bigfred 

What you "need" to go bicycle riding:

1. The motivation to go pump up the tires and get on the bike.
2. A bicycle with some degree of mechanical reliability and a means of stopping.
3. A helmet. Statistics show that there are no fewer deaths per cycling capita since the wide spread adoption of helmets. But, as a person who has made use of more than one helmet, they're cheap insurance from lesser head injuries.
4. Society wouuld prefer if you wore some clothes. They don't have to be bicycling specific.

What you will find "nice" to have and which most of us agree will improve your cycling experience:

1. A very basic mechanical kit consisting of frame pump, spare tube, patches and tire levers.
2. Water bottle and cage or camelbak
3. Some cycling shorts. Regardless of whether you wear anything over them or not.
4. Gloves
5. Jersey, if you are going on longer rides, start to carry more than fits in your saddle bag, etc.
6. Cycling shoes and clipless pedals
7. A sense of humur. Really, a clyde in tight fitting, brightly colored, lycra? This should probably be moved to the "need" category. But, as with most things in life, a sense of humor seems to improve ones enjoyment of the sport.
8. A cycling computer or smart phone app that allows you to keep track of how far and fast you've cycled.
9. Carbon wheels!


With the exception of carbon wheels, that list really doesn't "need" to cost over $1000. But, most of us manage to squeeze it into a much larger budget than that:-)

As far as Mrs. Fred should be concerned, I currently "need": a pair of new tyres (yes t"y"res. She's a Brit), a soft shell cycling jacket, a Hi viz jersey and a new carbon framed bike (size 63-65 in case any of you have a spare floating around).

nkfrench 

If you plan to ride in the dark or gloom, lights are needed (required by law).
If you plan to leave your bicycle unattended and outside of your house, you need some kind of cable/lock.
The stock saddles on many bikes are not comfortable, you may find yourself replacing it at first opportunity. The bike store should work with you on that and allow trade-in/swap for similar priced models.
Older model year bikes can be bought at deep discounts from your local bike store. I got a sweet ride 50% MSRP with lifetime free service, with the better components I got 3 year warrantees. It was way over my budget and I never regretted it.

seymour1910

Hey guy's I didn't know things would heat up. I will say this. I understand that if I want better I must spend more. That is the case with most things. The reason I put my cap at $1,000 because I can go to $1,200 but I wanted the other 200 for gear. I like the bigger and better bikes but I am smart with my money and would never go into my savings account or emergency fund for a want. I still appreciate all input though. I feel that getting all this info will help me stay away from a bad deal.

seymour1910

I know I will get spare tubes up front as well as patch kit and things needed if I am away from the house or car. My thing with the tight gear is that I am okay with it, some of my gym gear is not what the "cool" people wear, besides, I would rather wear padded bike shorts over some loose fitting shorts because I don't want to be sore. My questions is this...if the jersey's are the same material, why would I pay $100 for a jersey that say Cannondale when I can get three plain jersey's (which is what I prefer) for that same price. Is there a difference other than name. I found some nice jersey's and shorts at stores in my area...shorts plain black, jersey's simple not a lot of logos for about 30-35 bucks a peice.

bigfred 

With regard to the cost of jerseys and shorts: In some instances there is a significant difference between the cheap stuff and the more expensive. In others, you're payin for nothing but a name.

My recommendation is that clothing, being such an intimate item, is best initially shopped for in person. As opposed to over the net. Once you have some idea of which brands and cuts work for you, you can seek out savings. The most important singular part of either shorts or jerseys has got to be the shape, size and density of the chamois/pad in the shorts. Find one that fits your physique and you'll be a significantly less unhappy cyclist that if it doesn't suit you. Higher cost doesn't always equate to a better fitting chamois/pad.

In general, if you get "into" the sport, the three places I would suggest you pay attention to are the contact points. Both their location (bike fit), and how they interface with "you". Saddle, shorts, shoes, bars, gloves, pretty much in that order of importance barring an special circumstances. Some would also include pedals in that list because of hot spots or knee issues.

Finding the best saddle fit will have to do with: the shape of your sit bones, how flexible you are, your position on the bike and weight distribution. It also something that is a bit tough to get right when you're new to cycling. As your nerves and muscles are adjusting to this new activity you may experience discomfort from even the best fitting option for you. Especially any time you're going longer than you've become accustomed to.

With regard to shorts the overwhelming recommendation seems to be toward "bib" style. The simply stay put. Material choices and cut are personal choices. But, the pad is what really needs to fit both you and the saddle you're using. I have several pair of shorts, knickers and a pair of tights. One of my favorite pair is the cheapest ones. I picked them up on sale for $30. I don't like the fabric they're made from and had to darn a loose seam within two weeks of purchasing them. But, the pad seems to work on everything from short neighboorhood training rides to 160km rides. I also have a pair of fairly expensive bibs (RRP $200). I like them quite a bit. But, when I purchased a pair of knickers from the same company and from the same "line", they came with a different pad that is anything but comfortable and really only appropriate for "me" for rides up to 100km. The problem is that for my shape it "hinges" in a most inappropriate place.

Shoes are responsible for transmitting your power to the bike and one of the things that I encourage my friends to spend more time selecting than most are willing to invest. Running shoes work as a starting point. But,.......there are a lot of threads on this forum about cycling and spinning techniques that can't be realized without cycling shoes and clipless pedals.

Bars and gloves. Typically they need to be somewhat proportional to you. Wider shoulders/wider bars. Taller rider/longer reach and drop. And,........well,....Big Hands/.........

Equally important as having the above items fit you is how they are geometrically located on the bike realative to you.

The most basic of these adjustments is saddle height realative to either the bottom bracket or pedal spindle at the bottom of your pedal stroke.
Then saddle fore/aft position realative to pedal spindle at the 3 o'clock position.
Followed by the lateral reach to the bars.
Then the height of those bars realative to the saddle.

Have fun with it all. Since you're a lifter I'm going to assume you're realatively aware of your body and enjoy working through how different ranges of motion or positions affect it differently.

chefisaac

Nah no heat here. Just two guys being.... well guys! lol

We see if much different. I have taught and helped a lot of people get into cycling and see that some people buy the expensive bike and all the neat stuff that comes with cycling and then decide it is not for them. A waste of time and money really. The ones that I have seen that grew into appreciate it much more. If you are on a budget, the real people to glean from are the people on the commuting forum. Why? Because a lot of them are thrifty. Same goes for the "living car free" forum. They are more practical then most cyclists when it comes to gear.

Just my two cents.

loneviking61

What do you need? Well, for starters you might look for an older, steel bike like the old Schwinn Varsity. Lots' of em around, including some that are almost mint condition for around $200. They can really take a beating and they won't flex on you when you're on the pedals and cranking hard. Look on Craigslist for any bike as there are some really incredible deals being found in these tough times.

Other things:
Clothing? Hey, wear whats comfortable and forget the cycling shorts and jersey. Most of the world wears street clothes and unless you're planning on training for a race, why not save the money? Basketball shorts, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes will work.

Helmet? If you want it you can get Schwinns or Bells that meet the safety standards for $18 at Wally World.

Lights? Yep, esp. if you're out at dawn or dusk. Check Amazon.com for probably the best prices. My set cost about $25 with shipping.

Bike Pump. Get a portable and a floor pump. Don't skimp on the floor pump! Figure on at least $50 for a good pump with replaceable parts.

Backpack---get a smaller sized one to carry water bottles, spare inner tubes, tire changing tool, and one of those multi-tool contraptions that can adjust just about everything on your bike.

That's it! Add more stuff later that meets whatever your specific needs are.

rumrunn6

your 1st bike won't be your last. get riding now by buying a new bike that is not the best, under your budget and readily available. you will be spending money on other stuff and it will surprise you how much you'll spend. then next year trade it in or sell it privately if you still like cycling and get a better bike. my point is, you want to ride now, so ride now, whatever it takes. don't get sucked into spending the most you can afford. spend less than your MAX and see if you even like cycling.

jethro56 

I skimmed over this so maybe I missed the question of what kind of riding he wants to do. @ 225 lbs the bikes discussed are pretty much for fairly smooth, paved roads. If he rides anywhere else something that will handle 28mm + tires may be more appropriate. Just throwing this out for consideration.

rumrunn6

I'm in the 228 weight class and I was in love w/ 28s for years but then got a bike with 23s and I was convinced I would have to change them, but you know what, even on NE roads they are fine for me and really don't feel much different than the 28s.

Seattle Forrest

We need more of this attitude here. You could mistake the "Road Riding Forum" for the home shopping network. The Clyde forum isn't as bad for that (it's mostly the fear, uncertainty, and doubt forum mixed with a little superstition, like your bike will explode and kill your whole family if you have fewer than 300 spokes per wheel. ) It's riding a bike, and riding a bike is supposed to be fun. It's one of the supreme pleasures in life.

OP - most of us started on whatever bike we had or could get, usually a pretty crappy one. And most of us figured out we're "bike people." We tend to make cycling a priority in our lives and budgets, and accumulated lots of goodies over the years. A lot of people fall in love with their toys and post about how we couldn't live without turn-by-turn directions on the carbon fiber handlebars ... the truth is we all spent most of our lives riding without all the bells and whistles, and then got hung up on them. Get a bike, ride it like you stole it, and, if it's your thing, accumulate gear slowly.

Wolfwerx

+a bajillion.

seymour1910

Thank you and I have considered all the advice from you veteran riders. In my opinion that is the best advice to get. For me when I'm in the gym and I can help someone with something as small as their form, it makes me feel good. I knew that I didn't need to reach for the top on my first bike, some people said I should but I think spending 1k for the first bike is fine. That being said, I went to the first shop this morning and looked at the the Cannondale and the Specialized. I thought they both had a good feel but the shop owner wouldn't let me go far enough to really get a feel, I was even going to leave my car keys with him while I rode the bike. When I left I called the second shop on my list and explained my situation (riding preference and budget) and he told me he didn't have either of the two before mentioned bikes but he did have a deal he thought I would like. He had a bike that some guy had him order and the guy backed out so now he has the bike at his shop and wants to sell. The bike is a 2011 Kestrel Talon, He said he will have his mechanic put it together so I can try it out so I still have to go up there, he told me where to go to see the bike as well online. Now, I know I'm a novice but the bike looks like a Tri bike IMO. I'm sure I'm wrong but the deal he offered is hard to refuse. He said he had the bike in 60cm frame and he would assemble it, throw in a saddle bag, cage and water bottle, one spare tube, and a patch kit. As for pedals he could only offer pedals with toe clips which is fine until I get ready for clipless. He also said after the first week of riding I could bring it back for any adjusting and that was in addition to the year of free tune ups and service. He said he would do all that for $1200, which is my max, but I have that money now. I will provide the link here for spec and viewing https://bikeshopwarehouse.com/cgi-bin...ails&ProdID=23


I have never heard of the name brand but this is the colors I want and the guy seemed real fair and ready to help...should I pull the trigger or not use my entire budget?

jethro56 

It's not really a Tri bike but it appears to be very aggressive in it's geometry. (Lots of drop between the saddle and handlebars.) Having the handlebars that low lowers the wind resistance at the expense of comfort. I'd for sure ask the LBS to not cut the fork tube off very much and add spacers to raise the handlebars. I'm 6'2" and ride a 60 cm roadbike but most LBS's recomend a 58 cm for me. @ 6'0" and an aggressive geo 60 cm is really pushing it in my Opinion.

seymour1910

Thank you, I wasn't sure so I thought I would ask, he told me he would do any adjusting needed. I just wasn't sure about the bike. I have never heard of the brand but as for all brands when I researched there were mixrd reviews, some loved it, some didn't. I thought what the shop was offering was a good deal. And he actually said I could go on a real test ride, and he would send a shop employee on the ride with me. Those are the things that made me want to go for it. I still like the Cannondale, but I couldn't get much done in the store parking lot.

Wolfwerx

That bike (more or less) is being sold through Bikesdirect.com (currently sold out) for $1300. I didn't match component-to-component, though. Generally, their bikes are all pumped through the same factory and different labels are put on them. My take is that their bikes are better than the 'Marts, but not as good as Trek, Specialized, etc. I believe that some of Cannondale's lineup is made alongside some of those BD bikes, if memory serves.

Anyways, I think the shop owner is trying to unload a bike on you. Probably not cheating you, but if you like the bike, I would tell him that you really aren't sure that you can come off of your $1000 budget and that's not really the type of bike you had in mind. See if he'll wiggle on that price.


Edited to add: The comment above about the geometry is a really good point. That's sure going to be an aggressive "first" bike.

rumrunn6

doesn't seem like a "1st bike" to me ...

but a lot of us might like to have it! :-)

Seattle Forrest

A lot of people buy a first road bike for somewhere around $1,000 (give or take), find out they really love cycling, and, ultimately, get another bike. People spend some time with the first bike and find out what they do and don't like about it, and ultimately get a personal dream machine. It doesn't matter if the first bike was $600 or $1,600; it's a learning thing.

Kestrels tend to be nice bikes (from what I've seen and heard, I've never been on one). That one has good components and is all carbon, which can be really nice, depending how you use it. Looks like it's not really a tri bike, more like a hybrid tt/road bike, or a sprinter's road bike. Like a Cervelo S1/S2/S5/Soloist. Aero tubing, etc. Some people ride 100 miles on them, others get back aches. If the frame is the right size, you have some leeway to move the bars up (definitely don't let the shop cut the steering tube!) but it's a bike that wants an aggressive position. And remember, the most important thing isn't what components it has, it's whether the bike fits you comfortably, and handles well.

Take them up on the test ride, and see what you think. If you don't buy it, you'll have another data point on how bikes near your price range compare. If you like it, try negotiating like Wolfwerx says, he's probably right.

Seattle Forrest

I'd love one!!

seymour1910

Great advicea and I will take that into consideration, it does look like and aggresive ride and I want to be comfortbale. I think it was more of how the shop owner treated me compared to the other shop with the Cannondale bike. He wouldn't let me ride it, and didn't want to take as much time as this guy. This guy was up front about how he got the bike, and told me he wanted to seel it and if I was interested he would throw in other things and allow a longer test ride. Again, I do want to start riding soon but will not buy on impulse. That's why I stay on this forum daily. I have not been to the shop to see it in person but I really like it, and we didn't even talk about the rest of his selection, he did say he has a few 2011 models left and some 2012. I still have a third shop to check out as well. So for now. I have contacted two shops, the first one had a beautiful selection but customer service almost seemed to be driven by how much money you were spending and the second was more like gaining a new customer.

rearviewbeer

IMHO you will do fine with an aggressive riding position. Being a body builder, you probably already have more than sufficient core strength needed. You can also do a couple small things to alter the position as well - bike shop can help with that.

It is a pretty sweet bike as many have pointed out.

seymour1910

Okay guy's just got back from the shop, I will give the ride experience then my pros and cons
First it is hard for me to judge because I have never in my 30 years been on a road bike. This bike was FAST and was a real rush. I enjoyed the ride so much more than I thought I would. I could have did another 10 miles. So, as i said before me and a store employee went out (he was on a Fuji) and did 22 miles (11 down and back) and along the way we stopped and put the seat in various positions. We raised it, lowered it, moved forward and backward, did different angles. It was interesting getting the education. Today was leg day at the gym and since I didn't go I decided to push my legs on the bike, I even got it up to 26 MPH on a smooth flat stretch. So after the ride I asked the owner about coming down on the price, he was reluctant and first said he would stay at $1,200 but throw in more extra's (bike computer and a set of low end lights) if I agreed to go with the full asking price. After more conversation they were getting ready to close so he asked that I come back tomorrow and we talk more.

Pros: really good looking bike, even better than the pic, really fast bike, nice shop to deal with, the bike fit me well as I thought it would be a bit to tall for me

Cons: although it was fun to ride, I am not sure of it being a daily rider without the handle bars coming up a few inches. It was a lot more comfortable when we lowered the seat to be closer to handle bar level. It's not a bike I would ride when doing a casual ride with my wife and son so that means if I get it I will have to buy another bike for casual riding.....thoughts please

rearviewbeer

New stem to raise the bars, easy fix.

10 Wheels

Takes a few miles for your body to adjust to road bike positions.

You can ride slow on it.

70 years old and ride this.

https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h.../Hawkiepic.jpg

chefisaac

THAT IS SO awesome they let you ride it that much before buying. I love it! Most shops wouldnt go for that. Great job!

two things:

1- Yes, you ride ride this on a casual ride. People do it all the time. Just cause it looks slick doesnt mean you cannot have a relaxed ride with the family. I have done it with my wife and also a bunch of kids when I help out at the community center. So yes, it can go fast and yes it can go slow. You control the speed!

2- The fit for the handbars is an easy fix with either an increase in angle of the stem or raising the stem up using riders. I have done both. Went with the angling first and that worked until I started doing 50 mile plus rides and then I needed to increase the height by risers (rings) on the stem.

Bike fit is always on going. As you get better, you might find you need to tweak the fit or once you do more distance.

Great job.