Bicycle questions

[djheater]

I haven't ridden a bike in a couple of years and even then it was just transportation. I don't know much about them at all.

Is this the thread I should post in?

 

[Scarpozzi]

Mtn bikes have 4 primary and distinct distribution channels:

1. Cheap-skates---discount retailers like walmart=cheap bikes that will last 1-2 years with crappy performance, think "Huffy"
2. Wanna-bes----Sports retailers like Dick's or Sports Authority=cheap/moderate bikes that will last 3-4 years
3. Pro Shops----Specialty Bike Shops=You get what you pay for here...brands usually vary from one shop to another. Trek, Giant, Raleigh, Specialized, Gary Fisher, LightSpeed, Cannondale, etc...
4. Web Shops---The New Kid on the Block....huge YMMV. You won't get the service and support for your bike you'd get through a bike shop.

Keys to buying the bike for you. Figure out what kind of bike you want to get and how you'll be riding. If you're doing off road riding, I recommend getting middle of the road components. No need in spending extra money on a bike with racing parts if you're not going to be racing. It will be a waste of money.

Make sure the shop you go to doesn't try to force you to buy a bike you don't need. Some will try to sell you what's expensive to get more commission. See if you can find a shop that doesn't pay their employees commission and has a strong service dept.

Component levels for Shimano I would recommend are LX, XT, or XTR....from those three, I would try to get a bike that is all comprised of LX or XT components. This would include your deraileurs, brakes, pedals, shifters, etc. Deore makes a lot of their stuff and is a little lower on the quality level than LX, but it is acceptable. Just make sure you get quality parts...they make or break the bike. I recommend a Specialized branded bike....they're GREAT bikes.

I personally have a Raleigh M80. It's served me well for 5 years now and is probably about the stock quality level you should consider. Looking at. Review the prices and features of this bike and see if you can find its match in other brands.

Canondales are manufactured in PA if I'm not mistaken. It is an East Coast favorite and will be overpriced accordingly. No matter what anyone says, they're NOT that much better (if at all) than any other bike. It's all hype that's going to start from the commisssion pushers I was telling you about earlier. Good luck on finding the right bike for you. Look to spend around $500-600 but don't pay too much more for an LX quality bike.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: notfred
Aluminum is less expensive than carbon and stronger. Carbon is more expensive and weaker, but it's really light and it serves as a sort of mild shock-absorber because it will flex a little bit. Aluminum is very rigid. Bikes are also made with steel and titanium frames.

Please don't say this. Carbon fiber composites are very customizable materials, and it is true that you CAN make them weaker than aluminum, depending on your fiber/resin/number and orientation of layers/cure cycle, but for the most part they are, in fact, stronger. If that weren't the case, the aerospace industry would be making a very expensive mistake by investing in the stuff, and Boeing would be making a HUGE mistake by building an all-composite aircraft, and then pressurizing the cabin higher than existing aircraft.

 

[chipy]

Sheik Yerbouti and Scarpozzi,

thanx for your recent detailed contributions! i don't plan on going off roading and i don't plan on racing either. what i want to do is mostly for a good exercise and sometimes for leisurely rides.

Scarpozzi, what are racing parts?
Also, is the more gears the better? i drive a stick-shift but haven't really ridden too much of multigeared bicycles...

yeah... i've had many people recommend Specialized.

thanx to all who have contributed to this thread so far!

chipy

 

[TimMyMac]

one note about carbon, it lasts alot longer and takes alot more of a beating than a Al frame, the bike that I use right now is made by Trek and has a Carbon fiber front fork. I LOVE it, it blows away my old fully AL body away like nothing else Speed, Control, Comfort, everything (I mean the bike not just the fork, it does help alot though). Honestly though, I would recommend going and talking to a bike tech, find a guy, or girl, that you feel like you can trust and take their advice. Make sure it's someplace that has a repairshop as the guy, or girl, will prolly be more knowledgeable. Happy biking!

 

[Madwand1]

You can get good exercise on any bike. The worse the bike probably the better. A cheaper bike will also let you stop worrying about parking it a little, and let you get more out of it.

Still, I absolutely love the ride that I get out of my carbon road bike. Great ride, acceleration and speed, light weight for portability; a real pleasure for me to ride and use. Now part of this is the non-bike parts that I've put into it -- i.e. exercising which has given me greater strength and endurance.

I've also ridden aluminum bikes from the same manufacturer with the same geometry and similar/same components. I can also live with aluminium. In general bikes have improved a great deal over time, and you could probably find something you like better than what you've had before.

So I say get a bike that you like, but don't get caught up in the technology / etc. to the point of distraction from riding itself. Your tastes, wants, and needs are not going to be the same as mine; my opinions on my bike are only intended to show that I've found something that I really like.

I'd further advise taking it in steps. Get something for now, and if you're still at it at the end of the summer, perhaps take advantage of some deals at that time for the fall and next year. Also consider taking advantage of used bikes. These are things that many many people buy, and some buy expensively, and find that they don't use much.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: chipy
thanx for your recent detailed contributions! i don't plan on going off roading and i don't plan on racing either. what i want to do is mostly for a good exercise and sometimes for leisurely rides.

Sounds like you want a hybrid - sort of an off-road/road mix. A road bike would also be fine if you're comfortable of the more 'bent over' position of drop bars. Otherwise, go with the hybrid. A good local bike shop will let you try different bikes to see what configuration works for you, as well as find the right frame size for you and help you get it set up properly - proper fit (adjustments to the saddle height and position, handlebar height, etc.) is crucial to proper comfort and ultimately enjoying your riding. Most shops also offer free routine maintenance for the first year or two on bikes you buy from them.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by: chipy
Sheik Yerbouti and Scarpozzi,

thanx for your recent detailed contributions! i don't plan on going off roading and i don't plan on racing either. what i want to do is mostly for a good exercise and sometimes for leisurely rides.

Scarpozzi, what are racing parts?
Also, is the more gears the better? i drive a stick-shift but haven't really ridden too much of multigeared bicycles...

yeah... i've had many people recommend Specialized.

thanx to all who have contributed to this thread so far!

chipy

Not a problem. I haven't ridden in a few years, and got back on the old tank last year. If you're not going off road at all, check out the Trek 520, I rode one of these a while back and the thing rode like a dream. You'd be a little hunched over, but it's something you get used to, plus your wind drag is less when you're lower.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother
the lower handles are made for more of an agressive riding position. in other words, competitive racing/sprinting. if you arent looking to ride competitively, a more upright and even straight handlebar roadbike would be far more comfortable on long rides.

shocks on bikes are usuall for mountain bikes. they are used for off road xc and extreme mtn biking. you will not find them on road bikes as they are heavy, useless, and absorb power for use on roads.

if you are lookign to commute, a roadbike is your best bet, perhaps a cyclocross bike (which is a road bike with slightly more beefy tires/frames) which can go on very light dirt/offroad terrain.

I suggest cyclocross with a single speed or fixed gear for commuting. a lot less maintenance that way.

**EDIT**
Oh, and OP, BTW, the drops on a performance handlebar for a road bike doesn't impede handling and control that much if you are a good rider. Most good riders can steer without even touching the handlebar. The just use their balancers and hip flexors to 'steer' the bike. A lot like how a motorbike rider will steer a sharp corner, they throw their weight into the turn. But that is mostly for performance riding. Quite good if you plan on riding a long time though. Sure, if you need to make a full 180 degree turn in a very, very tight area, you will need to turn your handlebars, but that doesn't happen often at all, and I have seen more novice riders with flatbars fall over in those situations then advanced riders with drop bars.

 

[chipy]

update:

a couple of days ago i dropped by my local bicycle shop. interestingly enough, all they had were Trek bikes. anyway, i got to sit on them and the guy helping me out said i could take them out for a spin. i didn't at the time because my shorts were baggy and didn't feel comfortable enough to ride bikes in.

anyway, when i sat on the bikes, my feet doesn't touch the ground. when i asked the store guy he said they were _not_ supposed to touch the ground. why is this?

chipy

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: chipy
anyway, when i sat on the bikes, my feet doesn't touch the ground. when i asked the store guy he said they were _not_ supposed to touch the ground. why is this?

You make the most power with your legs when they are almost straight at the bottom of your pedal stroke. This is also less likely to hurt your knees than having a pedal stroke that keeps your knees bent all the time.

When your leg is straight, and on top of a pedal, and the pedal is above the ground, then your foot doesn't touch the ground. If you want to stand, you slide off the front of the seat and put your feet on the ground while you stand over the top-tube of the bike.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DaShen
A lot like how a motorbike rider will steer a sharp corner, they throw their weight into the turn.

Untrue...you push the handlebar in the direction you want to go, and the bike leans under you. You don't "throw your weight" at all, just lean over with the bike...in fact, in low-speed, very sharp corners (parking lots), you can actually lean the bike under you while you remain upright.

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: notfred

You make the most power with your legs when they are almost straight at the bottom of your pedal stroke. This is also less likely to hurt your knees than having a pedal stroke that keeps your knees bent all the time.

When your leg is straight, and on top of a pedal, and the pedal is above the ground, then your foot doesn't touch the ground. If you want to stand, you slide off the front of the seat and put your feet on the ground while you stand over the top-tube of the bike.

Exactly right. If you could touch the ground while sitting on the seat your pedaling would be inefficient and more likely to hurt your knees.

Everyone is steering you right. Figure out where you want to ride. Test out a bunch of bikes - different bike shops will carry different brands - to find which you find most comfy.

Don't spend too much on your first bike. If you like it and ride a lot, you'll get to the point where you want another new bike soon enough. You'll really know what you're doing at that point and you'll be much more intelligent about exactly what you want, and whether it's worth it to you to spend more $$ on carbon fiber or those sorts of things.

 

[DaShen]

Shocks are mainly for Mountain bike. Off road riding.

Bike with a dropped handlebar and longer horizontal geometry are for road riding and racing.

 

[chipy]

notfred and dirigible,

thanx for answering my lastest question... that does make sense!

chipy