cks30

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to get into riding and am looking for bike suggestions, and other pointers. I'm planning on ridding on the paved trails in the Chicago suburbs and would like to get a bike before the weather warms up again. I'm 6'3 240lbs and am in decent physical shape.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

CKS30

CACycling

At your weight, you can ride pretty much anything. Does anything in particular interest you? You can go with a rigid MTB, comfort bike, hybrid, road bike, etc. What do you want to do?

cks30

I've been leaning towards a hybrid.

I know REI has 20% off now, and Trek is offering $50 off their 7300.

cyclist2000

agreed that your size shouldn't limit your bike selection. for paved trails and roads I would go with a road bike or a touring bike. I like the drop bars for the additional hand positions. I like feel of a fast road bike. I also like a touring bike for the ability to place racks and fenders on the bike.

cks30

Any suggestions on brands?

I've been looking at Trek ($50 off) and Novara (20% off).

cyclist2000

no, try them both and get the one that feels most comfortable..

cks30

One more question, what the major differences/advantages between the Trek FX and 7300 (or 7000 series)

Sorry, for asking all the details, but I want to make sure I'm wlel educated before spending this much money.

Fletch521

Her is my reply to a similar question in the Hybrid Forum

"I bought a 7200 last September after a 30 year absence from bicycling. My plan was the use the hybrid to get myself into shape and then back on a road bike. I love the 7200 but have to say that I out grew it in just a few weeks and wish I would have taken a more serious look at an FX."

Fletch521

Last fall when I bought my 7200 I couldn't see any value in spending $100.00 more for the 7300. If they are discounting the 7300 $50.00 then it could be worth the difference. The 7000s are the real hybrids while the FXs are more like road bikes with upright bars.

cks30

My main concern is buying a hybrid bike, and then wishing I'd gotten something closer to a road bike.

I'd like to eventually do 20-25 mile rides on the weekend, and 5-10 mile during the week (after work).

MrClyde

I bought a hybrid and regretted it in about 3 months. I ended up putting Mavic Open Pro wheels with 25C Gatorskins to get it closer to a road bike feel. After about 15 months, I just bought a Fuji Roubaix 1.0 and LOVE riding it. I'm now converting the hybrid to a rain/rough path bike.

I recommend a road bike. If you have any doubts, just make sure you can put at least size 25 tires on the road bike, riding it on the hoods is just as comfortable as a hybrid and when you want to go faster it is ready.

brianogilvie 

A touring bike might be the best thing; they have the wide range gearing of a mountain bike or hybrid, the variety of handlebar positions of a road bike, and long chainstays and relaxed geometry for stable handling. I weighed in at around 220 lbs. when I got my Surly Long Haul Trucker, and while that's not too heavy, I ride on rough roads and occasionally gravel roads that, when washed out by spring rains, can have some nasty bumps.

If I were you I'd take a look at Surly bikes, either the Long Haul Trucker or the Cross Check. In my book they're better value for money than the comparable bikes from REI (Novara) and Trek.

cbrown9064

I agree with the road bike. Look for a "touring" or "endurance" model. These are usually a bit (not much, but a bit) more relaxed than a full on race bike. I spent last year getting back into riding and put Specialized Fat Boy slicks on my older Specialized Rockhopper Comp Mountain Bike. It worked OK, but I started dreaming about a road bike.

Long story short, I ordered a Specialized Sectuer Comp two weeks ago and picked it up last night. Went for the first ride this morning and it was amazing. Much more comfortable to ride than the Mountain bike and lots more places to put your hands. I ended up injuring my wrist last year because of the limited places to put my hands on the mountain bike bars (even with bar ends). Riding on the brake/shift lever hoods is very comfortable and keeps your wrists in a nice straight position. Plus you can reach the brakes and shifters from the hoods.

If it were me, knowing what I know now, I would go straight for the road bike. Spend enough to get a decent ride and leave some room for pedals/shoes/computer/etc...

Chris

Torrilin

A lot is going to depend on your body. Any bike can do what you want. The question is... will your body do it on that particular bike?

A lot of riders find they have a rough time with the straight bars of a hybrid. It can put a lot of pressure on the nerves on the outside edge of your hands. Another large chunk of riders have no trouble with 'em. If you're the sort to have trouble, it REALLY pays to find out as early as you can, because the straight bars on a hybrid are a different diameter from the curvy bars on a road bike. That means the brakes and shifters can't be swapped between the two kinds of bars. It's a major pain in the ass. There are bars that can work that are the same diameter as the straight bars, but a lot of shops treat them as a bit of an exotic item.