So I am a completely noobie when it comes to bikes but I've done some research and I've got two choices in mind.

I will be using this bike to ride around doing errands and might even try biking to school which would be about 10 miles each way. Also I want something I could take on a light trail on the weekends. Also I live in Los Angeles so the roads are pretty bad. So I don't think a road bike is for me and these are the two bikes I have in mind:

The Gravity Zilla: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/gravity/zilla.htm

or

The Gravity Liberty CDX: https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...iberty_cxd.htm

So which bike do you believe would suit me better? Also if there is something better out there for my price range, $4-600, I am open to any and all suggestions.

I've been lurking around I know a few members here have bought either the Zilla or the Liberty CDX so if you guys see this and don't mind I would like a personal thought on the bikes.

100% honestly biking is something I believe that I will do a lot, so I do not want to buy a cheap bike where i have to replace it in a year but at the same time I don't want to buy a $1000 bike, in case I don't end up biking as frequently as I think.

So in short HELP! Hopefully I can decide soon on which I choose and get on the road

1st bike? go to a proper Bike Shop.. They can see you,
the others only see if your charge card works.

And you have to be the setup mechanic..

which if this is your 1st bike you don't have the mechanical experience.

If you take it to a Bikeshop to do the setup ,
the charges to do that, may negate the price difference.

While you are there Buy a really good Lock and thick Cable.

Do you have tools to work on the bike? Are you comfortable working on them? BD bikes come mostly assembled, but without LBS support, tweaking the bike requires some tools and a little know how.

Would you potentially put fenders on this bike? If so, I'm not sure how you would mount a front one on the fork that comes with the Liberty.

I have been to a few bike shops and talked to a few workers and every bike they recommended me was 800 to a 1000, a bit out of my price range. Couple of the places told me they would build my bike for me if i bought it online for between $60-100, depending on the store.

So $500 + $100 is still less than what I would pay at the store.

Also searching around I feel like Bikesdirect.com is very competitively priced. A few members here have also bought their bikes from the site, and seem happy with their purchase as well as the customer service. So is it really necessary for me to spend a couple hundred more dollars on a bike at the shop? Could I not buy a comparable bike online and have the shop assemble it for me?

Also probably wont need fenders in Cali

I have a BD bike and am happy with it. The LBSs I frequent would not have a problem assembling and checking over a BD bike for you. Some people claim it's bad form or that their LBS(s) would give them grief, but I don't think that would be the case with the shops I use.

A good shop should just want to see you ride as much as possible. If they give you good service and you really get into cycling, they know they stand a good chance at being your choice for purchasing another (perhaps more expensive) bike in the future.

No offense, but given your criteria, your budget, and your experience level, I'd recommend against BD at this time.

As you have pointed out, there are several members here who have bought from BD on numerous occasions. However, most (if not all) already had a bike before hand, had a better understanding on what 'worked' for them and had either the mechanical aptitude/tools to do their own work or had the financial resources to pay another for service/repair.

You could take a gamble and buy from BD and pay a shop to assemble it, though I suspect (depending on the shop) that's all they will do- any tweaking for fit will be an additional charge. Nor will you get a free tune-up if you go this route. And warranty issues will still have to be handled by you and not the LBS that you paid to assemble the bike.

Best bet for now would be to buy off of CL or find a co-op in your area. Next up would be to look at some hybrids- I typically recommend the Giant Escape City for noobs looking for a commuter.

This just occurred to me- you mentioned you'll be commuting to school? Depending on the school, I've heard that some have like an affiliate program with certain distributors where you can get a discount on a new bike (student services would probably be the best place to inquire about this).

You could also check with Campus Police about any 'unclaimed' bicycles that may be available.

Thanks for the Giant Escape City recommendation. I'm really liking what I'm reading about the Giant Escape 2, and it's right in my price range. Now to call some shops to see if they have one in stock see how it rides .

I recommended the Escape City primarily because it comes accessorized (for the most part), which keeps cost down a bit- if those types of accessories are appealing.

To be honest, just about any of the entry level fitness/performance hybrids should be up to task and in your budget.

+1, less special the bike for campus parking, the better..

the Campus security likely sweeps the racks
at the end of the year for obviously abandoned bikes..
good source..

want a nice bike ?, use a beater on campus anyhow.

Agreed. BD bikes are for experienced mechanics. Plus,if you don't know how different bikes fit you,you're just guessing at the proper fit.

The fork has lowrider mounts on the sides(look at the enlarged pic). You'd just run the struts to them. Might have to shorten the struts,but not a big deal. Good solution for disc bikes.

I did notice the brazeons on the fork and agree that in cutting down the strut you can use them for the fender. But I guess all the front fenders I have used attached at the fork crown as well as somewhere lower on the fork. It didn't look to me like the fork was drilled at the crown.

I will be getting a Zilla in the next couple weeks. I superimposed one over the other and the geometry looks pretty close. Some think it's ugly, but I like the frame on the Zilla better, it theoretically fits wider tires, and based on reviews the carbon fork on the CXD is pretty flexy. Of course the Zilla is 3lbs heavier, but i bet most of that is in the wider tires and steel fork. Both easily replaced if you decide to become a weight weinie.

As for needing to be a bike mechanic to own one, google is your friend. There's plenty of info out there for you to be able to take care of things yourself. Probably wouldn't be that hard to find a friend that can do basic adjustment or maintenance either.

Looked at it again,the one pic they have doesn't show it drilled,which is pretty weird. Some rubber strips and zipties should do the trick.

Not a good idea,you really want someone who knows what they're doing to set it up. Especially the wheels. You really don't want to rely on a YouTube video for your first time tensioning/trueing them.

Respectfully, I still disagree. As much as I support LBS's, they are not druids with some mystical knowledge. Basic bike mechanics isn't rocket science. Anyone who knows how to use a wrench and a screwdriver and is willing to do some research can keep a bike running well.

Yes,when setting up things like derailleurs and brakes,but if you start messing with wheels when all you've got is an on-line video,you can really mess them up. You can strip a nipple or get the rim out of round.

My 2013 Giant Escape 2. I LOVE IT!!!

It's here! Ordered Wednesday night and arrived Friday afternoon, color me pleasantly surprised. Don't think I used anything other than a phillips screwdriver and a 5mm allen to assemble it. Attached the bars, front wheel, saddle and post then adjusted the brakes and gears. Took it for a short spin and I think I may have finally found the perfect bike for "my" commute. We'll find out this week.

I'm glad I did my research on this because I think generally the sizing on these bikes runs large. Based on the chart and my height I should have ordered a 50cm, but after reading some other's posts, I took a tape measure to my road bike and then chose the next size down based on the effective TT.

I'll post my impressions after I put in the first 100 mi this week.

I like!