help with bike selection?

Pete Greenwood said:

So I've decided it's time to get a new bike. I plan to do
some test rides this week, and would like to be armed with
a bit of knowledge in advance.

I'd like a ride that is comfortable and fairly upright,
but I don't want anything too heavy or slow. I'd like my
bike to ride smoothly and quietly, and be generally
reliable and durable. Lastly, I'd like a bike that makes
it a little easier to keep up with some of my younger,
healthier friends [mostly MTN bikers].

I don't need anything flashy or loaded with gimmickry, and
I'm not stuck on brand names. I just want the best, most
appropriate bike that my budget will afford.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Happy trails!

Pete

Bicycling Magazine had an article in their Jan-Feb. issue
about a contest in which 50 people were given Trek bicycles
to use for 3 months. The people were all levels of ability.
For the most part they all really liked the bikes. I can't
remember the particular model, maybe someone else in this
newsgroup can contribute that, but I remember thinking that
it was a good compromise for an around town bike for a
person who was into recreational cycling. And from what I
remember, is similar to what you are describing you want.

Can anyone add any info?

Good luck! Nita

"Rosey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pete Greenwood said:

So I've decided it's time to get a new bike. I plan to
do some test

rides

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

this week, and would like to be armed with a bit of
knowledge in

advance.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'd like a ride that is comfortable and fairly upright,
but I don't want anything too heavy or slow.

How upright do you have to be? I'm seeing you on a road bike
with drop bars. You can ride with your hands on the tops
most of the time and be upright, and only go down to the
drops on descents. When you go to the bike store, make sure
they know you want to be in a more upright position for a
lot of your riding. They might make some adjustments in the
bike (a spacer in the headset?) to meet your needs.

Quoted message said:

Bicycling Magazine had an article in their Jan-Feb. issue
about a contest

in

Quoted message said:

which 50 people were given Trek bicycles to use for 3
months. The people

were

Quoted message said:

all levels of ability. For the most part they all really
liked the bikes.

I

Quoted message said:

can't remember the particular model, maybe someone else in
this newsgroup

can

Quoted message said:

contribute that, but I remember thinking that it was a
good compromise for

an

Quoted message said:

around town bike for a person who was into recreational
cycling. And from

what I

Quoted message said:

remember, is similar to what you are describing you want.

Nah, he's graduated from that sort of thing. He's going to
keep his old Rockhopper comp for mountain biking and maybe
as his rain, around-town, or commuter bike. But for his real
rides, he's going to get a good, standard road bike.

If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like maybe
a Jamis or Giant, that don't have the cache of the fancier
road bike brand names. I'd go no lower than Shimano 105
components. Maybe something like this?
sheldonbrown.comventura.htmlOpen ↗. This
will carry you through your next level of cycling -- you'll
ride this sort of bike for your first metric century, and
your first 100 mile century, no problem.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato
and .net for .com Home of the meditative cyclist:
home.earthlink.netWelcome.htmOpen ↗ See the
books I've set free at:
bookcrossing.comCpeterskyOpen ↗

Claire Petersky said:

How upright do you have to be? I'm seeing you on a road
bike with drop

bars.

Quoted message said:

You can ride with your hands on the tops most of the time
and be upright, and only go down to the drops on descents.
When you go to the bike store, make sure they know you
want to be in a more upright position for a lot of your
riding. They might make some adjustments in the bike (a
spacer in the headset?) to meet your needs.

Hi Claire. I'm not sure how upright I need to be. I guess
I'll know better after I've ridden a few different styles.

I know that I feel way too hunched over on my Rockhopper,
which has a particularly aggressive MTB stance [high saddle;
long zero-rise stem]. I don't like having to lean on my
hands that much, and wish I was able to turn my head a bit
easier to see the city traffic around me.

I guess I always assumed that drop-bar road bikes were even
more of a 'hunched' ride... for the athletic cyclist who
wants the aerodynamics to go really fast; and who doesn't
need to worry about their gut getting in the way. Plus,
those skinny saddles look downright painful. Am I wrong?

I don't really have the true need for speed. I'm just
looking for something that's a bit more efficient on
pavement than my heavy, fat-tire mountain bike. I certainly
won't rule out the drop-bar road bike until I try it; but I
must admit to being a bit skeptical on the comfort factor.
Your thoughts on this would be appreciated.

<s>

Quoted message said:

If I were you, Pete, I'd be looking at something like
maybe a Jamis or Giant...

<t>

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm
particularly intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to be
basically a road bike with flat handlebars. I'm wondering if
this type of setup would give me the more upright posture
I'm looking for, while also offering less rolling resistance
than the MTB. Opinions?

Thanks again for your input.

Pete

Reid Priedhorsky said:

I second the recommendation for Jamis. I just bought a
Jamis Aurora
(sheldonbrown.comaurora.htmlOpen ↗) and so
far (100? 150? miles) it's great. Not the lightest bike in
the world, but it's solid and plenty nimble. I am always
surprised by how difficult it is to pick up and carry
(note however that this includes a great deal of junk in
the trunk bag, not just the bike). $730 which IMO was a
good deal.

The extra weight on the bike's frame is nothing compared to
the extra weight on MY frame! Something tells me I could use
something a bit more solid until I trim down a bit.

Quoted message said:

For me, spending the money to buy 105 was not necessary,
but you should consider the tradeoffs for yourself.

So what are the tradeoffs? Does more money buy better
quality components, or just a few ounces less weight?

Quoted message said:

One suggestion I do have is to try to find a rear cassette
that eschews the very small cogs. 14 or mayyyybe 13 is the
smallest I need, and I'd rather have more choices in the
middle range. Most riders that aren't sure if they need 11
or 12-tooth cogs don't. However, this may require an
aftermarket cassette. Myself, I have my eye on one of
Harris Cyclery's 14-34 custom cassettes.

So are you saying I should sacrifice some top-end speed for
a little more 'fine tuning'? I guess that makes sense...
particularly for city riding, where I never really get that
much speed going anyways.

Thanks, Reid.

Pete

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Hi folks. I'm getting ready to buy a new bike, and am
hoping some of you more experienced cyclists will be
willing to help me figure it all out.

Here's my story: I'm 36 years old, 6' tall, 215 lbs., and
carrying about 25 lbs. of excess baggage that I'd like to
shed. I'm not really a workout kind of guy but I have
always enjoyed riding my bike around town here in Chicago.
So a few months ago I tuned up the old Rockhopper Comp and
started hitting the streets and park bike paths. I've been
riding 40-50 miles a week since the spring, and am already
beginning to feel healthier.

I'd like to start increasing the distance of my rides, but
the discomfort of the mountain bike is really hindering
me. I feel too hunched over [spare tire gets in the way],
and have been experiencing some hand, elbow and seat pain.

So I've decided it's time to get a new bike. I plan to do
some test rides this week, and would like to be armed with
a bit of knowledge in advance.

I've set my maximum budget at $1000. I have all the
accessories I need already, and will be keeping the MTN
bike as a spare/loaner.

I ride mostly on asphalt and crushed paths. The closest I
ever get to off-roading is some minor city potholes and
curb jumping; cutting across the grass from one path to
another; and the occasional sand-blown beach path.

My distances range from quick trips to the store, to
around 15-mile park cruises. I want to increase my range
to around 25 miles.

I'd like a ride that is comfortable and fairly upright,
but I don't want anything too heavy or slow. I'd like my
bike to ride smoothly and quietly, and be generally
reliable and durable. Lastly, I'd like a bike that makes
it a little easier to keep up with some of my younger,
healthier friends [mostly MTN bikers].

I don't need anything flashy or loaded with gimmickry, and
I'm not stuck on brand names. I just want the best, most
appropriate bike that my budget will afford.

So, now that you know the story of my life, here's what
I'd like to know:

What style of bike should I be looking for?

From your description, I'd recommend a mid-range touring
bike, such as a Fuji Touring ($800). It has somewhat wider
tires than a pure road bike, making it easier to ride on the
crushed stone paths and grass cut- throughs. It has a rear
rack, eyelets for fenders if you so choose, a sturdy steel
frame with comfortable, stable geometry and 27-speed
drivetrain with STI shifters. Because of the drivetrain, if
you decide you want to go faster all you need to do is
remove the rack and put on smaller, higher-pressure tires,
and you've got a decent road bike for riding with your
faster friends or entering the occasional citizen's race.

There are plenty of other bikes out there from reputable
manufacturers which would work just as well, but I have
experience with the Fuji, which is why I mentioned it.

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

"Pete Greenwood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Claire Petersky" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

I know that I feel way too hunched over on my Rockhopper,
which has a particularly aggressive MTB stance [high
saddle; long zero-rise stem]. I don't like having to lean
on my hands that much, and wish I was able to

turn

Quoted message said:

my head a bit easier to see the city traffic around me.

Just because your handlebars have drops doesn't mean you
have to use them but a small percentage of the time. Most of
the time you'll have your hands on the tops. If you want to
be in a more upright position, you can get your handlebars
raised. When I got my bike I had them do that. They also put
a shorter stem on the bike so I wouldn't have to lean too
far to reach the handlebars (I've got a short waist). I
think if you shop at a bike shop that *listens* to you (as
opposed to pushes on you what they want to sell you), and
will take the time to fit the bike to you, you should be
able to get something comfortable that you don't feel
"hunched" on, or have too much weight on your hands.

Quoted message said:

I guess I always assumed that drop-bar road bikes were
even more of a 'hunched' ride... for the athletic cyclist
who wants the aerodynamics to

go

Quoted message said:

really fast; and who doesn't need to worry about their gut
getting in the way.

You don't feel hunched, you feel elongated. Your back feels
nicely stretched out. If I've hurt my back with say, too
much gardening -- I almost wrote, "too much housework", but
then you'd know I was making this all up -- going for a ride
feels good, because my back gets unkinked. The drop bars are
there because you might want different hand positions on a
long ride. This increases comfort, not decreases it.

Plus, there's nothing wrong with going really fast.
Look, us middle-aged ladies have to get our adreniline
rushes somehow.

Quoted message said:

Plus, those skinny saddles look downright painful. Am
I wrong?

Again, the saddle has to fit. Many people find fat and
padded saddles painful, just as painful as you're imagining
a skinny one to be. Finding the right saddle for you is
another part of the fitting process. On a recent thread
there was a discussion of how to measure how far apart your
sit bones are -- you might want to look at that. Finding a
saddle that matches the size of your heinie is important.

If you're riding all day, participating in an event like a
century, you don't want to be in an uncomfortable position
for hours, you don't want your tuchis rubbing on some sharp
ass hatchet the wrong way all day. Road bikes (as opposed to
racing bikes) are meant to be all-day comfortable.

Quoted message said:

I certainly won't rule out the drop-bar road bike until I
try it; but I must admit to being a bit skeptical on the
comfort factor.

Try it, you'll like it! Plus, you'll kick the ass of your
mountain bike riding friends. They'll eat your dust. Heh.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato
and .net for .com Home of the meditative cyclist:
home.earthlink.netWelcome.htmOpen ↗ See the
books I've set free at:
bookcrossing.comCpeterskyOpen ↗

Pete Greenwood said:

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm
particularly intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to be
basically a road bike with flat handlebars. I'm wondering
if this type of setup would give me the more upright
posture I'm looking for, while also offering less rolling
resistance than the MTB. Opinions?

Thanks again for your input.

Pete

I probably sound like a broken record on this but avoid
the fork suspensions. It adds weight and nothing else to
the ride. Plus the forks can eventually degrade, the
rubber rot, etc.

-Badger

Pete Greenwood said:

The extra weight on the bike's frame is nothing
compared to the extra weight on MY frame! Something
tells me I could use something a bit more solid until I
trim down a bit.

Me too. 😉 However, at your stated weight, any bike that
isn't stupid-light will work fine, and those are out of your
price range anyway. You don't need to worry about major
parts breaking under you.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

For me, spending the money to buy 105 was not necessary,
but you should consider the tradeoffs for yourself.

So what are the tradeoffs? Does more money buy better
quality components, or just a few ounces less weight?

As far as I know, both or either. In fact, once you get into
the very-high-end stuff, it's less durable because buyers at
that level are more interested in weight than durability.
I'm not sure which upgrades get you what, however.

I think that you may have to break your $1K limit to get
105 or better *and* a decent frame. IMO, a good frame is
more important because you can always replace or upgrade
parts later.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

One suggestion I do have is to try to find a rear
cassette that eschews the very small cogs.

So are you saying I should sacrifice some top-end speed
for a little more 'fine tuning'? I guess that makes
sense... particularly for city riding, where I never
really get that much speed going anyways.

Basically, yes. But you'll be sacrificing top-end speed
which is not really useful to you anyway. I can briefly
sprint at 30 MPH in 52x14. One consideration is that if
you spend a lot of time in the middle chainring (I don't),
you may want smaller cogs available. But at the same
cadence as before, in my middle chainring (42x14) I'd
still be going 24 MPH.

You might check out:
sheldonbrown.comindex.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Thanks, Reid.

Glad to help. I agree with the other comments about drop
bars -- on the road, you'll probably be happier once you get
used to them. One big advantage is the greater number of
hand positions. I have three not counting variations, and I
can shift from two. This is a good comfort tool after an
hour in the saddle. Straight bars will give you one, or
maybe two if you add extensions. This is a good comfort tool
after an hour in the saddle. Another consideration is that
if you get drop bars, and decide you don't like them, you
can swap in a straight bar, though this does cost time and
money. Going from straight to drops is also possible, but
AFAICT much less common.

Also, try these websites:

Sheldon Brown's fabulous bicyle pages (perhaps start with
the Glossary): sheldonbrown.comarticles.htmlOpen ↗

rec.bicycles.* FAQ: draco.acs.uci.edurbfaqOpen ↗

HTH

Reid

Pete Greenwood said:

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm
particularly intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to be
basically a road bike with flat handlebars. I'm wondering
if this type of setup would give me the more upright
posture I'm looking for, while also offering less rolling
resistance than the MTB. Opinions?

Thanks again for your input.

Pete

I took a Jamis Coda for a test ride this spring. It's a
pretty slick bike to ride. I'd definitely consider it a nice
city bike. Very responsive, shifts well, slick tires for
pavement. Fast too. The feel was smooth and quick. I didn't
buy it because I had my heart set on a drop bar tourer, but
still have thoughts... I'd say it would make a fabulous
commuting bike. <legal disblamer> All bikes feel pretty good
when they are brand new and grit free. Best regards, Bernie

Quoted message said:

Thanks for the tip. I took a look at their websites. I'm
particularly intrigued by the Jamis Coda, which seems to
be basically a road bike with flat handlebars. I'm
wondering if this type of setup would give me the more
upright posture I'm looking for, while also offering less
rolling resistance than the MTB. Opinions?

As the baby boomers age, a market for "road bikes with flat
bars" has definitely begun to develop. For example, Shimano
has added a line of shifters specifically for road bikes
with flat bars.
bike.shimano.comindex.aspOpen ↗

A number of brands are also carrying bikes outfitted this
way. The mail order Ibex brand Corrida series has been
discussed on this group lately and is such a bike. Link to:
ibexbikes.comSeries Corrida.htmlOpen ↗

Specialized also carries their Sirrus line of road bikes
with straight bars. Link to:
specialized.comSBCBkFamily.jspOpen ↗

Fuji has thier "Royale" model: fujibikes.comfujibikes.comOpen ↗

Felt has their SR Series:
feltracing.comSR71.htmlOpen ↗

And Cannondale has their Road Warrior series:
cannondale.comcannondale.comOpen ↗

I'm sure there are others but these are some pages I
have bookmarked recently as I have been researching the
same subject.

Drop bars are obviously still the standard for road bikes,
but it is fair to say that the straight bar has become an
option for those who want road bike performance but still
prefer the more upright position of a straight bar.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Alan (remove the x's in the email address)

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Rosey
Bicycling Magazine had an article in their Jan-Feb. issue
about a contest in which 50 people were given Trek bicycles
to use for 3 months. The people were all levels of ability.
For the most part they all really liked the bikes. I can't
remember the particular model, maybe someone else in this
newsgroup can contribute that, but I remember thinking that
it was a good compromise for an around town bike for a
person who was into recreational cycling. And from what I
remember, is similar to what you are describing you want.

Can anyone add any info?

Good luck! Nita

The bike was a Trek 7300 Hybrid. I own one but rarely use it now that I have a road bike. I started out with the 7300 as my primary bike but quickly wanted more speed so I upgraded to a road bike. I ride it occationally on slow family rides, overall it's a great bike but I prefer a road bike for fast or longer rides.

Dan.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by David Kerber
From your description, I'd recommend a mid-range touring
bike, such as a Fuji Touring ($800). It has somewhat wider
tires than a pure road bike, making it easier to ride on the
crushed stone paths and grass cut- throughs. It has a rear
rack, eyelets for fenders if you so choose, a sturdy steel
frame with comfortable, stable geometry and 27-speed
drivetrain with STI shifters. Because of the drivetrain, if
you decide you want to go faster all you need to do is
remove the rack and put on smaller, higher-pressure tires,
and you've got a decent road bike for riding with your
faster friends or entering the occasional citizen's race.

There are plenty of other bikes out there from reputable
manufacturers which would work just as well, but I have
experience with the Fuji, which is why I mentioned it.

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

I would second this opinion.

I would stick with a road type bike with an adjustable stem for a more upright position, many touring bikes come standard with this type of stem.

I would suggest getting a road/touring bike rather than a hybrid due to the fact that they are designed for long distance riding (comfortably) and yet are still pretty fast and very durable. You don't want to make the costly mistake of buying a hybrid to only find out later that you would be happier with a better bike (been there done that).

In my opinion hybrids are good/comfortable for around 25 mile rides but not much more.

Just my .02 worth.

Dan.