Getting into Biking

[Rootabager]

I never liked used bikes. seems like they get alot better every year. 1000 dollars 2 years ago isnt as good as 1000 dollars now. I know it's going to be cheaper. but i never thought it was worth it.

[Alobar]

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I never liked used bikes. seems like they get alot better every year. 1000 dollars 2 years ago isnt as good as 1000 dollars now. I know it's going to be cheaper. but i never thought it was worth it.

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I completely disagree with this, at least in regards to a roadbike (mountain bike is much different), a $1K roadbike from 2 years ago is going to basically be the exact same as a $1K bike today. And as long as the bike is even remotely maintained (and by remotely, I mean as long as the dumbass who owned it kept the chain lubed and didnt wash it with a pressure washer, or leave it out in the snow), then the wear and tear on a roadbike is exceedingly minimal. I've seen 10 year old road bikes that ride as good as the day they were brand new.

My first roadbike was a specialized allez, cost me exactly $1K. Was 9 speed with a campy veloce groupo. I put like 20,000 miles on it and then it sat in my garage for a while cuz I bought a new bike. I sold it to a friend for a $150. It was 6 years old and in as good a shape as the day I got it, and could easily go another 20K miles. The person I sold it to got a bike that would do them every single bit as well as a brand new $800 bike, only they got it for a fuckton cheaper, and if they decided the didnt like roadbiking were only out $150, plus they had plenty of money to buy a helmet and lycra and all the other stuff you need for cycling that eats up a huge chunk of change.

A used bike is about the smartest thing anyone looking to get into cycling can do.

[ottsville]

Neko, putting drop bars is easily done and someone also makes drop bar ends that would bolt on to your existing bars the same way that regular bar ends bolt on. The problem you'll encounter is that it won't be long before you decide you want the integrated shifters/brakes found on road bikes.

[ottsville]

-narrow seats It doesn't take long to get used to it - 2 or 3 weeks of riding at the most.

-good bikes: The key is fit. Very important to get one that fits appropriately. There is no substitute for a good local bike shop here. They will be able to help you pick the right size bike and get it adjusted appropriately so that you ride comfortably. Many shops offer fitting on bikes bought from them or sell a custom fit service which can be helpful if you buy your bike online. You can do a pretty good fit if you are minorly mechanically inclined and pull some info of the net.

Unfortunately, LBS's are rarely the cheapest place to buy bikes. However, aside from fitting services, most will give you free tuneups on your bike and some will even allow you to trade-up bikes bought from them when you are ready for a better bike. Some of the discount bike shops(got a performance bike shop near you?) offer good prices on bikes and usually have a house brand that are decent.

After fit, your component group is important. Frame differences are negligible other than material - almost all bikes in your range are either aluminum or aluminum/carbon, with most being aluminum. Ask whoever you shop with the differences in component levels. You'll mostly be dealing with shimano and they have >4 levels of components, from crap to pro racer quality.

There's some good deals online on bikes, including on ebay. Check in the back of Bicycling magazine for online retailers. A couple of the older bike names (mercier for example) were bought and someone is buying spec bikes from Asia(where most bikes are made) and putting their stickers on them. Some of these bikes come with pretty decent component groups and are a good value.

This spring I bought a '05 leftover Scattante (Performance bike's house brand), aluminum and carbon frame, carbon fork, truvativ cranks, and full ultegra for less than $750. A comparatively equipped bike will run about $1.5k-$2k, so there are good values out there if you look for them.

Don't forget the accessories you'll need - helmet, shorts, gloves, water bottles, shoes, tire patch kit, etc when figuring how much you can spend.

If you want to go the used route - and there is really nothing wrong with that - ask at bike shops and find your local bike club and triathlon training club. People are always looking to move up and finding a good used bike is not hard. The club I ride with has at least one member who is always buying and selling bikes. Often a couple year old used bike that cost $1k is as good as a new bike that costs $2k.

-20 miles is nothing on a bike. You should be able to do that after a couple of weeks of riding if you are not a complete tub of goo now. The program is to ride. That's all it takes to get there. Finding someone to ride with will help you get stronger, faster, and more endurance in less time than you will riding alone. LBS's will often have group rides and cycling clubs are a good way to go. Cycling clubs will have a full range of rides for all level riders and usually there's a bit of friendly competition involved...town line sprints, racing to see who can get to the top of a hill first, and the like. All will make you a stronger rider.

[gila]

http://www.salsacycles.com/campeon.html

That is the bike I got a few years ago, and it is everything I ever wanted. I would try to go for a bike in the 1500-1800 range. It seems the jump from a 1k bike to a 1.5k bike is a lot bigger jump, than say from the 1.5k to a 3k bike. Once you get to about 1500ish range, you are getting a bike that you will not need (want) to upgrade. Plus, a lot of the times, this range of bikes has a higher quality frame. At the 1k range, you are probably getting a medium grade aluminum bike, which is fine in it's own right. But you get up to 1500+ and the options in frame material start to expand. You can now start getting into higher grade aluminum, some carbon fiber/aluminum combos, and even some of the lower grade titanium. The Salsa, above, is made out of scandium and carbon fiber, which makes for a smooth, super fast, ride. They usually sell for 2k+, but if you look around, you can usually find great deals on last year models. Usually, the only major difference would be a paint scheme and colors, etc.

[cbloom]

Re : Seats :

A wide cushy seat is great if you're riding like 5 miles or less. Beyond that it will crush your balls/perineum when you lean forward, and it will chafe your inner thighs from being too wide. Get a proper small seat. If you can't handle that then biking probably isn't for you. Actually exercise might not be for you.

Re : Used Bikes :

Alobar is sort of right in that bikes really don't change or degrade much and you can get a great value in a used bike. (my high end racing bike I bought used). HOWEVER a lot of people selling used bikes have a totally retarded idea of their value and are way overcharging. If you don't know bikes very well it might be hard to evaluate a used bike to tell if it's a good deal or not. Also, if you buy a new bike at a local bike shop they will help you pick a bike, help you get sized properly, and should include 1 year of free repairs (make sure they do). Don't buy a new bike at Costco or something, go to a bike shop, it's worth the small overcharge.

[Alobar]

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HOWEVER a lot of people selling used bikes have a totally retarded idea of their value and are way overcharging. If you don't know bikes very well it might be hard to evaluate a used bike to tell if it's a good deal or not.

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Thats a VERY good point, and I don't consider that since I know bikes. I still think that its the way to go tho, and I don't think its all that hard to research whats a good deal and what isn't. There are only so many component groups and frame manufactures, a little immersion and one should be able to tell whats a good deal and what isnt. If not, post and ask!

[Neko]

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Neko, putting drop bars is easily done and someone also makes drop bar ends that would bolt on to your existing bars the same way that regular bar ends bolt on. The problem you'll encounter is that it won't be long before you decide you want the integrated shifters/brakes found on road bikes.

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sweet. thanks, I'll take a look at a local shop.

[kerowo]

Neko,

Nothing wrong with riding a hybrid for a while, with or without drop bars on them. Some things to consider:
Two bikes isn't too many. If you end up with a road bike there is something to be said for having a "beater" bike around for trips you don't want to put your clipless shoes on for or taking someplace where you don't mind locking it up outside some place, something you will never do when you get a spendy road bike.
If you end up with a windtrainer to ride inside having a bike you can leave on it full time will be real convenient.
Be careful when you switch the handlebars that the bike still fits right, the geometry on hybrid/comfort bikes is designed to be more upright so if you don't get a new stem set up right you may be a bit scrunched, which will be uncomfortable.

When I started cycling I had a comfort bike and was able to keep up with group rides at the lbs with the roadies and sometimes wish I had kept it, especially when I see it dumped on the side of my friend's house instead of in his garage or out on the road.

[ottsville]

OP:
Thisis a bike you may want to consider, or find something similar with carbon stays. [