Anyone know anything about Bicycling

[Clocker]

I used to race BMX when I was a young teen. I trying to decide between Mountain and Road and I think I would be on the street more. My only goal is to go really fast but have fun.

Which bikes are good where do I find brands and where are the forums to decide on this kind of junk

Clocker

 

[The Stigenator]

road bikes are faster than MTB on roads but MTB's are more useable when off road.. hybrids are best of both worlds.

If you want to solely go fast on streets then a race bike is of calling or a hybrid.

You can keep spending on stuff .. but first up you got to build up stamina so buy something cheap (400 - 500 bucks) before putting in thousands on lightweight magnesium alloy frames and wheels.

 

[Goosemaster]

Agreed. I am going to be looking for a new bike soon and do 20miles a day

 

[amnesiac]

I owned a full-suspension MTB for years, and had it on campus for a while. But then I started getting into real biking (fitness, 20mi or so) and obviously a MTB didn't cut it.

However, while road bikes are fast and great on streets, they are notoriously unstable at low speeds, and since I use my bike to ride around campus, I needed something that required a bit less discipline to ride.

I found the Specialized Sirrus Comp - MTB components, road bike tires, lightweight aluminum frame.. I can keep up with my friend's road bike on longer trips but it takes emergency handling a lot better and is convenient if you don't want to be hunched over.

 

[Clocker]

Hey where do I find reviews on bikes there seems to be pretty good deals on Fujis on Egay

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

DO NOT buy a hybrid. Picture the V-22 Osprey . . . it does nothing well.

Good place to start is the Bicycle Exchange or Club Velo to find some wheels. Your local bike shop might have some leads on well-maintained, reasonably priced 1st rides.

 

[jlee75]

i know me bum hurts when i ride too long. time for a new seat post and seat. my latest bike is a simple GT Timberline. Not a bad one. needs a tune up.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

I used to race BMX when I was a young teen.

I imagine he's got skillz to handle low-speed maneuvers.

Another option is to buy a relatively light MTB and put on slicks or semis.

I would trot down to the local shop and have one of the guys give you the 411 on 21st century two-wheelers. Most companies make decent bikes particularly $500-1000. There's been a lot of bankruptcies and buyouts so you can find a lot of quality gear for good prices. If you live in SoCal you can go to Supergo.

 

[jlee75]

i love supergo. the one off the 5 near umm i think it's alicia. hot hunnies work there

 

[kherman]

BIKE REVIEWS
With some basic snooping of the site, I'm sure you'll find hte reviews. They review EVERYTHING here. It's all user submitted reviews too!!!!
This is a mountain biking site I gave you a link to.
I think they have a sister site for roaddies.

Also, if you are an ex-BMXer, i highly suggest you do mountain biking. The skills you learned from BMX will quickly translate into mountain biking.

What is your price range for a new bike??

 

[vegetation]

If you choose a road bike, make sure you get fit to the right size. A bad size can make it a lot less enjoyable, so I wouldn't purchase something online without having tried it first. MTBs are much more forgiving with size issues though.

 

[C'DaleRider]

DO NOT buy a hybrid. Picture the V-22 Osprey . . . it does nothing well.

That's actually NOT true......hybrids do the road quite well. They are not designed for offroading, but thena gain someone buying that sort of bike is NOT looking for trail riding. A hybrid has distinct advantages over mtn. bikes for road use such as 700c wheels (road bike sized---taller than mtn. wheels and give a higher top end, also use higher pressure tires), a more upright seating position vs. mtn. and road bikes. They typically have, these days, an adjustable stem (can increase or decrease the stem angles), suspension seat posts, etc.

Don't let someone dictate what you should buy, go to a bike shop and ride the different varieties of bike. One style will fit like a glove.

As far as mtbr.com, it was once a decent site, but has begun a slow decline. Like many fan boys around here, the majority will say they have a nice bike, as long as it costs a grand or more, and will put down whatever is not the flavor of the month. Take their recommendations with a large grain of salt.

My expertise? Been riding for 20 years and have owned too many bikes. (I'm the town's bike whore.....I change because of color.) Am part-owner of a small bike shop....own a couple of Cannondales (just received my newest one yesterday....a time-trial frameset) and one 5500 Trek. My lady rides a Cannondale Feminine framed bike. Shop carries Trek, Cannondale, Giant, Klein, Santana tandems, among others.

Just go to a decent bike shop and tell them your riding requirements and budget. They then should put you on a bike that'll fit your style.

 

[yakko]

Well I used to ride the hell out of my mountain bike on the roads. I had way more fun than on a road bike becuase when I got the urge to do some curb hopping I didn't really have to worry about damaging anything.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

If you want to go fast, then you have to go with a road bike. You will go at least 5+ mph faster with a decent road bike, than with a similiarly priced hybrid, and probably 8+mph faster than a mountain bike.

WHY? Because 80-90% of the force exerted is the result of aerodynamical drag. A road bike will get you in a better aerodynamic position, and keep you there, than the alternatives.

I would think that if you are young, and really ride 20 miles a day that you will soon be doing that under an hour on a road bike, but never likely to do that under an hour on hybrid or mountain bike (you might get up to about 18 mph average on the mountain bike)


ALSO, top speeds are much HIGHER for a road bike. Another good reason if you are interested in going - - - - - --FAST

 

[Fausto]

You might as well just go ahead and get both kinds of bike since that's what you'll ultimately do anyway. Nothing beats a proper road bike for the pavement and nothing beats a real mountain bike for the trails. The only other semi-viable option is to get a mountain bike and have two sets of wheels for it (not just tires....changing them out is a PITA); the regular set with knobbies for the trails and a lightweight set with narrow, high-pressure slicks for road riding.....also makes a badass commuter setup since you can hit potholes or hop curbs when needed.

As far as a first bike goes, best bang for the buck is to pick up a used one and get your feet wet. It's not really worth the money to buy a low-end bike new when you can get something much nicer that maybe has a few dings here and there for the same price. Most people are pretty anal about keeping their bikes up so it's not like you'll buy it and the thing will break in half on you two weeks later. Spend at least $300 and no more than $500 on a first bike. If you decide you really love cycling you can always go out later and get a really nice bike once you know what you want. Don't forget to budget for a good pair of shorts (yes, they look dorky, but your ass will thank you after an hour or more in the saddle) and a helmet. You're going to need proper cycling shoes as well if you want to ride on the road....the soft soles of sneakers makes for crappy power transfer and sore feet.

Brandwise, stick with any of the big names and you'll be fine. Just make sure you go to a good bike shop to get fitted so you'll know what size frame to get. A poorly fitted bike is a good way to screw up your back or knees. If the employee helping you doesn't at least do a lot of recreational riding, find another store. Only those who spend a lot of time on a bike really know the finer points of proper fit.

 

[Clocker]

I think Im going to go with a road bike for now my price range is no more thatn 600.00

I went to supergo and they sell a specialized allez for 539 and a r400 cannondale for 569

Also ebay has fuji ace bikes for 350 or at least that is how much they are being bought for and they also sell montebaco i think for around 400

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: Clocker
I think Im going to go with a road bike for now my price range is no more thatn 600.00

I went to supergo and they sell a specialized allez for 539 and a r400 cannondale for 569

Also ebay has fuji ace bikes for 350 or at least that is how much they are being bought for and they also sell montebaco i think for around 400

The Allez is a good road bike for the price...but then again so is the Cannondale... you sure those are for the WHOLE bike and not just the frames?

 

[Entity]

Originally posted by: Fausto1
You might as well just go ahead and get both kinds of bike since that's what you'll ultimately do anyway. Nothing beats a proper road bike for the pavement and nothing beats a real mountain bike for the trails. The only other semi-viable option is to get a mountain bike and have two sets of wheels for it (not just tires....changing them out is a PITA); the regular set with knobbies for the trails and a lightweight set with narrow, high-pressure slicks for road riding.....also makes a badass commuter setup since you can hit potholes or hop curbs when needed.

As far as a first bike goes, best bang for the buck is to pick up a used one and get your feet wet. It's not really worth the money to buy a low-end bike new when you can get something much nicer that maybe has a few dings here and there for the same price. Most people are pretty anal about keeping their bikes up so it's not like you'll buy it and the thing will break in half on you two weeks later. Spend at least $300 and no more than $500 on a first bike. If you decide you really love cycling you can always go out later and get a really nice bike once you know what you want. Don't forget to budget for a good pair of shorts (yes, they look dorky, but your ass will thank you after an hour or more in the saddle) and a helmet. You're going to need proper cycling shoes as well if you want to ride on the road....the soft soles of sneakers makes for crappy power transfer and sore feet.

Brandwise, stick with any of the big names and you'll be fine. Just make sure you go to a good bike shop to get fitted so you'll know what size frame to get. A poorly fitted bike is a good way to screw up your back or knees. If the employee helping you doesn't at least do a lot of recreational riding, find another store. Only those who spend a lot of time on a bike really know the finer points of proper fit.

I'll second the recommendation for a used bike. I used to think that I'd only be a mountain bike rider; then I bought a cyclocross (Kona Jake the Snake). I still use it on some of the local mountain bike trails, but it rocks for road riding as well - my average on the road is ~21mph, which is decent considering it isn't a "real" road bike. My next bike will probably be a Specialized Allez.

Rob

 

[Brutuskend]

I have a hand built, one off Bruce Gordon built here in Eugene Or. by the guy that raced it. With full Dura Ace, American Classic seat post and bottle cage, Medolo Bars, Chineli stem, and Velocity Rims, it weighs 19 Lbs.

Nothing faster for the road than a GOOD road bike!!

And if you ever ride a hand built bike. You will never want a "off the shelf" bike again!

BTW: One of my customers that was been into road bikes for YEARS, is selling off his whole collection, and its a BIG collection!

He wants $2,500 for the whole package though.

If anyone is interested, I can get you the list of all he has.

Pardon any spelling errors. I'm a product of the public school system.

 

[lowtech1]

If you want to go fast & ride only on road then a road bike would fit the bill perfectly. Otherwise get yourself a used hardtail MTB around $500.00 with 2 set of wheels, knobby pair for offroad & slick pair for pavement.

Forget about a hybrid, because the frame & wheel isn?t design for going fast on trail. I had a bad road burn, crack my helmet, broke a finger & woke up in an ambulance due to going too fast & frame flex. After the accident I had 2 pretzel for wheels, bent fork, bent handlebar, and a broken brake lever. The frame flex is terrible on a hybrid specially when you power on the pedals that could cause the rear tire to slip sideway under you. The hybrid is a friend bike & he was riding my MTB; we swapped bikes because we wanted to know how each others bike feels. (I have had experience as a roadie for 4 years & 2 years off road, and never once have had equipment failure in normal riding condition like I have had on the hybrid. The only thing I have had is flat tires & broken chain or jams, and other accidents came from stupidity or group pile-up.)