from hershey
Hi Everyone! I'm 22 and I live in Hershey PA. I am just about finished with school and have a TON of extra time on my hands. It appears that in my idleness I have bike-napped my brothers mountain bike and have caught the bug. I've been riding (on streets and paved paths) between 8-10 miles everyday for about a week and a half and I LOVE it. I'm looking to get into some more serious riding, longer distances definately and more exhausting workouts. Im considering getting myself a bike, but I'm not sure which kind is right for me. Ill be in pharmacy school in the fall of 2005 either in Philladelphia, Baltimore, or Chapel Hill; so it'll be mostly city roads. I will probably use my bike to commute to school (albeit less than 1 or 2 miles) in additon to riding as much as time allows. I've been to a few bike shops to see what they have and what is available. I started looking at mountain bikes because thats what I had been riding, but I found my brothers bike very uncomfortable (saddle wasn't too bad, I didn't like the handlebars, or the gear shifts and it seems kind of heavy.) I'm not sure if I should be looking into a road bike, a hybrid, or a cyclocross. I havn't ever tried the drop handlebars, but I'm not afraid to try them. I liked the stability of my brothers bike, but again it seemed heavy, especially when I had to run it up a hill I couldn't pedal up. Im pretty tall, about 5'10'' (long legs and torso) and I dont have a small frame so I'm not sure if WSD bikes would be appropriate. Im not looking to blow my life savings, but I do want a decent bike that I can ride from point A to B on a regular basis and from point A to Z when I have time. I would say $800-$1000 would be my limit. Any input would be greatly appreciated and certainly taken to heart, thank you all in advance.
dl
P.S. I posted this in Womens Cycling as well but didn't get any response, maybe it will do better here.