Blogger's Forum - Need Advice - Buying new Bicycle!

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to buy myself a new bicycle and am in need of some advice. I can only spend around $500, which I know isn't the most for bikes, but I'm sure I can find something to suit my needs.

I'll be mostly riding it through the city, on roads, but there are also a lot of off road trails that I would like to be able to ride on comfortably. What kind of bike should I be looking for? A hybrid?

As well, I was wondering if there are certain brands that I should be looking out for that are reputable and are maybe more in my price range. I'm not a professional by any means, but I'd like to be able to invest in a quality bike that I am able to rely on.

Thanks so much!!

Nat

For starters, you should ask the moderators to move this thread to a different sub forum. I think you'll get more and better feedback.

I'd suggest a CX (cyclo-cross) bike for your needs, but other kinds (like a mountain or even a hybrid) might also work. A CX bike is like a road bike, but it has wider tires, and different brakes, which let it handle dirt pretty well, too.

You'll get more bang for your buck if you don't mind a used bike. Bikes are like cars in some ways, and one of those is depreciation. Let somebody else take that hit.

Finally, don't worry about what brand the bike is. Almost all manufacturers make good bikes. What matters is that you find one that fits you, and holds up to the type of riding you want to do.

Thanks so much for the reply! I have no idea how to contact a moderator. Do you know which forum I should look for? I can just start another thread there.

My main concern with used bikes is rust, because every time I've gone on craigslist to find something most bikes have some amount of rust on them. Otherwise, I really have no issue buying a used, but because I'm no bike expert I'm afraid I'll get ripped off for a bike that isn't as reliable as a new one.

As for the type of bikes, I'll definitely keep those kind in mind.

You contact a moderator, you can click the little black triangle and report the post. In the dialog, just ask the moderators that your thread be moved.

Moderators are the people with the Blue star, and Administrators hahve 3 blue stars. I'm the top site admin, by the way.