What to buy? Newbie who needs help.

Hi there, BLDR, and welcome to the forums. A bike like the one your friend is offering would probably be a pretty good deal. If you're thinking of starting racing, then an entry level road bike (second hand) would be ideal for deciding if you like the sport and want to continue. Use the time on a less good bike for getting used to the setup of the bike and saving for upgrades.

On the other hand, you can't take a road bike off road, which is a bit of a bummer. The problem with having a limited budget like yours is that you need to decide which of the two bikes you need/want more and then spend your money accordingly.

As for never having ridden a road bike before, it is fairly simple and I'm sure that if you have never ridden one before, you can learn easily. It sounds like your friend is a fairly experienced rider, and he would probably be more then happy to help you out. 🙂

And if you're intending to start racing, go for your life. There are plenty of friendly clubs around, and most of them are very welcoming to new riders (especially juniors) with limited experience.

Thanks Etxy, but what about riding gear? Would I look like an idiot if I rode a road bike in street clothes or would I have to buy The proper "atire"?

Once again, it depends on how serious you are about the sport at first. When starting off on your first road bike, it would make most sense to start off with Street clothes, whilst you decide whether you like the feeling of a road bike and whether you actually want to become more serious about it. Of course, once you have decided whether you want to continue cycling, then it would be a good move to get cycling clothes. They are a lot more comfortable and aerodynamic. But cycling is an expensive sport, so be prepared to spend a fair amount if you decide you want/need cycling clothes. Perhaps your friend would be willing to sell you some shoes and pedals, as they are the most important component to speed after the bike and tyres.

Hey BLDR,

I am guessing you live in Boulder, CO. If so let me know and I will give you some clothes to train in. How big are you. You can e-mail me at [email hidden]

-Chuck

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by chuckc
Hey BLDR,

I am guessing you live in Boulder, CO. If so let me know and I will give you some clothes to train in. How big are you. You can e-mail me at [email hidden]

-Chuck

What gave you that idea? If it was the name BLDR, that stands for Builder, sorry. But thanks for the offer.

I'm a 16 year old cyclist.ok put it frank if u want to do miles easy ROAD bike is it but for few dirty miles MTB is good but a MTB on the road is [censored] becasue the wide tyres bounce around and S*&^ . I race road /track and have a good dual shock MTB(21kg)
the thing is it is fun to have choices like on a busy day i go MTB for fun Or when i race and train I'm on me 4kg Carbon Merida Venus C7

Back to the original question-- what to wear to train in--

wear t-shirts, just your good, basic white tees or tank.

Then, spend some money on decent bike shorts.

as for socks, I wear somewhat thin athletic socks that you can buy at Footlocker or whatever.

If it turns out you really like cycling, then start investing in a good jersey, another pair of shorts, et cetera.
good luck!

p.s. catalogs like performance and nashbar are great for ordering shorts and jersey, and they usually have a great vareity

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by mingcat9
Back to the original question-- what to wear to train in--

wear t-shirts, just your good, basic white tees or tank.

Then, spend some money on decent bike shorts.

as for socks, I wear somewhat thin athletic socks that you can buy at Footlocker or whatever.

If it turns out you really like cycling, then start investing in a good jersey, another pair of shorts, et cetera.
good luck!

p.s. catalogs like performance and nashbar are great for ordering shorts and jersey, and they usually have a great vareity

Goooood Shorts a must!....

I agree shorts with good padding and I definitely like use the pockets on the back of cycling jerseys to carry various items. Of course you can always add a small under seat bag for that. The jersey pockets are accessable while still on the bike.
I think I have 5 pair of shorts and 6 jerseys(not counting regular tops I ride in) and will probably add more this summer.
I do have a friend in the business which helps on the financial end of buying cycling clothes.