Hi everyone,
Like many others that have asked for advice, I'm completely new to (proper) biking. I have always ridden bikes as a kid, but they were cheap MTB's. Now I'm looking to get into biking for fun/fitness.

A friend suggested that I go to a LBS and see what they have to offer. After going, I'm kind of overwhelmed at the choices.

I'm mostly planning to ride on light (dirt/gravel) trails and occasionally thru paved trails. The salesman explained about hybrids, and two that he showed me were:

Trek 7.2 FX
Giant Roam 1

Both of these bikes are around the $550 price range. Would you suggest these bikes for a beginner, and for the type of riding I will be doing? If so, which is a better option. If not, what other bikes should I look at?

Another question I had was: Do LBS's usually carry older models? I was looking for something more in the $400 range, but that seems a bit low now for this type of bike. I just wanted to know if it's common for shops to have older - discounted models.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

Rob

The two bikes look similar to me. I'd probably favor the one without the suspension fork. For smoothish trails and pavement, I generally prefer rigid bikes. But that's just my own preference. It may not be yours.

check out performancebike.com and bikesdirect.com

Rob, I'm in Japan but I'm guessing it's the same there. Bike shops sell clearance models here around Oct, as they are clearing for the next year's model.
This time of year might be a little early.

Also personally, I'd take the TREK because I had nothing but trouble with the avid bb5 calipers. Both front and back snapped on me.

Thanks for the replies.

Jon- yeah, I don't know how either of them feel yet, the weather hasn't been great so I haven't been able to go for a test ride.

chicibike- thanks I'll definitely check those sites out

gianttcfr1 - thanks! yeah I called in today, and they said that they usually have an annual spring sale where they get rid of old models. Turns out I missed it by 3 weeks . Also when you say you've had trouble with the Avid BB5 calipers- you mean the disc brakes, right? I know nothing about them, but for my uses would you say that the traditional pull brakes are the way to go? (I'm gonna go search the forums abt this haha)

I appreciate all the help!

Rob

I have had the Giant Roam 1 for about two months and love it. I do some trails and pavement and it was a good selection for me given those conditions.

Thanks,
Roger

That's right. There is a return spring inside which is very slim. It broke in both of mine and here in Japan I couldn't get a replacement so had to buy new calipers. One broke about 13 months and the other after 17 months.
I used BB7's and they were fantastic.

Oh wow that's definitely not good- was it expensive to change to the BB7?

Update:

So I got a chance to ride both the Trek and the Roam 1 - It was still drizzling so it was very brief. It was very hard for me to say which was better, they were both amazing and a huge leap over anything that I've ridden before. That being said, I felt more confidence on the Roam- I'm not sure why, but I felt that it would be better on the trails than the Trek. But both were fantastic, and I want to go out and test them a bit more on a dry day.

I also had a chance to go down to a performance bike shop here (a little far away, but a new one is actually opening right my by house in June) - and the salesman there was great! He showed me of ton of different types of bikes and took the time to explain everything. They don't have Trek or Giant bikes, but he showed me a GT Transeo 2.0.

2010 Transeo 2

It was a 2010 model on sale for 449.50 w/ tax (until next monday) - Based on the specs, do you think that this would be a good choice?

Seems like a good buy. If you are going to ride on dirt and gravel most of the time though make sure you get something that's a little more geared towards that style of riding so that you get the proper grip from the tires. My Trek 7.2 FX can go on unpaved trails but I wouldn't want to ride on gravel or spend a lot of time on dirt.

Now that you mention it, that was probably the reason I felt more confident on the Roam 1- The tires are slightly thicker than the 7.2 FX. ...but not by very much..

So it's kind of a nice day today (well dry- at least), and I was able to make it back out to the store. The Roam 1 in M size was sold, so I wasn't able to ride it. I did get a longer ride on the 7.2 and it was really nice. But like dolanp said, I'm kind of weary about it on trails...

BUT.. the salesman showed me the 2011 Gary Fisher Kaitai. They had an XL, which was way too big for me, but the thing looks great. And seems to lean more towards the off-road side of hybrids.

It's getting harder and harder to choose! Every time I go to the store, I get more options...

From looks alone, I like the Kaitai the best, but it's also the most expensive at $620.. Any advice/suggestions?

Hopefully I can stop being indecisive and make a decision by Tuesday- so I can get out there and ride!

I'd look for a bike with a rigid fork unless you plan on riding difficult trails. Suspension is good for anything that has a lot of roots and rocks, but isn't worth the extra weight for smooth trails. Since you're going to be on unpaved trails, wider tires would be best.

I was down to the Giant Roam 1 vs the Kaitai also. They were essentially the same price in our market. I went with the Roam 1 - seemed to get a little more for the money - primarily disc brakes. I have been riding both trails where it is really nice to have the suspension fork and paved roads. I really don't mind the weight of the fork since I am primarily riding for fitness, the miles ridden are not a huge concern as long as I am getting a good workout. It seemed to my inexperienced eye and riding ability that the ride and components were about the same. you won't go wrong with either selection - pull the trigger and hit the road (or trail)!

Do yourself a favor and buy the Giant Roam 1 ..It's really a do it all in one bike, trails, street, commuter..
Nice bike for the price. Richard

Hi guys. I'm basically a newb to biking and to this website all together. i just have a few questions regarding training. You see, I'm a runner slowly adding in the triathlon and comptetive bike races into my training. So I'll obviously need a bike to train with. I just don't know whether to get a true mountain bike or a hybrid bike. Some people say going to the mountains and trails for all your training is the best way to go while others say a mixture of both trails and road is the best way to go. I live in a suburb with many trails but also with a lot of road races as well. So, the question is: Which type of bike should I get if I want to both train on it and be able to have a casual ride on(like with friends)? A mountain bike or a hybrid bike? Thanks!

jyc112, rather than tag on to an existing thread with essentially an off topic post, why not start your own thread to get the specific answers you seek. Welcome to the forum, and I'd suggest a flat bar road bike for your application.

Just called in and ordered the Roam 1! The only bad part is that now I'm gonna have to wait a couple weeks :-/