smarterbike

I'm one week out of knee surgery for torn meniscus and it looks like my running days are over. I used to ride a lot when Dad first took off the training wheels, but that was over 40 years ago. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to what's out there now and I have no idea where to start. I'm 6'3", 190 lbs, with long legs (and bad knees). I welcome any and all suggestions... road bike, mountain bike, tricycle... ? Thanks.

Tom Stormcrowe

First question would be to ask what kind of riding do you WANT to do?

Ride long distance, race, putter around on paved bike paths?

Feel free to drop by the Clydesdale/Athena subforum as well, since we have quite a few members with knee issues, etc. Lots of constructive advice!

East Hill

^^^

What Tom said .

And don't forget to check into the regional sub-forums to see who else is in your neighbourhood.

I voted for unicycle, by the way. Yesterday I was at my local MUP (multi-use path), and saw a gentleman riding a unicycle. That's the first time I've seen a unicyclist down there .


Welcome to BF!

East Hill

smarterbike

Thanks for the referral to the other forum. To answer your question, I'm not sure. I used to like running in and amongst the trees, so I'm guessing I'd prefer biking there as well. I don't see myself flying down the steep side of a mountain, but if I can find slightly improved trails nearby, I think that would be my preference.

East Hill

It sounds as if you would like riding fire trails, then. Those are essentially dirt roads, and pretty easy to ride without much fear of banging up your knee .

I don't know what's in your area though, but the regional forum would help answer that question.

East Hill

making

See you are thinking wrong. You did not have one set of running shoes did you? No, you did not. One bike will not work either. Start with two. Then we will help you work out the rest. If you are married just go buy the bikes first, then ask for forgivness. Permission never works.

smarterbike

Thanks for seconding Tom's question. As I told Tom, I'm leaning toward mountain biking only because I used to like running in the forest. Thanks also for voting. A unicycle probably would be less expensive, but those things are really hard to ride. I can only imagine the surgery I would need after trying one of those in the woods!

GT2005

If what you want to do is ride in the woods on a trail or even do some kind of bike path riding, then a moutain bike would probably be just fine for you. Maybe find a good used hardtail and have fun with it. -GT2005

East Hill

By the way, how are you connected with the link in your signature?

East Hill

tomg

welcome!

i used to run x-country and track, high school and early college. prep miles and events led me to cycling as well!

i opted, and still am, a road cyclist (though tour, mtb, and am 'bent too) with other bikes. road riding can be better for knees/rehab, but i encourage you to find the area you find most happy in bicycling in, and to do that...bicycle because you enjoy it!

welcome x2!!

tomg

smarterbike

Wow - I really appreciate all the feedback I've gotten in just the past couple of hours. This forum is an amazing resource and I definitely will be subscribing.

My signature links to my business. One would think I'd be better educated about bikes in general, but up until now I've only been involved in the electronics end.

Thanks again for all the warm welcomes!

Lebowski

road cycling seems similar to running and roads are usually very smooth and wouldn't aggravate your knee.
offroading you might put alot of pressure on your knee climbing steep grades but there are some pretty smooth trails like east hill said.

i dont know what kind of physical shape you are in but a cruiser might be nice to get into cycling. i ride my dad's all the time and its like a cadillac.

East Hill

Well, this is a great time for you to expand your knowledge for the bicycle end of the business. There are a lot of people here who enjoy riding both motorcycles and bicycles .

East Hill

StephenH

Seems to me that knee issues would be more dependent on how you rode rather than what you rode.

Avoid the cruiser- because they tend to be smaller frame size (there are exceptions) and they tend to be single-speed (you can put some major leg work into them!). I'd say you definitely want something multigeared so you hit a speed/effort combination that's okay for you.

On mountain bikes in general- people that are doing any kind of jumping generally want the seat down lower- but, it's likely to be better on the knees to have the seat up higher- so what works for other people there may not work so well for you.

Unicycles aren't especially good on the knees. Especially when they stop suddenly, and lob you forward onto your hands and knees, thus smacking your kneecap on the pavement and leaving a nickel-size discolored spot weeks later where the scab used to be.

Oh, and welcome to the Forums.

RonH

I'm 63 and looking at knee surgery sometime in the next week or so. I see the surgeon tomorrow to discuss options, how long I'll be off the bike, etc.

I voted road bike. In the 80s I had a road bike (Schwinn LeTour) and loved it. I tried mtn biking in 1997(?) and just didn't like it. In 1999 I bought a Raleigh R600 and rode it for 5 years. In 2001 it became my commuter bike. My current bikes are in my signature.
All I have (or ever want ) is road bikes.

Do you have a group to ride with? Makes riding more enjoyable than riding alone.

Copatheart

Wow--remarkably similar experience Smarter. I'm 46 and awaiting MRI results. Mine is likely a minor meniscus tear. I have done some extensive cycling in the past but sort of lost the passion last year and went back to running and basketball (not a brilliant move). I have a Trek 1000 road bike and am looking for a hybrid or a MTB for NYC streets. I will do only horse trail type riding.

Am I better off with a used higher end bike or a new one. Looking to spend around $500. Thanks.

East Hill

Hi Copatheart, if you are only going to ride the bike on horse trails, then a hybrid should work just fine. The MTBs are going to come with suspensions, and it's not really something you need on horse trails. MTBs will also ride a lot slower if you ride it on the street.


Welcome to BF!

East Hill

smarterbike

Best of luck if you end up needing the surgery. I had mine 11 days ago and I'm already getting decent workouts on an elliptical trainer. The surgery isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

East Hill

So, have we swayed your opinion one way or the other?

East Hill

revolator

Welcome.

I would vote for a cyclo cross for you. With knee problems, I wouldn't want to be near any technical mtb trails.

With the cyclo cross you can ride on dirt, or it you choose, get narrower tires and ride smoothly on pavement. That bike should be able to hold you out longer before the next bike.

smarterbike

Well, road biking is leading the poll over mtb by a margin of 3, but I'm leaning toward mtb with an eye toward a hybrid that would be reasonably comfortable on pavement. Guess I'm going to have to dive in at a LBS and try 'em all on for size. Much appreciate everyone's advice and support! I'll stay in touch as I'm sure more questions will arise as I get further into this. Thanks again!

East Hill

That sounds like a lot of fun!

East Hill

top506

I got back into bikes a few years ago when the docs told me that my running days were over. I built up a first generation hybird with drops and never looked back.



If you have any kind of hills you might want to check out Biopace chainrings. Works for me.
Top

USAZorro

I suggest road cycling. There's less shock on the knees. I'd look for one with a compact crankset - easier on the knees.

As someone who remembers learning how to ride a unicycle many years ago, I have to say that while you're learning, you will have repeated, not completely in control dismounts. Not a big deal if you're young and small, but the repeated stress might not be a good thing for an adult with a sensitive knee. Once you get the hang of riding one though, that problem goes away.