Picking a bicycle?

bikezappa

thanks for the clarification mule. those brake/safety bar levers in the past really sucked.

mule

bikezappa wrote: »

thanks for the clarification mule. those brake/safety bar levers in the past really sucked.

fo sho:D

fatchowmein

madmax wrote: »

Do you guys wear the helmets, special shoes, speedos and all that other happy crap? Not judging, just wondering.

Helmet, yes. You never know when a blowout is going to fling you to the ground. Protect the noggin. That's why we call it a brain bucket. In some cities, it's mandatory.

Special shoes, yes, just because I'm using clipless peddles. If you're not using clipless, any sneakers will do as long as you tuck the shoelace into your shoe unless you still have velcro shoes from the 80's. Also, special socks to wick the moisture is a big plus during the summer. Dang heat.

"Speedos", usually. Not to look sexy but because they're well padded and help cushion my keister. They're also comfortable on a hot day, especially down here in Texas. There are baggy, padded bike shorts and I usually wear them if I'm riding to and hanging out at the bookstore for awhile.

Gloves, yes on long rides. Protects from blisters.

As for what bike to get, find out what's the most popular bike shop in your area and go ask them. They'll fit you properly, recommend a bike to fit your style of riding and maybe another one at the next price point above, and let you test drive. A good shop usually will also give free lifetime maintenance which is nice for those periods when you haven't ridden in 6-12 months and it needs to be re-lubed.

Good luck and happy hunting.

sda2mike

madmax

get a small zip up compartment that ties to the frame under your seat. good for keys, wallet, small tools and celly.
get a pump
handlebar extensions are great!
upgrade the seat! i go for the pee wee herman cushy springy type!;) you'll arrive alot happier. plus they're better on the 'plumbing':cool:
get some toe clips. i don't use the whole clip. just the front part. gives great leverage without worrying about your foot slipping off

have fun!

tom t

mule has the type of bike you are looking for. its a hybrid. cross between a mountian bike and road bike. mountian bike comfort,road bike size tires and lighter then a mountian bike. ive had one for 15 years now and still riding it. its the way to go if you dont plan on racing

madmax

I stopped by Dicks to see what the cheaper bikes looked like. I guess one of those would do but I didn't get very excited about the selection. Then, on the way home I see a big sign that said TREK. Could it be? Yes, it was a Trek bike store. I checked out the 7.5, 7.3, Soho and 7200. From looks alone I liked the 7.5 and Soho the best. Now I need to figure out what the difference is. I noticed the Soho has disc brakes and the 7.5 has some carbon fiber thing going on with the forks.
madmax

Ricardo

All this bike talk made me go visit the Trek store (less than 2 miles from home). I test rode the 7500 and FX 7.5

First thing I realized is that my current bike is too small :eek::eek:

I "thought" it was a great fit, but once I rode the right size and with the seat/handlebar set by an expert, I must say that the riding experience was 100% more enjoyable.

I loved the 7500; very confortable ride with almost upright position. Light and FAST. I didn't like the trigger controls in the Treks (I have the "twisting grips" type), but I guess it's a matter of getting used to them. Very smooth ride with seat and fork suspension. Nice colors and looks very sharp.

The FX 7.5 looks even nicer. Riding position is not as upright as the 7500, but still very confortable. It has carbon forks. Ride is not as smooth as the 7500, but this is a more street oriented bike; tires show that (they are like race tires, with no pattern). It is a great bike, very light and fast, and definitely looks cooler.

Tough to choose between both; I'd say I enjoyed more the FX. The sales guy said I should try the 7.6; they didn't have one my size. He says there's a noticeable difference in weight and speed, plus it has carbon inserts in the frame.

Looks like I'm gonna get a new bike. I am going to visit another dealer today; they have Cannondale, Specialized and Giant. But I think it's going to be tough to beat those Trek (Plus, they have 180 days no payments/no interest...)

I'll post back what I decide to do.

Ricardo

madmax wrote: »

The Trek 7.5 FX seems to have some pretty great reviews. What size would a 6'2" 180 pound normal sized guy need?
madmax

Probably the 20"; I'm 6' & 185 pounds and that was the one. The 22.5" was too big. Go back to the store with your shorts and test ride them. You'll have fun.

brettw22

You can get into a decent set of biking shoes for $100ish and the pedals are about half of that i think.

Some of the numbers y'all are throwing out are for a skill level that a beginner won't/can't be at, so there's no sense in going way overboard.

The DEFINITE list:

1. Camelbak - best water option on the road

2. biking shorts - get the pair with the biggest, cushiest pad you can find. I wear the pearl izumi's as well. DO NOT cheap out on a pair of good shorts......they will (literally) save your **** (and, let's be honest, chode)


I'm personally more into the mountain bike option that has the versatility to go offroading if i want, but also can switch teh tires up and use it for primary road use as well. Dealing with frame weight, carbon, etc is WAY above what someone who's just thinking about biking should be considering. I wouldn't get into all of that until you determine exactly what you're needs are down the line after riding another bike for a while........but that's just me.

bobman1235

It may have been mentioned before, but I'd definitely recommend a pair of gloves, btw. They're cheap (10-15 bucks) but it's definitely nice to have the extra padding on longer rides, and plus they usually have a little terry cloth strip on the thumb-side so you can wipe away sweat

mule

The treks and Specialized are a good route to go with, good build quality for the price point and their buying power for parts specs offers great bikes for the price point.

Before Giant sold under the name giant, they were the biggest bicycle manufacturing facility and welded 60 to 70% of all bike made in the world. They built for schwinn, gt and almost any major brand from late 70's to the late 80's when they started focusing on their own "brand".

Cannondale, or as we call them "Crackandfail" is one brand I would avoid like the plague. Poor build quality and their house brand parts are horrible. The pro team one of my friends is wrenching for has broken 12 frames this season and its only june. The team wants to go back to last years bikes but since Crackandfail is a major sponser that is not an option, basically if they were out of pocket that would be about $30,000.00 in frames. Not saying you would break a leisure bike riding around the neighborhood but why buy a bike from a company with a horrible reputation.


Good luck guys, I am stoked you are getting into riding! It is like being a kid all over again. Take the little lady for a ride to the football field and hide behind the bleachers to make out:D Makes me feel like a kid every time

Ricardo

I went to the other dealer but they didn't have too much of a selection. They did have a few Sirrus but not the right size for the "Sport". That's also a nice bike.

I'm pretty sure I'll get the Trek 7500. For my age and type of riding I think it's the right choice (over the FX 7.5); not planning on competing.....yet

madmax

I need to go back and ride the 7.5. I was afraid to when I was there last time because I knew I would buy one. Not a good thing when you have no place to keep it for a month until you get a house...
madmax

killerb

i just got a fuji cyclocross cross pro. it has great gear for the money and can be taken on trails and the road. comes with shimano ultegra and dura ace gear thats hard to beat in that price range. $1200 from performance bikes with an 20% rebate for gear from the shop.

http://fujibikes.com/2008/bikes.asp?id=420

Libertyc

I still have my first mountain bike a Trek 820 with some upgrades I added over the years. It's still a decent bike but it sort of is my beater bike I take down the shore every year.
I also have a 5 year old Cannondale hybird which is very light and more laid back than the Trek. So Cannondale turned to crap? They used to be one of the better brands. I really like my Cannondale...it was in the $600 range.

Ricardo

Went back and rode both again, and decided to get the 7.5 FX. There was something about the handlebar and brake levers in the 7500 that looked cheap.

Mine will be red.

madmax

Other than the Trek what are the other two bikes I need to look at to be an informed consumer?
madmax

mule

Trek and Specialized will be the 2 biggest name brands for that type of bike.

Then maybe Jamis, Raleigh and fuji.

I'm not to sure how many companies are makeing that exact type of bike. It is actually a somewhat new breed, before you would either see "hybrids" that are horrible or race bikes that you wouldn't really be interested in.

VSchneider

madmax wrote: »

Other than the Trek what are the other two bikes I need to look at to be an informed consumer?
madmax

Specialized Sirrus and Fuji Absolute.

shack

madmax wrote:

Other than the Trek what are the other two bikes I need to look at to be an informed consumer?
madmax

I think Giant makes a nice bike. Given what you have indicated that your riding may be I would think the Cypress or Sedona series might fit your needs.

Giant Cypress

Giant Sedona

goingganzo

i am a mountan biker my self i have distroyed a few 10 speed rims in my days. i ride on a gary fisher

Ricardo

I got my 7.5 FX yesterday; went for a ride and put 10 miles on it. I was a bit concerned on not having any suspension, but it was not a problem; I guess the carbon forks do help there. If I had to complain on something, that would be the handlebar; it is very short and you're very limited on where you can put your hands. This was one of the cons in most reviews, and something that I guess comes with the type of bike; the Specialized I saw had the same problem. If it becomes a problem for longer rides, there's always the possibility of changing it or installing some extensions.

All in all it's a great bike that rides fast and handles very well. A plus is that the Trek store gives lifetime adjustments, lifetime warranty on the frame, and 5 years in most components.

Do your homework Chuck, but this is a great option IMO. I guess I need to thank you...if it wasn't for this thread I would still be riding my old "small" bike

bobman1235

It's a standard handlebar right? Are you used to something more? I suppose if you're used to a street bike with the curved bar where there's a bunch of different ways you can put your hands, it might be odd, but with a standard handlebar there's pretty much one position.

The risers / extensions are nice for downhills and whatnot though, and they won't break the bank.

Ricardo

bobman1235 wrote: »

It's a standard handlebar right? Are you used to something more? I suppose if you're used to a street bike with the curved bar where there's a bunch of different ways you can put your hands, it might be odd, but with a standard handlebar there's pretty much one position.

The risers / extensions are nice for downhills and whatnot though, and they won't break the bank.

It's actually not the handlebar, it's the grips; there's not much tolerance to place your hands and it feels weird.

steveinaz

F that, get somethin with a "throttle" cable...LOL

mule

If you are having issues with the grips you might want to study up on these...

http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/grips/grip_ergonomics.html

I personally wouldn't use them, but I know many people that love them and if thats all it takes to make you happy on your bike then you are lucky.

madmax

Ricardo wrote: »

I got my 7.5 FX yesterday

Just wondering, what was the decision process on which size to get? I see they offer about 4 frame sizes.
madmax

Oh yeah, CONGRATS!!!

Norm Apter

I'm 6'2, 180 lbs (I think you or someelse mentioned that they are the same size) and my Trek 4300 is 22.5 in. I was professionally fitted at a bike shop before I made my purchase and it has felt right, ever since I bought it 5 years ago.

dorokusai

This is what the cool people ride.

Honda Mini Trail

madmax

Norm Apter wrote: »

I'm 6'2, 180 lbs (I think you or someelse mentioned that they are the same size) and my Trek 4300 is 22.5 in. I was professionally fitted at a bike shop before I made my purchase and it has felt right, ever since I bought it 5 years ago.

Just curious, do you remember how they determined the size? I'm just into how its done, for example I've already read their manual on how to determine exact seat height. Something about the frame size said you should have 1" between the top bar and your crotch with your feet flat on the ground. I'm guessing that is a good telltale sign the frame is the correct size? On your professionally sized bike where is your crotch, if I may be so bold to ask?
madmax