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Any bicycle people on here?

lokiju

lokiju

Lifer
I was looking at getting a hybrid bike for casual exercise, nothing to serious.

I went to REI and they carry Cannondale and their house brand called Novara.

They're about the same cost with Cannondale being about $30 more on average for the hybrid specifically.

I like that Cannondale is made in the USA and of course the name is good.

That being the case, are there any good online sites for buying Cannondales? Are Novara bikes considered to be better than Cannondale even though they're made in China?

Are there better B&M places to look for bikes?

:beer:

 
I'm a fan of cannondale, but only there more expensive bikes are actually made in the US. There should be one or two good bike shops around you. Do a google search for bike shops in your area, if you don't know of any off hand.

What's your budget btw?
 
Best bet is to road test them for fit and comfort. Cannondale uses aluminum frames which will be stiffer than a Novara steel frame. However, the Cannondale will be likely lighter due to the aluminum frame if they spec'd similar.

Also, check out some local bike shops.

edit - I may be incorrect but I believe Cannondale's lower end bikes are made overseas.
 
Most important: make sure the bike fits you and is comfy to ride. Like Jules asked, what are the components on the bike? Components are things like the shifters, derailleurs, brakes, fork, wheels, etc. We can give you advice on whether bike A has better components than bike B.

Cannondale, and most other known bike companies, will not allow online sales. They require B&M sales. There are a few companies that do allow online sales - Ibex and Iron Horse come to mind. It's a near-certainty that any inexpensive bike you get will have a frame made in Taiwan or China. http://allanti.com/page.cfm?PageID=328

Many REIs are fine places to buy with knowledgable sales staff but generally not the best prices. Local bike shops can also be good (although some are not so good). Make sure the salesman listens to what you want, measures you, and makes sure you fit well on the bike. After measuring you, the salesperson should get you on the bike and set the seat height correctly, and move it forward or back a bit so your knees are in the correct position for pedaling. After that, they should look at where you are in relation to the handlebars and put on a shorter or longer stem if necessary. They might not do this for a short test ride, but if you're really interested in the bike after a test ride and seriously thinking of buying it they should definitely do it then. The salesperson should take the time and care to make sure the bike will work for you. If they don't, you may want to go elsewhere to a shop where people know what they are doing and really care about their customers.

Note that it is possible that a specific bike model does not come in any size that fits you. For example, my legs fit a size 58cm Trek road frame, my upper body fits a 54cm frame, and a 56cm frame is just a bad compromise all around. So I can't comfortably ride any Trek road bike. Be sure to get fitted to the bike!
 
Don't be afraid to buy a used bike (couple of years old)...as long as it fits well you're good to go.
 
My wife and I bought a couple of hybrid Trek bikes last year. Love them. Like others have said...go to a local shop and find one that feels "right" to you.
 
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