Newbie
 

Hi, I'd like to get into cycling because I have read it significantly improves your life because you aren't driving in a car all of the time. This is interesting to me. I guess I live in a suburban area that has a lot of roads so I'd love to get some direction on where to get the best road bike for my situation.

I'd be doing maybe 5-10 miles every other day. I have a gym habit so hopefully this will replace that. (cost less money, less time getting in and out of the parking lot)

:)​​​​​​​

Go to Walmart or any big-box store, or much better, any local bike co-op if your town or city has one, and get the cheapest bike you can. See if you actually ride it.

Five miles on a bike is 25 minutes or so ... a pretty short ride. (and for all you speed demons ... yeah, brag elsewhere. Five miles in 25 minutes for an absolute beginner rider is a conservative but not unrealistic expectation.) Unless you live in very hilly terrain, a single-speed bike should be fine. Very little to maintain, very little to adjust.

If it turns out you really like cycling and are riding more miles and/or more often (5 miles on a bike won't replace a good workout in a gym unless you push yourself to your limit the whole way---not enough time to get the good aerobic benefits) then you can start looking at what local bike shops offer----not to buy, just to get a feel for what is out there. Also visit the websites of Giant, Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale---again, just to see what sort of bikes are offered at what price point. You will probably see that all those companies offer about the same bike for any given price point .... but you won't want to get even a "cheap"one unless you know you are going to get good use out of it.

The least expensive bike I would recommend for someone who really wanted to ride bicycles would probably cost about $1000----and for $100 you could get a suitable single-speed and do your ten miles a day in total joy.

Until you are really sure how and how much you want to ride (and believe me, not many people know for about the first year) I cannot recommend dropping a grand or more on a bike. if you find you really like riding, I cannot recommend spending much less.

In any case, I suggest going to some local bike shops and seeing what they have there. Do Not buy anything. There are so many choices to make, and until you really know what you want, you cannot buy it. Just look at the bikes. Maybe they will have a used bike which fits you, at a reasonable price .... maybe you can take some test rides (but be warned---if you don't know anything about bikes (and even if you do) you cannot learn much in a few minutes' test ride. You need 30-60 minutes on the bike to even know if it fits---almost any bike could feel okay for the first several miles ... )

Cycling si great---I think it is safe to assume that most people who post here will agree. However, it is not equally great for everyone. A lot of people think they are going to love cycling---and people like me scour craigslist to buy their barely used bikes for one third their initial sale price once the owner realizes he or she doesn't really ride.

You don't need all the bells and whistles to get started. You just need a working bike which fits your body, so you can start taking it around the neighborhood every evening, to see how you like it. After a few weeks, you will probably notice that either you haven't ridden in a few days or more ... or that you are riding longer and farther than you thought you would. Then you can start deciding about where and how you like to ride, and start homing in on what kind of bike will deliver the kind of ride you like.

But ... if you absolutely have to buy an expensive bike form the start .... the first thing to do is set your budget. We can help you from there.

My advice: drive to work, ride a bike for pleasure and to have a place to put your excess dollars. Don't mix the two.

Good to hear you're interested in cycling but, it is definitely not a cheap hobby.

Welcome and congratulations on your decision.
Really it’s best to find a good Bike Co-op or a good bike shop in your area for advice on what bike to buy and bike maps and best routes to ride. Also you will need a good U-lock for it if you ride it to the gym. Stay away from cheap Department/Box store bikes. They are made to ride maybe 25 miles where a good bike should last you at least 20-30 thousand miles. No need to spend lots of money, I just bought a new 2020 Specialized Sirrus bike at a reputable bike shop on sale for $359. It came with a free tune up, life time frame and two years on components warranty. Lots of good bike shops have workshops to teach you how fix flats and how to work on your bike. Many in my area do this for little or no charge. A good bike shop will make sure the bike fits you and is set up correctly and is safe to ride.

It can be a lot cheaper than driving, and it is more than a hobby for some of us. It can be the best method of transportation, but it all depends on where you live and where you want to go.. One suggestion to the OP: indicate your location. There might be someone who can give you more information about cycling resources in your area.

For some people this might be good advice, but there are a lot of happy cyclists who commute. A lot depends on where you live.
A few years ago the cost of owning and maintaining a car was $8,000 a year. It is probably more now.

OP ( another One and Done) never mentioned commuting. He said he wants to bike instead of going to the gym.

Facebook Marketplace is a good spot for decent, cheap, used bikes. But, make sure you buy the right sized bike! I'm 5'6" (dont laugh), and usually ride bikes that are 50-52cm.

And when you get a bike, get a home bike tire pump, spare tubes, and tools to replace your tubes while on the road (including co2 cartidge system or handheld pump). Having a helmet and/or gloves aren't necessary, but are highly recommended. At some point, you're gonna fall and your hands will take the brunt of the fall. Gloves will save your hands and a helmet will save your noggin.

You should be able to get most of this for easily under $300.

Once you start riding the open road, you might get addicted. And trust me, that is a good thing.

My opinion, DO NOT go the W'mart or any other store of the kind. Buying one of those crappy bikes is likely to hinder the possibility that you will like, and want to stick with bike riding. Checking out forums like this, for beginners, is good for basic info to start. If you have a local bike co-op, that is another good source, and you may find something there at a reasonable cost. Fit of the bike to your body and type of riding you want to do is most important. Obviously, budget is also up there. A local bike shop can also be a good source for help for a beginner. Especially if you, or a friend, know they have a good reputation. They may even have some left over year models on sale. Do you homework, ask any question you may have. As for replacing the gym, that depends on what you do, what you work on at the gym. Biking is cardio with low stress, but definitely not load bearing, core strength training.

My suggestion: go to a proper bike store and try out some bikes there. After you find one you like, buy it, and ride it to the gym, to work, and everywhere else.

This is my advice too. Alternatively to a bike store if you have a bike co-op.

Ride everywhere!

11 total posts and done. All on the same day and within about 90 min. of each other.

Not sure if it's an option near you but I have a local bike shop that sells ready to ride used bikes for pretty decent prices. And they offer free adjustment and setup with it.

Another piece of crack detective work, right there!

My first bike, about 9 years ago came from a consignment store and cost $65. It was an old steel bike with good tires. I replaces the chain and rode it about 2000 miles that year. Unfortunately, it was too big and the longer the ride, the more uncomfortable it became. Even so, I enjoyed riding, especially the surrounding area eventually on 20 - 30 mile rides. As rides got longer I had to get a new bike, one from an actual bike shop that fit.

I can't recommend a used bike, particularly bought online, for someone who has never owned a bike.

The purchaser cannot know what size bike will fit if s/he hasn't spent a lo of time at bike shops taking test rides. Also, stems, bars, saddles, and seatposts are adjustable and replaceable, and can make a range of frame sizes fit a given rider. The purchaser won't know if something is wrong with the bike, or if it needs some basic maintenance which could make it a really good bike, or, if undone, could ruin the bike (like greasing or adjusting bearings.) H Instead iof recommending gloves for the fall, why not explain that gloves are padded to prevent hand numbness form pressure on the ulnar nerve, and that in a fall NEVER try to catch yourself with your hands---you will break your wrists, elbows, collarbone, whatever, and not in any way help yourself.
Absolutely.