Originally Posted by
Fintosh
Thanks everyone for the responses and suggestions. And Broken Foot, thanks for the shopping tips. Very helpful.
A few questions that I have from what I've read:
1) What's the difference between the brands carried at bike shops that I recognize such as Specialized and Cannondale and Trek vs. the other brands I see, especially online. I know they're better values, but is there a compromise in quality and durability?
The bigger names will be expensive partly due to the marketing of them, but also they may have more R&D behind their products and more innovation means more cost., e.g., Trek's isocoupler, Spec's Zertz, and handlebar suspension, and the name itself may mean better resale value when you sell. They are usually sold through dealers.
Originally Posted by
Fintosh
2) For a newbie like me is there any major advantage to buying from a shop vs. online? I know they'll help with fitting the bike and I will get discounts on accessories, but beyond that?
That itself may be worth the extra you pay, especially if you cannot do any of the maintenance yourself. In any case, a bike that is purchased on line likely comes unassembled and you may have to enlist the help of you LBS to assemble it at a cost. Developing a relationship with them is invaluable if you ride a lot. They may have a club where you can join for group rides. Don't dismiss them so quickly just because they may be charge slight more for their products. There are less tangible benefits they provide.
Originally Posted by
Fintosh
3) It seems like these bikes are very similar in terms of major components. From what I read, the geometry may differ and accessories will differ. Otherwise, does it just come down to deciding the kind of ride I want, and then focus on fit and feel?
Figure out the type of ride you want. Yeah. Hybrid/MTB/road. Decide on a budget. Go from there.\
For your budget, buying a used hybrid makes a lot of sense to me. But if you are unfamiliar with bikes then there are pitfalls to buying a used bike.