General Cycling Discussion - new member, new bike...

I am new to this forum and just wanted to say hello. I also have a question regarding a bike purchase. I haven't been on a bike since I was hit by a car six years ago. I've since decided that I enjoy riding way too much to let one run in with the hood of a honda stop me from doing it.
I've been looking around at different bikes and I'm having a hard time figuring out what to get. I'm going to be doing most of my riding on the street so it came down to a road bike or a hybrid of some kind. I'm a little nervous about getting a road bike for 2 reasons... they seem to be more expensive than most other entry level bikes and I don't think they are all that comfortable especially if you aren't used to them. (My last bike was a mountain bike) Feel free to correct me if you don't agree. So in my quest I found a couple of hybrids that seem to be fairly nice. The Trek 7500 series and the Gary Fisher Utopia. Does anyone have any info on either of these bikes or have any recommendations for other bikes I should look at? Thanks in advance. :)

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forums :D Both the bikes you state are from good manufacturers, and as always stated, try them both out to see which you prefer and feel comfortable on.

May I ask why you go for hybrids? I currently have a MTB and find it fine on road as well as off...

Whatever you decide to get, hope you enjoy it...sorry to here about your crash, but hope getting back into cycling puts it at the back of your memory...

Cheers...............Rich

The min standard for road bikes is usually a lot higher than for hybrids. You get what you pay for, and between $400 and $800, a little extra money buys a lot more bike.

Road bikes are not neccessarily less comfortable. Often modern road bikes are sold with very low handlebars, but its quite possible to set up a road bike with the bars in a higher touring position.
One modern style of general purpose road bike is the cyclo-cross/touring bike, like a Bianchi Volpe. They are at home on roads and trails, with or without luggage, with narrow or fat tyres.

A lighter style is the "century" or light touring bike, designed for fast non-racing day tours, such as
http://www.jamisbikes.com/bikes/aurora02.html

If the drop bars worry you, there are a new style of lighter, sportier flat bar bikes, like the Jamis Coda or Specialized Sirrius.

Even on trails, lighter bikes such as these can handle the rough surfaces.

A modern cross-country style MTB can be "roadified" with slick (non-knobbly) tyres for good general purpose riding.

Pick yourself a good bike shop, and try out a few of these styles to see which grabs you best.

Rich,
Well I don’t really know why I’m going for hybrids. I like the frame design and seating postion of a mountain bike but I figured I should get a bike with slick tires. So it seemed like a hybrid would be a ok choice. Do you think this is good or do you think I should just get a MTB and put slicks on it?


Michaelw

Like I was saying to rich I like the style of a MTB but I figured slick tires would be the way to go. Thanks for the advice and I’m going to check out some of the bikes you recommended. From what you are saying it sounds like these may be along the lines of what I’m looking for.




thanks

Steve - I think a hybrid is a perfect choice for the type of riding you describe. Also you nailed most of the reasons for why in your opening post. MTB will never give the get up and go of a road bike. Neither will a hybrid for that matter, but the Hybrid will get you a heck of a lot closer than MTB, smooth tires and all it just ain't made for that.

The hybrid you mentioned is one on my list. The others in order:

1. Fuji Silhouette '02
1a. Jamis Coda '02 (only because the chain ring set is too low)
2. Specialized Sirrus Sport
3. Trek 7500 FX

My feeling right now is to get the Jamis and change out the chain rings. For 2 main reasons: 1. The component set, 2. the CroMo frame is a little softer road ride.

Of them the Trek is the only bike I've ridden. No real romance.