Recreational & Family - What to do

What to do
I have been kicking around about getting a new bike.I currently have a 'mart' mtn bike.nothing special.
I thought I wanted a road bike.was looking at a new Giant ocr3.(very nice bike by the way)ok.
the whole family rides.wife has the same bike I do.the daughter has a nice little Trek.(she is 8)
the youngest has a little 12" or a trailer that he rides in for long hauls.
The wifes bike has always had shifter issues.they just haven't worked well,she doesn't ride much cause of being out of shape and she doesn't feel comfortable with the shifters.(I was just trying to make things more adjustable for her)
Now I am thinking of taking the money for the roadie and getting a couple of the Giant boulder se or the Raliegh M 2.0 ya know something decent.could kind of go anywhere type of thing.
I am wanting to ride on some long rides.got a couple of 60 or 70 mile rides I would really like to go on.So I would have to put smoothie tires on mine.no problem I gott them for my current bike.I am thinking maybe get her something a little better than what we currently have maybe she would ride more and do better to get in shape.
what do you all think?get me a new roadie so I can go on the rides that I really want (which is distance not speed) or a couple of new mtn bikes so the wife could get more into it and have some better family time.
I am now leaning on the get two and enjoy all the company.
by the way the 8 yr old would ride as far as I want to at any time so she is not a problem especialy now that she has her gear bike.
I guess I am looking for a little reassurance of what I aready know I just need to hear it.
Rick

It sounds like your wife might be better suited with a comfort bike. Something with a more upright posture really is better for beginners and recreational riders and those of us who aren't up to 60 mile rides.

Since the OCR 3 runs about $600, I'm assuming that's the ballpark for your budget. If your wife isn't going to ride, there's no sense in spending half of your budget on a bike that's going to collect dust in the garage.

On the other hand, if the only problem with her bike is the shifters, you can buy a new set of those cheaper than a whole new bike. Or you can turn your old bike over to her when you buy that spiffy new Giant. But the person you really need to be talking this over with is your wife. What is it that she wants to do?

Well I would give her my old bike but they are the same.mine still has a gearing problem just not near as bad.
I would think about just getting 2 new mountain bikes but I just don't see that working out all that well for what I want to do.
I did stop in at the LBS yeasterday and spoke with them.they suggested that I wait till the middle of August for the new Raliegh sport.I guess for 06 it will be aluminum so it will be lighter.that would make it a great little bike.
I would look at anouther breed of bike but the LBS has been so good and patiant (sp?) with me that I feel obligated to buy from them.
I am thinking of getting the little Trek for my daughter when income taxes come in.I just am not sure what I am going to do yet.I keep talking myself in and out of different bikes.should just stick whith the mtn bike and just go with that cause i feel that it is more versatile than a roadie.
thanks for your imput though.
Rick

Sorry I can't offer you any firm advice here, but you're more than welcome for the input I have to offer.

Don't ever feel obligated. If you like the shop, that's great, but it's your money, so spend it to suit your own needs, not theirs. And like any big-ticket item, I suggest you do as much research as you can stand to do before you invest your hard-earned cash.

I thought the gearing problem was confined to your wife's bike. Sorry. Just searching for ways to minimize your outlay, if you're not sure that she's really going to use a new bike. There's nothing that sucks more than spending a few hundred dollars on a new dust collection. Maybe you should take her along to the bike store and have her test-ride a few things and see if she would really be interested in a new one, or not. Have you tried looking for used equipment in your area?

I don't really find mountain bikes to be an improvement over road bikes, for versatility, but I guess that's sort of a matter of preference and where/how you ride your bike. If you ride on lots of dirt trails, a mountain bike is obviously more suited for that.

I'm really a fan of hybrids, for versatility. I ride a Trek 7200 FX. It's not a road bike, but its a lot better for roads and paved paths than the average mountain bike. I plan on graduating to a road bike in a year, or so, as my fitness increases enough to extend my riding. But even then, I'll keep the 7200 FX around as my "daily driver."

Your LBS might be onto something with the 2006 Raleigh Sport. At $450 (compared with the $600 for the OCR 3), it might leave enough stretchiness in your budget to get something for your wife, too. An entry level comfort, hybrid or mountain bike can be found for $250-350ish, especially if you're willing to negotiate on a previous year closeout, or something.