76strad

SO, Basically I know nothing about bikes. Done

I cannot exactly tell you what I ride, other than my dad gave me his Gary Fisher (it says Zebrano on it) bike about 4 years ago or so after owning it for about a year. On the size? it says that it is 20" or 51cm. The tires on it are considered a hybrid tire? They are a little bit wider than my friend's road/racing tires and their tread pattern seems a bit rougher in design compared to his tires.

This is it (I think, my dad bought it in the summer of 05) if they didn't change anything on it that I don't know about:

https://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/zebrano

When I ride on the weekends with my friends I tend to get the most tired the quickest (Which I know it is in part because my tires are wider, along with my wrists getting tired).

I will be starting my Freshman year at MTSU as a music edu or performance student this fall, and I currently work at Chuck E Cheese's. So I am wondering what would be most beneficial for me in your respective views.

I am looking at about 300 bucks as a graduation present. I am definitely getting into riding, and I currently live in Murfreesboro Tn, since I live in the city I would like to ride around and what have ye.

So to make a long story short, I was curious if they sell the bar things that you can lay your arms on as an attachment to a bike, and if you can buy road tire rim things for your bike also.

OR I could take the longer way around and buy a used bike, my friends talk about the old treks ad being good ones to start with (referring to their first road bikes) , which is what they started with. They said I could get one for a couple of hundred bucks and customize it from there, so I was wondering how do you measure yourself to know if a certain sized frame will fit you? Also, what are good models of old bikes to pick from, etc etc etc.

Like I said I know nothing about bikes when it comes to terminology, but I have taken my current one apart and put it back together just because I was curious. When I did take it apart and put it back together I didn't mess it up.

Could you also share other basic bike info with me?

Thanks, sorry if it is a bit vague or anything.

STP

You just need seat time to not "get tired." If you're riding to work or just around town or "what have ye," then this will do fine. If you find your wrists getting tired, then you need to have the bike "fit" to you. Spend your money on a basic fit from your local bike shop and spend some on a good bike lock and just ride.

antimike

Well the best bet is to go to a local bike shop (LBS) and try a few bikes out. Fit is key when you're on a drop bar road type bike. Depending on the LBS, they might do a professional fitting which could range a varying amount (possibly your whole graduation $300). They may also just do a basic fit by adjusting saddle height, bar position, cleat position (if you're using clipless).

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO If you want to do it on your own (with a helper) you can use the CC's fit calculator.

They do sell shorty bars or tri style bars, but I'm not sure if they'll go onto your current handlebar setup. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.

I hope this helps.

Spookeay Bird

Find a local bike club, go to the first meeting you can and become a sponge. Let them know you want to get into cycling and don't have any back ground. Ask a million questions of theos who will take the time to talk to you. Also soak your self in these cycling boards. Lastly, The bike you link to is a Mountain Bike... There is some of the reason your tired first. If your going to road bike, you need a road bike. Sure you can run with that but as a beginner, you will be trying to keep up with road bikes at multiple disadvantages at this stage in your training.

Here is a Mountain Bike I made into some what a Road bike.

flippin_bikes

Let me just start by saying, those animatronic critters creep me out. Just throwing that out there.

You indeed have a hybrid bike, not quite a road bike, not quite a mountain bike. These are designed for general recreational riding and not optimized for either serious off-road use or high-speed, long-distance road riding. Your ability to ride far and fast is significantly compromised by such a bike. They have their place, but not so much for the type of riding your friends.

The biggest bang for your buck to make your Gary Fisher a little faster is going to be to switch out the tires to a narrower, high pressure model. There are many sizes available, but your bike's rims aren't going to work the best with the narrowest of road bike tires. You would be able to run a tire that is 28-32mm in width that will roll faster than what you have now as well as reduce the weight your legs are having to spin each time you accelerate the bike. Your bike's hybrid tires are extremely heavy, even compared to a larger size road tire as I had suggested would work. The tire size you are going to want to look for is 700 x 28c up to 700 x 32c. You will find such tires at any decent bike shop and the folks there should be able to help you out.

You mentioned trying to install aero bars which is where you lay your forearms down on the pads and grab the little extensions that stick out in front. Depending on the type of handlebar your bike has, you may not be able top fit those on there. The issue is that those are designed for drop handlebars like what you find on road bikes. The center section of those bars are a lot wider allowing room to clamp these things on there. Most hybrids have a riser handlebar that doesn't have much room in the center section. They also typically have a bulge right in the middle where the stem clamps the bar (the stem is the forward extension piece that connects the handlebar to the steering axis of the bike (known as a steerer tube which passes down through the bike frame's head tube). This bulge creates an area with varying tubing diameters which is not going to allow you to securely clamp the aero bars there. If you want something easier to install and much cheaper, get a set of handlebar ends. These clamp on the outer edges of the handlebar and extend forward which give your hands another position to grab which may also alleviate some soreness or numbness on longer rides. They also make you lean a bit more forward which will get your body a little lower and cut through the wind a bit better. Also, get some cycling gloves which not only are a safety item if you fall and put your hand down to catch yourself, but also can reduce numbness in your hands and wrists.

You mentioned that your bike has a 20" or 51 cm frame. That is the measure of the distance between the center of the crank (which is the axle around which your crank gears and pedals spin) and the top of the seatpost tube. Bicycle manufacturers (except what you buy at big box stores like walmart) sell bikes in several frame sizes to accommodate people of different heights. You never said how tall you are which will help determine if this bike is an appropriate size for you. If you ride a bike that is too small or too large, you will not be able to ride efficient or comfortably. While the sticker tells you how tall your frame is, it doesn't tell you how long it is. You want to be able to stand over the bike's frame with at least 1 inch of clearance, but you need the length of the frame to be appropriate for your torso size. Too small and you will feel cramped, too large and you will be leaning too far forward. Your bike is designed for someone approximate 5'10 to 6'1" give or take. If you are much more than an inch either side of that range, the bike is probably grossly under or oversized.

If the bike is the appropriate size for your height, there are still factors that that can lend itself to not fitting you correctly, such as the seat height adjustment or stem adjustment. Your bike probably has a stem that can be adjusted around a pivot bolt. You can raise the extension up which also brings it closer to you, or you can lower it down which also moves the handlebars a bit further forward. The stem also can be adjusted for height independently of the angle adjustment. Proper bike setup is key to getting the most out of the bike. You also want to make sure that the tires are inflated properly and the drivetrain is kept clean and lubed (with a bicycle specific lube, not WD40 or household oil).

If you have a bit of skill, you could get your bike running in top condition and it might well work better for you without spending much, if any money on it. You could also play around with the seat height and stem adjustment to make sure you are getting proper leg extension and maybe a little more aggressive posture which will help you cut through the wind and attack climbs better. Still, you are riding a 30+ lb hybrid bike that is never going to perform as well as a road bike.

Your $300 budget isn't going to get you much of a new bike. There is a company called bikesdirect (bikesdirect.com) that sells direct to consumers, so you get a better price, but without the support you would receive from a local shop in terms of selecting the correct size bike, fitting you to the bike, and servicing the bike after the same. The upside is a pretty good bang for the buck. Here is a sample of what you can get from them for $349:

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._al_xi_sc2.htm

This is a very entry-level bike with basic components, but would give you much better performance than your hybrid for road riding. If you are going to buy a bike, whether it is new or used, try to find one with the shifting integrated in the brake levers rather than having a separate shift lever which is either mounted to the frame or steering stem.

If you have some friends who are knowledgeable about bikes, they might be able to help you with buying a bike. A new bikesdirect bike will need to be assembled and tuned. If you find a used bike on craigslist, it will probably need to be tuned at minimum, but may also require repairs or replacement of wear items such as tires, handlebar tape, or brake pads. You also have to check for wear on the drivetrain, wheels, and other bearing surfaces. You also need to be able to look for cracked or misaligned frames which can be very difficult for a newbie. I used to resell used bikes on Craigslist and know firsthand how easy it is to get burned. I always made sure what I sold was perfectly good to ride such that it did not require any repairs (or disclosing anything that it did need so there were no surprises). You can't count on people like me if you look for something used. If you have a friend who will help you with this, please make sure you take them up on it.

I imagine you head my be spinning from all the information I and others will eventually post here. That is a good thing. Just take your time, read over everything here more than once if you need to. If you really feel adventurous, you should head over to Sheldon Brown's website for some good reads on various bicycle related topics. The good Mr. Brown is no longer among us, but his spirit and knowledge live on. Here is a link to his articles:

https://sheldonbrown.com/articles.html

Good luck and don't be afraid to keep asking questions.

big chainring 

I'd opt for a used bike. Late 80's or early 90's road bike. Trek, Schwinn, Panasonic, Miyata, or other name brand. Check out Craigslist in your area. $300 will buy a real nice used road bike. Consult with your friends who know more about bikes.

76strad

@flippin_bikes: I am 5' 11". My dad is about 6' 1" and at the bike shop they sized it to him. Although at 5' 11" my legs are almost the same length, and according to the doctor I am nearly done growing. Based on that, and that the bike is comfortable to ride, I think it fits.

I won't have time to go by MOAB any time soon, because, I am finishing up all of my high school stuff and finalizing some things with MTSU.

So, since I cannot go by there any time soon, what would I be looking at cost wise to buy the aero bars and road/racing rims & tires. One of my friends has a road bike, but a steel frame. He says that he can still make it with a biking club and it works for him pretty well, so I think I may keep my aluminum frame until I am really sure about it, and I have more money to put into it.

flippin_bikes

I'd say that bike is an appropriate size for you. You still want to make sure the seat and handlebars are adjusted to you if you plan to keep riding this bike.

A cheaper set of aero bars will probably run you about $100. You may be able to find some cheaper. A new set of wheels that are enough better than what you have right now to make it worthwhile spending money on are going to be at least $150 (if not more) plus tires/tubes which will run you at least $50. You could easily spend all your graduation money just on those parts which I don't think are going to make that much of a difference.

I also don't think you are going to find aero bars that will mount to the handlebars on your bike, but I may be wrong. You are also going to have a hard time finding a decent set of lightweight wheels for cheap. Your bike is designed to accept a wider rear hub than what road bike wheels have. Therefore, if you try to mount a set of road wheels, you will squeeze the rear end of you frame in a way it was not designed to. So, to find a set of lightweight wheels that fit your bike, you will need to look at wheels that use mountain bike hubs and most of the high-end wheels that would save you much weight will only work with disc brakes and not the type of brakes you have.

If I were you, I would either save your money up for a decent road bike. Then, you will have the Gary Fisher for cruising around town and a nice road bike for faster, longer rides. I would say if you have to do something to your bike, just get a set of narrower tires and maybe some bar-ends. You'd spend less than $100 on that.