severe newbie

sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗
If nothing else the encyclopedia should help you with the terms.

Is Tacos Morenos still around in Santa Cruz? I think they changed ownership in 2000, but before that...those Burritos. It's almost worth a trip across the Atlantic just to experience those[img]cyclingforums.comsmile.gifOpen ↗[/img]

The short answer for what to look for first is: Get the right size for you. If it doesn't fit properly it will give you problems. Second: The right number of gears for the area you'll be riding in. If you live in a relatively flat area you may only need 2 gears in the front and 8 in the back, this will give you a godd range. If you live in an area like me 70% hills and some of them are steep, a 30 speed like mine, 3 in front and 10 in the back. Third: my be the type of shifting the bike has. I know all the higher end bikes have a ratcheting type of shifters. ( push the lever until it clicks and it shifts 1 gear).

Also don't buy a bike unless you have riden it. You can compare. Test ride some just to find the most comfortable size. Test ride others for comfort and options. Atfer all no one buys a car without ever driving it. And most cars one size fits all, not true with bikes.

inatree said:

hi, i'm a newbie to road cycling and i dont know ANYTHING.

I think this sticky post on buying a bike is exactly what you need to get up to speed quickly

roadcycling.nett33794.htmlOpen ↗

thank you for the replies, they have been very helpful!!

is there anything specific i should avoid? i live in a semi-hilly area, i think i definetely need more than 2 gears!

Make sure you can use the brakes from down in the drops, thats the bottom loop of the road bike. A lot of bikes have brakes that are too far away for a female to reach.

Have a look at the Woman's specific bikes, they are designed a little different to the Men's bikes to allow for the differences in our body shapes.

You mention money as being a big issue. One thing I found after owning my bike for a few years is that accessories and maintenance cost a bit when added together. You'll need a decent floor pump, lube for the chain and others parts, spare brake pads, some form of front and rear lights (batteries unless you go for a dynamo system), basic clothing such as gloves for the winter, a spoke wrench, maybe a few basic tools which could save you money by changing brake pads yourself etc. It really does add up quite fast. A bicycle computer to measure distance is another handy item.
So far as the bike itself is concerned, one current fad seems to be fewer spokes on the wheels, which is generally considered a bad thing. My road bike is a 2002 model and came with the full set of spokes (thirty something per wheel).

See if a bicycle maintenance class is given in your area. Hopefully one that involves overhauling hubs (probably 10 2hr sessions or so). Take that, perhaps buying a bike off craigslist for less than $100 that sounds like the style you like (you will need a bike to overhaul for the class). Once you do that you will understand what you need better, and what the tradeoffs between quality and $$ are.

If that is impossible:
parktools.com
sheldonbrown.com

Get a book like the Zinn maintenance books. Buy a cheap tool set ($50) or if you are serious a park tool set. Try it yourself. Most bikes are fairly simple mechanisms.

Some bike shops will let you rent a mechanic to show you stuff, but you are better off with someone who taught a course a few times.

See if there is a bicycling club in your area.