Dorkfredmetalhd

Hello,

I'm new here. I am a 32 year old woman standing 5'2" and currently weigh about 280 lbs. I recently lost 60 lbs and my 50 lb reward was supposed to be a bike. I haven't ridden in a very very long time. My brother and sister in law are avid mountain bikers and we just bought my husband a mountain bike. I'm obviously not ready for a mountain bike but I would like a bike that I can use around the city but if I got comfortable, I could take on basic trails. My hope is eventually to lose a bunch more weight and be able to mountain bike with them. I'm not sure where my budget should be as we just spent $1000k on hubbies bike but I'm hoping to stay under $500. Any advice would be welcome!!!

Thanks!

Dennis609

Welcome (from someone only a few weeks "less new" than you!)

I recently got back into cycling after a 20-year break, and was surprised by how much of what I knew-- at least in terms of equipment-- simply isn't so anymore. One thing, though, hasn't changed much:

Resist the temptation of a brand-new bike... at least, until you have a few "recent" miles behind you, and likely a better picture of what you want.

The cool thing is, used bikes in excellent condition can be widely found, at fractions of their "new" price. Find one that fits-- both physically and in terms of use-- and run with it, something that's solid but light enough to actually move when & how you want it to. Save the "Reward Bike" money for when you've zeroed in on what works well for you & what kind of riding you'll enjoy (and then, go large.)

Keep in mind that the posters on this--or pretty much any forum-- are the "outliers" of an interest/hobby, a tiny minority of the universe of bicyclists. Locally, many used bikes were purchased new, used very lightly if at all, then put away when the owners lost interest. "I rode 70 miles this week!" isn't "normal" outside these electronic walls, for the most part, and the used bike you purchase in your neighborhood is unlikely to have the wear and tear you'd think from reading these boards.

I do recommend that you not cheap-ass (no, seriously, no pun) your saddle. "Good" doesn't necessarily mean "more expensive," but if Seat A is more comfortable than Seat B, don't let a $20 or $30 difference steer you to Seat B. Ten miles into a ride, you'll gladly pay several times that to stop the pain if you have "the wrong seat," and getting too sore to ride for several days won't do anything except make you reluctant to "stay in the game." I violated this rule, and it set me back about a week's worth of riding. TONS of threads on here discuss saddles, and they're all worth reading.

Kind of an odd suggestion for last, but: Take pictures on your rides. The cool places you can go on two wheels & the progress you make towards goals while you're doing it are worth recording, and "visual memories' of them can do wonders when you're plateaued-out or need an extra push to get back out & ride.

TrojanHorse

Great advice. Find a used bike you can test ride, make sure it fits and go ride.

nfmisso

I would suggest a rigid (no suspension) '80's or '90's mountain bike, with a 15" (±1") frame, such as a Specialized Rock Hopper, Trek 800/820/830/850/900/920/930/950/970 or similar. And change the tires to cruiser type for road use. The bike can be had in good riding condition for $100 to $200- Add $50 for tires and thorn resistant tubes.

After riding around the block a few times, invest in a new saddle. My wife likes this one:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00858T8MU...SQXZML89&psc=1
I hate it.....
In saddles, cost has nothing to do with comfort. For most people, wider saddles are not more comfortable.

My present commuting bike is a 1994 Trek 930.

DjDavo

There's a lot of nice bikes on Craigslist regularly. Definitely better than new!

These guys know the good brands: trek specialized felt. I just got a giant revel 3 xl mountain bike which holds up fine under my 450# butt

Dorkfredmetalhd

Thanks a ton for the advice! I'm in the Bay Area so definitely a ton of bikes on Craigslist. I'll check out the ads and see if I find anything

stevel610 

Since your potential riding partners have mountain bikes, I like the idea of a used one as well. For road and light trails I really like the Schwalbe Big Apple or Big Ben tires. Been running various sets of Big Bens for 10 years and find them comfortable, durable and puncture resistant.

MRT2

I agree with this. OP is not quite where she wants to be, so it would be a shame to blow $500 on a bike that won't suit what you eventually want to do.

When my son was in that tweener stage between little kid bikes and adult bikes, I bought him a refurbished older Trek 800. I think I paid around $200 for it from a bike shop all tuned up and ready to ride. It came mounted some Geax Street Runners slick tires on it. He rode the hell out of that bike for about 3 years, even riding with me on some longer rides of up to 35 miles. He grew from 5' to about 5'7" during those three years. Never had a problem with it. Not even a flat tire. We eventually sold it as when he outgrew it, there was nobody in our house short enough to ride a 14" frame. Otherwise we might have just kept it as a winter beater or backup bike as it rode really nicely.

A bike like the Trek 8xx or 9xx series should be fine for light trails and paved paths and streets. Something like the Geax Street runner, Panaracer Ribmo, Kenda Kross, Michelin Country Rock. Your choice whether you want slick tires for just street use or semi slick for street and some light off road.

Once you get to where you want to be, then buy the mountain bike you really want, and if you buy new from a bike shop, it will cost you a lot more than $500.

DjDavo

I second the cruiser type tires if you're street riding. They made a big difference for me. I got the schwinn ones with kevlar and kenda extra thick tubes. I'm 6' 2" 450, and they're holding up just fine.