Commuting - How do I buy a new bike?

Okay, so I'm a 20 year old, skinny college kid who will be living in DC this summer but who doesn't want to drive into downtown every day and is choosing to bike it.

I haven't really used a bike in, oh, 7 years, but I used to do it a lot and you know what they say about riding a bike.

That said, I need a new bike. I've perused these boards, and I think I have a pretty firm grasp on what kind of equipment I'll need everyday (repair stuff, locks, etc), but I also need a new bike. Most of the topics on this board seem to be asking for specific bike recommendations, but that's not what I'm looking for.

What I really want to know is what I should be looking for in a bike. Everybody says you need to go to a store and try the bike out a little before buying it. But I have no idea what I should be looking for. Like I said, I'll be riding 6-10 miles a day (I think), and the commute is entirely urban. I want to get into biking more though, and do some weekend trips in less urban setting, so I'd like something that I can use for a long time and really get my money's worth. My price range is $300-700.

So, what should I look for in a bike? How much is too much? If I try a bike out, are there things I should be paying attention to that a newbie might not think to look for? I understand that a lot of this is personal opinion, but at this point the salesman could put any price on the bike and, as long as it's shiny, I'd believe him. I'd like to go into the store a little more educated.

Thank you!

When I was looking to get a bike a couple years ago, I faced the same dilema. I set a price range about the same as yours. That narrowed it to certain bikes. Then I looked at the components and which bikes had better components. Most important (that I didn't really consider) was comfortability. Luckily, I'm really comfortable on my bike.

A cyclocross bike or a touring/commuter bike: Road bikes built to take tough road or off-road conditions, but put you in an efficient riding position for long distances. Braze-ons for water bottles, racks, and fenders (double eyelets front and rear so you can mount racks and fenders). Drop bars, not flat bars. 700c wheels.

I know you're not looking for specific recommendations, but I'm going to make one anyway, although the price is a little outside your range: the Novara Randonee (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47968741&parent_category_rn=4500922). It will fit the bill perfectly. If it's more than you want to spend, try finding a used one, or see if they have a special on last year's models (probably too late in the season now, but it can't hurt to ask).

Something not too flashy, if you'll be leaving it outdoors. Flat bars tend to work well for a lot of commuters, and you might want to consider a suspension spring in the seatpost if you'll be doin a lot of riding on uneven surfaces.

Decide whether you will get more value buying new or second-hand.
Find out what group-set the bike has (generally written on shifters, derailleurs, etc.) - you should know in advance what type of components the bikes in your price range are likely to have
Make SURE the bike is the right size - a reputable bike shop will help you out here
Try out drop bars and flat bars to see what you like
Look for braze ons where you can install water bottle holders, fenders, racks
See if there is room to install larger tires - you might get something from 23mm wide to 38mm wide depending on your urban area (thinner tires are faster, fatter tires are better for bumps)

Finally, if you are going to ride the bike a lot, you can change lots of things over time (brakes, tires, saddle, etc.) but you ain't gonna change the frame. It really is a good idea to ride the bike to see how it feels (how upright are you, is anything tense, could you handle this for a long time, are you relaxed?). These things depend on the shape of the frame

Good luck!

DC has a lot of street traffic. It also has a fair number of hills. Think seriously about a bike that gives you at least the option of a more upright position (even if you get drop bars, think about longer tops) and gearing for hill climbing. Also, front and rear lights.

I ride in DC occasionally, particularly the Capital Crescent Trail. You see almost every kind of bike, but there are a lot of commuter-type bikes with flat or H-bars and commuter lighting and tourer gearing. I think that is a good indicator of what the frequent rider finds useful.

The first bike I bought, I loved. It took me a season to find out I bought the wrong one. I bought one based on the riding I planned on doing. The actual type of riding turned out different.

Since you know what kind of riding you will be doing, a good LBS person may still be your best bet. He will listen to you and direct you to the right type of bike. Then you will only have to decide which model, probably based on price.

A cyclocross bike or a touring/commuter bike: Road bikes built to take tough road or off-road conditions, but put you in an efficient riding position for long distances. Braze-ons for water bottles, racks, and fenders (double eyelets front and rear so you can mount racks and fenders). Drop bars, not flat bars. 700c wheels.

I know you're not looking for specific recommendations, but I'm going to make one anyway, although the price is a little outside your range: the Novara Randonee (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47968741&parent_category_rn=4500922). It will fit the bill perfectly. If it's more than you want to spend, try finding a used one, or see if they have a special on last year's models (probably too late in the season now, but it can't hurt to ask).I just got my REI sale catalog last night. 20% off any single purchase for members; 15% off all purchases. This means that you could buy a $949 Novara Randonee for $760-- that's a great deal on a great bike that I believe exactly fits the bill for what you want to do. I would highly recommend checking the Randonee out. If you're not a member, it's cheap to become a member (http://www.rei.com/shared/help/membership_join.html?storeId=8000&cm_sp=sidebar*membership*jointhecoop), and they even ship the bike free to your nearest store if it's not in stock there. Really, check this out, it's a great deal.

And just to be clear, I don't work for REI. ;)

I bike in the DC area. I bought a bike when I first moved here last year. If I knew then what I know now, I would not have bought a Trek 7300 (a hybrid) because of the front suspension. It hinders you when you try climbing a hill. However, I was recovering from back surgery, so the seat suspension is great. There are a lot of potholes in DC. Also, I would prefer to have slicks, instead of the hybrid tires. However, I have not had a flat yet.

Read what the forum has to offer. Make up your own wish list, and take it to the bike shop. Do not go to Dick's. Stay away from the Internet, unless you have lots of tools, time, and are mechanically inclined. The shipping costs alone will drive up the cost of the bike.

The three bike shops closest to where I live, in order of good deals to be had, are Performance Bike, Hudson Trail, and Revolution Cycles (where I bought mine). I hear REI has good prices, and a lot of people recommend Griffin's. I would not recommend City Bike. It's staffed by kids that know mountain bikes and little else. They like to prove that they can do something, but they don't necessarily do it right, as evidenced by the downward-sloping bike rack they put on my Trek.

Best of luck.

I ride in DC-- I commute in from Reston-- I ride a road bike and I ride a fixie. If you plan to go out of the city, the road bike will get you anywhere-- On the other hand--you are young-- get a fixie... once you learn how to ride it you will love it-- I ride it and I do hills, I've done a century on it ( a hilly one)-- it is a great bike, and you can get a new KHS or a Bianchi in the $500 or so range-- (you need to buy a front brake as well...)

train safe-

I ride in DC-- I commute in from Reston-- I ride a road bike and I ride a fixie. If you plan to go out of the city, the road bike will get you anywhere-- On the other hand--you are young-- get a fixie... once you learn how to ride it you will love it-- I ride it and I do hills, I've done a century on it ( a hilly one)-- it is a great bike, and you can get a new KHS or a Bianchi in the $500 or so range-- (you need to buy a front brake as well...)

train safe-

It's amazing what you have to consider when buying a bike; like are you going for speed, comfort, touring, all terrain, mtb, running errands, or just running around town. So there are Cyclocross, Road bike, mountain bike, hybrid, cruiser, touring, and single speed bikes. And then there is versatility vs. specificity. Also there is the level of componentry that you will want to take into consideration. So really think about what kind of riding are you going to be doing, because the type of bike you will buy should fit your riding goal or situation of riding. A road bike is specifically set up for speed, a touring bike is more for versatility: running errands, doing tours, going fast if desired but not as agile or as spunky as a road bike, a cyclocross could be a road bike, off road or both; but would not be as tight as a road bike, and a mtb bike could be the do all bike but will lack characteristics of a road bike or touring bike: parts designed for street performance. Hybrids are the do all also, is kind of heavier and just more for comfort cruising and running errands. Personally if I was going to buy a do all bike I would buy one that is not too heavy, fast and agile, be able to ride in the dirt, and have fittings for a rack and fenders. This would probably be a touring bike because it could use 700c x 23, 25, 28, or 32 tires depending on the terrain. This way you can have a choice of riding style on the dirt or road and get the maximum performance that you would desire. With all things being equal the fit of the bike must suit you well; that means not too big or not too small, and the position you would be comfortable with: sitting up versus sitting very forward, or in between. Sitting upright is the most comfortable but with a disadvantage for speed: due to wind resistance or the lack thereof. Sitting very forward is great for wind cheating speed, but can be quite uncomfortable for a longer duration of riding. Somewhere in between can have the best of both world: a little comfort and a little speed, but it is up to you too determine what is comfortable and no one else. anything $300 or less is low end, anything less than $500 is lower than midrange, anything around $800 or less is midrange and anything higher is moving towards the high end part of perfamance componentry. Somewhere around less than $500 is a good beginners price to start with.

1) Find a good shop.
2) Tell them your needs and wants.
3) hand them a fistfull of money.
4) tell them to make #2 happen as best they can with #3.

When this method works, it works really freakin' well. That's a rare outcome, however.