Road Cycling - BikeBuying for Dummies

I'm a 23/female who's only bike experience and knowledge goes back about a decade to my good ol Target-bought beach cruiser days - oh the joy. How many of you just cringed? heh.

So yeah, I'm a complete novice here, so no making fun of my inexperience! Any helpful feedback will be oh so appreciated :)

I love exercise. I love the outdoors. I always loved riding my bike when I was little - and I miss it! I'm a distance runner with an injury, so I'm looking for a new form of exercise to tide me over before I go crazy (and hey, a new cross training sport for the future is always good too). I'd like to start going for long bike rides (25+ miles on pavement) that are more than just leisure - something that'll get me working up a nice sweat and have my legs screaming and shaking the next day :) Need to keep up my endurance. Someday, I may train for a bi (already doing a marathon) and mountain biking always looks like SO much fun to me, but for now, a simple road bike should suffice at introducing me into it, right? So - nothing fancy or even remotely close! I want something CHEAP, but good enough to get the job (description listed above) done! Are cheap bikes more prone to causing injury? I certainly don't want to get re-injured.

Now, I don't know if I'm dreaming, but are there any bikes worth mentioning that are, *gasp* UNDER say, 300?? I see all these people talking about 1200+ bikes and that's so far out of my range. Should I buy a used higher quality bike somewhere? Should I just pick up another cheapo target-bought type since I'm not all gung-ho-bikerider yet? My stats: 5'6", 115/120lb range. I don't even know the difference between 10/15/whatever speed vs whatever else types so I just have no idea what to even look for. ANY INPUT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, AS I ASSURE YOU, IT WILL ALL BE NEW KNOWLEDGE TO ME.

XOXO!

You need to visit some bike shops and talk to them. Don't buy, just look and ask questions- do research. Compare bikes, prices and most importantly information.

In OC, there are several good shops. Have fun looking!

under 300 I'd look used at an lbs OR local used and suggest a trip to the lbs for inspection before purchase.
(frame inspections inportant) and you'll be told of parts or upgrades you need.-Good bargining tool.
Lots of sweet hardtails 2-3+ years old that would have cost 800+ new and have x-$ worth of upgrades already!
Just inspect well, a bike with very few scuffs and a coat of dust may be the thing.
I'd rather a quality older bike than a shiny 'toy store' ride that isn't worth replacing parts on.
All I can suggest, hope you find a bike to your liking and get riding! :D

( my bike was used, and $total with a few lightness upgrades comes to 300- oh..that's right I'm modifing :rolleyes: mo-money, BUT, since it's a way nice frame, I am willing to spend money and time on 'er.)

also
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=44975

Jadore,

you say you are not a gung-ho bike rider (yet)! By buying a bike at Target or a simliar discount store your risking not being able to fall in love with this wonderful sport. Most of the bicycles sold at these store are little more than Toys, and will only frustrate you in the very near future. You will end up replacing it and spending more than you would if you bought a real one first.

You can get a good quality brand new road bike for under $400.00

for example:

http://www.ibexbikes.com/Bikes/2003/bikes_03Classic3300.html

Or check ebay etc for a nice used one. Your local bike shop can help you figure out what size you need. If they don't have one priced in your range,and you buy a used one on-line, have it shipped there, and let them assemble it for you. They will appreciate the gesture, and you will need other stuff from them anyways. (Helmet!)


An extra $100.00 spent now will save you money and heartache down the road (pun intended)

Carefull with the crosstraining and competing...you might choose to stick with cycling....Greg Lemond was a skiier, Lance Armstrong was a Triathlete? :p

Brendon

Fuji are a good make of low-end road bikes, but find yourself a good bike shop, and see what makes they do.
You dont need anything too fancy just to ride and keep fit. A used bike which was good when new, is always good value. The bike I ride everyday cost me UK£100, has lasted 7 years so far, and ides as well as my custom made £1200 model.
Make sure the bike fits you. At 5'6, you are within the "normal" height range for bikes, so you wont have a problem, but do take some care to get a well fitting bike.
If you want to use the bike for commuting, or winter training, consider a bike with threaded eyelets to accept fenders. You can always take them off to race, but its hard to fit fenders to a bike without the eyelets.

I saw a nice bike at this link:

http://www.bicycle-classifieds.com/detail.php?cat=20&de=1777

it was a2003 Patriot for the price you were looking for, he may even go a little cheaper if you ask :D

Jadore...

is that your picture on your homepage?? :eek:

WOW!!

Jadore...

is that your picture on your homepage?? :eek:

WOW!!
:D "AGREED!!!"

Jadore, I agree with the others about going to several bike shops and asking alot of questions. Read up on it too. Another really important aspect is to make sure the bike you are ready to plunk down your hard earned cash for fits you. That can make a big difference in how well you like the bike down the road, so to speak. Go to the local library and look for something like bicycling encyclopedias. They will have sections on bike fit. Armed with that knoweledge, it will be easier to determine if a new or used bike is right for you.
What ever you do make sure you have fun with it. Check out the local club scene and do some organised riding. It will be a blast.

Jim

Jadore,

Lots of very good advice here, ignore the stuff about
Target (pronounced Tahr jay) as you've already stated
you know thats not the place to go. There is a large
used market in SoCal I'd check there. You may not get
the latest,greatest whizbang gizmo of the month but
you can find a good, ridable bike. If you need some
contact info, let me know (via pm).
NzLcyclist is right, after you're healed from your running
injury you just might find you don't want to go back to
running, Cycling is much more friendly to the knees.

Marty

Good advice above. Here are some things that were not covered.

1) The most important single thing about a bike is get one that fits you. This pretty much means going to a bike shop with competent personnel who will take the time to do this. Riding a bike that does not fit is really bad news.

2) For rookie riders, the fit angle pretty much means you can not go with a used bike. You could ask a bike shop person about the size of bike you need. Then buy a used one of that size and have the bike shop fit it to you (you need to at least offer to pay them for this service).

3) Bikes are not like cars. An auto manufacturer pretty much makes the whole auto. A bike manufacturer makes the frame and then buys all the components. This means that bikes made by different manufacturers are pretty similar at similar price points because they often come with the same or very similar mixes of components. Good manufacturers will not make unrideable bikes.

4) A good bike shop will not carry a bike that is not road worthy. Discount department stores will. So buy from a bike shop.

5) You need a certain minimum amount of accessories which will unfortunately increase the price. These include: a helmet*, bike shorts**, jersey**, handpump*, tire irons*, tube or patch kit*, chain lube*, floor pump*, bike shoes**, computer**, gloves**, allen wrenches**, water bottle and bottle holder*. note * - gotta have it. ** can get by without it. Bike shoes are really nice if you get to riding over say 20 miles per ride and that can happen sooner then you think. Bike shoes and clipless pedals make for a much better pedal stroke and it makes a surprisingly big difference. However, just this stuff can set you back $200 or more depending on what you get, so you might want to hold off on as much as you can. Don't get too discouraged. If you take to this sport and start doing longer rides on a regular basis, the stuff will be well worth it. When you work out the cost per hour or cost per mile, the cost of bicycling is pretty reasonable.

Hey Jadore...

I see your're in OC as well... what part ? I live in Orange... you may wanna check out Jax Bikes in Irvine... talk to Andre there... he's a good guy, and hooked my wife up with a bike... Also, you can try Performance in Irvine, on Jamboree...

It's gonna be hard to get a great bike for under $300... you may wanna check out Ebay in that case... you can probably get a decent Road bike for around $500... look at Giant, Specialized Sequoia (What my wife bought, and she digs it)

Once you get up and running.. I know of a good club to ride with... not too fast, not too slow... more of a social group on wheels... We need more younger people.. I'm usually about thew youngest at 29... check out http://www.ocrebels.com

see ya aroound

Jeff

There are a number of tools on the internet for you to measure yourself to get an idea of your ideal frame size. You could have a bike shop check it. Once you have the frame size, start checking ebay to identify a few bikes and then post back to ask for opinions on what you find. Winter is a great time to buy a bike because of the sales and discounting. Good luck.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

I was just about to say - you look like a long distance runner! A friend of mine is a runner. I've suggested that she'd get more attention if she ran wearing more make-up and didnt get so red in the face when she ran. Whats the secret there? Is there special 'sweat proof' stuff you can get?

Also, 300 bucks is not a lot to spend on a bike. I mean, my friend spends that a month just on waxing, grooming and make-up! Not to mention her collection of designer perfume!

How DO you girls do it?!?!

First find the right bike, then check the price...

THANK YOU for all of the incredibly helpful information. Pen and paper in hand, I'm actually taking notes, heh! I REALLY want to get a bike within the next week or two so this info has been especially helpful at pointing me in the right direction. It's very much appreciated, XO!
Smoothie, you're so right. No tar-jay knock offs for moi! Pat, thanks for the indepth basic breakdown for me as it was especially helpful. Oak - gem of a link, thanks! I'll be heading down to a few local shops, armed with the basic info I've gotten thus far and I'm sure I'll be able to find something sweet and suitable. ;)

compliment here

see above

How YOU doin? ;)

:D

some good stuff

Jeff

Sipper, I'm your neighbor! I'll certainly look into both Jax and Performance as well as the bike your wife ended up choosing, gracias :) And hey, thanks for the link to the club. I tend to be a big ol' loner when it comes to me and the great outdoors (its my spiritual time, *tear*), but a little club like this sounds rather intriguing! Hmmmm..... social group on wheels - I like! I hearted it, so maybe I'll get my butt down there and join you guys and gals in the near future... :D

I'm getting all revved up about this biking thing now :)

sweet words here

p.s. LykE OmG, DuH, just tell your friend to bring her CABOODLE FULL OF MAKEUP along with her on her runs - all girls know this. We afford it by skimping on our running shoes, *sigh* it's a tough life :( If she gets the slightest bit red, OMG, crisis! Just tell her - CALM DOWN, DE-STRESS, FAN YOURSELF, AND REAPPLY PRONTO! A spritz of that designer perfume, slow down the pace as to avoid sweating, and she's good to go again. Vois-las! OR you could always just ask -- YO MOMMA.

:rolleyes: Wretched Aussie! *pushes you outta the way* grrrr



Thanks again everyone*


*unless your handle starts with thy :p

Lots of good advice above, especially on looking towards a second-hand bike.

There are two commercial sites that I find rather helpful in summarizing the various aspects to consider (especially the first one):

– La Cordée site (http://www.lacordee.com/en/conseils/liste/achat/conseils_d_achat_velo)
– MEC website (http://www.mec.ca/Main/articles_main.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=634237&bmUID=1076042218340)
and of course Sheldon Brown's (http://sheldonbrown.com) website.

You may also read the "Bicycling 101" section on the Rivendell bicycles (http://rivbikes.com) website (even though their bikes are way out of your range).


From the little you have said, you might either consider a road bike or a touring bike. The modern touring bike is a bit expensive, but many good bikes from the early 1990s would fit in the category. The difference?
- Many modern road bikes can't accept tires wider than 700x23 or 700x25. Many can't take a rack (make sure you have eyelets on the rear to at least add a rear rack if you want one, and many don't have enough room around the tires to add fenders.
- A touring bike has room for all that, and also beefier tubes to allow better handling when touring fully loaded. Many bikes (like Bianchi) and most road bikes that are 10-20 years old (or more) could fit in the "light touring" category: they don't have the beefy structure that helps to carry 80 lb of gear, but they have all the rest: room for fenders and larger tires (700x35-37), eyelets for racks... All of these are worthwile elements for commuting, riding when it rains (or when there is likelyhood of rain), or when it snows (applicable here, not there, I know), being comfortable on pothole-ridden streets, etc.... On the other hand, if you want the fastest bike to train on perfect roads, then narrow tires are great!

If you go towards a recent or new bike, many come with a threadless stem. Make sure you can place the handlebars high enough for comfort. Even on a road bike, don't aim right away for the perfectly aerodynamic position right now. Aim for a little higher position (see Rivendell above), and lower it gradually once you get acquainted with your bike.

Another issue to consider is "fit". If you are short (say 5' 4" and shorter, but below 5'1", it's even more critical), then it's difficult to design a good bike on 700c wheels, and it's much easier to design one on 650 or 26" wheels. It's generally easier to find replacement tires for 26" wheels than for 650.
One of the problem is that many bike manufacturers make their small bikes as long as their large ones -- like if a short person would have short legs, but a long torso and long arms. You may solve that problem -- to a point -- by replacing the standard stem with a very short one.


ACCESSORIES

As for accessories, I am of the old school. I tend to get lots of accessories for the bike, and as few as possible for myself.

For the bike

- Fenders are a must for any humid-day riding, especially if you commute or do any other cycling with clothes that you want to look decent afterwards. Probably not necessary 9 months per year near San Francisco. Up here, by contrast, I even add mudflaps to my fenders, so my feet and my drivetrain remain clean, even in snow.
- Lights: unless you want to do long rides in the evening, especially outside of lit areas, a good solution is to buy a set of powerful LED headlight (like Cateye EL-300 or 400, or Planet Bike series) and taillight. For less than $50 you will be seen fairly well in the dark.
- Racks (and panniers): I tend to carry the kitchen sink around, especially when I ride with the kids. A good rear rack can be lightweight too.
- Water bottles and cages (the little racks to hold the bottles) are cheap but necessary, unless you only do short rides in not too warm weather.

For me

The helmet offers some crash-protection value. A good on-road cyclist will never crash, but other people may run into you. But apart from the helmet, no other gear is necessary. I would suggest you buy it only if you feel you need it.

For instance, gloves are supposed to help reduce numbness in fingers by dampening road vibrations. Well, I actually find that most gloves make my fingers more numb! I finally got gloves that I like a few years ago, and found that the best way to buy them is to cycle for 1-2 hours beforehand, then try your bike with the gloves: you will immediately feel any badly-placed stitches.

Likewise for cycling pants or chamois lining. It's probably better in the long run to find the perfect saddle and saddle position to be comfortable in the long run, and only afterwards, if you feel you need it, get cycling pants. That way, you won't "hide" a saddle problem.

Cycling shoes. It depends on the pedals you use. If you go for traditional "cheap" pedals or even for those with toeclips, than you could ride in any ordinary shoes, especially if they have a hard sole. On the other hand, if you are interested in more cyling, clipless pedals with cycling shoes make sense. I prefer SPD (i.e. mountain style) shoes because they look like normal shoes (almost) and are walkable.

By the way, my only special equipment is:
- helmet with rearview mirror stuck onto it;
- SPD cycling shoes in summer, and for the first year, SPD boots in winter;
- cycling gloves.
All the rest is non-cycling-specific. I prefer loose-fitting clothing anyway, and prefer the normal look to the "cyclist racer" look. And I cycle approximately 7000-8000 km per year.

Expect a fitting by a bike shop to run you ~$50. However, you can save yourself the $50 and get yourself 99% of the way there with a little googling. There are plenty of web sites (some mentioned above) that discuss proper fit. As long as you follow general principles, you will likely do well.

Importantly, this opens the door to a world of discount bike buying through Ebay, catalog, and web retailers. Please see the following links for some good, inexpensive, new bike ideas.

link1 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=42519)
link2 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=43122)

Oh and visit getawaybikes.com. They're offering this 2003 on closeout very close to your price range;

capri (http://www.getawaybikes.com/Detail.cfm?Categoryid=33&BrandID=9&ProductID=1000&CFID=3152561&CFTOKEN=83248582)

This bike is a very small investment to make (remember, you can always sell it later) for a decent quality bike ... AND it comes with clipless pedals.

Finally, don't let anyone convince you that you shouldn't buy a Sora equiped bike. Sora was built with you in mind and it's a decent value.

<I don't have an interest in Getaway bikes, I'm just a happy customer>

Best of luck!

-mark

p.s. LykE OmG, DuH, just tell your friend to bring her CABOODLE FULL OF MAKEUP along with her on her runs - all girls know this. We afford it by skimping on our running shoes, *sigh* it's a tough life :( If she gets the slightest bit red, OMG, crisis! Just tell her - CALM DOWN, DE-STRESS, FAN YOURSELF, AND REAPPLY PRONTO! A spritz of that designer perfume, slow down the pace as to avoid sweating, and she's good to go again. Vois-las! OR you could always just ask -- YO MOMMA.

:rolleyes: Wretched Aussie! *pushes you outta the way* grrrr



Thanks again everyone*


*unless your handle starts with thy :p

You love it - don't pretend ya don't :p

PS: G-Strings are legitimate cycling apparel :D

A good guide to bike fitting can be found at
www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

The essential accesories are helmet and gloves. These are for crash protection. Ive taken falls on the bike which have stripped a layer of leather off the palms of my gloves. Imagine how that would feel on your skin. Wear gloves.

Cycling footwear is an expensive luxury on a $300 budget. Use toe clips and you will get close to the efficiency of clipless, for $10.

How YOU doin? ;)

:D

Doin' well....

good luck with your new wheels...being in the bike biz and knowing the guys I work with, you will get LOTS of help and advice... :)

Thylacine,

Score points big time, braze her up a frame and
send it to her. . . :D

Marty

Sipper, I'm your neighbor! I'll certainly look into both Jax and Performance as well as the bike your wife ended up choosing, gracias :) And hey, thanks for the link to the club. I tend to be a big ol' loner when it comes to me and the great outdoors (its my spiritual time, *tear*), but a little club like this sounds rather intriguing! Hmmmm..... social group on wheels - I like! I hearted it, so maybe I'll get my butt down there and join you guys and gals in the near future... :D

I'm getting all revved up about this biking thing now :)

Right on Jadore...

I usually like to ride alone as well... but I find with a group, they push me to ride a little faster, and harder... I jsut try to find a couple guys or girls that are on my same level, and keep up with them... As for me, I fall somewhere between the fast group, and the slower group... so sometimes I do ride by myself...

Anyway, once you get yer bike, come on down.. the ride leader's name is Jess... my name is Jeff... look for me.. I ride a Red and Black Lemond, and have Silver shoes :-)

Jeff

mg- so in depth - thank you kindly for your time! So far, I haven't encountered a problem with fit, I seem to be in the average height range :)

gene- that little bit was incredibly helpful, i just may end up buying online. I'm checking out a few more shops this weekend/week and we'll see where that goes. I really know nothing about any name brands - so i'm making a little list of brands mentioned here to keep in mind - so thanks, yours have been noted! :)

thy - if I wear a gstring, will you wear one too?
This just made me wonder - are there nudist cyclists? There are nudist hikers and I've encountered a few nudist trail runners (ouch?) ... hmmm

michael - OWWIE! ...I can't wait!! haha :D but yes, I'll be getting all the safety apparel :)

road- lol you boys are so silly :p <3

lotek - braze me up a frame? :( I don't know that terminology, boo. So whyyy don't we get drunk and.... (blame your profile)

sipper - like I really know what a lemond is! Lest you forget, I'm a complete novice unless target beach cruisers and tricylce hot wheels count :) Maybe I could send you a PM before I show up (although no plan yet) so that way you'd be expecting me and could oh so kindly help me break the ice? (read: feel more comfortable around a crowd of strangers who know all about cycling!)

I'm flattered.
Brazing is what a framebuilder does to connect tubes
to create a bicycle
From Sheldon Brown's site:

Brazing is the joining of metal parts by melting a different metal (of lower melting point) which bonds the parts together. Typically brazing involves joining steel parts with molten brass. Soldering is a similar operation, using lower temperatures and different filler metals (with a lower melting point) In brazing and soldering, the filler metal penetrates inaccessible areas of the joint by capillary action
now aren't you glad you asked?
seriously I think the Sheldon (captain Bike) Brown's site
has some great info. Check it out:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/beginners/index.html

Marty

PS: G-Strings are legitimate cycling apparel :D

Oh, great, that statement ought to bring the Underwear Nazi into this thread!
:eek:

This just made me wonder - are there nudist cyclists?


Indeed there are! One of our members, A. Troll, is quite fond of cycling in the buff. She'll post a greeting here soon now that her name has been invoked, I just know it. :p

Welcome to the forums, Jadore!

PS: G-Strings are legitimate cycling apparel :D

Thylacine, my extinct carnivorous marsupial friend, you are quite right. G-strings have many legitimate bicycle-related uses.

On a cold day you can wear one as a nose warmer, just hang the waist band over your ears.

If you carry your bicycle on a roof-mounted car rack, you can use one to protect your rear derailleur from the elements. Wrap another one around your bike computer to spare it from the wind and rain.

You can also use a pair of g-strings for toe warmers, to keep the cold from penetrating your bike shoes.

Mountain bikers should carry a g-string in saddle bag for a handy tourniquet in case of a medical emergency. (Note: just don't wrap it around your neck to stop a nose-bleed).

You could even use a g-string to boot a punctured tire.

But, you should never, ever under any circumstances, wear a g-string under your bike shorts for any reason. Don't even think about it.

Got it?

Good.

Underwear Nazi
Whistling Bach's "Air on a G String"

Indeed there are! One of our members, A. Troll, is quite fond of cycling in the buff. She'll post a greeting here soon now that her name has been invoked, I just know it. :p

Welcome to the forums, Jadore!

Absolutely! Gimme a big ole smooch, Robbie, and come to Trollsville and ride nekkid with me!

:love: :love:

How YOU doin? ;)

:D




You love it - don't pretend ya don't :p

PS: G-Strings are legitimate cycling apparel :D





thy - if I wear a gstring, will you wear one too?
This just made me wonder - are there nudist cyclists? There are nudist hikers and I've encountered a few nudist trail runners (ouch?) ... hmmm

snip, snip

road- lol you boys are so silly :p <3

lotek - braze me up a frame? :( I don't know that terminology, boo. So whyyy don't we get drunk and.... (blame your profile)

Oh, good Lord...another female cyclist who thinks Bikeforums is the LOVE CONNECTION. :rolleyes:

Try IRC, Jadore. Lots of sex channels on dalnet and plenty of men to flirt with.

Bwahaha. This thread makes me laugh - you kerrazy boys & girls ; )



blah blah blah
aw shucks, well I luv ya too LJ!! <3333



// off to the SA riverbed for some morning playtime

Bwahaha. This thread makes me laugh - you kerrazy boys & girls ; )
// off to the SA riverbed for some morning playtime

Jadore,
Keep in mind that the most important thing about a bicycle is the frame. Everything else can be swapped out, but the frame is the heart of the bike.

The frame materials will also play a big part in how enjoyable the ride is. Do a little research on steel v. aluminum (The other materials like Titanium and Carbon fiber are a bit out of your budgeted price range). Steel will give you a bit more comfortable ride and is very durable, but the downside is it can be quite heavy (especially in the lower price points).

Aluminum is a lighter material (you could have probably guessed) but the ride quality can be a bit firmer (translation: the road vibrations can give your butt a buzzzzzz!) and there are some fatigue life considerations.

Overall, I would go with an aluminum frame. 1. Lightweight always wins out and 2. Way before the frame runs it's life expectancy you will be jonesing to upgrade anyway.

NOW on to more important matters:
What's it going to take to get you to MARRY ME? Let's see, a beautiful woman who loves to rockclimb, mountain bike, ski, snowshoe, snowboard, etc

SIGN ME UP! sure I live on the East Coast...but I AM WILLING TO COMMUTE!!!

Hell, I even have spare bike for you to ride!

I'm deciding between three bikes right now - I'd post the specifics, but I don't have the info on me and I've been looking at so many, I really canNOT remember for the life of me since so many of these terms are completely new to me. I'm still checking out another shop with a rider-friend in a couple of days, and that should help round off the final one - at least I'm hoping because I REALLY just want to get my butt out there and ride already!! The sunny skies are just screaming my name! Bike buying is proving tough with all of the darn choices - I mean, choices are great and all, but you know how us girls are - always changing our minds ;)

MJ - you have an extra bike I could ride?! You better be careful, that kinda talk could REALLY sweep a girl off her feet! (*cough* especially one being inundated with all of the 293408234 choices!!!) haha. You are adorable and have caused a big ol smile to cross my face =)

As far as the differences between alum/steel -- wouldn't steel give me a better workout? I mean, if I already have a set amount of miles set in my head that I'm going to do - lugging around a heavier bike each mile equals to a better (more intense) workout, doesn't it? And my main goal right now is to keep my endurance up since I'm unable to run (I was currently running 20+ miles at a time at a pretty steady pace, so I really do NOT want to lose my fitness).

Jadore,
True enough, in theory a heavier bike can make the workout a bit more intense. However, the quality of the ride (which is often dictated by the frame/ fork materials) will probably determine whether you get hooked on cycling or not.

I have long been a fan of the Aluminum frame for racing/ short (50 miles or less) rides as the properties of Aluminum tend to make for a faster, more agile frame.

If you are looking at lots of long rides then a good steel frame (reynolds 525, 623) would be great.

The intensity of the workout will be more a function of how you structure your rides (Intervals, climbing, cadence) and where you ride (flats, rollers, mountains) than what you are riding on. (generally speaking)

Now, back to the most important topic at hand (ie. YOU marrying ME). How about a nice Tandem bicycle ;) We could get in a whole lot of great CARDIO work together, I assure you!

ps. I also know a great deal about knee injuries having gone through two ACL reconstruction surgeries (Damn snowboarding). I have lOTS of massage techniques! (they don't call me "magic fingers" for nothing!) LOL

Further ps. LOVE the daily updates to j'daily! Keep them coming :)

OH, and 1 last ps. Can we get some nice pics of you in your' "cleaning/ dancing" outfit that you mention in today's log? Pretty pleeeeeeease!!!! :D

I'm deciding between three bikes right now - I'd post the specifics, but I don't have the info on me and I've been looking at so many, I really canNOT remember for the life of me since so many of these terms are completely new to me. I'm still checking out another shop with a rider-friend in a couple of days, and that should help round off the final one - at least I'm hoping because I REALLY just want to get my butt out there and ride already!! The sunny skies are just screaming my name! Bike buying is proving tough with all of the darn choices - I mean, choices are great and all, but you know how us girls are - always changing our minds ;)

MJ - you have an extra bike I could ride?! You better be careful, that kinda talk could REALLY sweep a girl off her feet! (*cough* especially one being inundated with all of the 293408234 choices!!!) haha. You are adorable and have caused a big ol smile to cross my face =)

As far as the differences between alum/steel -- wouldn't steel give me a better workout? I mean, if I already have a set amount of miles set in my head that I'm going to do - lugging around a heavier bike each mile equals to a better (more intense) workout, doesn't it? And my main goal right now is to keep my endurance up since I'm unable to run (I was currently running 20+ miles at a time at a pretty steady pace, so I really do NOT want to lose my fitness).

Jadore,

Sounds like you got it wired... there are a billion bike choices out there.. believe me...

As far as frame materials.. Steel isn't always heavier than aluminum... My bike is Steel, and the frame and fork only weigh like 3 pounds or so... I think my whole bike is around 17 or 18 maybe ?

Aluminum is probably the most cost effectrive though... and the ride quality is generally pretty good.. much better than they used to be...

Which shops did ya check out ?

see ya

JEff

Hey Jadore-
Sorry to hear you're injured. If you havent already, you should try and see a sports doc. They might give you an idea how serious your injury is and how long before you can start running again. Even if they sugguest <10 miles a week or whatever, its better than nothing. I've been lucky and injury free for the past few thousand miles running, but remember how frustrating it is when you're hurt. Even when healthy enough to do something else, it's not the same.
But good luck getting your bike, I'm sure you won't regret it. Follow the great advise that has been given and you should be set. FWIW, you might want to try swimming too. It's really cheap/free, a great way to rehab, fun, and you might become addicted.

J'adore

Riding in nature sometimes brings out the animals in people. Don't ever be afraid to ride in the buff. But, since everyone seems to be ogling your picture (and who can really blame them) I thought I would toss in a picture of a friend of mine for your viewing pleasure (or displeasure, or just a laugh).

This is what happens when mountain bikers get drunk and there are no mountains (or even hills for that matter) to ride.