting to upgrade again,
well, you can never tell. If you start to really get into road riding, you
may find yourself wanting to ride more than 20-25 miles. And then you might
want to move up again. But it's best to find out your biking preferences
before committing to a big purchase.

For now, may want to look into a hybrid bike. Hybrids are a cross between a
road bike and a mountain bike. They have upright handlebars, but wheels more
like a road bike (but with somewhat wider tires). Hybrids are usually less
expensive than a road bike, and can handle dirt and gravel roads in addition
to pavement. They're good for distances up to 25-30 miles or so. Beyond that
they tend to get uncomfortable due to the lack of multiple hand positions on
the bars and the extra weight supported by the saddle as a result of the
upright position.

Road bikes are lighter/faster and put you in a more aerodynamic position.

I would suggest you test ride some hybrids and road bikes, and see which you
prefer. And above all, find a shop that will get you on the right size frame
and set you up on it properly.

Art Harris

eagleeye1200 said:

New to this group, so please point me in the right direction if there is a
bette place to post or a web site where I could find some useful info in
making my decision.

I'm fairly new myself. I had the good luck of knowing a fellow who spent
years working in a bike shop plus was a semi pro racer himself. He
pointed me in the right direction which was, somewhat surprising,
fitmet. I suggest you get yourself to a bicycle fit Web site or visit a
good local bike shop to be fitted properly. IMO, and what I've been
told, if the fit is right, then the other stuff, up to a point, are
details. If the fit is wrong, the bike that Armstrong uses won't work
for you.

Also get yourself a set of bicycle pants. Clipless or clip pedals really
help too (I have clipless). Part of the reason for using clipless pedals
is the change in shoe from a running shoe makes a big diff. We hear tons
about how a Dura-Ace such and such is terrific, but folks don't
understand that we newbies don't know that proper shoes make more diff
to an efficient ride than the shifter model.

Good luck and enjoy the ride.

-paul

Paul Cassel said:

fitmet. I suggest you get yourself to a bicycle fit Web site or visit a
good local bike shop to be fitted properly. IMO, and what I've been
told, if the fit is right, then the other stuff, up to a point, are
details.

Very good advice.

Quoted message said:

Also get yourself a set of bicycle pants.

It's actually the shorts he's referring to, with the padding in the butt
and the tight fit. These are essential for your comfort. The pad should
be a clear benefit. The tight fit ensures that you won't sit on a
fold of fabric that will irritate you after a few miles. Stick to black
shorts for a host of reasons.

Quoted message said:

Clipless or clip pedals really
help too (I have clipless). Part of the reason for using clipless pedals
is the change in shoe from a running shoe makes a big diff.

Another good bit of advice. Bike shoes have very stiff soles, since we
don't want our feet bending around the pedal. Also, being secured to the
pedals is extremely important. You get better power that way, and it is
safer. Don't worry about not being able to get your foot out in a crash.
For one, having a leg dangle about in a crash is just something else to
break.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "What am I on? I'm on my bike, six hours a day, busting my ass.
_`\(,_ | What are you on?" --Lance Armstrong
(_)/ (_) |

David L. Johnson said:

Another good bit of advice. Bike shoes have very stiff soles, since we
don't want our feet bending around the pedal. Also, being secured to the
pedals is extremely important. You get better power that way, and it is
safer. Don't worry about not being able to get your foot out in a crash.
For one, having a leg dangle about in a crash is just something else to
break.

I have to chime in here and say that clipless pedals are much SAFER than
clips and straps for city riding, as it is *far* easier to get in and
out. Even comparing them to strapless toe clips, it's safer. And
they're more comfortable, too. Comfort alone is a good enough reason
for going to clipless and cycling-specific shoes.

I ride with Egg Beaters. People have told me they get hot spots with
those, but I haven't had a problem since I got them, and I'm a heavy
rider too. I love the 4 sided pedal. I can keep an eye on traffic as
I'm putting my foot down, no searching. The only drawback to these, to
me, is that the cleat is brass or bronze. It's soft and after a year,
you need a new cleat, especially if you're an urban rider who clicks and
unclicks a lot during a ride. Oh, and you'll know when you need a pair
of cleats when you stand on the pedals and come out of one side. Ow.

--
BMO

Boyle M. Owl said:

I have to chime in here and say that clipless pedals are much SAFER

than

Quoted message said:

clips and straps for city riding, as it is *far* easier to get in and

Quoted message said:

out. Even comparing them to strapless toe clips, it's safer. And
they're more comfortable, too. Comfort alone is a good enough reason

Quoted message said:

for going to clipless and cycling-specific shoes.

I ride with Egg Beaters. People have told me they get hot spots with

Quoted message said:

those, but I haven't had a problem since I got them, and I'm a heavy
rider too. I love the 4 sided pedal. I can keep an eye on traffic

as

Quoted message said:

I'm putting my foot down, no searching. The only drawback to these,

to

Quoted message said:

me, is that the cleat is brass or bronze. It's soft and after a

year,

Quoted message said:

you need a new cleat, especially if you're an urban rider who clicks

and

Quoted message said:

unclicks a lot during a ride. Oh, and you'll know when you need a

pair

Quoted message said:

of cleats when you stand on the pedals and come out of one side. Ow.

Hmm. That last sentence or two sounds incompatible with your first
sentence above. At least, I don't come out of my Lyotard platform
pedals with clips and straps.

Actually, I doubt there's a measurable safety difference between the
two choices... or the third choice, "naked" pedals.

frkrygow said:

Actually, I doubt there's a measurable safety difference between the
two choices... or the third choice, "naked" pedals.

I disagree. I tried just naked pedals on my mountain bike/commuter for a
while, and my feet would slip too much. Granted, I was used to clipless,
and even before, for many years, I had used clips and straps (with cleats
except for commuting).

I quickly put Power Grips (or whatever they are called) and found that to
be much better than bare pedals, but still far short of clipless.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Enron's slogan: Respect, Communication, Integrity, and
_`\(,_ | Excellence.
(_)/ (_) |

"Boyle M. Owl" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:4ctUd.10698$Sn6.9733@lakeread03...

Quoted message said:

David L. Johnson said:

Another good bit of advice. Bike shoes have very stiff soles, since we
don't want our feet bending around the pedal. Also, being secured to

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

pedals is extremely important. You get better power that way, and it is
safer. Don't worry about not being able to get your foot out in a

crash.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

For one, having a leg dangle about in a crash is just something else to
break.

I have to chime in here and say that clipless pedals are much SAFER than
clips and straps for city riding, as it is *far* easier to get in and
out. Even comparing them to strapless toe clips, it's safer. And
they're more comfortable, too. Comfort alone is a good enough reason
for going to clipless and cycling-specific shoes.

I rode with clips and straps for about 20 years. Had 'em on my road
bike(which was my teenaged means of transportation). Rode in traffic, raced,
trained--no problems. Used Chuck Taylors with them, Nikes, whatever. I lived
in Wyoming for a while, and had clips and straps on my MTB. No problem. Now
I have clipless on every bike I own(except the MTB, which has Iron Cross
pedals). There's no comparison. Clipless is so much better it's not even
close. Clipless pedals are so cheap(Perfomance offers them for 30 bucks or
so) that it should be the first upgrade, IMHO.

"David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

frkrygow said:

Actually, I doubt there's a measurable safety difference between the
two choices... or the third choice, "naked" pedals.

I disagree. I tried just naked pedals on my mountain bike/commuter for a
while, and my feet would slip too much. Granted, I was used to clipless,
and even before, for many years, I had used clips and straps (with cleats
except for commuting).

I have a pair of DK Iron Cross platform pedals on my MTB. They're a BMX
pedal with a bunch of pins on the body. The pins bite into the shoe sole and
there's no slippage. However, they're heavy as lead and definitely would
look out of place on a road bike.

Quoted message said:

Hmm. That last sentence or two sounds incompatible with your first
sentence above. At least, I don't come out of my Lyotard platform
pedals with clips and straps.

Coming out is not an issue when they're new. It's impossible to come
out by accident *when they are new*.

The Eggbeater cleats are a wear item. They're bronze or hard brass,
from what I can tell; the "wings" of the pedal are hardened stainless
steel. Instead of having the wings as a wear item, the cleats take the
wear. After two years, I have gone through 2 sets of cleats and the
wings look barely worn - just polished.

The only time you have a chance of coming out is when they're really
worn. They let me know after the first year. The hard way. Simply
replacing the cleats ( if you're an urban cyclist like me) yearly keeps
you from coming out accidentally and that was what I was trying to get
at. If you're a roadie in the boondocks that only clips in and out at
the beginning and end of a ride, you can probably go three years between
cleats. If you're a mountain biker, single tracker, or cyclocrosser
that bikes through the woods and mud, replacement once a season is
probably about right.

Again, as designed, these pedals do not let you out by accident, indeed
there is no adjustment screw for this unlike the Shimano pedals. The
harder you pull, the harder they hold on to your shoe. Over time,
though, they become "no longer as designed" and the wear is quite
visible to the eye. At this point, it's prudent to exchange the cleats
for new ones, before your foot goes rolling off the front of the pedal.

Quoted message said:

Actually, I doubt there's a measurable safety difference between the
two choices... or the third choice, "naked" pedals.

Naked pedals are the safest for urban riding. However, they suck for
comfort, and hill climbing is just a pain in the [censored] without the
ability to pull up on the pedal. Clipless pedals are the next safest,
because it's simpler and quicker to pull out by twisting your heel when
coming to a stoplight or an emergency stop (aside: Do not WAFFLE about
pulling out of the pedal because if you come to a complete stop, you're
going to fall, and there's no way you're going to pull out when you're
in full panic mode). Pedals with straps and toe clips are the least
safe for urban riding, and far less comfortable on the top of the foot
when fully strapped in (as in a rural ride through the countryside
admiring the cows and sheep).

Once you try clipless, you'll never go back to clips and straps. Trust me.

Oh, and another thing: Don't do what I did and go with a cheap set of
Wellgos to "try it out". Get a decent set of *quality* pedals (like
Time, Shimano, or Crank Bro's) that can be greased and overhauled. I
liked going clipless so much that it seems to me that I wasted 50 bux to
"try" clipless before I bought my stainless Eggbeaters.

--
BMO

Arthur Harris wrote:
<snip.>

Quoted message said:

For now, may want to look into a hybrid bike. Hybrids are a cross between a
road bike and a mountain bike. They have upright handlebars, but wheels more
like a road bike (but with somewhat wider tires). Hybrids are usually less
expensive than a road bike, and can handle dirt and gravel roads in addition
to pavement. They're good for distances up to 25-30 miles or so. Beyond that
they tend to get uncomfortable due to the lack of multiple hand positions on
the bars and the extra weight supported by the saddle as a result of the
upright position.

Disagree with the distance limitations here. I've done longer rides on
my hybrid with no problems. Get a set of bar ends, and you now have
multiple hand positions.

Janet

Sun, 27 Feb 2005 23:24:40 -0500, <K0xUd.10845$Sn6.9783@lakeread03>,

Boyle M. Owl said:

Coming out is not an issue when they're new. It's impossible to come
out by accident *when they are new*.

The Eggbeater cleats are a wear item. They're bronze or hard brass,
from what I can tell; the "wings" of the pedal are hardened stainless
steel. Instead of having the wings as a wear item, the cleats take the
wear. After two years, I have gone through 2 sets of cleats and the
wings look barely worn - just polished.

The only time you have a chance of coming out is when they're really
worn. They let me know after the first year. The hard way. Simply
replacing the cleats ( if you're an urban cyclist like me) yearly keeps
you from coming out accidentally and that was what I was trying to get
at. If you're a roadie in the boondocks that only clips in and out at
the beginning and end of a ride, you can probably go three years between
cleats. If you're a mountain biker, single tracker, or cyclocrosser
that bikes through the woods and mud, replacement once a season is
probably about right.

Playing cycle polo on crushed gravel fields eats cleats.
On the plus side though, it's a strong incentive to not dab.
--
zk

In article <MQ8Ud.33246$ya6.17591@trndny01>, [email hidden]
says...

....

Quoted message said:

thanks. My newbie is showing for sure. I said "upgrade", which I now
understand
means replacing components on an existing bike. What I had in mind was
purchasing
a new bike. I also mis-stated the type of bike. It is a Marushi Road Race
RX3. Anyone ever heard of this bike? Got it a church yard sale for $10 and
have made no changes except new tires, lube, adjust. Bike is fine,
but a bit tall for me as I have short legs for my height. Think I would
also like thumb shifters rather than the old style shift levers on the stem
like this one has.

You aren't going to find thumb shifters on a road bike; that's mountain
bike stuff. However, you'll probably find that integrated shifters
(brakes and shifters in the same unit) are even more convenient than
thumb shifters.

In the price range you're looking at, you have a lot of choices for
entry-level road bikes. Take a look at www.fujibikes.com and check out
their lower-end road bikes.

Happy hunting!
Dave

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

Janet said:

Arthur Harris wrote:
<snip.>

Quoted message said:

For now, may want to look into a hybrid bike. Hybrids are a cross between a
road bike and a mountain bike. They have upright handlebars, but wheels more
like a road bike (but with somewhat wider tires). Hybrids are usually less
expensive than a road bike, and can handle dirt and gravel roads in addition
to pavement. They're good for distances up to 25-30 miles or so. Beyond that
they tend to get uncomfortable due to the lack of multiple hand positions on
the bars and the extra weight supported by the saddle as a result of the
upright position.

Disagree with the distance limitations here. I've done longer rides on
my hybrid with no problems. Get a set of bar ends, and you now have
multiple hand positions.

Janet

Agreed. I've toured thousands of miles this way - and also without
clipless pedals and bike shorts.

Put the money into your bike and accessorize later.

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
Integrity is obvious.
The lack of it is common.
*****************************

Janet said:

Arthur Harris wrote:
<snip.>

Quoted message said:

For now, may want to look into a hybrid bike. Hybrids are a cross
between a road bike and a mountain bike. They have upright handlebars,
but wheels more like a road bike (but with somewhat wider tires).
Hybrids are usually less expensive than a road bike, and can handle
dirt and gravel roads in addition to pavement. They're good for
distances up to 25-30 miles or so. Beyond that they tend to get
uncomfortable due to the lack of multiple hand positions on the bars
and the extra weight supported by the saddle as a result of the
upright position.

Disagree with the distance limitations here. I've done longer rides on
my hybrid with no problems. Get a set of bar ends, and you now have
multiple hand positions.

I have ridden 200-km long day rides on a flat bar bike wearing
non-cycling shorts without discomfort. The Dark Side does have its
advantages.

--
Tom Sherman - Earth

Quoted message said:

Janet said:

Arthur Harris wrote:
<snip.>

Quoted message said:

For now, may want to look into a hybrid bike. Hybrids are a cross between a
road bike and a mountain bike. They have upright handlebars, but wheels
more
like a road bike (but with somewhat wider tires). Hybrids are usually less
expensive than a road bike, and can handle dirt and gravel roads in
addition
to pavement. They're good for distances up to 25-30 miles or so. Beyond
that
they tend to get uncomfortable due to the lack of multiple hand positions
on
the bars and the extra weight supported by the saddle as a result of the
upright position.

Disagree with the distance limitations here. I've done longer rides on
my hybrid with no problems. Get a set of bar ends, and you now have
multiple hand positions.

Janet

Agreed. I've toured thousands of miles this way - and also without
clipless pedals and bike shorts.

Put the money into your bike and accessorize later.

Unfortunately, I would have to agree and slightly disagree with Art
Harris on this. And that is, I have toured many thousand of miles with
both an upright full suspension mountain bike (GT-Idrive) and an aero
efficient full size touring bike and the road bike is way more faster,
comfy and can cover longer distances than if I tour. I DO NOT GET the
stinging palm after 160km of riding with the road bike compared to my
flat bar GT idrive. The trick is in your flexibility to bend or tuck
into an aero position, which means you likely go on the drops with your
back flat. That's easier said than done and with most of us, we just
don't have the flexibility to do so which comes with more cycling. So,
most people with their touring road bikes tend to raise their drop bars
higher than usual to give them an upright position, which negates the
purpose of having drop bars in the first place. It would be best just
to go with flat bars and a pair of bar ends to achieve essential the
same thing. That's why, many trekking and adventure bikes these days
come with flat bars.

David.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
going to want to upgrade again.

While a good fit is important, it's the type of bike fitting that is
fitted to the type of riding that's going to make you happy with your
$500 to $600 bike purchase. Make sure that a bike shop isn't going to
sell you an aerodynamic efficient road bike with drops, cause you need
to very flexible on your body joints and that is something you need to
develop over time with more cycling. That is why, upright bicycles are
selling like hot cakes, especially with newbies. There are a few
advantages of riding on drops, namely being aerodynamic. But it also
allows you to push bigger gears by ways of leveraging your body against
the drops, which you can't easily do on flat bars.

David.