anbu

Hello all! I'm in the process of transitioning from being a runner to being a cyclist. I have knee problems and Orthopedic suggested me to either try swimming or biking. I chose biking, so here I am.

Knowing nothing about biking, I am here for guidance and what bike I should get. I know I want a road racer. But that's all I know.

I try to google bicycle for newbie, but was overwhelmed with info and don't know where to start.

What bike should I get? Like what brand should I be looking if I go to a bike shop. Let's not talk about budget first.

Let's just say, for the right price for the right bike, I'm willing to spend a bit. Since it will be the bike I would use for a long long time.

I'll just stop here for now. Please be gentle on me. First post.

55/Rad

Welcome. You came to the right place. The folks here are knowledgeable and friendly and should be able to get you on your way.

Let's start with some simple questions.

What part of the world are you in?
What are your goals for riding?
Have you done much riding in the past?
Are you interested in the bike or just the act of riding? (How much of a gear head are you?)

Answer these and people will start chiming in all sorts of ideas, thoughts and more questions.

Good luck..

55/Rad

dvdslw

Hello and welcome aboard! My knees were pretty much shot about three years ago, I was a bit overweight and tore the miniscus in my right knee. I went to a specialist and surgery was scheduled until I found the co-pay to be out of reach and decided to just brace it up and deal with it. After doing some research, it seemed that bicycling was a good way to strengthen the knees so I started riding my mtb again and before I knew it, no pain at all in the knees and I was down almost 40lbs riding 50-60mi per trip. I then evolved into a road bike which was the best decision I made for myself in a long time and I hope it benefits you as well. As far as what to buy, there's just too many out there to recommend and at least for me is a very personal decision. The bike must fit you and the only way to find the right one is to go ride as many as possible to make an informed decision. One might be too aggressive, too relaxed, too big, too small, etc... You might like the shifting quality of Shimano, maybe Sram, Campy, or electronic like Di2??? Carbon Fiber Frame or High-end Aluminum like a CAAD10? Money also plays a big role in the decision making process, you say don't talk money but if you spend $5,000 on a bike only to find out you don't like riding or your knees can't handle the pressure, that would be a hard pill to swallow. I would say stay conservative maybe in the $1,500-$3,000 range and get something with a good frame and decent components/wheels.

anbu

-I'm in bay area San francisco (east bay)
-goals is to have biking as my main and running as my secondary bec. Of knee problem. I want to ride a bike for as long as I can. To be fit, and maybe someday join a race.
-my bike experience was when I was still in elementary. That's it.
-I'm interested in biking. But not much. But I'm intrigue and want to try it out. I'm excited with the upgrading and stuff though. Also I want to see how much I can push my body riding a bike. I want to experience that feeling when I was running.


Thanks for the warm welcome.


The main reason I want to try biking is bec. of the same problem. Meniscus tear. Mine is not as serious as yours. I was overweight before running. And now in fairly good shape first time in my life. Lol. So I want to keep it that way.

Biking was suggest by my ortho besides swimming. And I choose biking. I just don't want to get rip off when I go to a bike shop. That's what I'm worried about. Lol. I want something where the parts are fairly available and not expensive. A good frame that will last me for a long time, and who knows, will be race material.

yeah so that's it. For now. And thank you.

dalava

Welcome, anbu. As a runner, you are already ahead of most people.

I would first recommend that you look into road cycling (vs. mountain biking or touring), and find a good road bike. In the process of looking for that bike, you will learn a lot.

As far as finding the right road bike, given what you said, I would start with carbon frame and Shimano 105 level component or up. I think you can find something really nice new (less than 16 lbs) in the 2k-3k range (not sure if that's your range, but that seems to be the sweet spot in my own 80/20 diminishing return rule - you get 80% of the best with 20% of the cost). The big brands are Specialized, Trek, Cervelo, and Cannondale, and they all make and equip bikes in that price range.

After that, you will be looking for the type of clipless pedals you may like. With your knees, I would just get the Speedplay Zero or Light Action pedals. They will give you the most float - the room to move your feet sideways, and find the best position to reduce knee stress.

Also, the saddle is a big part of making the bike comfortable. I would suggest you to start the search with Specialized saddles, e.g. the Romin or Romin Evo. They are now on all my bikes after many many different ones I experimented over the years.

There are many ways to train, and coming from running, you understand a lot of the training concepts already, but they all depend on what you try to achieve and how soon. Here is an example of good training plan: 8-Week Get Lean Now Training Plans from Bicycling Magazine | Bicycling Magazine. There are a lot more out there depending on your needs.

But the most important thing is: have fun riding. It's been a therapy for me.

jawaj00

4 yrs ago I was a newbie. I was 42. Overweight. Bad knees. Had done some recreational mountain biking and riding my mountain bike on the road so I did know I liked cycling. I'll forward the best advice I got when I started looking into a road bike. 1. Pick a price point, whatever it is. 2. Stick with that price point. Period. 3. Ride all the bikes you find in that price point. 4. Narrow it down to 2 or 3 you like the best. 5. Pick the one you think looks best (color, style, etc) because ultimately you will be spending hours on that bike, you might as well like the way it looks.

Best advice I got because I would go from 1500-5k in prices and everywhere in between. At that time I would have had no concept of the difference between Shimano Tiagra or Dura Ace. I know what reviews said, but no experience as to how that translated to the ride. Same with aluminum vs. Carbon. Sure I'd read what the difference was but how does that "feel" over a 30 mi ride or 50 or 100 miles. No idea.

Now 4 yrs later. Several thousand miles...I know and can appreciate the difference.

I bought an aluminum bike with carbon forks and stays (Fuji). It's been great. I've logged hours and miles. Then not been on it much the past couple yrs because of a a new career. But just started back about 3 weeks ago. I am going to upgrade now to a full carbon frame and Ultegra most likely.

Depending upon your price point, IMO if you can afford it definitely go with Carbon. And at least Shimano 105 or SRAM Force. All the other things can be upgraded over time as you grow into the bike and experience. But a carbon frame should last you for years and the groupo will be sufficient for a wide range of riding styles.

dvdslw

Lots of good advice coming in for you here but don't get too hung up on buying a "carbon" bike. Aluminum frames are making a strong comeback these days and there's a few premium aluminum bikes out there to consider like the Cannondale Caad10 and Specialized Allez. Just visit the "Cult of the CAAD" section of the forum and read through how many members love their aluminum bikes. Specialized is even offering an S-Works Allez with an aluminum frame for the 2015 season so they believe in the material. Nothing at all wrong with buying a carbon frame but be aware that the frame on a $2000 Supersix, CR1, Madone, Roubaix, etc... is not the same material used on their higher end bikes. I wont get into the aluminum vs carbon debate here as its been beaten to death already but just know that there's options out there. I ride a Caad10 and love it so maybe I'm a bit biased but my next road bike purchase could go either way, won't know til I'm on the seat???

rms13

Most important question: What's your price range?

Keep in mind as a new rider you probably will need about $200 for various accessories: helmet and pump are a must. Clipless shoes and pedals are highly recommended. Jersey and shorts are also recommended. A small saddle bag to hold spare tube, tire lever and co2 inflator or a smaller on pump that attach to the bike are necessary if you plan on riding more than a couple of miles..

Being in SF there should also be a lot of uses bikes available on Craigslist where you might get a better value than buying new. Also if you don't get into it you can sell the used bike without losing much money as opposed to a new bike