Hybrid Bicycles - Newbie very first post need advise buying first hybrid bike

hi all, I am new member here on the forum, I need your kind advise, I am 38 (5'10) 195 pounds, haven't ride a bike in more then 14 years , after a friend of mine bought a trek bike , I have interest in riding bike again, saw a bike selling in my apartment he and his wife moving and he want to sell his bike. its MARIN LARKSPUR 2010 MODEL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION , bike is in pristine condition , asking price is $250. I am going to pull the triger and buy it tomorrow. what you guys think is it a decent price for the bike. any advise would appreciate. here is the link of exact bike. thanks in advance and have a great day.

http://www.marinbikes.com/2010/bike_specs.php?serialnum=200

their website is timing out for me and not giving me any useful info. but the 2010 larkspur here, http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2010&Brand=Marin&Model=Larkspur&Type=bike#.UNE26G9QUR4 it says it was a $500 bike new, so $250 seems like a reasonable price if its in very good condition. the parts kit on it is pretty similar to my Globe Vienna 02 from the same year, which is essentially an offbrand Specialized Sirrus base model. pretty much classic hybrid.

the most important part, does it fit you well? at 5'10" you're probably a medium. I'd check the wheels for loose spokes, about the most expensive thing to fix on a bike is a bad wheel, everything else that might go wrong is easier.

their website is timing out for me and not giving me any useful info. but the 2010 larkspur here, http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2010&Brand=Marin&Model=Larkspur&Type=bike#.UNE26G9QUR4 it says it was a $500 bike new, so $250 seems like a reasonable price if its in very good condition. the parts kit on it is pretty similar to my Globe Vienna 02 from the same year, which is essentially an offbrand Specialized Sirrus base model. pretty much classic hybrid.

the most important part, does it fit you well? at 5'10" you're probably a medium. I'd check the wheels for loose spokes, about the most expensive thing to fix on a bike is a bad wheel, everything else that might go wrong is easier.

hi, thanks for your reply, the bike is 20.5 and fits me perfect , I have ridden it couple of times, and the wheel seems perfect no bent or dent , spokes are pretty tight and I think can bring down to $225. thanks

Seems like a decent somewhat "generic" 8 speed hybrid.

I'm also for one to get the spokes tensioned. That can make for much longer wheel life.

IF you don't have a lot of hills, something like a 12-26 cassette would give you more closely spaced useful gears for a slight amount of $.
http://www.amazon.com/SRAM-PG850-8-Speed-Cassette/dp/B003WOQ5DM

Seems like a decent somewhat "generic" 8 speed hybrid.

I'm also for one to get the spokes tensioned. That can make for much longer wheel life.

IF you don't have a lot of hills, something like a 12-26 cassette would give you more closely spaced useful gears for a slight amount of $.
http://www.amazon.com/SRAM-PG850-8-Speed-Cassette/dp/B003WOQ5DM

thanks for replying , actually I have no clue about parts and how to upgrade and what do you mean by generic 8 speed (plz educate me) so on the other hand is this bike a good bike or worth the money? does changing the cassette makes a big difference in riding ? thanks in advance. also what is spoked tension lol. plz donot laugh , I am very new to these technical stuff. thanks

its a 3x8, with the same 48-38-28 as mine. pretty much the same component mix as mine came with in fact.

even with that 12-26 (or the 13-26 I got), that gives you a very low 28:26 granny gear. the sstock gearing is a 28:32, which is less than 1:1

thanks for replying , actually I have no clue about parts and how to upgrade and what do you mean by generic 8 speed (plz educate me) so on the other hand is this bike a good bike or worth the money? does changing the cassette makes a big difference in riding ? thanks in advance. also what is spoked tension lol. plz donot laugh , I am very new to these technical stuff. thanks

1. Do a web search for Sheldon Brown Glossary of Terms. That will give you an information overload.

2. The Larkspur is an acceptable, entry level bike. If you like it and can afford it, then either get it or don't- you're the one who will be riding it.

3. Don't worry about doing any 'upgrades' unless something needs replaced.

4. If something does need replaced, see if there are any bike kitchens or co-ops in your area before going the LBS for repairs. Also, if you have to go the LBS route for service/repair, see if any offer the 'Park Tool School' courses for newbies.

Welcome to BF, raly001. If the bike is in good condition and is the right size for you, it's a great starter bike to get you back into the world of cycling. You don't say what type or riding you might be doing (recreational, commuting, city) or what type of roads you'll ride (paved, dirt, crushed gravel). I think the Marin is reasonably priced and should you decide the bike is just sitting there or you really love cycling and want to upgrade, you can probably sell the bike for nearly the same prices as you paid for it. I recommend that you budget some $ for a safety items: helmet (Wallyworld helmets provide the same protection as bike store helmets) and cycling gloves (these protect the palms of you fall and go sliding).

I think it's awesome that you are getting back into cycling after 14 years!

thanks every one for kind advise. by the way I am going to ride bike for commute (work) / fitness and street , mostly on streets and pavements. I am serious about riding and will continue riding. I have ride my friends bike (trek fx 7.1) a few times and I think i have found a great hobby, as my first hybrid bike the price is perfect and , I really have a tight budget may be in a year or two I will buy a better bike or upgrade it. thank you every one for reply.

ray

By "generic", I mean there are quite a few very similar 8 speed Hybrids from the various manfs. that have a VERY similar group.
28-38-48 rings & 11-32 cassette. My 2008 Specialized Globe was one of them.

The cassette is very wide range, but has larger increments between gears.
A 48-11 combination would only be used trying to "scream" down hills. Personally, I rest and save myself for the uphills.

A 28-32 will get you up very steep hills, but is needless for taking off or flatland type riding.

I live in very flat terrain, so the largest & smallest cogs were useless to me.
I changed the cassette to a custom made (I work on bikes, so no biggie for me) 13-24 cassette.
13-14-15-16-17-18-21-24
I basically used it as a 1X8 for around town, using the middle ring. I still had the large ring available for out on the road/strong tailwinds and the small ring for our sometimes VERY stiff headwinds.
With my emphysema, having the ability to shift just 1 tooth at a time (in the most used range of the cassette) allows me to keep my ideal cadence (for me) no matter what my actual speed is.

what Bill said.

with the 13-26 I installed (HG50 I got from Amazon for $12, gearing is 13-14-15-17-19-21-23-26), I'm mostly running on the BIG ring (48T) in front, and using 3-4-5-6 (21,19,17,15) mostly on the rear for flatland at a elevated pace. I drop to the middle ring (38T) when I stop, or when faced with any sort of grade (or when I'm tired). Even fat and out of shape that I am, I find the 28:26 low-low gear to be plenty low enough for the mile long 8% average grade I live on.

here is the bike pic. got it for $250 guy didnot want to come down a buck, but he included bell helmet and trek computer .

289709289710289711

That bike looks pretty clean to me. Did the computer and water bottle and cage come with it? Accessories cost money. Well, there's no penalty for trying to barter. The locking mechanism on the rear skewer looks open. You want to make sure it's closed. For $250, I think you got a fair deal. I still say buying used has the advantage that you can sell without taking a huge loss. If the helmet doesn't fit well, purchase a new one. The helmet should be snug without having any rear locking mechanism holding it on your head.

A nice xmas gift to self!

thanks a1 penguin , yes the computer came with it (save me 40 or 30 bucks), water bottle and holder , I purchased from walmart $8, also I have purchased an extra tube/pump/puncture patch/wd40 oil/glove/fenix light for headlight + flashlight holder, and yes all these little accessories adds up money , I am also thinking about rare rack for the bike another 30 bucks. end cost will be over 350.

WD40 is not a lubricating oil, it is a water dispersant, and IMHO, about all its good for on bikes is as a cleaning fluid (and kerosene is just as useful for cleaning greasy parts). Its not at all suitable as a chain lubricant.

see http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html and shorter and more to the point http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bike-chain.html for tips on cleaning and lubricating bike chains.

the other bearings on your bike are greased (I use green marine waterproof bearing grease) when they are disassembled, and you don't touch them otherwise.