Commuting - Help on choosing a bike

Need help choosing a bike - pls provide some guidance as there are so many choices. . .types, brands, etc.. .

Here is my situation/needs:

* New to biking after 20 year or so of not riding
* In good shape and physically active, male, height 5'9
* Recently started riding and am borrowing a neighbors old bike (Cannondale killer 900)
* Plan to use the bike for commuting, exercise/pleasure, and family
* Will commute 3 days a week or so, 5 miles each way over typical suburban roads
* Want to add racks and panniers
* For exercise/pleasure will ride 2-3 times a week 15 miles or so
* Want to enter some casual races in the fall
* Never plan to mountain bike or off road (other than cutting across a field)
* Occasionally I want to ride with my young kids as well

I want to buy a flexible bike that can grow with me and only plan on having one bike. Want to spend in the 400-800 range or so. I have looked at the Trek 7500, 7500fx, a few similar Specialized. I have not ridden but am interested in a Trek X01 (cyclocross) as it seems pretty flexible.

Any/all help is appreciated!

Adam

Need help choosing a bike - pls provide some guidance as there are so many choices. . .types, brands, etc.. .

Here is my situation/needs:

* New to biking after 20 year or so of not riding
* In good shape and physically active, male, height 5'9
* Recently started riding and am borrowing a neighbors old bike (Cannondale killer 900)
* Plan to use the bike for commuting, exercise/pleasure, and family
* Will commute 3 days a week or so, 5 miles each way over typical suburban roads
* Want to add racks and panniers
* For exercise/pleasure will ride 2-3 times a week 15 miles or so
* Want to enter some casual races in the fall
* Never plan to mountain bike or off road (other than cutting across a field)
* Occasionally I want to ride with my young kids as well

I want to buy a flexible bike that can grow with me and only plan on having one bike. Want to spend in the 400-800 range or so. I have looked at the Trek 7500, 7500fx, a few similar Specialized. I have not ridden but am interested in a Trek X01 (cyclocross) as it seems pretty flexible.

Any/all help is appreciated!

Adam

Whoa mate, you DON'T need to spend $800 to get a bike that
will do what you want to do. Take a bit read here and on....

www.sheldonbrown.com

To learn a bit about bikes now and in the recent past. There
are some killer deals in the used bike market for the savvy
biker. I'm sure that you can find a good lugged steel framed
bike that will fill the bill for less than $100 COMPLETE used
(mostly used bikes have been stored and really never ridden)

Whatever you do don't get caught up in all the biking
elistist stuff you read here. If you are ,or want to be, a
pro then all the hi tech stuff matters. For the other 99%
that are riding or posting here the hi tech stuff isn't
really needed.

I agree with what Tightwad wrote. Find a decent (meaning not a dept. store) used bike that is comfortable and fits. Also (if you don't know how to already) learn how to fix/maintain your bike - it saves money, but also means you are not dependent on others or get stuck somewhere.

I bought a barely used hardtail mountain bike (diamond back ascent ex) over 10yrs ago for $180 and it still serves me well. I commute on it every day 9mi each way - about 22mph on flat. Sure I could spend more cash on a higher performance bike, but since I'm not racing, what is the purpose?

I am getting more disgusted with the elitist nature of cycling with regard to equipment. I stopped by a bike store chain (Supergo) looking for a replacement part (adjustment nut) for the derailler and they told me they don't service low end bikes - it would be better to replace it (The bike, not the derailer). But its not all like that, I later went by my friendly local bike shop and they said the derailer (deore xt) was in good shape and replaced the nut for $3 while I waited (all I wanted was the part), and did a great job tuning it up and properly crimped the cable end.

Al

A sport-touring bike makes a useful general purpose commuter/shopper with a turn of speed for weekend rides.
Mine takes 32mm tyres+fenders and fits a rack, and has a mid-range triple chainset. The Specialized Sequoia is fairly close in concept, but mine takes the caliper brakes with a deeper drop, so has more tyre clearance for winter riding.
CX style bikes work well in this role.
I "sourced" a used frame from my local bike shop and put the bike together for less than £100. It would probably cost £800 new in a shop. (£1==$1 in buying power)

My only advice is to steer clear of suspension forks or full suspension mtn bikes. They are heavy and rob you of your pedaling effort. Otherwise, Goodwill is a decent place to find some barely used 10-speeds or older touring-style bikes. Replace the tires, tune up the drivetrain and you have a great bike for not much money.

The other point not mentioned is that after a year or so of riding this inexpensive bike, you will have a much better idea of what (if any) other type of bike you want and how you want it to fit.

Then you can have two bikes and perhaps the older one could become more of the 'beater' bike, great for that 1mi ride to the coffee shop, etc. where you don't have to worry about locking it very well.

Al

For racks and panniers, make sure the bike has braze-ons. Most non-racing bikes should have them.

* Never plan to mountain bike or off road (other than cutting across a field)
Do not get a bike with suspension, either full or front-only. They are only really useful off road. They also impede you if you're only riding on road or trails because they are a bit heavier and the "bounce" of the suspension makes it less efficient. If you do think that you'd prefer something with front suspension forks, then at least try and get one with forks you can "lock".

Tyres:
Again, there is not much point having fat mtb tyres on your bike. The 35c ones on your bike would be pretty good. Not too fat, not too thin, good for speed but also gives a comfortable ride. For myself, my last bike was 35c and my new one is thinner with 28c tyres. The new one rides a lot faster and smoother, but also ironically gives a more comfortable ride than my last bike. So keep in mind that thin tyres do not necessarily mean a harsher ride - it also has a lot to do with the bike itself.

For other options, maybe check out the Specialized Sirrus. My current bike is a Sirrus Elite and I LOVE it to bits. The Sirrus series fits around your price range quite nicely.
http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkFamily.jsp?sid=04Sirrus

As for others, well there's a plethora of brands and models that could fit your criteria, so I wouldn't know where to begin.

I see your other choice, the XO1, has drop handlebars, so you could go either way. I myself prefer the straights for my current situation (short commutes, in the city, no long rides or touring), but I know that if I was doing long rides the drops offer a much greater variety of positions and also allows you to bend down for less wind resistance. (in fact, since I am moving to Holland soon, which gets extremely windy, I am considering getting a racer as well for those lovely long windy summer commutes of 35km each way)

At the end of the day, since you haven't ridden regularly for years and want this purchase to be your main "do all" bike, make sure you do some thorough test rides.

Good luck!