Need help picking a starter bike to buy
05-11-16, 02:16 PM
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Need help picking a starter bike to buy
I am looking into buying a bike to ride as I keep breaking/bending indoor spin bikes (the pedals/arms) when standing up climbing with a lot of resistance and need some help. Plus, it gets me outside. Here is some basic info:
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 280
Looking for a hybrid type bike that will be ridden on roads and light trail riding. Probably 50% each. There are some nice trails close to my house called Raisin Woods Mtn Bike Park and plenty of roads to ride at Chickamuaga Battlefield.
A good beginner bike for around $300. I have looked on bikes direct and craigslist for a used bike, but I am not sure what route to go. If you need anymore information, please ask away. Thanks in advance.
What about this bike?:
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/dover1.htm
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 280
Looking for a hybrid type bike that will be ridden on roads and light trail riding. Probably 50% each. There are some nice trails close to my house called Raisin Woods Mtn Bike Park and plenty of roads to ride at Chickamuaga Battlefield.
A good beginner bike for around $300. I have looked on bikes direct and craigslist for a used bike, but I am not sure what route to go. If you need anymore information, please ask away. Thanks in advance.
What about this bike?:
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/dover1.htm
Last edited by blalock61; 05-11-16 at 02:30 PM. Reason: added link to bike
05-11-16, 04:42 PM
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If you want suspension that is a benefit and not a detriment, you will have to spend about twice that. Sorry, but that's how it is. Those cheapo forks are more for show, and to give people who get scared riding off a curb some sens of security.
Particularly at your size (pretty near my own) forks like that will be both useless and short-lived.
I spent $700 on a near-mint seven-year-old Cannondale ... a real longshot luck deal ... I'd suggest you shop for something like that, or at least budget about that much.
Check out this Fuji (Save up to 60% off Hybrid Bikes - MTB - Fuji Sunfire 2.0 Hybrid City Trekking Adventure Bikes) for $600 .... I'd put a lot more faith in that Suntour fork, and I think they still have a low-cost fork upgrade service.
For more serious trail work, there is this Motobecane (Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Motobecane Fantom 2729DS Disc brakes, Tubeless Compatible Rims) also for $600 and probably a lot beefier.
Those cheap forks don't do much except look like suspension, but as a rule, they won't do much except weigh too much. basically no adjustment, and basically not much strength or damping. If a guy like you took a good hit the fork would probably blow its seals and leave you carrying your bike home.
You could also consider a rigid fork MTB. You won't be able to go so fast on rough trails, but for gravel, loose dirt, mud, packed earth ... absolutely the tool for the job. Also, a rigid MTB really makes you develop your bike-handling skills---you can't just slam into things and bounce over them with momentum; you have to learn to lift your front wheel or even to hop (maybe a bit much for a large-sized beginner ... or at least, a lot for me.)
Overall, do yourself a favor and don't buy the real cheap suspension stuff. You will end up buying something else after a few weeks.
Here is some good news: if you are confident shopping on Craigslist, you should be able to find rigid MTBs for decent money. They tend to be beefy so they tend to last pretty well, and there are probably a lot of people who bought them and decided trail-riding is too much work and parked them in the garage.
Particularly at your size (pretty near my own) forks like that will be both useless and short-lived.
I spent $700 on a near-mint seven-year-old Cannondale ... a real longshot luck deal ... I'd suggest you shop for something like that, or at least budget about that much.
Check out this Fuji (Save up to 60% off Hybrid Bikes - MTB - Fuji Sunfire 2.0 Hybrid City Trekking Adventure Bikes) for $600 .... I'd put a lot more faith in that Suntour fork, and I think they still have a low-cost fork upgrade service.
For more serious trail work, there is this Motobecane (Save up to 60% off new Mountain Bikes - MTB - Motobecane Fantom 2729DS Disc brakes, Tubeless Compatible Rims) also for $600 and probably a lot beefier.
Those cheap forks don't do much except look like suspension, but as a rule, they won't do much except weigh too much. basically no adjustment, and basically not much strength or damping. If a guy like you took a good hit the fork would probably blow its seals and leave you carrying your bike home.
You could also consider a rigid fork MTB. You won't be able to go so fast on rough trails, but for gravel, loose dirt, mud, packed earth ... absolutely the tool for the job. Also, a rigid MTB really makes you develop your bike-handling skills---you can't just slam into things and bounce over them with momentum; you have to learn to lift your front wheel or even to hop (maybe a bit much for a large-sized beginner ... or at least, a lot for me.)
Overall, do yourself a favor and don't buy the real cheap suspension stuff. You will end up buying something else after a few weeks.
Here is some good news: if you are confident shopping on Craigslist, you should be able to find rigid MTBs for decent money. They tend to be beefy so they tend to last pretty well, and there are probably a lot of people who bought them and decided trail-riding is too much work and parked them in the garage.
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