Newbie cycle?

JoeVjr said:

Hi All,
Great Site...Just would like some advice..I used to ride but its been years (sorry to say), I would like to start again..What would be a good, simple, and
comfortable Cycle? I am 6'1' 160 lbs. In fairly good shape..I live in Pittsburgh Pa.
Would appreciate your thoughts..Thanks Joe😎

Your best bet would be to go to your local bike shop (LBS) and get fitted. Tell them what you want to use the bike for, i.e racing, recreation, trail riding, etc. Let them suggest a couple of bikes to you and see which you like best. once you have figured out what kind of riding you want to do and you have seen a couple of bikes and maybe test rode one or two, then come back here and ask your question. Make sure to tell us what you have looked at and which one you liked best. There are just too many variables to give you a straight, honest answer without more information. Also, how much are you willing to spend on a bike? Is "used" an option for you?

Thanks,
Not really concerned about the money, used is fine, I just dont want to buy one and then find out its not the one for me. I will be using it strictly on the road and for recreation. Thanks again..Joe

JoeVjr said:

Thanks,
Not really concerned about the money, used is fine, I just dont want to buy one and then find out its not the one for me. I will be using it strictly on the road and for recreation. Thanks again..Joe

Start by going to your LBS and having them fit you. You will also need to decide what type of bike you want. There are four basic types of road bikes.

Racing Bikes: The frame of a racing bike is designed for stability at high speeds, easy cornering, quick steering response, and a stiff, efficient ride that minimizes energy loss. As a direct result of these virtues, the racing bike usually has poor low speed stability, handles worse if any load is carried on the frame, requires constant attention to maintain a straight line, and very efficiently transmits even the tiniest bump in the road straight to you body.

Sport Touring Bike: Sport tourers are the midsize sports cars of the biking world. They're not all out racers but they're not loaded touring bikes either. They can carry a load with racks and small panniers, but not too much. Their major attribute is their stable handling which is predictable, if a little slow by racing standards.Sport tourers just want to have fun, so to speak, and can do anything well enough for you to enjoy it.

Loaded Touring Bike: The pack mules of the two-wheel road, loaded touring bikes exhibit great stability and straight-line tracking, even with up to 40 or 50 pounds of cargo. You can watch the scenery from one of these without the fear of wandering off the road or straying into traffic lanes. In addition, they are comfortable over rough roads and come with gearing low enough to allow you to climb over any mountain. This all adds up to a bike that's perfect, loaded or not, for those whose main interest is being there rather than speeding on by.

Hybrid Bike: Sometimes called a comfort bike, a hybrid is part mountain bike and part touring bike. The frame geometry is closely related to that of a touring bike, with relaxed angles and clearance for wide 700c tires. The mountain bikes donantion to the equation is its flat or rising handlebar and sloping top tube for a comfortable, upright riding position and to make mounting and dismounting easy.

There are also recumbents where you ride in a reclining position and you pedal feet first. They are said to be the most comfortable and fastest bicycles. You can get then in a tricycle configuration. There are so may variations in recumbent designs for any hard, fast descriptions. I personally think that they look like a lawn chair on wheels.

When you go to your LBS, have them show you examples of each of the types of bikes mentioned above and see if they will let you try each one so that you can find which best suits you. As far as buying a bike goes, if you are confident about the size, eBay has some great deals. If you aren't confident about what size you take, buy from an LBS. Getting the right fit is crucial above anything else. Regardless of what type of bike you want and the components on a given bike, if it doesn't fit right, you probably won't want to ride it much. Good luck in your hunt🙂 !

Quoted post said:

Hybrid Bike: Sometimes called a comfort bike, a hybrid is part mountain bike and part touring bike. The frame geometry is closely related to that of a touring bike, with relaxed angles and clearance for wide 700c tires. The mountain bikes donantion to the equation is its flat or rising handlebar and sloping top tube for a comfortable, upright riding position and to make mounting and dismounting easy.

A hybrid bike typically comes with tires that thinner than a mountain bike, but thicker than a road bike for better handling on surfaces like a gravel trail. They also usually have a front suspension for a smother rides. IIRC, comfort bikes use even thicker wheels for a smoother ride, at the cost of more rolling resistance.

Another catergory is the flatbars. I ride a fuji absolute lx. The top tube is straight, which means a leaned over riding position. The handlebar as the name suggests is completly flat, making you lean over to reach the handlebars. The 700x28c tires are slightly thicker than what is typically found on racing bikes. The bike has a 3 speed crank, similar to what is used on a mountain bike.

reub2000 said:

Another catergory is the flatbars. I ride a fuji absolute lx. The top tube is straight, which means a leaned over riding position. The handlebar as the name suggests is completly flat, making you lean over to reach the handlebars. The 700x28c tires are slightly thicker than what is typically found on racing bikes. The bike has a 3 speed crank, similar to what is used on a mountain bike.

My wife rides an Absolute with small knobies, a bit larger that a road bike tire but still a 700c. I ride a Fuji Newest and really like it. Rides and handles nicely even with 35lbs of [censored].....and my camera equipment. We ride the Katy trail, a 244mile rail trail of hard packed crushed limestone and I still have the original road tires on it with no problems, no flats, but I do carry an extra inner tube since it fits both bikes.

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts and advice. Before I do anything I will go to my LBS and get a fit..I have looked on ebay and agree there seem to be some good buys. Hpw about the bianchi? Seems like alot of you guys like the Fuji..Im looking at both. Equipment does seem cheap on ebay also. ie; Helmets etc...
Thanks again for your time and I appreciate the advice.. JOE

Something to keep in mind:
Bikes seem to have plenty of problems. Whether it's one of the derailers getting out of calibration, or something coming loose. If you buy it at a bike store, they will generally service anything minor that goes wrong for free.

JoeVjr said:

Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts and advice. Before I do anything I will go to my LBS and get a fit..I have looked on ebay and agree there seem to be some good buys. Hpw about the bianchi? Seems like alot of you guys like the Fuji..Im looking at both. Equipment does seem cheap on ebay also. ie; Helmets etc...
Thanks again for your time and I appreciate the advice.. JOE

I like fuji because you get alot for the money. Better components than most other bike makers for the same price. Frame geometry fits us nicely too, but I know a couple of racers that buy fuji and strip them for the components.