js1003

I am looking for suggestions about commuting to bike. I am not 50 yet, but someday I will.

I would like to keep my back straight without leaning on handlebars. My primary purpose of bike to ride to work (my work is like 6 miles). I have been riding for 2 years almost (bike alone, OR bus+bike combination).

I do not at all like the feeling on leaning forward on my handlebars. Straight handlebars I do not like at all at my weight (210 lbs on 5'9" frame).

I have a schwinn beach point cruiser. I bought that used. Has been riding for about 2 years. Doesnt move with much speed, and keeps breaking with one repair or the other. I have cloud9 seat that is super comfortable to sit on.

My budget is less than 400-450 dollars. I like a comfortable ride going to and from work (6 miles one way). usually sometimes i also pickup grocery put it on front basket.

So basically I am looking for a comfortable bike (no straight handlebars) with less strain on wrists and and be able to keep my upright position.

What are my options. The local bike store most things are above my budget.

I saw at walmart.com has "schwinn admiral mens" on their website. I also like "scwinn wayfarer", both because of handlebars.


Can someone please suggest your experiences. I like less strain on handlebar wrists, fairly upright position. would like to ride15-20 miles a day on week days and less on weekends.


Please help

Classtime 

My dad is happy with his Breezer. Within your budget if you look around. Theses are new bikes https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...440265003.html

MRT2

This comes close to your price range, handlebar shape, and upright seating position.

https://tribebicycles.com/collections/city-series

js1003

Thank you. Where can I look for breezer uptown bikes.

js1003

Thank you. I looked up tribe bicycles. looks I can definitely ride those in upright position.
Do they only sell online. Do you use tribe bicycle yourself, how is your experience

MRT2

I don't own one, but a local shop sells them. Looks like a good value for the price.

Retro Grouch 

Do yourself a favor. Whatever you do, don't test ride any recumbents. If you do you might have to buy one and, if you decide to get a new one, it's going to cost you more than $450.00.

Daniel4

Would changing to a U-shaped handle bar help? You wouldn't have to buy a whole new bike.

fixedweasel

I think a great choice would be the Dawes Eclipse City from Bikes Direct. It's $249 shipped and the best deal out there for the quality and components. It has an aluminum frame and a full (low end) Shimano drivetrain. It will most definitely be WAY lighter than your Schwinn Beach Point Cruiser* and is of significant better quality of the/your main choice of the Schwinn Admiral Men's. That bike has a heavy steel frame with an Ashtubula** crank and parts of lower quality. The Dawes has everything you ask including swept back bars, light(er), able to place a basket and/or rear rack for panniers, has proper width ti(y)res and gearing for a faster commute and most importantly, a very upright position. Let's be honest, buying a solid bike for less than $250 is tough these days but this is a great buy for the money. You won't find quality comparisons for close to this price point.


To note: I have a huge bike shop in my basement and have been buying/selling/building bikes/wheels for over 15 years. I have also bought 4 bikes from Bikes Direct in the past with brilliant results. I have always been completely satisfied with their bikes and never had an issue with any of them. Mind, I go over all the bikes that I get from them and tweak them proper.



*46 pounds
**1 piece steel

canklecat

That's how I started out in 2015 when I resumed cycling after many years away, while recovering from car wreck injuries. I needed an upright, soft riding bike until my injured back and neck recovered. I started out with a Globe Carmel hybrid with simple front spring suspension, a decent 2008 model that's no longer made but available new. But there are a zillion very similar bikes, new and used.

Look for a comfort hybrid with a long adjustable quill stem -- which covers many models in your price range. Those make the handlebar height easy to adjust. No need for spacers. Just a single bolt, raise or lower the stem as needed, retighten. Many affordable comfort hybrids still use these quill stems.

Riser bars can help, but if the stem can be elevated safely then flat bars may be adequate.

Eventually you may want to lower the stem and bar a bit. An upright position is comfortable at first, especially on flat terrain, but inefficient when climbing even modest hills. An upright position doesn't take advantage of the adductor muscles at the top of the thigh connecting the hips. So if you find yourself leaning forward to tackle those modest 1%-2% grades, that's a natural reaction to compensating for the inefficient use of the adductor muscles. And that's fine for terrain where the hills are few, modest and short. No need to change anything.

As my conditioning improved I gradually lowered the stem until the handlebars (risers with modest 1 1/2" rise and slight back sweep) were about three inches above saddle height. That's as low as it could go. When my conditioning continued to improve I replaced the riser bar with a flat bar that's still a couple of inches above saddle height. Now it's still comfortable to me but also more efficient for modest hills.

It's been a good errand bike. I don't ride it much anymore -- I mostly ride either a hybrid with bar at saddle height, or a road bike with drop bars -- but it's been a good bike. I may sell it soon though, because the apartment is getting crowded.

Maelochs

I am not comfortable with this bike question.

Maelochs

On point, I can attest that BikeDirect Dawes bikes are a good value and reliable. Everything @fixedweasel says sounds correct. The bike is right and the price is right.

js1003

Thank you. I am not at all looking for recumbent bikes. May be in the future, once I have the money and time.

js1003

Actually, I thought of doing that on my most recent bike (schwinn discover 700c). That bike was stolen last week. It is one of the reasons I am looking for a bike now. I like to keep two bikes for my commute everywhere. When one breaks down, I have the other to go, until I get the first one fixed.

Thank you for reply.

js1003

Thank you very much for taking time to explain me. I like the bike look. It seems like it can support what I looking for. Upright position while riding. Reasonable price. Hope the maintenance is ok too.

Thank you

js1003

Thank you. I am definitely considering Dawes bike as my option for the new one. Definitely affordable.

Do you own a dawes bike? how is the maintenance expense on it.

Thank you for your reply

js1003

Thank you. My ride is very flat, no hills whatsover. How much do you ride a day.
I looked up on google images. I understand the raised quill. That definitely helps avoiding leaning forward for me.

I have been riding bicycle for only 2 years. I started a mile or less. Now I am upto 10-15 miles a day going to and from work, along with some errands.

thank you for your response.

canklecat

I started out riding that bike only a mile. Back in 2015 I was in pretty bad shape physically. I still needed a walking cane for support up until 2013 or 2014, due to injuries from a car wreck several years earlier. So my fitness was pretty poor. And with asthma I could manage about 400 yards before I was wheezing from exhaustion. Took about a month before I could ride 3 miles continuously. I was a long way from my peak fitness in my 20s.

Gradually I worked my way up to rides of 10-20 miles, usually every other day. On the one year anniversary of resuming cycling in August 2016 I did the ride-my-age challenge, which was close enough to a "metric century" that I went ahead and rode 63 miles total. It took several hours and I needed a couple of rest breaks of an hour or so.

That bike was comfortable but heavy and inefficient on hills. And there are hills almost any direction I go, including a fairly steep hill back from the grocery store a mile away. So after a year I got a lighter weight hybrid with flat bars at saddle height. Rode that for a year and dramatically improved my overall fitness.

On my second year anniversary of resuming cycling I got an older road bike with drop bars. That was a huge difference and much more difficult to adapt to. The main problem is a permanently damaged C2 vertebrae, so it took a lot of conditioning to strengthen my back, neck and shoulders enough to ride that bike. Even at the maximum safe extension of the quill stem the bar is still an inch or two below saddle height.

The road bike is much faster but I can still only ride it comfortably for 20-30 miles continuously. Beyond that I need to stop and stretch my back and neck every 10 miles or so. I've ridden several 50-65 mile rides and one standard 100 mile century, but usually need one or two rest days after those rides to recover from the neck pain.

Overall I've found a hybrid with flat or slight riser bars near saddle height to be my best compromise between comfort and efficiency.

Maelochs

I have a Dawes Sheila. part of a group buy for a charity ride across the US. two dozen bikes, 3,000 miles, no problems. I brought mine home and have been riding it since. And most of those rides end up (after 15, 20 miles) at the grocery store, where I load it up with a bunch of groceries and ride it home. Flawless performance.

I would expect that you might want to check spoke tightness and cable adjustment after a few hundred miles .... on Any bike. After that I expect maintenance would be some lubricant for the chain, and eventually, tires.

My Dawes is basic and bullet-proof. I have several other bikes and I still ride it several times a month---i am taking it to the hardware store after work tonight.

I cannot promise that All Dawes bikes are the same ... but the two dozen I helped shepherd across the country in 2015 all performed flawlessly.

Chrome Crusader

Sounds like you need comfort and room to put your gallon of milk. Ride with style with one like mine.. except it'll cost a little more that $500.00


Picture failed to upload, here's my link.

https://m.facebook.com/LuisCardenasPadilla/albums/10213013102185035/?ref=m_notif¬if_t=group_post_approved

js1003

I am not on facebook (yes i am one of those people ).

what is your bicycle. I have the requirements as you. Ride comfortably. Dont let my gut pull me forward, by leaning forward because handle bars. i do go for groceries on my bike with a front basket. we are twins

js1003

Thank you so much for taking time to reply. If dawes survived cross country with a bunch of people, then i am willing to strongly consider it. and its in my budget limit. thank you

js1003

super inspirational. my dad had asthma. i could only imagine, what you had gone thru. excellent progress. cant believe you did 100 miles with a situation you couldnt carry on for more than 400 yards. Some day, i will write my story like that.


thank you for your response. Keep it going my friend. Excellent

Chrome Crusader

Since for some reason I can't upload photos any more... here's a post where I posted about my bike earlier..

What do old people ride, lets see your bikes

md11mx

You may want to consider a set of Ergon grips. I have GP5s on mine and love them.
Cheers,
David
Way up North