First bike since childhood, looking for input
In the next couple of weeks I be purchasing my first bike in over 20 years and would love some opinions.
* Want a bike for town cycling, trips to farmers markets, path and road cycling of prob. no more than 20-30 miles max, ever. Since I haven't ridden in years it is difficult to try and guess how much/long I will ride. For this reason I'd rather focus on comfort for now, to ensure I bike regularly, and then buy another style bike next fall, if needed. * Don't want a bent, a road bike, or a hybrid. * Comfort is king and bike must allow for flat feet at stops and no hunching over. * Spending around 500ish * 7 speeds sounds about right Thus far I am drawn to the electra townie, the trek pure and the trek calypso. The calypso meets all of my criteria, besides the flat feet (is that correct?) and that I worry that I might be more limited on it for long rides as my bike riding abilities improve. I have read on a couple of forums that it is difficult to stand on a cruiser because of the handle bar placement. Any validity to that statement? Townie and pure are about the same in every respect, though I am drawn a bit more to the pure simply for aesthetics. Any input is greatly appreciated. |
How about something like a Breezer Uptown
Looks like a cool bike to have in the city. Or something like a Electra Townie The Sport 105 looks pretty slick. |
30 miles on an upright bike is something that I'd avoid personally - it really is the territory of the true hybrid. The problem isn't so much lack of speed but increased ass and back damage:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/pain.html Back Back pain while cycling is usually caused by poor cycling posture. Good cycling posture is very different from good posture while sitting or standing. A posture that is comfortable for sitting still will not necessarily be comfortable while actually riding a bicycle. Correct cycling posture must facilitate the pedaling action, and also must enable the rider to cope with the jolts that result from road irregularities. When riding a bicycle, the back should be arched, like a bridge, not drooping forward between the hips and the shoulders. If the back is properly arched, bumps will cause it to flex slightly in the direction of a bit more arch; this is harmless. If you ride swaybacked, bumps will cause the back to bow even farther in the forward direction, which can lead to severe lumbar pain. Some back-pain sufferers modify their bicycles with extra-high handlebars so that they can sit bolt upright, with their spines straight. This is actually counterproductive in most cases, because a straight spine has no way to "give" when the bike hits bumps. Road irregularities will jam the vertebrae together, often aggravating existing back problems. The bolt-upright posture is comfortable if you're sitting stationary on the bike, but is not suitable for riding much faster than a brisk walk. Riders who for some reason require such a position should use some form of suspension...a sprung saddle at the very least. |
Oh - if you're willing to spend the money, look for a bike with a Nexus or Alfine internally geared hub. Much less maintenance work!
Re "* Comfort is king and bike must allow for flat feet at stops and no hunching over " - look for a bike with a low bottom bracket (doh) possibly with 26" wheels preferred. |
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