New rider

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>> "Harry" == Harry <[email hidden]> writes:

Harry> Just a quick question. What type of bike would you guys
Harry> recommend for a novice rider to buy?

I started cycling to the city from about four months ago after a 12 year
break. I use a Trek 1200 which I got mainly because I wanted a road
bike and that's one of the few that have mountings for panniers.
Unfortunately I could be in one of three places so I have to take my
laptop with me wherever I go.

I fitted it out with a Topeak rack and Ortleib panniers and am very
pleased with them. I went though a lot of spokes on the rear wheel,
about seven in two months, and ended up getting the whole thing
rebuilt. Since then I haven't had any problems with it. Oh and I also
replaced the rear tire with a Continental FPS which has pretty much
stopped punctures.

Overall I'm very happy with it, although I sometimes wonder if a hybrid
with road trues would have been better for my purposes, seeing as it a
commuting bike after all. But then again when the panniers come off and
I just go for a ride it sure does feel nice :-)

Harry> I'm just looking for something new to add to my fitness
Harry> program.

Go for it :-) It's without a doubt the best thing I did for myself last
year.

I will say though that you've got to stretch for about ten minutes at
the end of the ride; it seems pansy wansy and I didn't bother for the
first couple of weeks. That's when I started to get back ache from stiff
hamstrings.

Harry> Obviously I don't intend on riding from Frankston to
Harry> Melbourne anytime soon but figured a could catch the train
Harry> for a way and ride the rest. Any thoughts appreciated.

Bumped in to a guy (not literally) on the Nepean who cycles from the CBD
to Frankston each way twice a weak on a mountain bike. By his own
admission not the fittest chap on the road by a long chalk and it takes
him about two and a half hours. Just thought you'd like to know :-)

--
Regards
Euan

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>> "Harry" == Harry <[email hidden]> writes:

Go for it :-) It's without a doubt the best thing I did for myself last
year.

Quoted message said:

Bumped in to a guy (not literally) on the Nepean who cycles from the CBD
to Frankston each way twice a weak on a mountain bike. By his own
admission not the fittest chap on the road by a long chalk and it takes
him about two and a half hours. Just thought you'd like to know :-)

--
Regards
Euan

Thank for that Euan, much appreciated.

Quoted message said:

Harry<

Visit as many bike shops as you can to get a good idea of what
available in your price range

I'm no expert but IMO when buying a bike make sure you fee
comfortable with the reach to the handlebars. The top tube length an
stem length (horizontal stem that holds the handlebars) determine you
reach. Even if you don't buy anything it would be good to go hom
knowing what length TT and stem of the bike you sat on that felt ok o
the best to you

This is handy to know as a dodgy bike shop may want to sell what the
have in stock rather than order in a size bike more appropriate to you

I think its best if you decide what type of bike you want since peopl
commute on all sorts of bikes

The following links are online forums on bike commuting which would b
worth reading

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=2

http://www.cyclingforums.com/f3

-

gescom said:

Visit as many bike shops as you can to get a good idea of whats
available in your price range.

I'm no expert but IMO when buying a bike make sure you feel
comfortable with the reach to the handlebars. The top tube length and
stem length (horizontal stem that holds the handlebars) determine your
reach. Even if you don't buy anything it would be good to go home
knowing what length TT and stem of the bike you sat on that felt ok or
the best to you.

Amen.

I'd like to add, that if the shop doesn't adjust the seat etc. to the
correct position *before* you take it for a test ride, then maybe
you should be considering a better shop, or at least badger them about
it a bit. Some shops will go the whole way and set you up on a trainer,
get the seat position right, and check other things. This might be a
bit impractical for test riding a 1/2 dozen bikes, they should at least
ensure it's somewhere near correct.

When I went to buy my first adult bike, I hadn't ridden since I was a kid.
You test-ride the bike around the parking lot, maybe up the street a
little. It feels just plain weird, the difference between one bike and
another will come down to maybe things like the tyre inflation, or how
hard the seat is. I know for me, since it was so long since I had ridden,
I was concentrating mainly on how to stay upright rather than the subtle
nuances of steering.

As you test-ride, think about how your legs feel... Is it like driving a
car with the seat too far forward - do you feel all crunched up? Or are
you feel very reached-out, almost straining to reach the handlebars ?
It's important to get the basic frame size correct (as possible), because
it can be fairly easy to tweak seat and handlebar settings, but this has
limits, and if the frame is too big, then it can become difficult to make
it fit you (notwithstanding specialised things like seatposts with 'L'
bends etc.)

Someone else mentioned swapping out the tyres for some non-knobbly ones -
definately the way to go.

cheers,
-kt

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

Quoted message said:

gescom said:

Visit as many bike shops as you can to get a good idea of whats
available in your price range.

I'm no expert but IMO when buying a bike make sure you feel
comfortable with the reach to the handlebars. The top tube length and
stem length (horizontal stem that holds the handlebars) determine your
reach. Even if you don't buy anything it would be good to go home
knowing what length TT and stem of the bike you sat on that felt ok or
the best to you.

Amen.

I'd like to add, that if the shop doesn't adjust the seat etc. to the
correct position *before* you take it for a test ride, then maybe
you should be considering a better shop, or at least badger them about
it a bit. Some shops will go the whole way and set you up on a trainer,
get the seat position right, and check other things. This might be a
bit impractical for test riding a 1/2 dozen bikes, they should at least
ensure it's somewhere near correct.

When I went to buy my first adult bike, I hadn't ridden since I was a kid.
You test-ride the bike around the parking lot, maybe up the street a
little. It feels just plain weird, the difference between one bike and
another will come down to maybe things like the tyre inflation, or how
hard the seat is. I know for me, since it was so long since I had ridden,
I was concentrating mainly on how to stay upright rather than the subtle
nuances of steering.

As you test-ride, think about how your legs feel... Is it like driving a
car with the seat too far forward - do you feel all crunched up? Or are
you feel very reached-out, almost straining to reach the handlebars ?
It's important to get the basic frame size correct (as possible), because
it can be fairly easy to tweak seat and handlebar settings, but this has
limits, and if the frame is too big, then it can become difficult to make
it fit you (notwithstanding specialised things like seatposts with 'L'
bends etc.)

Someone else mentioned swapping out the tyres for some non-knobbly ones -
definately the way to go.

cheers,
-kt

Thanks alot guys. Great advice, I'm buying this weekend

cheers
Harry