dizzylizzy

Hi Everyone! I'm 22 and I live in Hershey PA. I am just about finished with school and have a TON of extra time on my hands. It appears that in my idleness I have bike-napped my brothers mountain bike and have caught the bug. I've been riding (on streets and paved paths) between 8-10 miles everyday for about a week and a half and I LOVE it. I'm looking to get into some more serious riding, longer distances definately and more exhausting workouts. Im considering getting myself a bike, but I'm not sure which kind is right for me. Ill be in pharmacy school in the fall of 2005 either in Philladelphia, Baltimore, or Chapel Hill; so it'll be mostly city roads. I will probably use my bike to commute to school (albeit less than 1 or 2 miles) in additon to riding as much as time allows. I've been to a few bike shops to see what they have and what is available. I started looking at mountain bikes because thats what I had been riding, but I found my brothers bike very uncomfortable (saddle wasn't too bad, I didn't like the handlebars, or the gear shifts and it seems kind of heavy.) I'm not sure if I should be looking into a road bike, a hybrid, or a cyclocross. I havn't ever tried the drop handlebars, but I'm not afraid to try them. I liked the stability of my brothers bike, but again it seemed heavy, especially when I had to run it up a hill I couldn't pedal up. Im pretty tall, about 5'10'' (long legs and torso) and I dont have a small frame so I'm not sure if WSD bikes would be appropriate. Im not looking to blow my life savings, but I do want a decent bike that I can ride from point A to B on a regular basis and from point A to Z when I have time. I would say $800-$1000 would be my limit. Any input would be greatly appreciated and certainly taken to heart, thank you all in advance.
dl

P.S. I posted this in Womens Cycling as well but didn't get any response, maybe it will do better here.

bnet1

Hi,

There is one very important thing to remember and that is no matter what bike you choose it must fit you propperly. As you atart to ride more miles you will appreciate a good bike that fits you well. The miles will just flow. A GOOD dealer can help a lot in bike choice and fitting. Another type of bike you might consider is a recumbent. They are fast once you have conditioned the new muscle groups. Yes, they are heavier than a lightweight road bike but with good gearing they will climb reasonably well with not much effort. On the flat and downhill they can outrun a road bike. They will cruise along in headwinds due to the 15% to 30% less wind resistance. I used to be a roadie but I've just changed over to a 'bent. It was the best thing I ever did. NOTHING HURTS ANYMORE, PERIOD. I could only ride the road bike before 15 minutes before my hands would go numb. NOTHING would fix the problem. I can ride for hours on the recumbent, and love every minute of it. Another nice thing is that can you ride in clothing that's comfortable. No special clothes or padded shorts. Since I've started to commute to work I just hang my backpack over the seatback and go. They are not hard to ride, just different, AND THEY ARE A BLAST. You might want to check it out.

'bent Brian

jarhead#42

Hi
Im from the pocono PA area . I ride about 45 miles a day . I started out on a hybird bike . I also started riding 8 to 10 miles a day last year . I swithed over to a road bike . Its more comfortable for the longer rides becuase I guess you wieght is better distributed . I have purchased a low level road bike . I love it . No flats in a the last 1000 miles . Talk to a trustable dealer . If you go with a road bike , upgrade tires in all ways
peace
jarhead#42