JEgan712

Couple of months ago, my wife and I decided to try bike riding for fun and fitness. We hadn't been on bikes for more than forty years and so we purchased new "hybrid" type bikes (Trek 7200). Since that time we have ridden quite a lot and we really enjoy it. Here's the problem. While my wife is thrilled with her hybrid bike, I am starting to feel that riding a hybrid is kind of dumb (no offense to those who ride them). I'm 62 and in pretty good shape. I use to run five miles every work day before I retired and I do enjoy riding now but I cant help it. I have really got the hots for one of those "real" road bikes. I'm not sure what to do. I went in to my lbs the other day and looked at road bikes. I dont really know enough to know what would be best for me but the Trek 1500 looked nice. There were a couple of LeMonds there that were pretty slick also.

I need some advice. Should I just back off, take a cold shower and ride my hybrid till it falls apart? Or would I be better off getting what I really want? The bikes that I am looking at are in the $1,200 to $1,500 range. I paid just under $400 for my hybrid.

linux_author

- was (am) exactly where you are... started w/a $350 'comfort' bike - nothing wrong with that mind you, and don't let anyone tell you or give you the impression that a comfort bike (or hybrid) is any less of a bicycle than any other bike (they're ALL bikes)...

- as an old biker i knew that i'd eventually want a road bike, and after a couple months that's what happened... my solution was to find a nice used road bike that fit and is comfortable to ride ($500 for a Specialized Allez Sport, which i then upgraded to all 105 components)...

- i now use the comfort bike for easy days or as a loaner for guest riders, and am pounding the heck out of the road bike until i get fitter, trimmer, faster, etc....

- in six months to a year i'll spring for a really nice road bike...

- but $1000 - $1500 looks like the starting point for a basic new road bike, and i'm sure you'll find one that fits you and feels good in that price range...

- of course if money is no object, then i'm sure there are lots of fellows here with recommendations... (a Merlin Magia comes to mind)...

:-)

- good luck and let us know how it goes! i'm always interested in hearing success/happy stories!

Blackberry

Fergit the cold shower. Life is short. Get what you want.

stapfam

Most of us have this problem. Not certain if we are going to like the sport,Don't want to spend a fortune on a 5 day wonder, But are we buying high enough initially. Obviously in your case- you've got the bug. Nothing wrong with upgrading your bike, but think of the occasions when you still want to go out with the wife- perhaps two new bikes may be on the cards.............?

Just a couple of points though. In the UK we have a season of the year, starting soon, when the 2006 models start to appear. All those 2005 bikes you are looking at now, will be reduced in price in a couple of months. Possibly just enough time to get out and find the bike you do like, and that likes you. Get a few test rides in, get the size sorted and get a couple of options available. Then start haggling. Surprising how much you can get off an old model bike at the wrong time of the year. 15 to 20% will not be unusual.
Get that test ride. It may look as good and shiny as Lance's bike, but is it going to suit your body. Is the ride position correct. Frame the right size.Does the road shock on that type of frame feel acceptable. Lot to think about, Go for it, but make certain this is going to be the right choice.

linux_author

- i LIKE that attitude!

:-)

fmw

I made a mistake too. I bought a bike with a frame that is too small for me. Guess I'll have to get a new one.

GrannyGear

Keep your eyes open--especially this time of year. Friend picked up a current model Felt Ultegra (if you like aluminum/carbon) for $900. Hate to be gear-conscious, but sometimes a "serious bike" causes its rider to ride more "seriouly" i.e. farther, faster, more frequently, etc. LOL, We may be 50Plus, but we can still have an adolescent head/heart.

Red Baron

My biggest regret in life is that I have too many regrets and missed opportuntities are amoung the worst. I agree with this advice.

DnvrFox

You only live once. Nothing wrong with having a hybrid AND a road bike. Different purposes, different uses, different bikes. I have a mtn bike for trails and that sort of thing, a utility road bike (Winsdor Leeds - I rode it today while leading a group of seniors on a 29 mile ride - it has panniers where I can carry extra tubes and emergency stuff for the ride) and a REAL road bike (Lemond BA) when I really want to let loose by myself.

My wife has two bikes - a hybrid and a mtn bike.

Go for it. There is NOTHING like the joy of riding a fast road bike silently along feeling in concert with nature and the world, forgetting all of those problems.

tom cotter

This thread is entitled "I think I made a mistake." Ok, if you want to think that way. Actually you are going thru a normal progression and were smart to buy the inexpensive bike to start. Many of us went the same route, bought the cheaper model to get started and then moved to something more fitting the direction we wanted to go.The good news is it's a $300 bike not a $100,000 boat.

As for how real a bike the 7200 is, a woman riding a 7300 kicked my butt a couple weeks ago. I'm in decent shape and was riding my Lemond Zurick. $400 bike beat $2500 bike. It's not about the bike. How good a bike is the 7200? That's up to you.

Nightshade

Since a hybrid is a mix of road & mountain bikes why not skip a step
and modify the bike you have to see if you even like drop bars and such.
Put road tires & drops on your bike and go for it.

Sigurdd50

if you get a road bike, try alot of bikes with a more relaxed geometry, and perhaps some steel frames as well. As we get a little older, the more aggressively designed bikes are a less comfortable (although YMMV)

Plus they are often geared more for someone like Lance armstrong (very high)

John E

Depending on the hybrid and the rider, that just might work, and it is certainly the cost-effective way to go. Otherwise, look around for good used road and mountain bikes, assuming you have storage space for more than one bike. You may find you want the hybrid for shopping trips and general short-hop transportation.

JEgan712

Thank all for the great input. As you can probably tell in my post, I am leaning toward getting a "real" road bike. I like the idea of just keeping my hybrid and having the two bikes. I also appreciate the advice re: waiting until prices come down on the 05's. I guess I just want to be able to get out on the road with, what I consider a "real" road bike (again, nothing wrong with hybrids). I was out this morning with my wife. It was a beautiful morning. We rode about fifteen miles. It was great. We stopped at a coffee shop at the end of our ride. There was a couple of guys there that were about our age. They both had some "serious" road bikes. I'm sorry, but I just thought, "That's what I'm talkin about". So... again, thanks for the input, I will now be trying to determine which bike is going to work for me. Hope to see you on th road sometime.

HiYoSilver

Suggestions:

1. you'll get the most bang for the buck by buying a 2005 in Oct/Nov/Dec
2. You can often get 0% financing with bike purchase.
3. Make sure your great road bike is the one you really want so you don't go thru the process again. I rented a Litespeed and the owner didn't want to ride it any more. He wanted a Madone. So try all the types in your price bracket:
3.0 Al frames
3.1 TI frames
3.2 carbon fiber frames
3.3 standard sized frames
3.4 compact sized frames
3.5 shamino equipped
3.6 champigno [sp?] equiped
3.7 double chainsets
3.8 triple chainsets
3.9 mid grade level gearing components
3.10 top grade level gearing components
etc.

It's much much easier to make decisions as to what you like before you buy, then after you buy.

Prosody

I have a 7200 and a Fuji Roubaix road bike. Though i ride the Fuji most of the time, occasionally i hop on the Trek, especially if I want a long ride on the KATY trail (crushed limestone surface). I always appreciate how different the two bikes feel.

One nice thing about the 7200 is that, with its adjustable quill stem, you can play around with handlebar height and reach. Put some bar ends on and you can have a good number of hand positions, too.

fsor

If you can do the $ part, I would try to do both. I find a real roadie to be an absolute joy most times, but a rough stuff bike can get you places you can't do on 700X23 tires and carry a full lunch at the same time. The problem that I have found is there seems to be no end to this process.

JEgan712

Thanks for the advice re: the bar ends and raising the handle bars on my 7200. Is that something that I can do myself? I'm fairly handy. Do the cushions just slide off the ends of the bars?

Litespeed

Maybe I'm reading something into this that doesn't belong. It almost sounds like you are afraid of leaving your wife behind since you would be so much faster on a road bike. Since you want a road bike and she would still have her hybrid, maybe you think that she won't be able to keep up with you. I think you can still enjoy a road bike and have your wife ride on her hybrid too. You might even want to use your road bike for when you ride by yourself. You could also look into a tandem and that way you get your road bike and take the wife along too.

Bockman

7200= Rain bike

New road bike= daily rider

Roody

You know what you want!

More Bikes = More Fun.

DnvrFox

The rule is:

Wife has to have equal equipment to husband.

Get your wife a road bike, also!

alwaysbefirst

Hi

A lot of people are suggesting different options. IMO get the road bike. You said twice that is what you really want, so, go for it. I have the Trek 1200 and use it every day and enjoy every minute of it.

Jim

capejohn

I own a hybrid and a road bike. If I were to buy now I would get a touring style bike. The LBSs don't carry many if any and try hard to talk you into something else.

I have a Gary Fisher for riding with my wife and short trips around town. For my "rides" I have a Giant that is a nice bike and will probably last for years. But.....I buy lottery tickets once in a while, and if I ever hit a good one (slim chance but hoping), I will definitely buy a touring bike. Good comfort, good enough speed and great for the 2-3 hour rides I like.

berts

to slip on a banana peel is a mistake, to run into a parked car is a mistake, to step on your cat's tail is a mistake, to buy and ride a bike is not a mistake. some people start off by buying a $5,000 bike and quickly losing interest because it didn't make them into a cycling hero. you on the other hand are going through the normal evolutionary development, keep up the good work and the interest. the bottom line is that "it's not about the bike" (LA).