Help me find MY bike
July 28, 2011 12:41 AM Subscribe
Help me find my perfect bike. I have not owned a bike since I was a child so I am having a hard time picking one now. In fact, I went to three different local bike shops and was given 2-3 different options at each shop so I am even more confused now than I was when I started looking. Specifications and riding goals inside.
I am a female in my late 20s, 5'3", about 40 pounds overweight, and looking for a bike for recreation and fitness. I will be riding on paved paths along the bay about 90% of the time and packed dirt trails in local parks the rest of the time. I do not plan to commute, run daily errands, or go on epically long rides with this bike. I would probably aim to ride about half an hour a day. I also have a vague goal of trying to get in shape by training to do a short triathlon, so I guess I would need to consider that as well. Ideally I would like to pay under $300, but am willing to go up to $600 if I need to. I would rather pay more and have a bike I would actually ride than get the cheapest bike I can find and never use it because it is too heavy/uncomfortable/not appropriate for where I want to ride/etc.
While I love the look of cruisers, I understand that they are not appropriate for dirt trails and that they will be heavy and slow on windy bay trails. It looks like a hybrid is my best choice but I am open to suggestions. I definitely want a step-thru frame, a more upright posture (though it doesn't have to be as upright as a cruiser), and a comfortable seat (either on the bike or bought separately and switched out). Just for comparison, the bikes suggested at local shops that I liked after test rides include the Trek Allant, Electra Townie 3i, Specialized Crossroads Elite, and Specialized Arial Sport. These are not my only options, I am open to suggestions!
At this point I don't know whether I need a more cruiser-y hybrid (the Electra or Specialized Crossroads Elite) or a more mountain bike-y hybrid (Trek Allant or Specialized Arial Sport). I don't know whether I need a suspension fork or not (I've read that the cheap ones aren't as effective with heavier riders?). All of the bikes I tried were comfortable for the few blocks that I tried them so I can't choose based on that. Given my needs and riding goals, what bikes (either out of the list above or otherwise) would you suggest?
I am a female in my late 20s, 5'3", about 40 pounds overweight, and looking for a bike for recreation and fitness. I will be riding on paved paths along the bay about 90% of the time and packed dirt trails in local parks the rest of the time. I do not plan to commute, run daily errands, or go on epically long rides with this bike. I would probably aim to ride about half an hour a day. I also have a vague goal of trying to get in shape by training to do a short triathlon, so I guess I would need to consider that as well. Ideally I would like to pay under $300, but am willing to go up to $600 if I need to. I would rather pay more and have a bike I would actually ride than get the cheapest bike I can find and never use it because it is too heavy/uncomfortable/not appropriate for where I want to ride/etc.
While I love the look of cruisers, I understand that they are not appropriate for dirt trails and that they will be heavy and slow on windy bay trails. It looks like a hybrid is my best choice but I am open to suggestions. I definitely want a step-thru frame, a more upright posture (though it doesn't have to be as upright as a cruiser), and a comfortable seat (either on the bike or bought separately and switched out). Just for comparison, the bikes suggested at local shops that I liked after test rides include the Trek Allant, Electra Townie 3i, Specialized Crossroads Elite, and Specialized Arial Sport. These are not my only options, I am open to suggestions!
At this point I don't know whether I need a more cruiser-y hybrid (the Electra or Specialized Crossroads Elite) or a more mountain bike-y hybrid (Trek Allant or Specialized Arial Sport). I don't know whether I need a suspension fork or not (I've read that the cheap ones aren't as effective with heavier riders?). All of the bikes I tried were comfortable for the few blocks that I tried them so I can't choose based on that. Given my needs and riding goals, what bikes (either out of the list above or otherwise) would you suggest?
(Note that this type of bike will be largely unacceptable for a triathlon, because tri bikes have a geometry designed to save some of your leg muscles for the run. Regular road and mountain bikes are designed to use all your leg muscles. Basically, riding on packed dirt trails and racing in a triathlon are at two opposite ends of the bike continuum, and there is no bike that's going to be good at both. I recommend going for the general-purpose bike first, and buying a used tri bike after you've competed once or twice and know you're not going to lose interest.)
posted by jrockway at 12:58 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jrockway at 12:58 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Do not ever buy a bike with a suspension for anything less than riding over a boulder patch (and even then you could do without).
If you're looking to get pretty athletic with this and keep riding over that sort of terrain, I would suggest that a cyclocross bike would be a good choice, but you aren't likely to find a decent one (or probably even a crappy one) in that price range. Jrockway's suggestion would be my second choice given those parameters.
posted by Dr.Enormous at 4:07 AM on July 28, 2011
If you're looking to get pretty athletic with this and keep riding over that sort of terrain, I would suggest that a cyclocross bike would be a good choice, but you aren't likely to find a decent one (or probably even a crappy one) in that price range. Jrockway's suggestion would be my second choice given those parameters.
posted by Dr.Enormous at 4:07 AM on July 28, 2011
I'd suggest watching yard sales or craigslist for a basic bargain 10 speed. Get it tuned up a bit and do some riding. Pretty much any bike will be fine for the easy flats you describe and you'll start learning what your needs are without a big investment.
posted by sammyo at 4:46 AM on July 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by sammyo at 4:46 AM on July 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
I recommend you buy a cheap bike now, and give yourself permission to buy a second bike in a year or so once you better understand your needs. Your confusion now isn't because you are unfamiliar with bikes--you've clearly done a lot of research--but because you don't know what you will enjoy using a bike for once you own one. When I got my first bike as an adult I also thought I was just interested in riding trails for occasional exercise. Before long I was using the bike to commute to work and do 50-mile weekend rides, so I had to get a new bike better suited to my needs. (This cycle repeated itself; each bike tought me more about what I wanted in the next bike). Of course, other people have a different experience; they find themselves riding the bike on a few weekends each summer, but nothing else.
A hybrid should meet all the needs you describe, except triathalons. Hybrids are built for comfort, not speed, and if your goal is to ride fast you'll find the hybrid frustrating. Its comfortable upright seating position is not, it turns out, the best seating position for riding fast, and those wider tires smooth out the ride but also generate more rolling resistance.
posted by jgfoot at 4:47 AM on July 28, 2011
A hybrid should meet all the needs you describe, except triathalons. Hybrids are built for comfort, not speed, and if your goal is to ride fast you'll find the hybrid frustrating. Its comfortable upright seating position is not, it turns out, the best seating position for riding fast, and those wider tires smooth out the ride but also generate more rolling resistance.
posted by jgfoot at 4:47 AM on July 28, 2011
Everything jgfoot said is spot on. The right bike in 12 months will be different from what feels like the right bike today.
posted by dgran at 5:50 AM on July 28, 2011
posted by dgran at 5:50 AM on July 28, 2011
The Trek Allant is a great practical bike. It will not get in the way of your goal of riding 30 minutes a day. You will have a lot of fun on a bike like that.
I saw the bike part of one of those shorter triathlons cruse by other day. It was mainly the last 1/4 of the riders. There were people on old 10 speeds, hybrids and fancy bikes. All these people were going to finish this triathlon. Some of these people looked like they were working hard and some of them didn't. Some of the hard working people were on multi-thousand dollar race bikes, others were not.
I do motorcycle support for a 100 mile charity ride every summer. Many people show up with less than ideal bikes and they do fine. I've seen all of the bikes you mention ridden 100 miles by non-bikey people.
posted by bdc34 at 7:01 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I saw the bike part of one of those shorter triathlons cruse by other day. It was mainly the last 1/4 of the riders. There were people on old 10 speeds, hybrids and fancy bikes. All these people were going to finish this triathlon. Some of these people looked like they were working hard and some of them didn't. Some of the hard working people were on multi-thousand dollar race bikes, others were not.
I do motorcycle support for a 100 mile charity ride every summer. Many people show up with less than ideal bikes and they do fine. I've seen all of the bikes you mention ridden 100 miles by non-bikey people.
posted by bdc34 at 7:01 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd lean towards a hybrid with no suspension and 700c wheels, sometimes called fitness bikes or flat bar road bikes. Many of these can be quite speedy while not putting you into a too unfamiliar position. The Trek FX series and the Specialized Vita series would be two good examples of these.
There's no reason you can't do a short triathlon with one. I've seen all kinds of bikes out on the course, and for the most part, how much you spent on your bike is rarely the difference between finishing and not finishing.
posted by advicepig at 7:15 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
There's no reason you can't do a short triathlon with one. I've seen all kinds of bikes out on the course, and for the most part, how much you spent on your bike is rarely the difference between finishing and not finishing.
posted by advicepig at 7:15 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice everyone! The vaguely thought out marathon goal is the least of my concerns when buying a bike so don't feel constrained by that one point. I appreciate links to specific models of bikes. I am looking at craigslist now, but I worry that with my lack of knowledge, I would buy a bike that is falling apart and not worth the amount of money it would take to fix it. Does it even work like that?
@jrockway - Can I buy a mountain bike with road tires or would I need to buy them separately and swap out the tires that come with the mountain bike? I do like the look of the bike you linked, but is that a mountain bike?
Does anyone else have any suggestions for simple, lightweight, non-suspension bikes?
posted by Nickel at 1:10 PM on July 28, 2011
@jrockway - Can I buy a mountain bike with road tires or would I need to buy them separately and swap out the tires that come with the mountain bike? I do like the look of the bike you linked, but is that a mountain bike?
Does anyone else have any suggestions for simple, lightweight, non-suspension bikes?
posted by Nickel at 1:10 PM on July 28, 2011
Specific bikes... OK. Based on your criteria of stepthru frame, upright posture, and comfortable seating, I'd say look at the Trek 7.1FX Stagger, the Breezer Uptown 3 Low-Step, or the Giant Sedona W. Because you are a beginner I do not recommend a used bike; unless you know bike mechanics, they can be a pain.
My worry about all three of these is that upright seating positions are going to be murder on San Francisco hills, should you ever venture away from the bay trails. But, solve that problem with your next bike.
posted by jgfoot at 2:47 PM on July 28, 2011
My worry about all three of these is that upright seating positions are going to be murder on San Francisco hills, should you ever venture away from the bay trails. But, solve that problem with your next bike.
posted by jgfoot at 2:47 PM on July 28, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Aluminum is the most popular material for mountain bikes these days because it's cheap and light... but steel is not much heavier and the bike will ride much nicer. I've owned a suspension-fork aluminum bike and the ride quality is massively inferior to my steel road bike.
I really like Raleigh bikes; here's one you might like: Classic Roadster 11.
posted by jrockway at 12:54 AM on July 28, 2011 [1 favorite]