dyzir13

Hi everyone. I am interested in getting into biking, but unfortunately I don't know much about it. I'm hoping I could provide some information and someone will be able to guide me in the right direction.

I have been active my whole life in weight training and distance running. I am much larger then your average biker at 6'5" and 215 pounds. I've never been comfortable on a bike because it was never fitted for me. I've been debating on getting a road bike or a hybrid fitness bike. I plan on using it for rides that probably range from just a few casual miles upwards of 20-30 miles. Most of my training will probably center around my fitness and health. In the future I could see myself wanting to do a triathalon or duathalon with it. I don't see myself being overly concerned about the additional speed that may come with higher end frames and components. My price range is $400-$700.

I have a few worries about a road bike. First, I've never been on a bike with the drop handlebars and I'm concerned about how comfortable they will be for me. Secondly, I can see myself being in situations in which I may need to ride on a gravel path. Is this even possible or safe with a road bike? Finally,it seems like road bikes are the most expensive.

I just want to make sure that I am making a good decision so that I buy a bike that will last me for a few years and offer me decent performance. I also want to make sure I fit on it properly and can maintain a moderate comfort level. Anyways, does anyone have any recommendations as far as style, brand, components, etc? So far I have been to one local bike shop and they recommended a Trek FX for me. What do you think? I'd appreciate any help to get me started.

Garfield Cat

Some people who start riding again but now as an adult really get hooked on it. While others can take it or leave it. I started on a GT hybrid. Looking at the Trek FX, it would be my initial choice too. That's the kind of bike that you may keep and then buy another bike once you know what direction you want to take.

I find that bike riding is transitional. The better your conditioning becomes, the more you ride, the more you will want greater performance from yourself and your machine. If you plan on any kind of competition, it only pushes you to higher expectations. Its hardly a gentle nudge.

ahsposo 

I would visit bike stores (more than one if possible) and get a feel for which one seems to 1) listen to your wants in a bike 2) gives you a feeling of confidence in their advice and 3) has a good selection of entry to mid level bikes.

The cycling backwater I live in has at least 6 bike shops and two of these fit my three criteria. You can do what you want to of course but I would visit a living breathing bike store before I took advice from a bunch of self promoted experts on the internet.

Speed is not what you are buying. On flat to rolling terrain I could probably go just as fast on a entry level road bike as on a more expensive machine. You are buying (up to the around $3500 mark) more reliable components and either longer mileage comfort or short term performance. Typically the lower quality components don't hold their effective set up for very long and require more maintenance per mile. The frame and the wheels will be heavier so the ride quality will be not as lively (this is a fairly subtle thing that many riders and especially new riders won't notice) and, as for going uphill, heavier.

The various hand positions offered by drop style handlebars allow you to grip the bars in different ways for comfort or control. Personally, I find riding flat bars painful after a relatively short period of time. Plus the riding position when in the drops is aerodynamic compared to an upright position. There is a hybrid style of bike, a cyclocross bike, that has drop bars. I ride a road bike on gravel with no problems. Deep sand is a problem but gravel and packed dirt paths, no.

I think the best advice I can give you is to re-think your budget. I would suggest doubling it. Or be resigned to the fact that a bike like the FX is "entry" level and if you like riding and advance beyond "entry" level (and many people never do - I often wonder if it's because the "entry" level bike they have is just too much trouble to keep in ride-able condition and quit) you'll be needing a bike upgrade.

Good Luck. I hope you get a bike you like.

SlimRider

You'll be fine with a road bike provided that most of your riding is done on paved roads and the dirt you travel on is mostly solid with only the occasional root, branch, or rock. Road bikes do not like to go downhill over crevices, rocks, roots, and branches. If that's what you're going to do, you need a mountain bike.

However, if you going to traverse the light dirt park trails encountering only the occasional twig or pebble, you're fine. If you're going to get a road bike and you want it to last, you're going to have to get a chromoly steel-framed bike. Especially, with your weight and build! An aluminum-framed bike cannot take the repeated stress of a weighted rider riding it daily. Eventually, it will give way long before a steel-framed bike will.

If you are going to get a steel-framed bike with your build and within your budget, you're going to have to go to bikesdirect.com. You will need at least a size 63cm or 64 cm frame. They have those there whereas you might have difficulty at your LBS.

Once you get your bike your going to have to assemble it yourself. That's ok too, it's quite simple!

There are ways around doing everything yourself too!

Right now, check out bikesdirect.com and look for Motobecane's Super Mirage model

- Slim

BTW - You don't have to ride a road bike in the racing posture. I usually sit upright and erect upon mine!

First..Go to your nearest Jamis dealer and ask for their largest frame size in a Sports Coda...If it doesn't fit, go to bikesdirect.com

That's most probably where you're going anyway due to size!

ahsposo 

This is what I meant when I wrote "advice from a bunch of self promoted experts on the internet" as this is generally on a par with horse droppings. Complete and utter BS.

SlimRider

Ok, AhSpOsO!

What did I say that was improper or so wrong as to make you become so disrepectful?

I sense that you're slightly irritated for some reason...Perhaps I can put your concerns to rest...

Just ask...

- Slim

Triode

Several months ago, I bought a Trek 7.3 FX. Six weeks after that bought a Roubaix Comp Compact. Love the Roubaix. Comfy.

I am 65. My son and his wife bought Huffy's they rode for several years. They, got trek and cannondale compacts for replacements, gave the wife and I use of the
Huffy bikes. Three weeks later, bought the wife and I hybrids.

Geometry counts.

I am more comfortable on the road bike, it handles better, I am more stable, confident and love riding it. Granted, it retails for 4 times the 7.3FX. Even so, there is a world of difference in comfort.

IMO, bike shops find it easier to sell hybrids to non-bikers.

Drop bars seem sophisticated, and unmanagable to neophytes.

I rarely ride in the drops, have a whole lot more hand positions (not counting drops) and just a whole lot better ride.

If you are going on paved surfaces, and get properly fit, I believe you may be better served with a road bike.

I was.

RollCNY

Hi OP~

I'm 6'3" and similar weight. You aren't too big for the sport. But it is tough to find bikes in stock places to have a lot of options to try. Don't know what size locale you live in, but I am in a decent size city with 6 or 7 bike shops, and if I went to all of them combined, I would prolly find 5 bikes in a 61 cm or bigger.

The advice to check out your shops is good. Even if none have anything, see if you like any of them. Are you comfortable there, are the people professional to your expectations, and are they willing to answer questions? Find someone you want to work with, and then see what you think of their advice.

There are lots of pointers any of us could give, and all will be well intentioned, and most will be contradictory. Go to shops, sit on some bikes, even if the wrong size, and then comeback with questions. All brands are comparable, and everyone will have their favorites, and all will be subjective.

Good luck. I was in your shoes last year.

Arrowana

I wouldn't say aluminum frames are a bad idea, I have a feeling that if I were to abuse my bikes to the point of breaking, my aluminum frame GT would be the last to go. Of course, steel generally does give a nicer ride, so I would recommend looking at steel bikes. I don't think you are at the point where you have to worry about breaking most bikes, but asking about the weight limit of whatever bike you look at is a good idea, especially on road bikes. For example, my Centurion (Which is steel) apparently has a weight limit of 175 Lbs.

I'd make sure when you are out looking, test ride a bunch of different brands of whatever style bike you want. When I was looking online at hybrids, I thought the Trek FX sounded perfect, but when I actually rode it, I really didn't see much improvement over the MTB with slick tires, way too small of a frame, and a really cheap suspension fork that I was riding at the time. When I looked at comparable bikes from Fuji and Specialized, they felt much better.

MichaelW

For casual riding and occasional gravel paths you need sufficient tyre width. 32mm should be OK and the Trek FX can handle this(and a bit wider).
Road (race) bikes usually limit tyre size to about 25mm.
For everyday use, its really useful to have rack and fender capability with threaded eyelets for bolt-on accessories.
You can convert FX style bikes to triathlon with thinner tyres and clip-on aerobars.
The weakness if a bike is the wheels, you need these as strong as possible so look for 32 spoke traditional wheels. Low-count/fancy spoked wheels offer you no advantage, go out of trueif you break a spoke and spares are often hard to find.

Phil_gretz

This is total nonsense. OP, disregard this rant. If you choose an aluminum framed bike, it'll be fine. If you choose a steel framed bike, it'll be fine too.

Don't buy a bike without test riding it in advance. The price advantage of on-line purchasing is not, for you, worth the risk of potential component or adjustment problems or (worst of all) an improper fit.

PG

dyzir13

I appreciate all of the advice. Much of it is very helpful. I am lucky enough to have about 6 good LBS in my area and hope to check them all out this week. Unfortunately, I am not able to increase my price range. I feel like based on what everyone has said, my best option is to start with a fitness hybrid and depending on how it goes, worry about upgrading in the future.

The brands that I know are carried in my area include Trek (this seems to be the most popular), Diamondback, Cannondale, Raleigh, Felt, and Giant. I'm going to go into it with an open mind and make sure to test drive some bikes out and choose one based on the feel, fit, and components. I definitley want to try and avoid anything that is going to have cheap components and not last long.

Do you think it matters if the bike I choose has disc brakes or linear pull brakes? I've read disc brakes are better for mud/wet conditions, but I don't plan on being in those situations too often. If linear pull brakes are unreliable though or don't last long, I'd consider spending more for disc brakes. Also, does the type of fork matter? One bike store told me that there are steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber forks. I'm not sure which is the best for me.

I'm sure I'll be back soon after I visit some shops with more questions. Thanks!

Arrowana

Linear pull brakes are great. I think they should be fine, but if you think you might ride in the winter then I would consider disc brakes. For forks, steel and carbon are the better choices, you will probably find steel and aluminum in your price range.

RollCNY

+1 (which means I agree, OP, if you are unfamiliar with us). I wouldn't waste money in your price range on discs, unless you know you will have lots of wet.

All the brands that you listed have very positive attributes. Diamondback is prolly the least regarded, but I started with a Diamondback Insight (hybrid bike) last year for $350 (if memory serves). It served its purpose as a starter. Giant tends to pack a good value for the price, as does Felt. And last I checked, Trek was the #1 seller in the US, so yes, lots of folks have them.

The advice on forks is based on aluminum forks transferring the most road buzz, while steel and carbon deaden it somewhat. I have no idea which is better, but carbon is more expensive.

Monster Pete

Your first bike will never be ideal, but will help you determine what your ideal bike is. For this reason, I wouldn't spend too much on a first bike. Don't be too wary of drop bars- they're great if set at a sensible height and give you plenty of hand positions which makes them more versatile than flat bars. I'd try to find something practical with normal high spoke count wheels (fewer spokes offer no real advantage unless you're racing) and without worrying about having 10 or 11-speed gearing (you don't need those unless you really want them.) Disc and rim brakes can both be set up to give good braking performance. Disc brakes do tend give better performance in the wet, while drums are virtually the same in wet and dry conditions.

Ultimately, you'll need to test ride a variety of bikes before you decide on what's best for you. Try everything- from dutch-style city bikes to full-on racing bikes. Only then will you get a feel for what you want.

fietsbob

TRek Navigator is a good casual upright posture bike , 2.0 has a triple crank ,
1.o is a single speed x 8 speed derailleur on the back

JAHowe

I bought a 2009 Raleigh Clubman as my entry into road biking. Steel frame and fork, and a Brooks leather saddle. This is a forgiving setup. Love it for long rides and around town. I just bought a Raleigh Cadet I8 for a winter bike (geometry closer to the FX) and the efficiency is soo much less. I would find steel road bike large enough for you and fit a wider set of drop bars to make you feel more stable. In a couple of weeks, your back will stretch out, you chest and shoulder muscles will support the new riding position, and the increased leverage over the pedals will become addictive. Look up the Raleigh Roper, not available yet, but a nice bike, drop bars, steel, disc brakes. I have been pulling a child in a trailer a on a trial-a-bike with regular brakes and have have no problem stopping. Getting up the hills will be the challenge.

dyzir13

I was able to check out some bikes today and actually rode a few. First, I rode a Giant Rapid and thought it felt great, but it was out of my price range at $900. I also rode a Cannondale Quick 5 w/ a jumbo frame and was really impressed with it. It was priced at $500 with 10% off, an installed Bontrager cyclocomputer, and water bottle holder because it was ridden in a charity race for about 40 miles. Does anyone have any experience with Cannondale and the Quick line of bikes? I was very happy with it and pleased with the price point.

I was hoping to ride a Trek FX but unfortunately they didn't have any frames my size. The FX 7.1 and FX 7.2 are both around my price range.

So, right now I feel like it is between the Cannondale and FX. What do you guys think is the better choice?

RollCNY

I'd go Cannondale, with the aluminum fork being the only reservation. The Quick 5 and FX 7.2 are both 8 speeds, and the 7.1 is only 7. 8 is nicer because there is a smaller gap between shifts. The components between the Quick and 7.2 are largely a wash. If you are getting the Cannondale for $450, I don't think the 7.2 is worth $100 more.

The down side of an aluminum fork is that it can be buzzier than the steel forks of the Treks. But it is all personal preference. If you have none, than it won't matter. Manufacturers usually market base model with steel fork, then later step up to aluminum, then to carbon, IMO. I think it is the right order for weight savings but not for ride comfort.

SlimRider

The Cannondale Quick 5 is a good choice. For $450, it's a great choice!

Just a reminder before you complete the deal...

If you can, check out Giant's Cypress, the Jamis Coda (2011), and the Fuji Absolute 3.0. Compare the feel of riding all of these bikes, then make your final choice.

- Slim

dyzir13

Well, I think I may be closing in on a decision. I am very comfortable with the LBS that I can purchase the Trek FX 7.2 or Cannondale Quick 5 from. They have great warranties and offer 3 years of free major tuning and repair. With the Quick 5 on sale I want to make an educated decision ASAP, so I don't miss out on any savings if that's the bike I choose.

As I said before, I rode the Cannondale Quick 5 and thought it felt great. However, I really don't want to purchase it without having something to compare it to. They didn't have any Trek FX 7.2 frames in my size, but mentioned they could special order one if I put 20% down. Once they get in the FX, I can test drive them both again and apply the 20% down to the bike of my choice.

The Quick 5 has 40 miles on it, would be $450 and include a water bottle holder and cyclocomputer.

The FX 7.2 would be brand new and cost $500.

I've tried comparing the components, but don't truly understand the differences. You guys have been great and really provided me with a ton of great information!

SlimRider

Hey there Dyzir13!

You really can't go wrong, either way. They're both great bikes!

Just make sure you get a 2011 Krytonite U-Lock and an OnGuard Chain Lock! You will need 2 locks if you're locking it in a big city.

Get a helmet and ride safely!

Good Luck!

- Slim

RollCNY

As Slim said, no bad decision. I would get the Quick and spend the least possible for the following reasons:

1. If you end up loving cycling, neither bike would be your last, and you would end up either upgrading or replacing, or upgrading and replacing as I did, so the least expensive cycling entry is good.

2. If you end up hating cycling, you spent the least to find out.