About bike tuneup costs... yeah that seemed like an awful lot. I live in northern virginia and there is a well known bike trail near my house. Its probably why prices are higher. It is bizarre that they would be so high. There is a 3rd bike shop nearby too. That is 3 bikes shops with in about 5 miles. This is a rather high cost of living area.
To the guy trolling me... advice from a sales person? Seriously? It wasn't advice. He was trying to sell me something.
What do the components really mean to someone who just leisurely rides? I mean I want to put effort into to it to get my heart rate up and burn some calories, but that is about it. All I got out of the sales people were 'better components'. Does it make much of a difference? Will the shifting be that big of a deal? My current bike really needs a tune up. It does not shift well at all. Gets stuck on shifts, etc... Does a lighter bike really matter much? I'm not racing anyone?
trying to figure out if any of these higher priced things would matter to me. I pedal. Bike goes forward.
Few questions.
1. What difference do these 'components' mean to someone just going out for a ride. As far as the material, ok, thats nice, but what does it mean to someone who just pedals and goes forward?
2. The gear shifting on my current bike is terrible. Mainly due to need for a tuneup. Didn't pay for this, due to sticker shock and considering a new bike first. Do trek 7.1 7.2 or a lower end Cannondale CX gear much better than a well tuned older bike like the Bianchi Avantage?
3. Weight: I'm not racing people. Does this really matter? I weight 180. Does saving a few pounds make much of a difference? I do about a 30 mile round trip at most. I thnk if I take the trail to the end its about a 60 mile round trip. Need to build up stamina to get in better shape, does the weight make much of a difference? Going farther is a little nicer trip. Note there are stops for roads, etc... so you don't burn the whole way (I use the W&OD train in northern virginia).
4. More Gears: Current bike has 10 gears. New ones have 20 plus. Does this mean much to an average rider? I am guessing I'll probably just use a few of them most of the time right?
5. As far as price goes... saw that bluebook, etc... any place to buy bikes online and get them shipped? Prices may be alot lower. How many tools would I need to put it together. Not exactly mechanically inclined, but I can read a manual.
6. Bike fitting: ok saw some videos. I just got my bike off craigslist used and then set the seat. One of the sales pitches is they fit the bike. I have no idea if they do much fancy. One of the places charges like $300 for a proper fitting which I don't think comes with a purchase. They do some stuff. Note this is a more expensive area so prices are higher...