What bike suits me?

yeah go to a bike shop and see what they have, 13 miles is ok for a return trip, but 26 miles is another story, for commuting at least, not impossible but hard, at least your other hobbies don't seem to be on the expensive side, a good bike can be pricey,

Fixes look nice on paper but lack real world practicality. Unless you get one that has a reversible hub (so one side can coast, and is not fixed) it can get old quick never being able to freewheel. I'd say knock yourself out if you lived in a completely flat place and were only planning on some commuting but you mentioned the possibility of longer rides. Best thing is to take one for a quick spin at a bike shop to confirm.

My advice - stay away from the department stores, and check out entry level road bikes (usually $450-500+) at a real bike shop. Then take it from there.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Jesse Zamora [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I currently ride a Mongoose XR-75 with 26" wheels, and it's a little too small for me.

Although it gets the job done, I want one that I can comfortably ride for my 1-3 hour rides. I live 13 miles from the closest beach, and 26 miles from my favorite beach. I 'think' I want a fixed gear bicycle, but I've never actually shopped for bicycles outside of a big-box store such as walmart/target. I'm looking for something affordable, I'm a full-time student and split my money between hobbies (paintball, hiking, swimming, etc.)

I'm 6'0", 170lb, inseam - 32~.

I realize that your Mongoose XR-75 is a bike with some limitations ....

However, if you currently have a limited budget then before you buy a new bike you may want to investigate the feasibility of simply using a longer (350mm-400mm) seatpost + a different stem/handlebar combination ...

When you have the time, it may be worth looking at some of the bikes which are sold in a bike shop ...

They are different from the bikes which you will see at Walmart ...

• Heck, some chainrings (e.g., Dura Ace) can easily cost more than an entire bike which you will find at Walmart!
  

But, while there IS a difference between the bikes & components which you will see in a bike shop compared with the bikes at Walmart/Target, the question which should ALWAYS be asked is whether there is true value in the price difference ...

Regardless, before you go with a Single Speed OR a Fixie, you may want to try riding around WITHOUT shifting during the entire ride between wherever you live & the beach-or-other-destination(s) ...

• If the incline has a slope of more than 2º then a Fixie may be really tedious on the descents ... as danfoz noted, it can "get old quick"
  
• If the uphill has a variable, rolling incline, then a Single Speed could be tedious unless you resign yourself to a relatively low gear ratio.
  

The longer you wait before you buy a 'new' bike, the better off you will probably be.

Understanding that almost no one has an inclinometer on their bike that reads in degrees or that anyone with relevant information refers to road angle instead of road slope, I'll add that 2° would be the angle betwixt horizontal and a road with a grade of 3.5%

I have never ride Mongoose XR-75 but heard a lot about it that it has amazing functions. I wanted to try it once but I don't know whether it will suit me or not.

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