Fifty Plus (50+) - What bike for dad who wants to ride to work?

Hello!
my dad has charged me with finding him the right bike. unfortunately the only thing i know about bikes is that they have to wheels and gears. he absolutely wants a specialized bike and he will be using it for riding to work and back so its only street riding. it HAS to be specialized (the brand). he is 6"2-6"3 and about 220-230 pounds. he can ride a bike but he is not very athletic.

Thank you!!

edit: cool! there's a advertisement in my post!!

Although we are quite an exceptionally bright bunch:) you are probably better off getting your dad's bike advice from your dad and you local Specialized dealer. Have your dad go to the shop and tell them what he is going to be doing with the bike and they should be happy to make some suggestions and then let him test ride a few. After he rides a few he will know which on fits the best and feels the best. One thing to suggest to him is that he make the test rides at least 15 minutes long on the bikes that feel good.
Now after he buys a bike, get back on this forum, or better yet get him to and we will make suggestions galore on how to ride it, what to wear, what kind of extras he needs and on and on.
One question for you. Why does it have to be a Specialized?

You might also post on Clydesdale/Athena forum, since your dad qualifies for the Clydesdale category.

Although we are quite an exceptionally bright bunch:) you are probably better off getting your dad's bike advice from your dad and you local Specialized dealer. Have your dad go to the shop and tell them what he is going to be doing with the bike and they should be happy to make some suggestions and then let him test ride a few. After he rides a few he will know which on fits the best and feels the best. One thing to suggest to him is that he make the test rides at least 15 minutes long on the bikes that feel good.
Now after he buys a bike, get back on this forum, or better yet get him to and we will make suggestions galore on how to ride it, what to wear, what kind of extras he needs and on and on.
One question for you. Why does it have to be a Specialized?

it has to be specialized because we went biking with freinds and they all had these cool carbon fiber bikes and he liked them. Now for some reason he wants to start biking and wants a specialized bike.

Did someone say cool carbon fiber?

Have him test ride a Specialized Tricross.

It can haul a load for commuting (which you said he wanted to do); with slick tires it's pretty speedy on the road; with knobbier tires you can do light trails and dirt roads.

A good all 'round bike. Isn't carbon fiber.

it has to be specialized because we went biking with freinds and they all had these cool carbon fiber bikes and he liked them. Now for some reason he wants to start biking and wants a specialized bike.


Have him test ride a Specialized Tricross.

It can haul a load for commuting (which you said he wanted to do); with slick tires it's pretty speedy on the road; with knobbier tires you can do light trails and dirt roads.

A good all 'round bike. Isn't carbon fiber.

C.F. is not a wonder material and "Can" be quite Fragile and does not suit everyone. It will take the riders weight but whichever bike he does get- I would look at the wheels. 220lbs is not exceptionally heavy but a stock bike may not have wheels suitable for him.

I would get him to the shop and get him to test ride a few bikes and in different materials. The tricross is a good bike that will last a few years- except for the fact that the first bike you get is only to tell you what you should have bought in the first place.

I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. This sounds a bit like a no win situation to me. If you don't know anything about bikes, I have to wonder why he charged you with finding the right one for him. Do you have any insight into this? If his thinking is already locked into a Specialized as a brand, I'd just make an inventory of dealers near that carry the brand and send him on his merry way. If you spend a bit of time reading posts on this forum (or any of the others for that matter) you'll quickly see that bike style, bike material, and brand loyalty are all highly subject preferences. It's a pretty good bet that if your dad starts riding and stays with it, whatever he starts on is not going to be what he wants in a year or so.

How much riding has your dad done?

when I first read the headline I thought wow nice kid giving his dad a bike. then I read the note and thought poor kid's gonna get in trouble here. last post here noted that you should find all the local Specialized dealers in the area and point your Dad in their direction. Not all dealers will have all models/sizes etc and not all dealers have the same service. There are so many factors involved it would be nearly impossible for this forum to really give you the one and only solution. Duck and cover usually works on these types of adventures. 'Luck!

You and your dad need to read this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=438160

^^^^^^^^^
What he said...

I'm also a Specialized fan, though not locked in. I do own an LHT, but my other 3 bikes are Specialized. Less because I think they're the best - more because I think they're good and I was familiar with them when I purchased used bikes.

I recommend a road bike, since you say he'll just be on the street. Any of their models would do. Go to your local dealer and have him try some. It sounds like he wants something that he'll think is cool, so if he tries some he may decide which one is the coolest. If I had to make a quick recommendation, I'd say a Roubaix with a triple.

I'd recommend a triple chainring for someone new. One of the most daunting aspects of cycling to newbies is climbing hills. It's nice to have a granny gear to make it easier. Don't let any bike snobs tell you triples are no good. Sure, there are reasons not to choose a triple, but there are also good reasons to get one, and they work fine and aren't that much heavier.

I'd also recommend he consider changing the stem. Racier road bikes put you in an aerodynamic position, which is faster, but can be less comfortable, especially for us old guys. There's no need to buy an upright, "comfort" bike, but swapping the stem for one that raises the bars an inch could be worthwhile. I'd even consider using an adjustable stem for awhile until he settles in on what angle he likes.

He's heavy, but not that heavy. He might want to go with standard spokes, 32 per wheel. Those wheels are usually cheaper anyway. I doubt he'd notice the difference between them and higher-end wheels for awhile. At this point, I think durable would trump super lightweight, aerodynamic wheels.

If he gets into the sport and wants something REALLY cool there will be plenty of opportunities to spend his money and upgrade in the future. For now, get something of good quality and comfortable, and see where this leads.

If you two are about the same size, get him one you like so when he decides he doesn't really want to ride it, you'll get a great bike.

Specialized makes a lot of good bikes of all types. I have one and I like it but I don't love it.
A CF bike is cool and light but is not everything. My opinion - FWIW, since he is just getting abck into it is as follows. If you have to buy a bike right away - go for a moderately priced (~$700) relaxed road geometry road bike. Then trade up later if he wants - but please read the material DF pointed you too first.

it has to be specialized because we went biking with freinds and they all had these cool carbon fiber bikes and he liked them. . . .

I would not use a CF bike for commuting. I use a mountain bike--ride hills and like the gearing. Switched over from a CroMoly road bike.

If your dad has his heart set on a Specialized, I'd suggest a Sirrus or Sequoia. But it wouldn't hurt to think outside the S.