Cronje

I apologize if this is the wrong forum for questions like this, but it seemed like the best fit. I haven't owned a bike since I was a child (I'm 27 now) and have absolutely no idea what kind of bike I'm looking for.

My college campus is about six miles from my house by a mostly-level bike path (mostly paved, though it's old and cracked in some places). Having read the How to Buy a Bike FAQ, I think I'm looking for either a road bike or comfort bike, but not sure. Ideally, I'd like to get from my house to the school in under 30 minutes, so I'd need something that would let me go 15mph (24.14kph) comfortably. I should also mention that I'll be taking that path eight times a week (back and forth, four times per week), so I'll want something durable.

I'm looking for something under $200. Any help is appreciated.

pick

Just a guess, but if you plan on riding roughly 50 miles a week and spending 4 hours or so on the bike and you want to feel good when you get to class and when you get back...you may have to raise you budget. A sub $200.00 ride will get the job done but you won't like it - I wouldn't want to ride a very low end bike back and forth that often. That being said you would have to make the choice of frame style - we all love the frames we ride and we all ride different frames. What did you ride as "a kid"?... that may be the way to go because you will be somewhat familiar with that frame. Not really helpful, but I figured I'd start the reply ball rolling.

Jim Kukula

Where will you be parking your bike when you get to campus? Many college campuses have real problems with bike thievery. You might want to try a used bike if you're stuck leaving the bike locked up outside someplace. When I was in graduate school in Philadelphia my bikes were mostly rescued from the trash folks left on the curb. Despite that, I sometimes found my cable lock cut through. Anyway if you can find some super cheap bike and treat it as approximately disposable, then you can find out what you like in a bike and still not be too devastated when it gets stolen.

Cronje

I think I rode a mountain bike as a kid, though I'm not sure. I know next to nothing about bikes, to be honest, so I'm not really sure what kind of frame I'm looking for. As for where I park, there's a pair of bike racks right in front of the building (it's a very small campus), but I plan on buying a lock (I've heard U-locks are good).

a1penguin

At $200, you might find something on Craigslist, bulletin board for sale list on campus. For $200 you might be able to find a half decent single speed.

Cronje

How much would I have to raise my budget to get a decent bike?

Rx Rider

craigslist for sure with that price range. 15 mph isn't very hard to maintain with any geared bike, even a 3 speed. I too would look for craptacular to avoid the bike snatchers. I've known a guy that dirtied a fairly nice bike up, spraying here and there with black spray paint. just avoid "murray" and "next" brand names, those are $20 craigslist bikes.

$300-$500 opens the door aways. $800 for a real keeper. $1000 for pretty nice, after that you need to check in with bicycles anonymous to see what kind of addiction you're looking at. basically your looking at a base price for a type of frame, then X amount for the drive train.

just starting out I'd stick with an alum frame and low-end tiagra gear. (this is for a sorta nice bike) it should last for years with little maintenance. comfort is hard to sell because I'm more comfortable in the drops with my back making a bridge. "I" don't like sitting straight up cruiser style because "I" don't think it's comfortable. this should mean nothing to you. you have to find out for yourself.

xenologer

considering the factors:

You should look for a used full rigid (no suspension) mountain bike from the mid 80s-90s in decent condition. frame should be steel. 21gears with cassette/freehub, (not freewheel) drivetrain. refit it with slick tires to improve speed for on roads.
a specialized hardrock/rockhopper, or a trek would be ideal, old steel (not aluminium) marin would be cool too.

make sure you pick a frame size that fits you. check that the brakes work and that the chain/cassete//drivetrain is not worn down.

should get you something thats durable, useful, and not a high theft target; great for a college bike.

Mondo734

I agree with what the others have said.
1. go used
2. Any bike can do 15mph (some will do it slightly easier)
3. Get something you wont be p***ed if it gets stolen


I personally would check out a local bike store and figure out what kind of bike you like riding by test riding a mtb, hyrbid, fixie, road and any other bike type that intrigues you.
Then I would make sure I know what size fits me and start looking for something comparable on craigslist. Keep in mind you dont want to get overly attached to the bike being that you are going to be parking it on campus. I currently have a $2,000 bike that I use for fun rides and a pos mtb that I use for commuting to campus. I'd be super p***ed if my $2,000 bike got stolen but not some much if my mtb bike did.

TrekmanDan

If you need to average 15mph, i suggest getting a road bike. If terrain is a concern, you may also want to look into a hybrid. I agree with what the others have said about any bike going 15 mph. However, some do that easier than others. When I go out for a ride (typically 15miles), I average about 17-18mph on my road bike on days that have no wind. On windy days, I may average about 14 or 15mph! Wind makes a big difference!!! I also have a mountain bike with 26x2.0 tires and when I ride that, i normally average about 12 - 13mph with no wind. These are just some things to think about if averaging 15mph is one of your criteria...

Cronje

So I'm looking for either a road, mountain, or hybrid bike (whichever I'm most comfortable riding). How about seating? I'm a bit overweight and have a larger-than-average backside, so is there any special type of seating I should ask for?

a1penguin

It's not the width of your blob that determines seat width. The seat supports you on your sit bones. So don't judge a seat only by it's width. You might, however, want a seat with rails designed to support more weight. I agree that your riding speed seems to indicate you will be happier with a bike more like a road bike. Mountain bikes generally have lower gearing and fatter tires, which slow you down. MTB and hybrids have upright riding positions which are less aero. You would be faster on a road bike. You should test ride both road and hybrid bikes. Pick whichever bike you find most comfortable. You might ask about seats and spoke requirements for tires in the Clydesdale forum. Not sure what a bit overweight means for you.

NightShift

+1 for an older rigid mountain bike.

The advantages of a road bike are:

Skinny tires, which for anything other than smooth pavement may not be a benefit. I'd plan on getting some 32mm tires based on your description of the path regardless of whether you go 26" or 700c.

More aero position, which if you're out of shape and haven't been riding is likely to be far less comfortable starting out.

Lighter frame and components, which for a new rider probably won't make a big difference (compared to a quality fully rigid mtb), but will likely be more fragile and more expensive to replace if broken.



I don't know where you are (telling us what campus would make it easier to help you) but in my area $200 (with a little patient searching) would pay for a quality fully rigid mountain bike, a decent set of slicks (tires), and a basic once over and tune up at a local bike shop (~$100 + ~$35 + ~$60).

One of the first things you should do is check a fit calculator (Google competitive cyclist fit calculator).
Different calculators will give different results, and different people will argue over what the best setup is, but these things are still helpful for giving new riders an idea where to start.

There are a lot of good brands of older mountain bikes, GT, DiamondBack, Gary Fisher, Trek, Specialized, and many others. Feel free to post links to bikes you think look promising and we can tell you more about specific bikes.