New Cyclist (Hopefully)

$500 will get you a cheap generic new bike or a better used one on ebay. Right now if I had to start all over again I'd get a Trek Pilot s.p.a. for $1459, the Giant OCR 1 is ok at $900.

One of the good things about cheaper hybrid bikes as opposed to roadbikes is the third chainring with easier hill climbing gears while you're getting in shape. Cannondales are nice but I went with Trek, alot of affordable road-friendly features in the lineup.

I just started riding again over the last few weeks....

The last time I rode a bike it was purely for transportation means. When I did not have a car the bike was the next best thing....

The bike I have now I bought about 6 years ago while living in an apartment. It is very basic mountain bike that I bought from Target and used it only to get from one place to another.

As I said I have started riding agin over the last few weeks.... I do about 10 miles a day 3 or 4 days a week and more on weekends. The main reason for this is to lose some weight and get some cardio workout. I did not go out and buy a fancy bike... I took my old one out of the shed, cleaned it up, filled the tires, and started riding. The ride could be better with more expensive equipment but you know what... it is still good excercise sonsidering it is a $150 bike that is 6 years old.

I plan on replacing the tires... they are the knobby offroad ones, and I want to get something a little smoother for riding on the road. But my long term plan is to find some old bikes at yard sales or flea markets or maybe even on line and re-build them.... I will then not only have nice road bikes with good brand name parts, but I will also have the satisfaction of building them from old bikes.

So my point in this long winded rant is that you dont need a fancy bike... buy one from target or walmart and as you get more serious about riding and into better shape then move on up... that is my plan anyway.

windmillninja said:

Hi all.

I would really like to start getting into road cycling, but I don't have a clue where to start except that I'm looking at either a Trek or a Cannondale. I'm a fairly big fella, 6'0", 250lbs, so I know size is a factor. Since I'm just getting into it, I don't want to spend a large sum of money on anything. If I can keep my budget at close to $500, that would be great. Any suggestions as to particular models I should begin looking at?

for an inexpensive road bike you might try buying one off of ebay... a seller there named
"chicabike" sells Dawes bicycles for less than 500 and Im very happy with mine.

I got the low end model so I have stem shifters and only 14 speeds but I got what I wanted and I have so far put 75 miles on it with no problems...

You can't even hardly get a decent wheelset for $500 dollars.

If I were you I'd expect to pay at least $1500 and probably more like $2500 for something that will keep you satisfied.

I would go check out your local bike shop. Ebay and other sources seem great, but you might want to really know what fits you best before you go and spend a wad of $$$.

Your L.B.S. and help you find an affordable bike to start off on. Once you start really getting into things, then you can do the upgrading.

Working with your L.B.S. also helps ensure you have a place to ask any questions you might have as well as help with any problems. Don't underestimate their help, especially with adjusting the bike to fit you and helping you choose the correct bike for your size.

A lot of bike snobs on here that forget where they started.

I don't think it's necessary to spend a lot of money on the bike as long as you get something that fits you right and works for you. If you take to the sport you can be a more informed buyer next time after learning what you like and don't like.

A Giant OCR 2 or 3 is some pretty decent bang for the buck if you ask me but if you ask 100 people for their opinion on bikes...then you will likely get at least 70 opinions.

If you have some coin to spend and are convinced that you will ride and it is not just a passing fancy then maybe step up and buy a midrange bike now but you don't sound too confident so I'd be fairly conservative.

It's not about the bike....it's what you do with it.

Savagewolf said:

I would go check out your local bike shop. Ebay and other sources seem great, but you might want to really know what fits you best before you go and spend a wad of $$$.

Your L.B.S. and help you find an affordable bike to start off on. Once you start really getting into things, then you can do the upgrading.

Working with your L.B.S. also helps ensure you have a place to ask any questions you might have as well as help with any problems. Don't underestimate their help, especially with adjusting the bike to fit you and helping you choose the correct bike for your size.

just something to consider, but there are levels of bike "fit". When I purchased
my Trek 7100 from the LBS they give you a "general" bike fit (no more than similar advice I got on frame size from an onlike dealer) and they made sure that the seat was adjusted properly, again something that you can find on the web as well.

now if you are talking about the "bike fit" that goes along the lines of software to figure out whats your optimum position on the bike and seat angle
etc that usually costs extra. And its used for setting up a bike for use in time trials and triathlons... so again blanket statements about how the LBS will truly "fit" you to your bike have to be taken with a grain of salt...

there are also ways to make a "general" size bike fit you through changing some things on the bike (usually put on for free at a bike shop) but if you educate yourself you can do the same thing inexpensively.

for examle you can change stem height/length etc.

do a google for "sheldon brown" and he has articles on bike fit AND how to
change a bike to make it fit better through some inexpensive equipment changes.

windmillninja said:

Hi all.

I would really like to start getting into road cycling, but I don't have a clue where to start except that I'm looking at either a Trek or a Cannondale. I'm a fairly big fella, 6'0", 250lbs, so I know size is a factor. Since I'm just getting into it, I don't want to spend a large sum of money on anything. If I can keep my budget at close to $500, that would be great. Any suggestions as to particular models I should begin looking at?

The trek 1000 is a fine bike from one of the best bike companys. One of my coworkers just bought one for his wife and himself. He loves em. He is 6'0 and prob 225. They make the bike in many sizes so you'll be able to find one to fit you fine.

JTE83 said:

$500 will get you a cheap generic new bike or a better used one on ebay. Right now if I had to start all over again I'd get a Trek Pilot s.p.a. for $1459, the Giant OCR 1 is ok at $900.

Hi all,
Just bought myself a Trek Pilot 2.1 s.p.a. last month ( bet that makes JTE83 j[font='Times New Roman']ealous). I'm up to 80+ miles per week.[/font]
[font='Times New Roman'][/font]
[font='Times New Roman']My last bike (which was my first in 26 years) is a "Gary Fisher Zebrano S". This is a hybrid. Cost me $440 new last year. I found it to be a great bike to start off with. Which is for sale right now. So if anyone living in the SouthEast Massachusetts area is interested. I'm only asking $300 firm. Just had it in for a 1 yr check-up. ( frame size is 51cm)[/font]
[font='Times New Roman'][/font]
[font='Times New Roman']Russ B[/font]

It's all a matter of preference I guess, but I'll stick strongly to going the local bike shop route. You can do a lot of research, which you should, but you'll never really know until you actually sit on the bike.

If I were buying a car, I could do a lot of research and get a lot of advice and help from a dealer...but I definetely wouldn't buy one until I'd given it a test drive and see that it fits me.

Just starting out in biking can be somewhat daunting if you don't know much. I think the few extra dollars you might save online aren't worth the extra help you can get at the local bike shop.