Hi. I want to start biking to work rather than driving.

I have a limited budget (Under $600) and minimal knowledge of components or brands.

I will be using the bike to commute 5 miles each way daily on city roads. I also want to do longer rides on my days off with some friends (40-60 miles)

I want the option to attach a rack and panniers.

I like camping, so my eventual goal is to get a touring bike and do a trip down some stretch of the west coast, if all goes well. Assuming that will be a different bike I will purchase in the future, but that's what I'm working towards to give you an idea.

For now, I want to get my feet wet and learn gear and maintenance. I've test ridden a couple of hybrid bikes - the Specialized Sirrus and the Cannondale Quick. Both were fun, but have no clue which I would pick.

Questions:
Assuming I should get a hybrid, yes?

Anything I should look for besides feel of the bike?

I'm assuming I have limited options at my price point anyway. I rode one with road bike gears and that was amazing, but outside my budget.

Specific bike recommendations - brand or model?

Anything else I should know that I'm totally missing?

Thanks and i apologize if some of this is vague. I'm barely getting my feet wet.

What bikes do your friends ride 40-60 miles on? If you get a hybrid, and they all have road bikes, you will probably get left behind.

Any bike can get you through a 5 mile commute, but some will get you their faster than others.

$600 is a good sized budget.

Start with helmet, lights, good lock and cycloputer (that will eat up about $100-$150).

Then get a rainproof breathable jacket, gloves and perhaps some rainproof pants (between $50-$100).

That gear can be used with any bike and is really the first necessity (safety and protection).

If you have $400 left, I'd look at this:

Nice hybrid that meets all of your specs shipped to your door for just under $600

Cube Touring City Bike 2017 | Chain Reaction Cycles

You can get just about any road/race bike in the US from any bike shop (not really a big difference between them) but I find the "hybrid"/trekking category pretty lacking in the US compared to Europe, hence the suggestion above in like with your OP.

Schwinn has a lot of choices, all probably good or entry level. There are other options.

Breezer Downtown 7 or Downtown 8 if you can find one. Already comes with rack and fenders. Super reliable internal gearing.

Thanks for the responses, all.

Katsup - my friends do have road bikes, and I will get left behind, but my priority is getting the best performance in a bike that allows me to mount a rack and panniers within my budget. Eventually as I get better I will look for higher end performance and be able to spend more to get it.


Acidfast7 - thanks for all the details! All things I hadn't thought of yet, so very helpful. And the Cube bike looks interesting. It does have everything I need. I did notice that the hybrids were a bit sparse at the shop I went to, so what you say makes sense. I still have homework to do on specs to understand bike qualities better, but I suspect I won't really know until I've had a bike to understand how it all comes together.

eric044 & odiolalluvia - thanks for the recommendations. I'll check the Schwinn's and Breezers out.

Mainly I want a good value that delivers the best performance at my price point while allowing me to add the commuter gear that I know I'll use. Based on what I've seen, there's a narrow range of possible bike configurations I will be able to get.

The Cannondale and Specialized are fine bikes that will do everything you need it to do. If there is a LBS that carries either of them I say you give them your business. They can fit you for the proper size and you can rely on them for future service.

Hmmmm good point.

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It'll need minor assembly when you get.
Has eyelets for rack and fenders.

i have a dutch-style bike, it's easy to ride on long distances and it can carry lot of stuff (it once rode 3 ppl and a trolley bag), but the up-right geometry and weight won't help when you go up hills.
for city commuting 37-42 tires offer confort and puncture resistance but for a road trip a 28-32 would roll easier so look for a bike with some tire clearence.
usually you can tell low quality components when you see them next to better ones in the shop. i would suggest to avoid some accessories like front suspension, disk brakes, hub dynamo, in this price range sometimes they are a compromise. focus on what you need: rack mounts good wheels, a good seat
one detail i often find useful to distinguish bad bikes are the brake levers made of cheap plastic: if you can pull the lever to touch the handlebar and you notice that the lever bends.... then don't buy that bike.
i have seen a touring giant and a fuji bike and were both very nice for the price, also the marin stilson looks well built.

I bought a Giant Atx lite for commuting. I like it very much.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/atx-lite

Get the Redux 1 !

I would get the Nashbar touring bicycle which is the same as the Fuji Touring. I was really surprised at the quality for $750. I've heard you can bring that price down significantly with a coupon. If it's true you can get it for under $500, it's a steal.

Nashbar recently changed their pricing structure and no longer have one day sales or coupon codes and the touring bike is listed at six bills. they did recently join a lot of other outlets to offer 15% rebate through Active Junky on Columbus Day, but it looks like such sales will be rarer.

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?

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?

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?

I agree, one's cycling friends would be a good resource.

Still, even a 40 to 60 mile ride isn't that far, but long enough that I do like riding a nice bike.

I'm not a big fan of hybrids, although they can make good beater bikes in the city.

There are often some good deals on Craigslist. In this case, I might suggest looking for a good used drop bar cyclocross bike such as a used Tricross or Crossrip. It should be able to handle your commute, road riding, and even some touring.

Amen. I was in your same boat very recently. Got back into cycling for the same reasons you state, although my commute is only 1.6 miles. I got sold on a hybrid comfort bike by my LBS. It didn’t take me long to realize what a bad choice that was. The hybrid was fine for going back and forth to work and short hops around town as long as I didn’t have to go up any hills. It weighed 34 pounds. It didn’t like hills. Once I got started riding I found I wanted to do more than just ride to work. I started riding the local bike trails and my hybrid just wasn’t up to it. It was a lot of work and, while it was more comfortable than a road bike for the first few miles it was torture after that. I ended up getting rid of it and buying an entry level endurance bike (Giant Contend 3). I wish I could afford a more expensive bi,e with a carbon frame but the Giant is very nice for the price and blows the hybrid away (IMO).

I’m no speed demon. I turned 60 today and don’t have any plans to sign up for any triathlons or anything like that but I do enjoy riding don’t want to be poking along on a slow bike that works me half to death trying to go up a hill if I don’t have to. As an example of the difference, my 1.6 mile commute took me 10 minutes on my hybrid. It takes 7 minutes on my road bike, and that’s just taking it easy. I could get there a whole lot quicker if I really push it. Three minutes might not seem like much but that speed difference is huge on a 40-60 mile ride (I did 50 yesterday). I would be looking at road bikes if I were you. I know $600 won’t get you much more than an entry level bike but some of them are pretty nice.

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.

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.

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.

That's baloney! Paying someone else to find the proper fit on a bike is a waste of money and being spoon-fed? Why don't you build your own house, fix your own car, make your own clothes too? Yeah, you might waste some money on materials, but you end up learning lots too. Pfff!

There's no reason why you can't buy from a shop and learn to do things on your own. It's not all or none.

YHBT, I think

There are obviously different styles of hybrid. The 34lb city bike described above is great for the back of an RV. There are some that cop their style from mountain bikes and some from road bikes. But there are some that are line drives right up the middle, and IMO they are great commuting bikes. Trek FX and Giant Escape and their direct competitors. They can be had too cheap, but if you pay a bit more you can get a frame upgrade, carbon fork, durable and far lighter. You can get them in step through if you want. They will do just about anything you want on pavement so long as you're not trying to keep up with roadies, and go down dirt roads without complaint. They'll take any standard luggage, fenders, kiddie seats or kiddie trailers. They're efficient enough and have a huge gear range. They will take standard parts, and last for decades. They've been making them this way since MTB's got suspension. I don't have one right now but if my commuter CX bike got run over by a truck tomorrow and I had a 7.4 FX to replace it I'd be perfectly satisfied. But mad at the truck.

This is great. Your real-life experiences are really giving me a more complete picture.

I'm leaning towards buying from a bike shop - both to support the local business but also because I have enjoyed the people I've spoken with. Nice community and a huge knowledge base.

And regarding bikes - I definitely get your point, Blackxpress. I test rode an entry level Specialized Sirrus and a Cannondale Quick that had more of a road bike configuration and the difference was noticeable.

I think I'm zeroing in on a a hybrid that leans towards road bike or a road bike that leans hybrid. Not sure if that makes sense. The Specialized Allez looks intriguing, but I need to do a lot more research and comparing. Descriptions are so vague.

So much detail to learn. Patience is a virtue, I guess. Rather be an informed buyer than one with regrets.

Darth, it's funny that you mention the Trek FX. A friend recommended it too. Says he loves it.

I think I'm starting to realize I need this first bike to be a solid jack of all trades, and then let my tastes evolve enough to know what kind of bike I want my 2nd bike to be.

And while Craigslist does seem like a good place to find deals, I'm finding it hard to find a bike I want that actually is in my size. Not sure if I can hold out long enough to find that great deal, even if it will cut the cost in half.

Now I understand why some of you have 2, 3, or more bikes!

And I'll say it again, thank you for the support and advice. You guys are awesome. I'm getting way more solid advice than I expected.

Now I just need to go research all the bike recommendations you've all made.

I was shopping at the same price range. Ended up with a Diamondback Haanjenn Metro. I did the price-match at Performance Bikes and had them shipped & assemble (free) at the store. I can come back if I need any minor adjustment since they don't charge for it.
The 9 Speed Acera is quite nice.

https://www.diamondback.com/haanjo-metro



https://www.diamondback.com/haanjenn-metro



If you're looking for an endurance bike, the Raleigh Merit 2 is pretty decent for $500 with corporate discount. I used to have one and I like it. I actually rode it for 6 months and sold it for $500. Great deal.
Search on the Internet to find a way to sign up for Raleigh corporate account.

https://www.raleighusa.com/merit-20185

It really depends on where you're riding.

I ride in the most dense part of the UK (my "borough" is 180 inhabitants / hectare ... or 18000 inhabitants / km2 or about 50000 inhabitants / mi2) ... the island is 9mi2 and has a living population of 250k ... never mind the people commuting in for work ... they built a motorway (think I-95 on the east coast us or I-5 on the west coast US) just to go on/off the island. So, it tends to swell to between 300 and 350k during the working day and more on weekends if the weather is good.

Anyways, there's a bajillion people always around and huge amounts of traffic, so I got rid of the drops and they didn't really help with keeping my body upright to see over parked cars.

If you live in a more rural area like a lot of videos I see on this forum, drops are OK. If you're in a more urban area, I'd go more upright.

Even in Frankfurt, Stockholm and Copenhagen, where the population is less dense than here, I felt that flat bars were a much better option but the distances are shorter and the collision potential much greater.

Choose wisely.

edit: looks like this: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/event/e...ure-id74028706