Introductions - Hello from a pre-newbie

Hi there,

I think pre-newbie is appropriate, since I haven't even purchased a bike yet. The last time I actually owned a bike was when I was 10 years old. But when I visited a friend in Amsterdam, I had a fantastic time on two wheels, and I intend to make it a part of my daily life. I'm primarily on this site to get advice and learn - to which end I will now make my way to the appropriate forum section to ask you guys how on earth I'm going to find a bike to meet my unusual needs. Hopefully, I'll be up and riding soon and will have more exciting questions to ask, like the best way to get from NYC to LA. But I'm not quite there yet.

Cheers,

Michael

Hmm, OK, it's not clear to me which forum to go to, to get advice on purchasing. I see there's a section for people who want to buy, but my circumstances are unusual, and I'd like to get community feedback/advice, before actually venturing into the marketplace. Thoughts?

I'm going to find a bike to meet my unusual needs.

What are your needs?

I'm looking for something I can take for long distance travel - interstate. However, my means are quite limited, on the low-end-used to craigslist level. Also, I'm 6'4", 280, with a very long torso. A 23" with handle bars extended forward wasn't long enough for me. I've been told I need at least a 25" top tube, which seems quite uncommon, much less finding one at my price-point. Maybe it would be better to just try and find a frame, and then bargain hunt for the rest of the bike? And it makes it hard to find something on craigslist when I have no earthly idea which brands are good and which are lousy, or any other things I need to take into consideration. Knowing which brands are (the bike versions of) Hyundais and which are BMWs should at least help a little.

Welcome, and good luck finding a bike...