How to you pick the best bike brand for you?
March 6, 2023 2:31 PM Subscribe
I've been to a few local bike shops and it seems around me they mostly tend to specialize in 1 or 2 brands, so to try several brands to pick the one that fits me best, I would need to go to a lot of local bike shops. Is that correct? Is there a better way to narrow it down?
I've been riding a Giant Sedona hybrid bike for several years. It's comfortable, but it's also slow and heavy. I'd like something that could go a little faster if I wanted to push myself or if I wanted to join a few group rides.
So I'm looking for something like an endurance road bike that will be comfortable on my normal rides, but a little faster than what I have currently. I usually ride 20 to 30 miles 2 times a week (Saturday and Sunday). Mostly in a very upright position, but if it's windy or if I feel like pushing myself I find myself wanting to lean out over the handle bars to get into more of an aero style position.
Budget isn't the main issue for me, but I'm concerned about dropping too much on something that I know I won't maintain. I would pay for something that would tend to be more maintenance free. I don't maintain my current bike well at all. I have the energy to take it out to ride every weekend, but I can't get into the habit of cleaning it. I ride mostly on bike paths near the beach, and the salt air and general lack of routine maintenance has my current bike rusting in several places -- even important parts like the chain and chain rings. I'd hate to drop $3K+ on a bike if I know it's likely to rust out from under me.
I'm on the shorter side for a male - 5' 6".
So how do I narrow it down to 1 or two brands so I can try to find which local bike shops may have them for me to try out?
I've been riding a Giant Sedona hybrid bike for several years. It's comfortable, but it's also slow and heavy. I'd like something that could go a little faster if I wanted to push myself or if I wanted to join a few group rides.
So I'm looking for something like an endurance road bike that will be comfortable on my normal rides, but a little faster than what I have currently. I usually ride 20 to 30 miles 2 times a week (Saturday and Sunday). Mostly in a very upright position, but if it's windy or if I feel like pushing myself I find myself wanting to lean out over the handle bars to get into more of an aero style position.
Budget isn't the main issue for me, but I'm concerned about dropping too much on something that I know I won't maintain. I would pay for something that would tend to be more maintenance free. I don't maintain my current bike well at all. I have the energy to take it out to ride every weekend, but I can't get into the habit of cleaning it. I ride mostly on bike paths near the beach, and the salt air and general lack of routine maintenance has my current bike rusting in several places -- even important parts like the chain and chain rings. I'd hate to drop $3K+ on a bike if I know it's likely to rust out from under me.
I'm on the shorter side for a male - 5' 6".
So how do I narrow it down to 1 or two brands so I can try to find which local bike shops may have them for me to try out?
The bike will surely rust out from under you if you don’t maintain and protect it, no matter what the brand or the cost.
The bike shops can help narrow your choices; tell them your needs and preferences- that’s their job.
‘Endurance’ bikes will usually have drop bars, larger tires, and a larger ‘trail’ or angled steering tube. Trek, Giant, Specailized,Marin, all make such bikes. Choose one from a reputable manufacturer and the shop usually includes free maintenance with a new bike.
posted by TDIpod at 2:51 PM on March 6, 2023
The bike shops can help narrow your choices; tell them your needs and preferences- that’s their job.
‘Endurance’ bikes will usually have drop bars, larger tires, and a larger ‘trail’ or angled steering tube. Trek, Giant, Specailized,Marin, all make such bikes. Choose one from a reputable manufacturer and the shop usually includes free maintenance with a new bike.
posted by TDIpod at 2:51 PM on March 6, 2023
If you have $3K to spend on a bike, you could get one custom built for you. This is what I did.
I went into a bike shop about 18 years ago and they put me on something called a Fit Kit. Essentially they get you to ride a stationary bike while they adjust all the parameters like fork length / angle, gear ratio, top tube length, etc. etc. They do this until they find the perfect fit for you. Then, you get a frame built to match those ideal measurements.
When I did this, I ended up getting a custom-made Marinoni Pista, which I had them make in an unbranded pink, which you can see here. Obviously, I decided to go with a single speed bike. I did this because I hate the weight and the fiddly-ness of gears. I also hate maintaining them. However, the gear ratio chosen during the fit kit process ensures I have no issues with hills and such (I live in Toronto, not SF). I can ride this bike 400+ KM a week without issue of fatigue or pain. It fits me perfectly.
The only maintenance I do is about once a year, I run a Green Disc over the chain. Dead simple. Occasionally I wipe it down wth a rag, but that's it. I don't leave it outside to rust and I never intentionally ride in the rain. As I said, it's almost 20 years old, yet it has zero rust. I have sealed hubs and bottom bracket (Phil Wood), White Industries Free Wheel, and a Chris King Headset, all of which I believe are about as low maintenance as you can get. It's also fast as fuck.
Not counting my dog, my bike is the best purchase I've ever made.
posted by dobbs at 2:59 PM on March 6, 2023 [4 favorites]
I went into a bike shop about 18 years ago and they put me on something called a Fit Kit. Essentially they get you to ride a stationary bike while they adjust all the parameters like fork length / angle, gear ratio, top tube length, etc. etc. They do this until they find the perfect fit for you. Then, you get a frame built to match those ideal measurements.
When I did this, I ended up getting a custom-made Marinoni Pista, which I had them make in an unbranded pink, which you can see here. Obviously, I decided to go with a single speed bike. I did this because I hate the weight and the fiddly-ness of gears. I also hate maintaining them. However, the gear ratio chosen during the fit kit process ensures I have no issues with hills and such (I live in Toronto, not SF). I can ride this bike 400+ KM a week without issue of fatigue or pain. It fits me perfectly.
The only maintenance I do is about once a year, I run a Green Disc over the chain. Dead simple. Occasionally I wipe it down wth a rag, but that's it. I don't leave it outside to rust and I never intentionally ride in the rain. As I said, it's almost 20 years old, yet it has zero rust. I have sealed hubs and bottom bracket (Phil Wood), White Industries Free Wheel, and a Chris King Headset, all of which I believe are about as low maintenance as you can get. It's also fast as fuck.
Not counting my dog, my bike is the best purchase I've ever made.
posted by dobbs at 2:59 PM on March 6, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I don't know if this answer is helpful for you, but I think it's often better to do this the other way: find a shop you like and trust, and then buy the brand of bike they carry that meets your requirements. It's no fun to buy a perfect bike from a bunch of jerks and feel like they hate you or are judging you every time you're in the store. Maybe you'll have a frame geometry requirement that any given Local Bike Shop might not be able to accommodate, but chances are pretty low that an LBS could stay in business selling bikes that aren't good. And if you're specific about certain components a friendly LBS might be happy to swap parts for you and then sell the pulled parts themselves.
posted by fedward at 3:02 PM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by fedward at 3:02 PM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: So how do I narrow it down to 1 or two brands so I can try to find which local bike shops may have them for me to try out?
Hmm. I think you're thinking about this a little inside-out. Here's why I say that:
Most bike companies make most kinds of bicycles. Some are a little more high-end race oriented, and some fill out the mid-range of the market a little bit more, but most companies make most kinds of bicycles. And it's uncommon that one brand will fit you and another won't. (It can happen - I'm an experienced and picky cyclist and I know that there are a couple brands out there, and their sizing philosophy doesn't work with a couple of my particulars. But it's very uncommon!)
So, how do you know what brand to go with? Well - you go with what's locally available. So, I think what you should do is look around at your local bike shops, see what brands they stock, and then look up models that might be in line with what kind of riding you do. That gives you a starting point - a place to compare similar models and see what you like.
And then you pick a shop, too. What place is friendly? Which place has staff that are helping you figure out what works for you? Which is the place that says "Oh, if you need a different size stem, we have a drawer full, we can just swap it out" versus "Yes, we can order one for you, that'll be an extra $80."
posted by entropone at 3:03 PM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Hmm. I think you're thinking about this a little inside-out. Here's why I say that:
Most bike companies make most kinds of bicycles. Some are a little more high-end race oriented, and some fill out the mid-range of the market a little bit more, but most companies make most kinds of bicycles. And it's uncommon that one brand will fit you and another won't. (It can happen - I'm an experienced and picky cyclist and I know that there are a couple brands out there, and their sizing philosophy doesn't work with a couple of my particulars. But it's very uncommon!)
So, how do you know what brand to go with? Well - you go with what's locally available. So, I think what you should do is look around at your local bike shops, see what brands they stock, and then look up models that might be in line with what kind of riding you do. That gives you a starting point - a place to compare similar models and see what you like.
And then you pick a shop, too. What place is friendly? Which place has staff that are helping you figure out what works for you? Which is the place that says "Oh, if you need a different size stem, we have a drawer full, we can just swap it out" versus "Yes, we can order one for you, that'll be an extra $80."
posted by entropone at 3:03 PM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: As a petite woman transportation cyclist, I Hear You on the "maintenance-free, please!" thing. I would be looking for a belt drive bike rather than one with a chain if low maintenance was my absolute number one priority (above speed), but from what I've seen, belt drives tend to be on bikes that top out around 7-8 speeds (1x7 or 1x8), not 20+ gears(2x or 3x). That being said, chain replacement is pretty easy, to be expected, something your LBS can handle easily, and sometimes even just replacing a few individual links is enough; it's how I've handled rust on my bike chain when I've had to store my bike outside in Boston winters. But depending on the amount of cash you end up dropping, you may need to acquire a more active maintenance routine to take care of your new baby. Ask the bike shop for advice on how to find a balance that works for you!
But my approach to bike shopping flips your premise on its head - I'm not going to necessarily try to narrow down my brands *before* finding a shop, I'm going to go to a few local bike shops and test ride the bikes they actually have, and bring up maintenance questions with the staff there. Because the LBSes are going to be the ones I bring the bike to for inevitable repairs, so it's better for me to buy a bike from them that they're familiar with and can repair easily. Especially for a bike that's going to be an improvement on what you currently have, but not having "so specific that you need to go custom or import specially from somewhere" criteria.
On preview: ha, I'm in good company with everyone else saying "try the shops on for size first before determining what bike brands to look at" :)
posted by Pandora Kouti at 3:09 PM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
But my approach to bike shopping flips your premise on its head - I'm not going to necessarily try to narrow down my brands *before* finding a shop, I'm going to go to a few local bike shops and test ride the bikes they actually have, and bring up maintenance questions with the staff there. Because the LBSes are going to be the ones I bring the bike to for inevitable repairs, so it's better for me to buy a bike from them that they're familiar with and can repair easily. Especially for a bike that's going to be an improvement on what you currently have, but not having "so specific that you need to go custom or import specially from somewhere" criteria.
On preview: ha, I'm in good company with everyone else saying "try the shops on for size first before determining what bike brands to look at" :)
posted by Pandora Kouti at 3:09 PM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm going to do that annoying thing of not answering your question. Dude, you have GOT to take care of your chain. That and tire inflation are not negotiable.
Have a rag or three around. Drip lube on your chain while you're spinning the cranks with the other hand, so it gets on all the links. Then hold one of the rags with one hand while spinning with the other, to pull of the extra lube and any dirt. Good, you're done, no bath required. Do this every other time you ride.
Make sure your tires are inflated right.
You can, of course, be much more elaborate and detailed about maintenance. But these two things are not optional. This internet stranger forbids you to buy a new bike if you're not gonna take care of the chain. I can hear it creaking from here. Don't make me yell at you.
posted by Dashy at 3:17 PM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
Have a rag or three around. Drip lube on your chain while you're spinning the cranks with the other hand, so it gets on all the links. Then hold one of the rags with one hand while spinning with the other, to pull of the extra lube and any dirt. Good, you're done, no bath required. Do this every other time you ride.
Make sure your tires are inflated right.
You can, of course, be much more elaborate and detailed about maintenance. But these two things are not optional. This internet stranger forbids you to buy a new bike if you're not gonna take care of the chain. I can hear it creaking from here. Don't make me yell at you.
posted by Dashy at 3:17 PM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
The stated use case is riding on bike paths by the ocean, so gear range isn’t terribly important, but the OP is working with a budget where things like the rohloff speedhub and the pinon gearbox are options. Both have more range than a conventional 30 gear drivetrain.
posted by rockindata at 3:58 PM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by rockindata at 3:58 PM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
Hey, I'm a bike person who doesn't always take care of my bikes! I checked with bike friends about this, and heard a range of answers: one rinses off his bike whenever it's nasty out (he keeps it inside) and then relubes and clean; another does it monthly; another does it when it's noisy. Is yours noisy?
But I do have a great local bike shop, and I'm in there a lot. I do inflate the tires and do some occasional maintenance, but I also get tune ups regularly. And yes, some kind of maintenance will help your bike last longer. Aside from inflating the tires, you could be going more often to the bike shop, if that would make this easier.
For a new bike, they'll offer you a free tune up after a month or two, and they might give you a discount for some maintenance after that. But they'll know the local conditions, so ask them what's the least you can do to maintain it. If you're not doing any maintenance, you might find that regular tune ups (one or two a year perhaps, depending on how much you ride) are enough to prolong the life of your bike.
And yes, a lot of quality bike brands make the style of bike you want. So I say choose a few local bike shops you like and then test ride a few at each. It's incredibly convenient for me to take my bike to a place within walking distance (so I can walk there or back), but you don't have to get your bike serviced at the place where you bought it.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:29 PM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
But I do have a great local bike shop, and I'm in there a lot. I do inflate the tires and do some occasional maintenance, but I also get tune ups regularly. And yes, some kind of maintenance will help your bike last longer. Aside from inflating the tires, you could be going more often to the bike shop, if that would make this easier.
For a new bike, they'll offer you a free tune up after a month or two, and they might give you a discount for some maintenance after that. But they'll know the local conditions, so ask them what's the least you can do to maintain it. If you're not doing any maintenance, you might find that regular tune ups (one or two a year perhaps, depending on how much you ride) are enough to prolong the life of your bike.
And yes, a lot of quality bike brands make the style of bike you want. So I say choose a few local bike shops you like and then test ride a few at each. It's incredibly convenient for me to take my bike to a place within walking distance (so I can walk there or back), but you don't have to get your bike serviced at the place where you bought it.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:29 PM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
All bikes need regular maintenance, but there's a solution for you!
1. Get a lower budget bike than you had planned.
2. Use the savings as your maintenance budget.
3. Put your bike on a regular maintenance schedule, and keep your Giant Sedona so you have something to ride around while your bike is in the shop for maintenance.
Otherwise you'll be back in a couple years asking for another more maintenance-free bike.
P.S. Everything Dashy and bluedaisy just said? It's the bicycle equivalent of a dentist telling you to brush your teeth. Listen to your free internet bike mechanics. :D
posted by aniola at 4:38 PM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
1. Get a lower budget bike than you had planned.
2. Use the savings as your maintenance budget.
3. Put your bike on a regular maintenance schedule, and keep your Giant Sedona so you have something to ride around while your bike is in the shop for maintenance.
Otherwise you'll be back in a couple years asking for another more maintenance-free bike.
P.S. Everything Dashy and bluedaisy just said? It's the bicycle equivalent of a dentist telling you to brush your teeth. Listen to your free internet bike mechanics. :D
posted by aniola at 4:38 PM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
I don't do any maintenance on my bike other than pumping the tires when needed. Buy a bike you like from a nearby store (a bike shop, not a big box) then get it serviced once a year in the early spring, or even February—to beat the crowds.
I bike a short distance to work. My bike is out in the weather all day at work and then sits in a covered garage when I get it home. I have never had to lube anything, and I don't have any noticeable rusting. I just get a tune up every other year. Sounds like your environment is more rustifying (not a real word) so do it every year. Costs me about $75... they clean it, grease it, tighten the brakes, replace brake pads if needed. It's awesome to ride right after a tune up! I really don't think bikes need much maintenance if you get them tuned up regularly.
(FWIW, my bike is very basic and was not really expensive, and it works just great getting me around)
posted by SoberHighland at 4:40 PM on March 6, 2023
I bike a short distance to work. My bike is out in the weather all day at work and then sits in a covered garage when I get it home. I have never had to lube anything, and I don't have any noticeable rusting. I just get a tune up every other year. Sounds like your environment is more rustifying (not a real word) so do it every year. Costs me about $75... they clean it, grease it, tighten the brakes, replace brake pads if needed. It's awesome to ride right after a tune up! I really don't think bikes need much maintenance if you get them tuned up regularly.
(FWIW, my bike is very basic and was not really expensive, and it works just great getting me around)
posted by SoberHighland at 4:40 PM on March 6, 2023
So I'm looking for something like an endurance road bike that will be comfortable on my normal rides, but a little faster than what I have currently. I usually ride 20 to 30 miles 2 times a week (Saturday and Sunday). Mostly in a very upright position, but if it's windy or if I feel like pushing myself I find myself wanting to lean out over the handle bars to get into more of an aero style position.
Post your location, in every decent sized city there's at least one bike shop that's more adventure/camping/fun times oriented that will have exactly what you want.
For your budget you could have them build something custom for your purpose. When i drop $3k+ on a bike I don't go buy one off the shelf from a chain shop, I go to the local bike shop that aligns with my own personal cycling priorities, talk to the mechanic about what I want, and if we're on the same page I have them build it. Yeah they might have a deal with Brand X for their frames, but it's not like your going to Brand X's salesfloor. Basically, you need to find a decent shop first.
If you can't find a good shop maybe look up your local randonneuring group - which is a form of non-competitive endurance cycling where people place a lot of value on low maintenance bikes - and see what shops they recommend.
posted by bradbane at 11:00 AM on March 8, 2023
Post your location, in every decent sized city there's at least one bike shop that's more adventure/camping/fun times oriented that will have exactly what you want.
For your budget you could have them build something custom for your purpose. When i drop $3k+ on a bike I don't go buy one off the shelf from a chain shop, I go to the local bike shop that aligns with my own personal cycling priorities, talk to the mechanic about what I want, and if we're on the same page I have them build it. Yeah they might have a deal with Brand X for their frames, but it's not like your going to Brand X's salesfloor. Basically, you need to find a decent shop first.
If you can't find a good shop maybe look up your local randonneuring group - which is a form of non-competitive endurance cycling where people place a lot of value on low maintenance bikes - and see what shops they recommend.
posted by bradbane at 11:00 AM on March 8, 2023
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posted by rockindata at 2:49 PM on March 6, 2023 [4 favorites]