Devingirl

I need some advice on choosing a bike. I'm in my mid-twenties, 5'5" and a relatively fit female (exercise 1 hour/day, 6 days/week.) I eat healthy and enjoy an active lifestyle. I want to get into biking to replace my current cardiovascular routines. For the past three years, I've enjoyed high intensity interval training (programs like Insanity for example.) I enjoy the challenge of getting into my anaerobic zone and the mental focus required to train hard. I'm beginning to step away from these fitness practices due to the high impact on my joints (I have knee issues, so running has never been an option) and these programs are not sustainable. I've enjoyed recreational cycling but would like to make this a regular part of my fitness regimen.

I originally thought a hybrid would be a good fit, but was told on a hybrid forum to check out endurance road bikes. I figured a little background on the type of fitness I enjoy would help in any bike recommendations. I know I'll be on paved pathways (but don't want things like dirt, mud, sand, or cobblestone to throw me) and would like the option to go long distances. Budget is around $800, but I wouldn't mind saving for the right fit.

Feedback is much appreciated!
Thank you!

rms13

So you are saying you want to be able to ride in dirt, mud and sand? If you mean rolling through a little patch on a paved road then an endurance road bike might be good. If you mean that you actually want to go off road and be able to ride unpaved trails, gravel roads, fire roads, hiking trails and the sort then you would want a cyclocross bike (or maybe a hybrid like your original idea).

headloss 

Best thing to do is just go test ride some bikes, compare the ride of a race bike, cross bike, "endurance" road bike, urban commuter, flat-bar road bike, etc. Those categories aren't really definitive, they overlap. It's really a matter of getting a feel for what you like. Look at what shops are in your area, what brands do they carry? You need to narrow it down a bit before putting together a list.

Don't be afraid to buy used or to get an intro level bike, you'll have a better idea what you want after you've been riding a year. An old road bike from the 80's would be a decent start and you could pick one up for about $50 and throw some money into it. Don't be in a rush, start simple. Best to find a local club/group to help you get a better grasp and feel for what is out there.

dtrain

This upcoming weekend is a great time to buy from Performance.

Something like this maybe?
Scattante W570 Women's Road Bike - 2014 - Women's Bikes

rms13

Ha ha, I just bought a 89 Centurion for $290 that I had to throw a little work into. In Los Angeles $50 wont' buy you anything even remotely ridable. $150 might get something old that needs just some minor work to make road worthy. But I don't know where OP is and also dont' know the budget

RollCNY

Do you have a bike now? Any bike? My legitimate feedback would be to try biking and see if it will fit your exercise jones. When you say that you like getting into your anaerobic zone and to train hard, you have to realize that is hard to do on a bike on bike paths. To burn the calories of an hour run, you need to ride for 3 hours. To go anaerobic, you are going to need hills, headwinds, or places to open up speed wise. A bike path is a dangerous place to do that, unless you live somewhere special that have paths that you can safely go 25 mph.

Get any bike that you can borrow, and ride it for a week. Hard. And see if this riding thing will even work for you.

And there is nothing wrong with a hybrid for what you want to do. They are cheaper than road bikes, and many people (myself included) find them plenty comfortable for long rides. And fast rides. And long fast rides.

Devingirl

No, I don't intend to do any off-road biking. I just wasn't sure if I encountered mud or sand on a greenway, how well a road bike would tolerate it which was why I thought of a hybrid actually.

Devingirl

No, I don't intend to do any off-road biking. I just wasn't sure if I encountered mud or sand on a greenway, how well a road bike would tolerate it which was why I thought of a hybrid actually.

Devingirl

I recently found a used 2010 Giant Avail 3 for sale near me but was hesitant to buy used not knowing what criteria to use to assess the condition of the bike.It has all original components, ridden less than 200 miles, never been dropped or scratched.

Devingirl

Thanks for the feedback! I do have a current cruiser that I received as a gift and didn't find it that exciting. I recently rented a Trek 2014 road bike at a shop near me, and took it to a greenway and had a blast. Though I won't be getting the same kind/quality of workout as HIIT activities, I still think moving into something that is better for my body long-term is a good direction to go. I want to be challenged and don't mind a learning curve.

seymour1910

With your budget, I agree with going to Performance bike. You can get a bike with Tiagra under your budget. The Scattante linked above is nice but it's slightly over your spending point. If $800 is what you want to spend stay close to that because you will need money for things other than the bike itself.

KonaRider125

I was in a very similar situation as yours about a year ago and decided to get into bicycling for fitness. I bought a hybrid bicycle for my first bike(bike shop suggested it) and for a fitness bike it works great. I am looking into buying my first road bike(daunting prospect, lots of choices), as I really enjoy cycling and want to step it up to the next level. Point is, its okay to start off with a budget hybrid to see how much you like cycling and if you like it save up for a nice road bike.

Be sure to get bicycle specific clothing, particularly shorts for a more enjoyable experience. Good luck.

mcmoose

What kind of Trek road bike did you rent? What was it you liked about it? Was there anything you didn't like about it? Knowing this might help us give better suggestions.

If you become a hard-core road biker, you'll be able to get some pretty good high-intensity interval training in. It won't be as time-efficient as your current regime but, as you say, it will be easier on your joints and easier to maintain as you grow older. You will want to mix cycling with some other weight-bearing activity -- that will be important for maintaining bone density (which become increasingly important as you become an old broad like me).

I think you'll find cycling challenging and fun!

headloss 

Yeah, true... I wasn't accounting for the fixee craze that has blown up all the prices over the last few years. Still, you never know what you'll find..

headloss 

I think any reasonable buyer would be willing to meet you at a local bike shop (if they've got the time, at least) to have a mechanic do a quick look over. For the most part, if you get on the bike and ride it up the street a little and everything seems to shift smoothly and work, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just check for the obvious stuff beyond that, dents/cracks/damage on the frame and the wheel rims.

Devingirl

If you don't mind me asking, what hybrid did you end up going with? How was your experience with it?

Devingirl

Thanks so much for your input. I rented the Trek Lexa SL (2014)- this was my first time riding a road bike, so I don't have much to compare it to. The overall ride seemed pretty smooth and I felt the bike was very responsive. I wasn't feeling any discomfort after three hours of riding. It was also so lightweight!

KonaRider125

I bought a Kona Splice hybrid(Trek and Specialized also make similar models), and I think the later make women's specific models. It is a very comfortable bike to ride and perfect for afterwork and weekend 1-2 hour fitness rides. For a first bike a decent hybrid would be hard to beat, and then like me you could upgrade to a nicer road bike later on.

mcmoose

KonaRider's advice is good. I also started with a fitness hybrid (Trek 7.3 WSD), but I wanted to add a road bike to my stable pretty quickly (just ask my husband!).

My road bike is a Lexa S. It has the same frame as the SL you rented, but with the next-grade-down components (Shimano Sora instead of Tiagra). The next model up (Lexa SLX) has both a better quality aluminum frame, and 105 components -- but that's a $1400 bike.

The Lexa S lists for ~$900; I bought mine for $725. You might find a similar deal, especially if you're willing to buy a (new) 2013 model. Similarly, while the SL lists for ~$1100, some Trek dealers are getting rid of their 2013 models for ~$900. (But I agree with seymour that you probably don't want to bust your bike budget given the extra equipment you'll need to buy).

Anyway, most of the major manufacturers (Cannondale, Giant, etc.) will have a Aluminum bike with carbon fork model, often in a woman-specific design. Some women LOVE the fit of women's bikes, others are just as happy (or more happy) with the standard model -- it really depends on your body proportions (and, I suppose, tolerance for pink... although most makers are thankfully toning down on that).

While you can save money on a used bike, I think it's worth the extra money to buy from a LBS that will work with you to find the right bike for you and fit it properly. There's nothing that dampens enthusiasm for road biking like an ill-fitting bike that can actually hurt to ride.

As I said, good luck with your entry into riding. Keep us in the loop!

Slackerprince

If you did 3 hours on a road bike and you were comfortable, then, I'd say that is a good choice for you.
For your fitness level and goals, I would definitely go with a road bike and you might also consider racing geometry, like a Cannondale CAAD 10 or Specialized Allez.
You can see my bikes under my username.
I use the Escape for the neighborhood or riding with my family, although, I consider it a pretty fast bike.
I usually ride my Synapse, and it is an endurance bike and I find it comfortable.
Good luck and welcome to the club.

S

Devingirl

Thanks for all the helpful input everyone. Yesterday, I went to three different bike shops and tested many different hybrids and road bikes (Trek, Cannondale, Specialized, Giant.) I'm strongly considering a Specialized Dolce. It fit most comfortably and is within my price range. I did test ride bikes in the $1200-1500 price range from Cannondale and Specialized and will admit it's tempting, but it's outside of my price range currently, so the Dolce is my likely choice (which I'm still super excited about!)
Again any further advice or input is greatly appreciated!

2702

This is going against most people's opinion but buy the nicest bike you could ever want now and let it be the one for the next 10 years cause its will cost you more to do the upgrade thing and all the hours of enjoying the sweetest ride you can imagine will be worth it. Its not as expensive as you think my dream bike was 2100 dollars and well its a lot but considering I'm future proofed until the carbon explodes its really worth extra dough.

headloss 

Personally, I would consider this a terrible choice for fitness, especially for someone stating that they want to do cardio work on a bike. The suspension fork adds extra weight that might be valuable off road but is useless on a paved surface. On top of that, it is less efficient to ride as the shocks will try to compress. My first adult bike had front suspension and fortunately I bought it at REI and was able to return it. My second bike was a Kona, a Dew Deluxe which was a much better bike for my commute... but I still wouldn't recommend it for someone who wants a bike for fitness. If I was going with a hybrid for fitness, I'd probably go with a higher end Trek or Specialized, because that is what they are specifically targeting.

For drop bars, just about any manufacturer has a few good options.

rms13

So by your advice , I should go out and buy a $10k bike? Considering the car I recently bought was $14k does that seem like a wise financial decision? If you are buying carbon or aluminum what are the odds the frame is going to last 10 years?

Set a budget of what you can comfortably spend or how much you are comfortable financing based on how long it will take to pay off and your perceived job security etc. There are good bikes in every budget even if you have to buy used (which is usually the best deal to be had).

2702

Who said anything about a 10k bike, bike makers are making outstanding bikes in the $1800-2500 range that will please for the long haul. And since the OP is young and hopefully working buying that price range is not something you need a home equity loan for.

Well cheaper than that if the OP was into the CAAD10 bikes. Saw a new 13 CAAD10 105 for 1200 bucks recently.