bike for beginner?

[MissOt]

sorry if this is in the wrong place or something im new to the forums.

im 20. cycling has always intrigued me and i want to get a bike and try it out. im training for the 07 nyc marathon and want a bike for when im not running. im not sure if i will be serious or not yet into cycling so i dont want to spend too much on a bike yet. im 5'9. i live in nyc and will be riding on pavement btw.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/245357260.html how would something like that be for me? will it fit? will i like it? hows the price? any other ideas for what to get started on? thanks

 

[Walrus]

Check out this thread http://www.cyclingforums.com/t33794.html which has some beginner tips. Perhaps head into your local bike shop and explain your situation, they may have some suggestions.

Can you borrow a bike from a friend?

 

[alfeng]

sorry if this is in the wrong place or something im new to the forums.

im 20. cycling has always intrigued me and i want to get a bike and try it out. im training for the 07 nyc marathon and want a bike for when im not running. im not sure if i will be serious or not yet into cycling so i dont want to spend too much on a bike yet. im 5'9. i live in nyc and will be riding on pavement btw.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/245357260.html how would something like that be for me? will it fit? will i like it? hows the price? any other ideas for what to get started on? thanks

The bike is "okay" for what you want ... the top tube is probably ~56cm ... longer than would be typical on a contemporary frame that size; but, a contemporary frame THAT size is too small for you.

You MAY need to buy a new seatpost ... you can raise the existing seatpost a couple of inches (maybe more) from the position in the picture, but back then (i.e., when the bike was originally sold), seatposts tended to be comparatively short (under 180mm would be common).

I believe the bike (Centurion) dates to the early 80s ... I don't know about the particular model, but Centurion bikes were fairly nice bikes at the time; so, you could do a lot worse for your money.

IMO, and others may disagree, it is a frame that is worth updating [some people have a hard time learning to use downtube shifters because of their location -- you could put "flat"/MTB bars & MTB shifters & brake levers on the bike instead of road/drop bars ... in fact, if you were to go THAT route, the frame is possibly the perfect size!?!] at some point in the future if the desire arises because a good steel frame, like a diamond, is forever.

BTW. For a "road" bike, you should probably be looking at a bike with a frame that is closer to 52cm (c-c for the seat tube) ... regardless, you can probably work with that frame with EITHER drop or "flat" bars.

 

[bbattle]

I wouldn't buy your first bike over the internet; if you get a bike that doesn't fit, you're stuck with it. Get fitted at a bike shop. A Trek 1000 is a good beginner bike but for riding in a big city I'd go for a singlespeed like the Bianchi San Jose. You can put fenders and racks on it; makes a good commuter. Can take wider tires to better handle the potholes and **** in the streets. Jump curbs, ride on the grass, down stairs.


I'd love to be in NYC trying to buy a bike. Loads of bike shops, vast selection, lots of cool stuff we don't see here in the Rocket City. Hit the shops, ask lots of questions, test ride bikes, have fun.

 

[OldGoat]

I wouldn't buy your first bike over the internet; if you get a bike that doesn't fit, you're stuck with it. Get fitted at a bike shop. A Trek 1000 is a good beginner bike but for riding in a big city I'd go for a singlespeed like the Bianchi San Jose. You can put fenders and racks on it; makes a good commuter. Can take wider tires to better handle the potholes and **** in the streets. Jump curbs, ride on the grass, down stairs.


I'd love to be in NYC trying to buy a bike. Loads of bike shops, vast selection, lots of cool stuff we don't see here in the Rocket City. Hit the shops, ask lots of questions, test ride bikes, have fun.

Concur that Trek 1000 is a decent beginner's bike; your height suggests a frame size around 54 +/-. You should get fitted at LBS, and test ride several models/makes. Trek 1K will set you back about $600-650US.