Digital Gee

Hi all, new member here.

I'm doing the research, but perhaps I could ask for some advice as well. I'm 54, 5'10" tall, 65 pounds overweight, and I've never been very athletic. That said, I'm becoming a convert to exercise and nutrition (I guess it's that age thing!). I've begun working out 3x at the 7/24 gym, and I want to get a bike. Biking was the one thing, years ago, that I truly enjoyed that actually improves fitness.

I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. I'm thinking $250-$400 or so for a bike. I'm in San Diego, and there are several good reputable bike stores here, so I won't go to a department store or sporting goods store.

Anyway, since it's been a while since my last bike, I'm not sure about all the new models out there (but it's pretty exciting!). It looks like I should probably be considering either a hybrid or a comfort, but I'm not sure how to make the choice.

I hope/plan/expect to be riding about an hour-ish 3x a week, give or take, plus riding the bike to the gym (which is only a couple of miles away). I live in an urban area, modest hills, some very busy streets, and some easy-deal side streets. I'm also very near Balboa Park, for anyone who knows the area.

Sorry for rambling. . . so -- hybrid or comfort, in a sentence or two, how can I choose?

Gary

HiYoSilver

Welcome, this is a good group.

I'll take a stab at answering your question:

1. How important is it to ride up hills easily?
Low [ 1 point ] Medium [ 2 points ] High [ 3 points ]

2. How frustrated will you be riding 66 minutes instead of 60 minutes?
Low [ 1 point ] Medium [ 2 points ] High [ 3 points ]

3. Lowest difference between your speed and traffic speeds?
Low [ 1 point ] Medium [ 2 points ] High [ 3 points ]

4. Using a bike rack to carry gym stuff?
Low [ 1 point ] Medium [ 2 points ] High [ 3 points ]

5. Narrow handlebars for squeezing between tight spaces?
Low [ 1 point ] Medium [ 2 points ] High [ 3 points ]

6. Taking it slow, no hard exercise and just enjoying the scenary?
Low [ 1 point ] Medium [ 2 points ] High [ 3 points ]

7. Do you like to jump curbs and intend to ride on irregular surfaces?
Low [ 1 point ] Medium [ 2 points ] High [ 3 points ]

Write down your answers.

Bike type A -- multiply 4x answers 1,2,3. Add answers to #4,5,6,7 and add to your total.

Bike type B-- multiply 4x answer#4. multiply 2x answers #5and #7. Multiple 3x all other answers.
Total the results of your multiplications.

Bike type C--multiply 4x answer#6. Multiply 3x answer #5 and #7. Multiply 2x answer #4. Add answers to other questions to the subtotals for a total.

Bike type D--multiply 4x answers #5 & #7. Multiply 3x #4. Multiply 2x other answers.

Your totals for each type should be between 23 and 42.

For your price range, explore used bikes and ask at the local bike shops [ LBS is forum abbreviation ] for any leads on good used bikes.

Litespeed

Go to Performance Bike Shop, they have a great selection and will be most helpful. Make sure that the bike you get fits you, that's most important for comfort. You might want to look up on the web about bike fit before you go just so you will be more knowledgeable and understand what they are telling you. You have some great areas around Balboa Park to ride and it's so beautiful! Have fun riding, once you get a little better you might even want to hook up with the Knickerbikers, they have some nice social rides.

HiYoSilver

The four types of bikes to consider are: road, touring, comfort and hybrid. Each type has advantanges and disadvantages. It is not a good idea to just take someone else's word on which bike is best for you without questioning your desires and needs. The bike type key: a=road, b=touring, c=comfort, d=hybrid.

Road bikes
Advantages
--fast
--easiest to pedal
--lightest to tote around
DisAdvantages
--if not adjusted properly, can't put hands on top of handlebar.
--brake levers parallel to handlebar top may be absent, meaning bend over
--may have limited gears for hill climbing

Touring bikes
Advantages
--work horses, just keep on going and going and going
--most comfortable ride over distances
--designed to carry as much as you'd like to load up
--easiest to pedal up hills
DisAdvantages
--more modest speeds
--not designed for curb jumping

Comfort bikes
Advantages
--wide handlebars
--few gear shifting positions
--wide seats, i.e. "saddles" for meandering ride
--Usually have fenders and chain guards
DisAdvantages
--not designed for speed
--hardest to climb hills with

Hybrid bikes
Advantages
--build to take curb jumping
--may have hill climbing gears
--short handlebars for getting thru tight clearances
--brake levers on top of handlebars
Disadvantages
--slower than touring as use heavy and rough riding mountain bike tires
--heavier than comfort bikes
--no road bars so can't bend down for downhill joy coasting


Best recommendations:
1. Get whatever bike fits your needs best for now.
2. If still riding in Oct, then you should think about getting a good bike. You should know for sure exactly what type of bike is best for you. With your climate, "winter cycling" will be riding in the rain. I would strong urge considering disc brakes. Then you can ride year round.
3. Budget $700 to $1200 for you bike after this next one. You spend a lot on the gym and maybe cable. You could, now this is a horrible thought, give up cable for a year to pay for a bike that would be run to ride for another 10 years.
4. Let us all know how it goes for you and listen to the advice of other forums members as well. Few will steer you wrong, and none of us has any financial interest in your decisions.

michaelnel

How do you figure that they are easiest on hills? Touring bikes tend to be heavy and have wider tires compared to road bikes. Are you saying this because touring bikes usually have a triple and road bikes are usually doubles?


Not true. Most hybrid bikes come with 700c wheels and skinnier tires than touring bikes, or at least about the same as touring bikes. The hybrids are frequently lighter than touring bikes too.


Hybrids are almost always considerably lighter than comfort bikes (if you are talking comfort bikes like the beach cruisers made of gas pipe.


You can still tuck down, just not as low as on a bike with drop bars. I hit 39.8MPH on a downhill yesterday on my Fuji Del Rey hybrid. That was plenty fast, thank you very much!

Digital Gee

Thanks for the help and information. HiYo, I got a bit confused with the scoring scheme, but I appreciate the lengthy explanations, although I'm confused because the next poster contradicts some of your points. I went to two LBS today: Performance Bikes and Black Mountain Bikes. Tried a few comfort bikes (mostly Giant and Trek) and a couple of hybrids.

For ME, right now, it looks like the comfort bike is the way to get started. I can get into a new one for about $350, or last year's model also new for about $300. I liked the feel of the Giant a bit more than the Trek, although I also found a Schwinn that felt pretty good.

I like the idea of getting something that feels good, and getting started, and then seeing where I am with all this come September or October. And I even like the idea (sort of, gulp!) of shutting down the cable TV for a year. Whoa!

One last question: I know that FIT is critical. I found a 19" and a 21" Giant and they both felt great, although I didn't make major adjustments on either. If all things are equal otherwise, do i get the smaller, or the larger bike -- or does it really become moot and just a matter of how it feels? I have a 30" instep, if that matters.

Thanks again. I'm jazzed -- can't wait to start riding!

HiYoSilver

Got to leave in a moment, I'll respond more later.

About fit, you have to get the LBS to fit you properly. If you aren't happy with answers, talk to manager and ask for advice. Almost any bike can be put on a trainer and make to fit better. Watch handlebar height and seat height.

Which model are you looking at?

Got to run. It stopped raining and I can't wait to hit the road.

HiYoSilver

Michaelnel,

Thank you for taking the time for a review of my evaluation of different bike types. Naturally the bike one owns is the best type for others to buy. I should have gone to this forum before bought bikes, but started biking again and then starting learning. That learning is a continue process, and maybe some of my understanding need refinement.

Because I have a touring bike and it's the best. Just kidding. I bought a touring bike because A- it has road bars instead of straight bars, B- it's stronger and I wanted a dependable bike that would last a long time, and C- would have a stronger frame and connections for racks. I haven't really checked if I have a "touring bike" or not. The name says touring, but I haven't reviewed the specs. Here's the best definition I found for a touring bike, I don't recall the source, somewhere in these forums.

Wide tires don't matter much, unless they have a lot of weight. All a wider tire does is change the shape of the contact area. It has very little effect on rolling resistance. Here is what I've seen:

Road bikes
doubles-- chainrings usually 39.53. With a wide cassette, 11..34, lowest they can go is 31 gi. Most do not use this wide of a cassette so low is higher.
Triples-- chainrings usually 30.42.52 With a wide cassette, 11..34, they can go down to 24gi, and that would work for unloaded bikes.

Touring bikes
triples-- chainrings usually 26.36.46. With a wide cassette, 11.34, they get down to 20 GI. It is very common to see touring bikes with rings of 22.32.44, and they can get down to 17 GI.

With 2GI being about 1 gear, this means a high geared touring bike has 5 lower gears than a road double and 2 lower gears than a road triple. The two most critical parts of hill climbing are vehicle weight and gears.
The specs on a Del Rey give weight as 30lbs. My tourer is 26lbs.

Road bike: 18 lbs, rider 175, gear 5, total weight=198 lbs
Touring: 25 lbs, rider 175, gear 5, totol weight=205. 7 lb difference, 3.5%.
Each gear change is about 10%, so still maintain touring bikes will climb hills easier.
FYI your hybrid is between these with an estimated GI of 22-24.[1998 was 22gi, 2005 is 24gi] That should work for most of SF hills

Your hybrid came with 700Cx35. My touring "came with" 700Cx28 but LBS talked me into putting on 700Cx32 for more comfortable ride. These are light tires with minimal tread. The hybrids I have seen usually have a hybrid tire on them, rough bumps on the edges and flat in the center. Your stock tire being a 700Cx35, is just a tad wider than mine.
Maybe this is just a marketing thingy. I bet both hybrids and tourers accept 700Cx28...700Cx42 tires.

Since you're a hybrid owner, and all types of bikes have a disadvantage. What would you say is the biggest disadvantage of the hybrid bike?


I could be wrong here. I never had much interest in a comfort bike so I never checked the specs.


So it's a good thing you didn't have road bars, you would have been in the 40's. There's a difference between just tucking down and riding in the drops. I don't do it that often, as I hate the gut squeeze, but I do love the speed gain, so I usually use do that on good downhills.

---------------------------------

Just curious, what year is your Del Rey?
The 1998 was a 7 speed cassette, 11..30 with a 24.34.42 triple. The current is a 9speed, 11.32, with 28.38.48 triple.

Do you really use the lowest gears on the SF hills? If so, are you closer to the zoo or Coit Tower?

Thanks

stapfam

Why not both? If you plan on riding for an hour at a time, you want that bike to be comfortable and you want it to ride well. The comfort side is something you will be able to tell after 5 minutes on the bike. Providing your local bike shop (LBS) is competent, they will set you up with a bike that is the right size, the right type and of a quality that is good enough and within your price range.

The type of bike is immaterial really. Hybrids have a lot going for them, but for a suitable one, it will cost you. A mountain bike that is affordable and overbuilt for off roading, will be too heavy, but a Quality mountain bike with slicks fitted may be OK. Road bikes are the only bike suitable for full tarmac, but are not what I would call a comfort bike. You have a problem, but stay off the "Wallmart" bikes, They are not what you will be looking for.

Good luck on your bike, but to be quite honest, Many of us just started riding with a bike. Not top quality, not particularly good but it was enough to get us hooked. Only advice I can offer is that this sport is dangerous. It can seriously damage your wallet.

DnvrFox

It is not unusual (in fact, it is quite usual) for someone getting back into biking to progress rapidly and to want a challenge or different riding experience fairly quickly.

In my own experience, I started with a mtn bike with knobbies (at age 59) and then quickly changed to a mtn bike with slicks as I started to ride more "professionally" and entered several local "rides" - things like centuries, etc.

I was able to negotiate these rides well on a mtn bike, but I would have been far out classed if I was on a "comfort bike."

It wasn't long until I took the next step of buying a road bike - but I still have and use the mtn bike.

I know that in San Diego there are lots of hills (I was born and raised locally) and bike challenges and group rides.

You will be far better situated to participate in these and do more interesting rides from a hybrid than you would be from a comfort bike, which might be quite limiting to you, and boring after a short while. Don't underrate yourself!

In other words (I am not saying this too well, I guess), your bicycling expectations of yourself may rise rather rapidly, and a comfort bike will not keep pace nearly as well as a hybrid might.

Now, I have two road bikes and a mtn bike and the wife has a mtn bike and a hybrid.

It never seems to end! But the hybrid will give you a lot more flexibility than a comfort bike.

You should be able to get a decent hybrid for about $350-400. I.e., Trek 7300.

greywolf

As you progress the bike you thought you needed when starting out is not the bike want after 6mnths or so. Buy a good 2nd hand bike so you dont have to make a big investment , may be buy a couple , just dont be too tempted to buy an 'el cheapo' new bike as it will only disapoint after a short while. If you are handy with tools it makes life easier, as with a couple of 2nd hand bikes you can swap & change parts around to create a differant effect.

michaelnel

Well, they're in between... meaning they don't do road duty as well as road and touring bikes, and they don't do off-road duty as well as mountain bikes.

But for a guy who is getting back into riding and is out of shape and only wants to own ONE bike right now, I think a hybrid is a good choice.

I am recently (a matter of weeks) back into cycling. About five to seven years back I was into it bigtime. During a two year period I:

1) bought a Trek hybrid (the best one they made at the time) and upgraded it extensively. I built new wheels for it using good Mavic rims, upgraded the saddle, upgraded all the drivetrain and brakes to XTR stuff.

2) bought a Bianchi San Remo sport-tourer. Did many mods to that too.

3) bought a Rivendell Atlantis frameset and built the whole bike by myself, then upgraded it a number of times including having Peter John White build me a killer set of HD touring wheels with Phil Touring rear hub and SON lighting hub in the front. I had front and rear Tubus racks on it, Carradice saddle bags with QR, Arkel GT54 panniers, the whole 9 yards.

4) got interested in recumbents, bought a Rans Rocket. Hated it, but liked 'bents.

5) traded it in after only two weeks on an HP Velotechnik Street Machine with the whole shebang of touring gear including lighting hub, front and rear suspension, front hydraulic disc brake, Ortlieb panniers, racks, etc.

6) bought another HPV bike, the Speedmachine. Didn't keep it too long, it was too radical for me but VERY fast

7) bought a Rans Velocity Squared (V2) recumbent and upgraded it extensively with custom wheels, all XTR, etc...

Then winter came, and I didn't want to ride in the rain, and I got more and more out of shape and fatter and fatter and finally sold ALL of the bikes. Didn't ride for about five years other than on an Electra beach-cruiser that I still have here.

So, I will say that I have tried many kinds of bikes, but have not been tempted by a full up road-racing type because I have simply never been in the kind of physical shape it takes to ride one of those right.

And for me, right now, a hybrid seems the best compromise for helping me lose weight and get fit.

Disadvantages? Heavier than I'd like, fairly low-end components (although I have already upgraded it a bunch to Sram 9.0 level with components I had left over from previous bikes). I probably won't own it all that long and will probably go for another touring bike or a recumbent after I get fitter and lighter.


2004, but as I said above I have upgraded it to 9 speed Sram 9.0 stuff (brakes too) and changed to an 11/34 cogset. I also put on Speedplay Frogs, Brooks B17 saddle and some other stuff.

Absolutely. I use the 28F/34R frequently. But I'm heavy, the bike is heavy, I'm way out of shape and the hills are steep.

Closer to Coit tower. I live in the South of Market (SOMA) neighborhood.

HiYoSilver

Ah, so you use 22 GI, about what I expected for SF. Yes I'm familar with SF, though never ridden a bike there.

Yeap, you have hills. Some areas south of the Zoo aren't bad.


I understand about both not liking riding in the rain and trying to ride when being out of shape. I've been back to biking only since Oct and it's been riding when there's clear weather only. I'ld probably ride in SF as all you have is rain. I'd get a good riding rain suit. It's much different thanjust a plastic coverall. Here we have lightning with rain, so I don't ride.

I've raised my fitness level from poor to below average, but still get passed by all but one rider on a comfort bike. It's because I am so out of shape, I look for all the bike advantages possible. You might try renting a good road bike for a day and see what you think. I have a tourer and now not sure if this is what I now want. I rented a litespeed in Napa and it was a fun ride. I'm tall so the litespeed was a tad short for me, but it was so easy to ride. The ease of riding more than compensated for a strange bike ride. They also have a good specialized also. It might be worth $50 for a day's ride. I didn't think I would like a road bike either as I thought the ride would be way way too hard. There's only one bike shop renting in Napa so you should be able to find it. If you decide to give it a try, I would recommend A- bringing along your bike gloves, and B- if as out of shape, you'ld have two good routes. One is from Napa to Calistoga, the other would be to go out to Cuttings wharf to the south of Napa. The road is freshly paved and wide and low traffic. Perfect for just trying a ride and not worrying about hassles. They also have a trunk bike rack you can rent so you don't have to climb any hills to get to Cuttings.

I also understand about rotating bikes, but I haven't done it as much as you. I had several bikes, including a Fuji road bike, that I got rid of because I just didn't like riding them. For right now, biking is fun, but I'm a bit concerned about what happens in 2 years. After I've learned all the new jargon and am in average shape, will I still feel like riding?
Right now, my motivators are: a- Dr saying need to be in better shape, b- recovering some lost energy, and c-seeing muscles slowly slowly returning to legs.

Oh, what was the speed machine like? What did you like and dislike about it? Would it handle hills with grades to 8%, or was that a major problem.

Oh, on road bikes, make sure handlebars are raised high enough to be comfortable, else forget them. A nice trick is to have the LBS tilt up the bars so the hoods are high and you don't have to bend too far.

Got to run, interesting post, thanks.

Garfield Cat

I started out with a hybrid and then tricked it out to go faster with skinnier tires and even a cheap aerobar. I did mostly rides over an hour in length. I am in Orange County so San Diego is pretty much the same with the Pacific ocean breeze. I understand there are hybrids that are bent towards a road machine and those that are more like comfort bikes.

HiYoSilver

What size tires did you start with?
What size tires did you change to?
How much difference did tire size make?

thanks

Digital Gee

Well, after visiting four LBS's, riding about ten bikes, reading lots and lots of posts here and elsewhere, I proudly brought home my new best friend today -- and it's not a comfort bike, and it's not a hybrid!

But it IS the bike that spoke to me when I took it for a spin. It's not too fancy, not too expensive, not too complicated, but it's a beautiful bike nonetheless.

It's a TREK mountain bike -- the 3900, I guess what you might call an entry level MTB. I also got a simple computer and a new helmet.

I'm really, really stoked. :-)

Litespeed

Picture Picture Picture please !!!!

HiYoSilver

Litespeed, you lazy or what?
https://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Moun...3900/index.php

Looks like a low geared mtn bike. Good starter bike. Have fun, and let us know how it goes.

Digital Gee

Yep, that's the one, except mine black and grey and pewter and silver and so on. I hope to get a picture soon -- my other obsession is digital photography!

bkaapcke

Forget both, get a LWB recumbent. That's where the comfort is. bk