Introductions - New to bikes, need advice

Hey guys. My name is Vince and I need some advice on what kind of bike I should purchase. I live in San Leandro and work in San Francisco so I will be taking my bike either on the bus (AC Transit Transbay Express), or on the subway (BART).

Currently I have a Dahon Speed P8. It's a great little bike and is very versatile and compact. The only problem is it can't go long distances or climb hills very well. It's an 8 speed but weighs ~22 lbs and only has 20" wheels. I need something that is fast and can climb small San Francisco hills.

Can anyone point me to the type of bike I am looking for, or possibly some recommendations of entry level bikes that will give me the most bang for my buck for my needs?

I'm not looking for the most high tech, lightweight bike out there that costs $1000. My range is probably $400-500 but if possible, I would like to stay in the $300 or below range. I also don't mind a used bike!

Any help is appreciated :thumb:

Welcome Vince.
You're going to be hard pressed to find a new commuter bike in the sub $300 price range. If you know you're size, craigslist is a great place to find a deal. Sounds like you may be looking for a flat bar road bike - like the one shown below. Unfortunately it retails for ~$550 and it's an entry level commuter. Lots of folks around here ride bikes like this.
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/images/bikes_page/10_coda_bk.jpg
Have you asked the folks in the Commuting forum for suggestions?
Good luck.

i'd say first you should go to a bike shop and find out what size of bike you need. you can do this bike having them suggest a bike and then taking it for a test ride. when you find a bike that feels comfortable, ask what the size of the seat tube and the head tube are. and maybe even the stem. with this information you can start looking at used bikes on craigslist and be relatively sure that the bike will be more or less your size before you even make the trip to go see it. if you find a bike you like on cl, you can ask here and someone should tell you if it's worth what they're asking or not. my other suggestion would be to check out bikesdirect.com. they have a lot of new bikes starting out at $250 and up. if you want a new bike but don't necessarily need the highest quality stuff, this could be the way to go. oh, nashbar.com also has a lot of new cheap bikes that also meet your price criteria.

Thanks for the advice guys. That is a great idea to go to a bike shop and check out bikes there and make sure the size is right.

I'm pretty small, 5'5", 148lbs so that might make a difference.

I was also looking around reviews and found that the Trek 1000 road bike has pretty good reviews. It retails for around $500ish but can be found used for ~$250 (for a 2007 model in good shape).

What is the make and model of the bike below?

What is the make and model of the bike below?
Do you mean the bike pictured above?
It's a Jamis Coda. --> http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/street/coda/10_coda.html

The Trek 1000 would make a good commuter bike. How will you carry you stuff? Backpack, panniers, messenger bag?

Opps yes above. I carry all my belongings in my backpack and haven't had a need for extra storage. I have a motorcycle that I've been using to commute for the last couple years and I usually store all my things in my backpack. I have a cargo net and have only had to use it once to carry a 16x16x12 inch box.

So would you guys recommend a road bike or a hybrid like the Jamis Coda? Both seem to be in the $250 range used which fits perfectly in my budget.

The Coda is a flat bar road bike. Similar to a road bike, just no drop bars. A hybrid would also work as a commuter. Look around on CL. You should be able to find lots of good bikes to pick from in the SF area.

Welcome to BF!!!

this bike has thin road tires (not too thin - don't worry) and it's more like a flat bar road bike than a hybrid. just be sure to have your local shop check the spoke tension and shifting. it's worth the money for the checkup

Men's Tourist Hybrid Bike

http://www.target.com/Mens-Tourist-Hybrid-Bike/dp/B00160JO4Q

http://bestschwinnbikes.blogspot.com/2009/10/men-tourist-hybrid-bike.html
http://astore.amazon.com/schwinn.pacific.mongoose.bike-20/detail/B00160JO4Q