pitchersduel

i am brand new to cycling...meaning i don't own a bike currently. had one as a child...but haven't rode in years...anyways i'm thinking of finally investing into a decent bicycle.
a few things to hopefully help answer a few questions you guys will have:

budget: $400-$500...doing a little bit a research i see bikes can be upwards of $1,000 if not more...i'm not looking for anything that crazy. just a halfway decent bike

type: again minimal research i've done shows theres commuter, hybrids, and road bikes. i'm looking to mainly ride on roads/sidewalks/bike paths. no trails, really.

usage: mainly to ride around around the block...not necessarily to and from work (though i could do that) but again basically roads/sidewalks/paths...won't be going on trails in the woods and what not.

other than that, i'm not sure what to say/ask. i will eventually go to a local bike shop...but i guess i'm somewhat intimidated. i know the experience will probably be swell, but i just keep thinking i should probably at least go in with a few questions ready to ask the employee.

to give an example...this review of this hybrid bike on the sweethome seemed reasonably informed and the bike looks halfway decent, right in my wheelhouse in terms of budget too The Best Hybrid Bike | The Sweethome

obviously the bike shop should help drastically...especially if i am a newbie...but i guess i'd still like to hear some advice before going in on what to ask. just to make sure all my bases are covered.
so any suggestions? thanks for any replies

no1mad 

Go to the shops and tell them your budget and intended purpose. Test ride anything and everything and then report back with your 'short list' that you've compiled from what the LBS recommended.

Note that at this stage, you're shopping for the LBS as much as for the bike.

RonH

+1 on everything that no1mad said.

Rollis

I, to just jumped back into bike's after a 30 year hiatus. Find a store you are comfortable with, that will be the key.

I, went with a hybrid because I, will be riding in poor weather, and sometimes on trails if all goes as planned. So I, figured buy once, cry once, and still kept my price under $600.00.

bruised

I was in a very similar situation to you in June this year - I wanted a decent bike, similar past experiences, similar budget.

I walked into one of 3 choices I have for a LBS and was manipulated into buying a bike they had hanging on the wall even though it didn't fit and it probably wasn't the right type of equipment.

I accept some of the blame for not having properly researched the topic (it was something of an impulse decision, to buy a bike from a LBS instead of something from Walmart). But I feel as though I was thoroughly shafted by the guy in the LBS. We've both paid for the experience in different ways.

Point is - (as no1mad suggested above), not all LBS's are created equal. You need to have some knowledge before you walk in there - which is what you're gathering now. I'd recommend asking a few basic questions to which you already have a good idea of the answers. That might help you avoid being sold something which doesn't exactly suit your needs (to clear old inventory or whatever).

From what you've said you seem to be looking at a dedicated road bike, a fitness hybrid, or some type of multi-purpose cross bike. You'll need to ride all 3 before you can formulate a solid idea of what is going to work best, and there may be other options to throw into the pot, too.

Research, test rides and shrewd questioning of whomever is selling to you, will help you to avoid the mistake I made.

It's worth it, believe me. Once you get into this crazy hobby it can become extremely rewarding in many fun and unexpected ways.

Good luck.

pitchersduel

thanks for the feedback so far everyone...

i have 2 LBS to choose from...looking on yelp, the one closest to me has 2 very good reviews...i'll hit up both just to get a feel for both.

bruised,

could you clarify what a road bike, fitness hybrid, and cross bike are?

thanks for sharing that story as well...thats kind of what i'm fearing. i know a lot of people say the people at bike shops know what they're doing...they'll take care of you etc..but i guess i'm a little more cynical than that. i don't expect a bike shop employee to be a best buy employee....but i just assume there easily can be horrible bike shop employees too. especially with me being new, i'm not going to know exactly what they're talking about and they could be spouting BS.

fietsbob

Bike shops are nice places and you can test ride them there.

Pick your favorite shop to business with 1st, then buy a bike from them.

bruised

A road or racing bike is generally built for cruising at speed on tarmac. It will have drop bars, shifters at the drop position, a lightweight frame/wheel and narrow tires. The riding position will generally be quite aggressive, in that it's optimized for aerodynamics more than comfort.

A fitness hybrid shares little in common with a road bike in terms of the equipment used on the bike and it will generally have flat bars, be a little more sturdy (heavier) and you'll have options for wider tires. The wider tires will give more of a comfortable ride. You won't feel as much of the road surface hitting your butt with the wider tires. The flat bars will give you an upright riding position, versus the drop-bars where you'll be spending at least some of your time crouched over. There are many iterations of a fitness/hybrid bike, each has its own merits. Some lean more towards a trail bike, others more towards a road or 'commuter' bike.

A cross bike or 'cyclocross' is essentially a road bike designed to be a bit more rugged (durable) and less aggressive in terms of ride position and comfort. The frame will be a little heavier and it will accept wider tires than a road bike. But unlike the fitness/hybrid it will usually have drop bars. The bike is designed for road use but also for some off-road / trail and gravel riding. Though it's primarily a 'sports' class bike, people who want the benefits of a road bike (speed) but with slightly more durability and comfort, are drawn towards cross bikes.

Obviously there are many variations on these brief descriptions and they're not hard and fast rules by any means.

I've omitted mountain bikes as you said in your OP that you wouldn't be doing any trail riding.

I can't tell you what to like, but I'd encourage you to try and get a good test ride on each of the above. If not all three, then certainly a road bike and a hybrid.

Here's a couple links so you can see the differences in layout:

Trek Domane - comes at various price points. An out and out road/race bike Domane 4.3 Disc - Trek Bicycle

Trek FX - sports/fitness hybrid - FX - Trek Bicycle

Cannondale CAADX - Cyclocross CAADX 105 Disc - CAADX - CYCLOCROSS - ROAD - BIKES - 2015

When you look at the first (road/race) and the third (Cyclocross) they'll seem on the surface to be very similar. But again, the cyclocross will be more comfortable with its wider tires and less aggressive riding position.

Hope that helps a bit...

MRT2

What is your age, experience, and fitness level? I know you say you want to ride around the block but beyond this, what else do you want to do? If you like cycling, what do you see yourself doing in 6 months, a year, or two years? Do you see cycling as a sport or a leisure activity? For example, some folks see themselves building up their endurance so they can do a long ride some day. Others just want to ride 20 or 30 miles a week. Still others aspire to ride with a road riding club. Or do a 100 mile charity ride. Or a multi day tour. Or hit some milestone (20 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles).

On the other hand, others just want to do 10 miles once a week or so with a friend, or significant other. And if that is all you ever want to do, just about any $500 bike will get the job done.

As for the link you posted to the review, it seems like a decent review. Trek FX 7.2 is a fine bicycle, though I wonder why the author makes such a big deal about pedals and tires. Stock pedals and tires on most bikes will pretty much get the job done and if the owner wants something better, these things are easily replaced at point of sale or by the owner weeks, months or years later. I don't really believe the 7.2 is any better than comparable Specialized, Giant, Kona, or Jamis models, or pretty much any other major brand.

IMO, the major brands compete pretty much evenly on price and quality. It really comes down to fit and personal preference, assuming you want a hybrid.

Now, if you get the biking bug, it is extremely likely you will be looking to upgrade to something better in a few years.

Willbird

As others have said some hands on test riding wil give the OP a better understanding of what kind of bike is likely to please them for now :-)......then time riding will lead them to their next bike :-).

There are so many options avail that I'm sure one will appeal to you. For just riding around town the internal geared hub offerings may appeal to lots of folks, probably simpler overall than deraillor based bikes, I have seen tons of folks test riding them :-).

MRT2

And if OP lives in a flat are, a single speed would be fine for short trips around town.

Willbird

Yep, simple and functional :-).

pitchersduel

appreciate the response.

as to your questions...

age: 28
experience: practically none, had a cheap huffy as a kid, haven't rode a bike in years.'
fitness level: would say decent, i work out every day at the gym

i see it more as an exercise/leisurely activity. doubt i join a club...though guess i can always change that later, just like if i get crazy into cycling and upgrade my bike.

i guess i should have mentioned in the first post, its partly why i am looking into getting a bike. looking to mix up my exercise, gym can get monotonous .

doing a bit more research...looks like a fitness/comfort/hybrid bike is looking like the way to go.

MRT2

Which one?

Jeff Wills

Honestly, at the OP's price point there's very little difference among the choices. For a $400-500 budget, all the choices will have similar (if not identical) equipment. That's why it's important compare bike shops- there's so little profit in a bike at that level that how the shop treats the customer is more important than the bike itself.

pitchersduel

not sure...guess thats what i'll try to find out at the bike shop. was looking over this guide Top Bikes | Bike Buying Guide ? Consumer Reports

seems to me fitness bike is the way too go...seems to fit my needs. this line in particular " Fitness bikes might be a good choice for those who simply want to burn calories or improve cardiovascular fitness, or for daily short-haul commuting."

seems to be right around what i'm looking for, though i guess a comfort bike could work as well (plan on riding some local bike paths)...but i'll wait and see what the LBS say...

AdrianFly

Trek FX 7.2.

Seriously dude.. people just starting biking.. been into it for a long time and everywhere in between have thumbed this thing up.

Ride it a few thousand miles and then upgrade whatever you want on it to eventually make it a $1000+ bike depending how many cool new parts you slap on.

MRT2

Another possibility is to go with a used bike. Plenty of decent condition used bikes out there. Look for the same brands you would look for new. Trek, Specialized, Giant, Bianchi, Cannondale, Jamis, Kona, etc. Age isn't all that important if the price is right. A clean or refurbished 10 or 15 year old bike selling for $100 or $150 would be just fine. A bike like this might not look so shiny, but a lot of these bikes are around that have been lightly ridden 10 or 15 years ago before hanging in a garage or basement for most of its life. Or alternately, look for an almost new hybrid (2012 or 2013 model) selling for 40% or 50% off retail. Sometimes, people buy a bike and find it just doesn't work for them, and if you can find one of these lightly ridden bikes, you might as well go for it.

This might be harder for a novice than someone who has owned a number of bikes, because you need to figure out what is good, and what isn't, and what fits, and what won't. In looking for a used bike, condition and fit are everything. So a clean used bike selling for $150 could easily be a better deal than a $75 bike that was rode hard and put away wet. Visually clean means free of rust and noticeable wear. Wheels should spin true. Cranks should turn without noticeable play in the bottom bracket. Gears should shift crisply.

The reason I suggest use is, many folks who get the biking bug wind up trading up to a better bike within a year of buying their first bike.

Jarrett2

OP, what size are you? Height/weight? Where do you live/what's the terrain like? Are you competitive at all? Do you push yourself in your activities? Have you searched Facebook/Google to see if you have recreational riding clubs in your area?

I ask all of this because I started riding in May 2013 and have bought 5 bikes since then wasting quite a bit of money. Mainly, because I didn't know several things going in.

I thought a comfort cruiser would be perfect for me. I outgrew it in a month. I wish I would have skipped hybrids all together at this point.

MRT2

Hence my suggestion to consider used. Don't know OP's height, but just in my local CL today are the following bikes, which might be viable choices for a beginner just looking to get started. None of these prices are set in stone so I imagine a person who showed up cash in hand might have some wiggle room on price, but at least from the pics, they look reasonably clean. I don't imagine any of these would satisfy the OP long term, but likely he could sell any of these a year or two from now and get most of his money back.

1997 Trek 820 $75
1997 Trek 820 mountain bike

90s Trek Multitrack hybrid $150
Trek Multi-Track

2009 or 2010 Giant Transcend DX $225
GIANT TRANSEND DX

Trek 90s Trek 700 (recently refurbished), $150
Trek 700 MultiTRACK hybrid New Price

Specialized Hard Rock
Specialized Mountain Bike Hard Rock GX 21 Speed

Giant Boulder $75
1990 Giant Boulder (Large)

Retro Grouch 

Acquire a bike - ANY bike.

Ride that one around for awhile. Do whatever you think's fun. Keep a mental list of the things you like and the things you hate about this "test" bike.

Now, when you go to buy your "real" bike you'll be better prepared to talk about the king of riding you like to do and the places that you like to ride.

pitchersduel

thanks again for all the replies...keep em coming.

again doing a little more research, someone may have mentioned in this thread or i saw it somewhere else about single speed bike.

is that an option for someone new to biking? i know its not recommended for someone who is going to be hitting all types of terrain...but if i'm mainly sticking to roads/paved paths/sidewalks, seems to be an option.

yes, going up a hill might require a little more work...thats no biggie.

again, thats a question i'll be sure to ask at the LBS...but thought i'd throw it out there. trying to learn/research as much as i can.

thanks everyone.

fsir

Decide right now how portable a bike you want.

I bought a 20" folding bike with gears only to find out later I really wanted an ultra portable and tiny lightweight single speed bike I could pick up and carry for long periods without any strain.

Jeff Wills

Single speeds are great fun. I built myself one from a used frame and a bunch of parts I had sitting around. (But then I'm an old bike mechanic- I have piles of parts in the garage. ) I used it for going to local stores and coffee shops... nothing more than a couple miles at a time.

A single speed is good if your area is mostly flat and you don't mind standing and stomping up any hills you encounter. They can be a more stressful on the knees, so if yours are fragile it's something you should consider.

If I'm riding further than "just local", I'll ride my 27-speed. I don't use all of those gears every ride, but it's versatile. I've ridden it on several multi-day tours, sometimes spending 10 to 12 hours a day going up and down mountains. On those kinds of rides it's far easier to change gears and keep pedaling the same cadence than changing pedaling speed to match the terrain.

Note that "single-speed" is different from a "fixed-gear" bike. On a "fixed" bike, there is no coasting- if you're moving, the pedals will be turning. Fixies have their proponents, but I like to coast sometimes.

MRT2

You have said this several times, so worth addressing. In most jurisdictions, it is illegal for adults to ride on the sidewalk. Even where it is legal, I would exercise extreme caution, as it is extremely dangerous to ride on a sidewalk designed for pedestrians.