Blindsided

Hey guys. I was wondering how a person gets into road cycling. I am 18, and in college,on the way to college I always see lots of people riding their bikes in these spandex outfits on the side of the road. I live in a biking town I think. Tucson, Arizona. I am pretty interested in doing this, I am interested in riding long distances and testing myself. I dont have a bike, dont really know where or how to start, when I google bikes I see lots of different types- mountain,touring,triathlon,cyclocross, etc. I guess tour type bikes would be the best for what I want to do, but I dont know. it is kind of intimidating though, all the bikes iev found cost quite a bit of money, 800-3000 dollars, and Iev never done anything like this before.

I just want to know what you guys reccomend for beginingers who are maybe interested into getting into long distance cycling, what type of bike is the best, anything really. Sorry if this is the wrong forum or if I sound ********.

stea1thviper

College is an excellent way to get started in cycling. Chances are your school has a cycling club. Look them and get in contact with them. Ask how to join and make sure to let them know you are new and need a bike. They will be more than willing to help you out. There are several intercollegiate teams who are sponsored and get amazing deals on bikes. Goto the club meetings and find out as much as you can. Now is the time to get into it and start riding. Race season starts around late Feb so you have plenty of time. Don't be afraid to ask them questions! That's what the club is there for =)

simplyred

Nope. This is the place.

Hmm... my suggestion is to try out all the different types of bikes at a local bike shop.
You can do long distance cycling with any bike - but the preferred bike would be one with handlebars that offer many hand configurations - because they will get sore if they're in one position the whole ride.

It is definitely an overwhelming decision.
Take your time is my best advice. Learn by reading. The time you spend now reading - is the best investment - because when you do buy your first bike - you'll be equipped with the knowledge many people don't have when considering an expensive buy.
At 22, gone through 3 bikes - it's not a good thing [money doesn't come that easy].

Take your time to do this...
And enjoy!
-simplyred

Blindsided

Sounds good, thx for the advice guys.

azwhelan

You're definitley in a cycling town. Since you have no expierence with road cycling it's going to be harder to figure out what you want to do and what type of bike is going to meet your needs. Racing, recreational, Centuries(100 mile rides), group rides, solo rides? Once you get a few months under your belt you'll have a better idea what your goals are. I wouldn't go crazy on your first bike untill you know it's something you really enjoy, probably $1000-$1500 range. Entry level bikes are going to be like Specialized's Allez or Sequoia, Trek 1600, Giant's OCR series. There are a ton of good shops down there to get input from, Fairwheel bikes is right down by the UofA and has an excellent reputation. If your not ready to jump into racing right away there are other groups outside of UofA's team, GABA jumps to mind. If you get into soon enough you could even participate in Tour de Tucson which is a great event.

Keep in mind you need to budget for accessories. Helmet, Shorts, shoes, pedals(they don't come with most bikes). Jersey, cyclometer and gloves are nice as well. With it getting cooler out there are more items that will make riding more comfortable and help you fit in better(if you care about that).