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Buying first new bicycle in 40 yrs.

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Buying first new bicycle in 40 yrs.

Old 01-31-08, 07:52 AM
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Buying first new bicycle in 40 yrs.

Sorry about another new bike thread but need some advise. My wife and I want to get into bicycling. So many new terms. We have been to the LBS and looked mainly at Trek 7500. This seems to be a good bike for bike paths and roads. We will not get to ride every day because I am out of town too much. We just want good solid bikes to see how far we go with this. we are looking forward to taking the train downtown (Chicago) and riding the lake front. We live in northern IL and have the trails in Lake and McHenry county to ride. What do you think? I am 57 and my wife is 55.
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Old 01-31-08, 07:54 AM
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My wife got a Trek 7500 recently and she loves it in every aspect as a great road/hybrid/exercise bike. Try to ride one if possible.

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Old 01-31-08, 08:19 AM
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Here's a bunch of first-hand reviews. Looks like a good bike for your purpose:

https://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/20...5_4222crx.aspx
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Old 01-31-08, 08:24 AM
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Bikes like that are the gateway drug. I started with a 7200 about 5 years ago and now look at me...
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Old 01-31-08, 09:28 AM
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Originally Posted by tdash911
Sorry about another new bike thread but need some advise...
Please don't be sorry. This whole forum lives and breathes just for posts like this.

Last edited by The Smokester; 02-01-08 at 02:50 PM.
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Old 01-31-08, 10:01 AM
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Thanks all
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Old 01-31-08, 11:15 AM
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I'd suggest doing some more testing before you get the bikes.

Here's what happened to my sister. She did not like drop handlebars, so she got a hybrid flat bar Trek and her husband got a normal road bike. She road it 3 times and then gave up because it was too hard. Her husband is now on his third Trek. [He just likes to trade bikes, not because the bikes were bad]. She now has a new Trek with normal road bars. For comfort they adjusted the height of the bars so it feels much like a hybrid but with the option of more body positions. She is happier, and will ride from time to time. She basically doesn't like riding partially because it's hard work to get in shape and partially because her husband likes to zoom zoom zoom and that's too high of a challenge for her.

The 7500 is not a bad bike, but others might be better buys. Remember most bike paths, and esp. Multipurpose paths are too dangerous for adult bike riding. They are designed for child bike riding. Think about it, a slow adult cyclist will go about 12 mph. A fast adult cyclist will cruise at about 20mph. People walk at about 3 mph and often have hazards like dogs on leashes and strollers with them. A slow adult will be traveling 4x faster and peds don't expect to react quickly when they are strolling. A fast adult will be traving about 7x faster. Not much reaction time. Point is to plan your purchase for riding on the road and not just paths.

Alternative bikes:
Trek Portland, list 1.7K. Will carry a ton of stuff and handle any weather.
Trek XO, list 1.4K. Can be dialed in for hybrid like feel and then adjusted later for road feel as your skills and strength improve.
Trek 520, list 1.2K. Just a basic good bike. See comments on XO.
Raleigh Sojourn, list 1.1K. Similar to Portland, disc brakes, rack, ready for any weather. Slightly lower grade components to save you $600/bike over Portland.

Good luck and have fun.
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Old 01-31-08, 12:00 PM
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Just like Hiyo====I would recommend trying the other bikes in the Make up. Road bikes- Mountain and probably another manufacturer aswell. Then at least you will be convinced that this is the bike for you.

Now one I would suggest you do look at is a Specialised Sirrus. Several have almost committed to a particular bike and tried a Sirrus. It was the Sirrus that was bought. I am not into Hybrids but if that is the typre of bike that interests you- Then the Sirrus is one of the best.
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Old 01-31-08, 12:54 PM
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If you want to take the bikes on the train downtown, look seriously at folding bikes. They range in price from a couple of hundred up to several thousand dollars. They also range in design from upright cushy comfort, to lean-and-mean racer. Some are toys, and some are high-end technologic marvels. Most of them have a quickfold option where in 30 seconds you can bag them and board a train. Some can be disassembled and packed into a 30" suitcase that can be checked on an airline.

I got a fairly expensive custom Bike Friday because I'm well over 200 lbs and would be at or above the weight limit for some of the cheaper ones, but if you're under 200 lbs you have a lot more options. Dahon, Swift (available from the original designer, or a modified version licensed by Xootr), Brompton and Bike Friday are a few of the well known ones. Other people may recommend other brands. Check out the Folding Bike subforum if you think this might be of interest.
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Old 01-31-08, 01:34 PM
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Originally Posted by HiYoSilver
Remember most bike paths, and esp. Multipurpose paths are too dangerous for adult bike riding. They are designed for child bike riding. Think about it, a slow adult cyclist will go about 12 mph. A fast adult cyclist will cruise at about 20mph. People walk at about 3 mph and often have hazards like dogs on leashes and strollers with them. A slow adult will be traveling 4x faster and peds don't expect to react quickly when they are strolling. A fast adult will be traving about 7x faster. Not much reaction time. Point is to plan your purchase for riding on the road and not just paths.
Is it not possible for adults on bikes to simply slow down?

I find these comments laughable, as we often expect motorists to slow down for us cyclists, but for some inane reason, some "adult cyclists" seem to find it difficult to slow down for others.
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Old 01-31-08, 04:36 PM
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It seems to me you missed his point, which was that MP paths are dangerous for regular riding. They don't have "pedestrian lanes" the way streets have bike lanes. They are often narrow and dangerous for anyone on wheels, no matter what the speed.
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Old 01-31-08, 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by HiYoSilver

The 7500 is not a bad bike, but others might be better buys. Remember most bike paths, and esp. Multipurpose paths are too dangerous for adult bike riding. They are designed for child bike riding.
This statement could not be any less truthful for the bike paths in my neck of the woods. You can cruise along all day on them at 18-20 if you wish. On average you will encounter another trail user about once per mile. On a busy day, it will be 2-3 per mile. Over every 100 miles, you might pass 2-3 people walking their dogs.

One of our 50+ forum members lives in northern Illinois and regularly drives up to Brodhead, Wisconsin to ride the Sugar River Trail. It's 23 miles to New Glarus, thus a 46 mile round trip. He averages around 18-19 mph over the round trip.

As to the Trek 7500, it's a nice bike at a fair price. It had moved into my #1 slot after many test rides of other bikes about 18 months ago, but then I found a good condition 7600 used and got it instead. It is very good as a multi-purpose bike for both paved and graveled surfaces. Faster than a comfort bike, like the Trek Navigator, but slower than a fitness hybrid or road bike, due to the more upright riding position.

Whether it is the right bike for you, I knoweth not. But if you think that a standard hybrid meets your needs well, then it is a good option.
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Old 01-31-08, 09:40 PM
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Another option is to buy a true mountain bike. If you find yourself doing a fair amount of road work, supplement it with a proper road bike. A hybrid is versatile, but it will always come up second-best against a mountain bike offroad or against a road bike on road.
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Old 01-31-08, 11:14 PM
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Lots of good advice, but they left out one thing. Make sure the bike is white. You'll go faster.
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Old 02-01-08, 09:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Chaco
It seems to me you missed his point, which was that MP paths are dangerous for regular riding. They don't have "pedestrian lanes" the way streets have bike lanes. They are often narrow and dangerous for anyone on wheels, no matter what the speed.
Do you think that perhaps motorists might see us the same way on the streets that don't have bike lanes...

"oh, bicycles... this street is too dangerous for them... I'm afraid I might hit one."

That was exactly the comments I have heard from some motorists.

And again I say... slow down... it works for drivers, and for cyclists.
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Old 02-01-08, 10:25 AM
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IMHO, bikes on multi-use trails need to be extra aware. The Fox River Trail (west of Chicago) can be very crowded in spots (StCharles-Geneva, etc) and requires a very slow casual pace on a bike. I've seen some real a-hole bikers screaming through crowded sections hollering obscenities at people because they're in the way. On quiet sections another danger is cruising along and not realizing you're about to cross a street and ending up in front of a car. Our annual WI trip (18th annual coming up) tends to avoid trails for these reasons (even though WI has some fantastic trails).

I prefer road drops because of the multiple positions (including the more aerodynamic "low" position for battling the dreaded wind). A good compromise is a cyclocross bike. They have mountain bike durability with road drop handlebars. And don't feel obligated to keep your drop bars super low.
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Old 02-01-08, 12:02 PM
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Thanks to all. I have been riding motorcycles since I could. I think bicycling will be fun and good exercise. I can't and won't tell you how many different types of bikes I have owned. There are so many types for so many different ways to ride. From cross country to dragging a knee on a track, all fun. I think that the Trek 7500 will be a good starting point. My wife will not ride fast and I am not a big fan of road riding. Motorcycles and bicycles share some of the same problems, we both fear cars, and we see too many stupidpeople do to many stupid things on the road.
thanks Again.
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Old 02-01-08, 12:17 PM
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This isn't a thread about riding on MUPs, so I won't go there. A hybrid like a 7500 is probably a good choice for a starter bike. If you end up riding much, don't be surprised if the upgrade bug bites you, though.

Disclaimer: I have a 1997 Trek 7500 and although it is not my primary bike, (and never has been,) it's a keeper, and I do plan on keeping it.
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Old 02-01-08, 04:03 PM
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I've got a similar story. I can't imagine your first bicycle purchase (in a while) being the "right one" so my advice is to buy a couple of used bikes close to what you think you're interested in and ride while you shop.

While I don't recommend it, my Wife and I started on a couple of X-mart bikes the kids had quit using and quickly figured out which direction we wanted to go. (btw we didn't think we wanted road bikes to start with, but that's what we ride now) We didn't shed a tear when we dumped that stock because we didn't have any money in it.

My Wife got the first new bike and I stumbled into a terrific deal on a used bike when another biker decided to upgrade to a high zoot model. This process has saved $$$ which will go into my *next* purchase. ;-)
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Old 02-01-08, 05:20 PM
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same,
the 7500 is a great bike. It was my first bike in years and now after a bundle of miles is getting a rest. I still like to ride it.
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Old 02-02-08, 02:59 AM
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Returning to cycling in Northern Illinois

Congratulations on returning to cycling. I am also in northern Illinois.

I have a 5-year-old Trek 7200 in my garage, which has been neglected for about two years because I have several bikes I like much more. I am in Evanston. Come by sometime this spring after the latest snow melts and you can buy it from me. I'll have to dust it off and pump up the tires first.

Based on your location, there is also the Fox River trail system, the Des Plains River trail (north-south connecting various segments of the forest preserve system), and an east-west trail that passes through Libertyville. The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation publishes a map of roads and trails. Their map extends all the way to the Wisconsin border. The lakeshore path extends down into Indiana via the Daniel Burnham Greenway, and there is also a great trail along the Old Plank Road south of Chicago.

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Old 02-02-08, 11:08 AM
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Man are you in for a surprise, in bicycle technology that is. A $1500 bike today is something that a pro racer would have killed for only 10 years ago. Good luck and good riding.
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Old 02-05-08, 06:24 AM
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Take a look at the Rans website. www.rans.com
The crank forward bikes are very comfortable to ride and the Rans are good quality bikes.
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Old 02-05-08, 01:07 PM
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I worked part time for a couple of summers a couple of years ago at an LBS and when the salespeople got too busy I got to come out of the service area and help folks out. I'd ask a few questions to get a feel for how comfortable they were with shifting in general, if they thought that they might like the brake/shifter style shifting, the grip rotating shifters, the rapid-fire style trigger shifters, bar ends, or no shifters at all, doing this while walking around the sales floor looking at different bikes with the different setups on them to give the customers a hands-on feel for what I was talking about. Then I'd have them sit on a few bikes with me holding the bike up to let them feel first hand the differences between a more compact geometry and a more stretched out geometry. Eventually we'd end up with one to three bikes that they seemed to like, all within their general price range, at which point I'd suggest either a parking lot test ride, or putting the bike up on a trainer so they could get a good feel for how it rides or in the case of the trainer at least feel what it feels like to pedal the bike. This let them decide what would work for them, what they would be most comfortable with, and what they liked the best. And sometimes they'd just pick one based on the color.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes..._series/7500/#

Sit on that 7500, test ride it if you can, and if it feels right and fits your budget then it should be fine. Since it seems to take a 35c tire width it should work fine on most any trail or bike path in your area.
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Old 02-05-08, 09:20 PM
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You might want to look at tandems. My wife and I have been riding tandem bicycles for nearly 20 years and have enjoyed every minute. We now have two and we never have to wait for the slower rider and always are close enough to have a conversation. For the price of two decent road bikes you can get a new or used tandem. You might try renting one prior to purchase as some folks just don't find it to their liking but others, like us, would have it no other way.
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