Want to start Riding but feeling a bit overwhelmed and defeated.

[ojoscafes]

Hi Everyone!!

I am so excited to find this forum. I have been researching and read through the forum. Ok, here is my story, lol. My husband started cycling about 4 yrs ago. He started with an Trek FX and then went to a Fuji road bike. Anyway, now that my kids are older and I have a 12 year old that can babysit. I really want to get into biking. Hubby is gone quite a bit, he works in the oil rigs. So I will be doing some/most riding on my own. Long story short, he took me out to look at bikes. Well, I haven't ridden a bike since probably Jr. High. My first and only bike what a red boys bike with no gear and the brakes were in the pedals. Lets say the test drive on the road bike wasnt pretty. I nearly crashed though I was able to slowed down in time. I kind freaked and totally forgot to squeeze the brakes. I came off that bike shaking but i refuse to give it up. I then tested the FX and i felt more stable on it. But my husband and mine concern is i will outgrow the FX quickly. He knows me well and know once I start, I will want to do distance and rides. But since I never really learn to ride a "big Kid" bike. Would it be a better idea for me to get a box store bike so I can get my "riding legs" back, I could then handed down to my daughter. I am 5 foot and we were thinking to get me a 24 inch that she can have. Then I could get the road bike. The other option is to get an FX bike, and ride that for atleast for a year and then get a road bike? Last but not least, just put on my big girl panties and get the road bike and try to ride it as much as I can when he is in town and hope I will get the hang of it, so I can start with the short bike trails and slowly gain the mileage??

All insight, encouragement and thoughts are welcome!! I really want to start biking but the start of it seems to overwhelming.

Thanks

[thekarens]

First of all, welcome!

Just my .02, but if I were in your situation I'd get the road bike. You'd be surprised how quickly you'll get used to it and why waste the money? At least that's what I'd say if it were me :) When we got our road bikes last Sept I hadn't been on one since I was a teenager (I'm now 43.) At first I was extremely wobbly, but truly it doesn't take long until you start feeling at home. If you have a subdivision you can practice there or take it to the school parking lot while school is out and practice there.

[murielalex]

Only you can decide what's comfortable for you. That said, I "outgrew" my Trek FX (nice bike btw) in about a month, and sold it to a co-worker for a significant loss to get a road bike. I'm wondering if you know anyone who has a FXish bike, or even a cruiser type, you can borrow for a couple weeks, just to get going, build your confidence, and then make a decision. You might even be able to find a cheap one on Craig's List. Better than investing in a road bike you're too afraid to ride.

Oh....and welcome!

[OakLeaf]

My general feeling about that kind of thing is that it's silly to buy something because it's something you might want in some potential future. Get what you want and what makes you comfortable NOW.

[thekarens]

My general feeling about that kind of thing is that it's silly to buy something because it's something you might want in some potential future. Get what you want and what makes you comfortable NOW.

I agree, but I read the OP's post as saying that she really wanted the road bike, but was afraid of it. If you really want the FX or a Walmart type bike, or whatever, you should get that.

My own experience is that I got the entry level bike and then a month and a half later, like murielalex, I sold it for half of what I paid originally and upgraded.

If you think you'd be happier with the FX you definitely should get it, but if it's a matter of being afraid of the bike I truly think you can quickly learn.

[goldfinch]

If your daughter is going to need a bike I see nothing wrong with practicing on what she will ride before you get a bike. How tall is your daughter? She might fit a bike with 26 inch wheels. I sold my Trek 800 mountain bike, with a very small 13 inch frame but with 26 inch wheels, to parents who bought it for their pre-teen daughter who was probably only about 4'9".

One thing to keep in mind is that people who post on bike forums tend to be avid cyclists and lean towards bikes that are used for a lot of riding. There are a whole lot of people who are completely happy on hybrids or even mountain bikes that they ride like hybrids. For example, my spouse likes to ride but maybe 10 to 15 miles max in a day. He rides a hybrid and a mountain bike. He isn't interested in a road bike.

It may be hard to know where you end up. Unfortunately, sometimes the first bike you get is the bike that tells you what your second bike should be. :) I guess my bottom line is the same as Oak's. Buy what you want to ride now. Not what you might want someday. Not what your husband thinks you might want.

Good luck in your search!

[Penny4]

Welcome Ojo...

I'll tell you my story :) I hadn't ridden a bike since i was a teenager. One summer (as an adult) I bought a big box comfort bike. After riding a few weeks, I wished I had a bike that could go faster. THe next summer i bought an FX. Based on my goals, the sales guy strongly suggested a road bike. However, I REFUSED to even sit on one....not me, no way, no how will I ever ride a road bike! I rode the FX for a summer, and was able to keep up roadies, but definitely in the slower groups. At the end of that summer, I decided I wanted a a road bike and then bought one :o

Now, with all of that being said, I'm not sure I would have felt comfortable right away on the road bike instead of the FX, but i think if i would have adapted just fine.

If you get a road bike, you should have someone spend some time giving you a lesson on how to use it. I never had a geared bike as a kid, and barely knew how to work the big box bike. I actually watched a lot of you tube videos and read articles on line to learn how to shift. (I didn't really have anyone to ride with at that time.)

Is budget a factor for you? If not, you could get an FX (or similar) now, and then keep it for light trail riding, knocking around town kind of riding in the future, if you upgrade to a road bike.

Could you rent a road bike for a day to see how you feel on it?

Good luck in your search! Lots of folks post this exact same dilemma when starting out....

[Bike Writer]

Welcome!

Only you can decide ultimately, however you're looking for opinions so this is my take. You haven't ridden in a while and seem a little tentative about the road bike from your test ride. Yes, you just might get real relaxed soon on one or you may be afraid of it and end up not riding because of that. You have a daughter who you said will need a bike. Depending on your pocketbook, you could get a new bike that she can end up using if you need to move up, or you can get a craigslist bike and if you want to upgrade in a couple of months you can post it back on craigslist and probably won't lose a dime on the deal if you shop smart. If you end up really getting into cycling you'll want a better bike at some point and at that time deal with a local bike shop and invest in a good quality bike. Until you know if you're going to like it it's kind of a crap shoot and it could get expensive. Money's no object? Go for the moon out of the chute.

Beware, this is an addictive sport! :D

[ojoscafes]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. Its true I had the whole intention to get a road bike. After having my life flash before my eyes, i just got scared.

Getting a rental bike is an option. My daughter is 52" and half, so roughly 4 foot 4 1/2. So that might be a very good possibility, lol
I have been reading alot of the threads about people getting the hang of it more quickly then I imagined. I really want to do cycling for the endurance and miles. Which is why i am weary of the FX.

Thanks so much for the encouragement. Its exactly what I needed. I will let you all know how it plays out. :)

[ojoscafes]

Welcome!

Only you can decide ultimately, however you're looking for opinions so this is my take. You haven't ridden in a while and seem a little tentative about the road bike from your test ride. Yes, you just might get real relaxed soon on one or you may be afraid of it and end up not riding because of that. You have a daughter who you said will need a bike. Depending on your pocketbook, you could get a new bike that she can end up using if you need to move up, or you can get a craigslist bike and if you want to upgrade in a couple of months you can post it back on craigslist and probably won't lose a dime on the deal if you shop smart. If you end up really getting into cycling you'll want a better bike at some point and at that time deal with a local bike shop and invest in a good quality bike. Until you know if you're going to like it it's kind of a crap shoot and it could get expensive. Money's no object? Go for the moon out of the chute.

Beware, this is an addictive sport! :D

I am married to a pretty big addict. He hasnt written in a year and just getting back. He got out of the USMC and we have been transitioning to civilian life.
I have a really funny feeling, I will totally get addicted.

[Owlie]

Welcome to TE, Ojoscafes!

My advice: I'm with goldfinch on this. If you're getting your daughter a bike, there's no reason you can't use the one she's getting to learn how to ride a bike again. I will say that this forum does tend to skew "roadie" to some degree, and there's nothing wrong with flat-bar road bikes/fitness hybrids/whatever they're calling them now. If you think you'll want to do distance in the future, get your daughter a bike, then get the roadie, or a nicer FX. Are you planning on riding with your husband?

I got into cycling after not having ridden a bike for ten years, and the last bike I had was the single-speed with a coaster brake that I had as a kid. I learned to ride again by borrowing a friend's mountain bike. I was planning to get Giant's equivalent of the FX, but since the people I thought I'd be riding with had road bikes, I decided to go ahead and get the Avail. Yes, the first few rides were...interesting, to say the least, but I'm glad I bought the road bike.

[ojoscafes]

Welcome to TE, Ojoscafes!

My advice: I'm with goldfinch on this. If you're getting your daughter a bike, there's no reason you can't use the one she's getting to learn how to ride a bike again. I will say that this forum does tend to skew "roadie" to some degree, and there's nothing wrong with flat-bar road bikes/fitness hybrids/whatever they're calling them now. If you think you'll want to do distance in the future, get your daughter a bike, then get the roadie, or a nicer FX. Are you planning on riding with your husband?

I got into cycling after not having ridden a bike for ten years, and the last bike I had was the single-speed with a coaster brake that I had as a kid. I learned to ride again by borrowing a friend's mountain bike. I was planning to get Giant's equivalent of the FX, but since the people I thought I'd be riding with had road bikes, I decided to go ahead and get the Avail. Yes, the first few rides were...interesting, to say the least, but I'm glad I bought the road bike.

Yes, the ultimate thing is for my husband and I to ride together. The hope is to do charity group rides and stuff like that.

[ny biker]

I am married to a pretty big addict. He hasnt written in a year and just getting back. He got out of the USMC and we have been transitioning to civilian life.
I have a really funny feeling, I will totally get addicted.

My first bike as an adult was a mountain bike, though I rode it more on paved trails than on dirt. I rode some pretty long distances on it and then decided to get a road bike so I could ride centuries. I remember feeling very unstable on the narrow road bike tires the first couple of times that I rode it, but I adjusted quickly. I still have the mountain bike, though I don't use it much. But it's a nice change of pace to ride it from time to time.

Whatever bike you decide to start with, just go at your own pace while you get accustomed to it. The advice to start at a school parking lot or quiet street is good. Take your time getting a feel for the bike and getting used to the shifting. You'll be up and riding in no time.

Thanks to your husband for his service, and to your family. Semper Fi!

[Velocivixen]

I was sort of in your situation. I rode a "10 speed" Schwinn Le Tour (drop bar, gears, etc) from age 13 to 23, then essentially little to no riding (mostly on the wrong kinds of bikes for me) until about 2 years ago. I bought a Trek FX 7.3 and LOVED IT. I put probably 2,000 miles on in 10 months. However I wanted more hand positions and decided I wanted steel, so 10 months after buying the FX, I bought a Surly Cross Check and never looked back. So many more hand positions available with drop bars, etc. I ride with platform pedals with no interest in clipless pedals, so if you go straight for a road bike you might want do get some cheap platforms until you get comfortable with everythng else, then switch to clipless if that's your ultimate goal. I think it's better not to try to learn too many different things at once, however everyone is different.
I will say that the FX is a great bike and if you got it first, nothing wrong with saving it for an "errand" bike or such - fenders, racks, a bell, etc. This would be a totally different set up than you'd have on a traditional road bike which won't have room/eyelets for fenders, racks, etc.

So...you could easily go either way. Have fun!

[Crankin]

I started on a mountain bike with slick tires, after not riding much for years... I had both 5 and 10 speed road bikes that would now be considered classics, but I didn't ride them a lot. First year, I rode 800 miles on that mountain bike. Second year, in Sept., DH took me to buy a road bike. The shop tried to steer me to a flat bar roadie, but I knew better and bought an entry level Cannondale with drop bars. I had it a year and upgraded to a Trek carbon bike. That was 13 years ago and I now have a carbon road bike and a titanium custom road bike that I have a rack on, good for both road riding and casual stuff. I am so glad I didn't get the flat bar road bike that the shop was pushing on me. I had no trouble adjusting to the road bike and I am not that coordinated.
Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a flat bar road bike. I had a Jamis Coda, like Murienn speaks of, for 4 years, as an errand/around town bike. I loved it. I sold it when I bought my custom bike, but eventually, I will get some kind of around town bike like it.

[OakLeaf]

Yeah, I should add also that after tens of thousands of miles on road bikes, including commuting, recreational riding, solo unsupported touring and local/regional racing, I burned out hard and didn't ride anything non-motorized for 10 years. In the interim I *did* ride motorcycles, so it wasn't like I wasn't riding anything on two wheels. But when I first test rode my hybrid, probably over 40# with an upright riding position and a long wheelbase, I literally thought I was going to fall right off the thing.

They say you can't forget how to ride a bike, but I sure came close to forgetting. It wasn't long before I was comfortable on the hybrid, but it was NOT instant, either.

Getting back on a road bike was more of an emotional barrier than a physical one, for me, but when it happened, I'd already been riding the hybrid for three years and at least 1,000 miles. And I still have my errand bike.

[goldfinch]

A hybrid or a mountain bike might be great to have around because they are good bikes to ride casually with the kids when your kids get into biking.

[Sylvia]

What about a used bike? When I started riding again after about a 30 year hiatus, I purchased a used bike from a pawn shop.
I knew it wouldn't be my final bike but I needed something to get my feet wet again, to work out fit issues, and to get an initial feel for gearing.

[lgibster]

I too started riding again about 3 years ago at 39 years old. I chose a Specialized Vita Elite (hybrid) sicne I liked the idea of having numbers to see which gear I was riding in. I rode about 2000 miles on that bike and decided that I wanted to do metric centuries and maybe one day a full century. I traded my hybrid in on my road bike (full carbon frame). I would suggest a good local bike shop (LBS) that would be willing to trade up when and if you decide to trade for a road bike. A friend of mine rented a bike on the weekends for three weekends in a row to get "used to" riding again, she then went to the LBS and purchased a road bike because she fell in love with riding. Either way get the bike you feel confident riding.

[Grog]

I started on a FX, I switched to a road bike pretty quickly but I kept the FX as a commuter and errand bike. My first one was destroyed in an accident, however I bought a replacement and still use it between 50 and 100 km a week to this day. Awesome bike!!

I have also done rides of more than 50 km in one day in the FX and it's not a problem. I would not do that by choice all the time, I do prefer my road bike for long rides, but it's not going to stop you from starting into long rides.

If I was to start again I'd do the same.

[Penny4]

Ojo, do you have any updates? I'm dying to know what you end up with! :)

[ojoscafes]

I thought I posted last night. I am sorry, I guess it didnt go through. I have decided to go the FX route. Especially since I live in Denver, I could keep it as a winter bike when I get a road bike. I go in tomorrow to get measured so my LBS can order this beauty. I test drove a trek FX and liked it. Only thing was I really wanted a WSD version. So they are going to order it so I can test drive it and I am almost sure I will get it.

http://treads.com/product/trek-7.0-fx-wsd-womens-192566-1.htm

I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and experiences. It really helped me figure out what was best for me and that it was ok, that there wasnt a right or wrong way to go about it.

[thekarens]

Congrats! I'm sure you'll be very happy with your choice. PS...we love pics :-)

[ojoscafes]

Just came from being measured. I am sooooo excited, this will be the longest week of my life, lol!! I will post pictures as soon as I get it.

[Penny4]

Very cool! Congratulations! It will definitely be a long week, but oh so exciting when you go to pick it up :)

[Penny4]

Oh, and i just realized that is a 2014? Great...now I have to go look at the Trek site to see what other 2014's are out ;)

[ojoscafes]

Well, I finally got my bike. We picked up yesterday, and they made sure it seem to be fitted correctly. I rode around the block a few times last time. Then this morning, I went for a ride with my husband and son. We were planning a 5 mile to 10 mile ride. Well, on the way up the hill I somehow tried to stop and trip and fell with bike and all. But am fine, barely scratch my knee. I was a bit shaken up, but my husband being the Marine he is, encourage me to get back on and atleast finish the loop. I did. It ended up being about a little over a mile. But my sit bones were really killing me. So, I came home and they went on.I did get padded shorts.

Maybe I will venture out tonight. Also as promised here are a couple of pictures of my new bike.1657316574

[thekarens]

Beautiful bike and good for you getting out there!

[Sky King]

Well, I finally got my bike. We picked up yesterday, and they made sure it seem to be fitted correctly. I rode around the block a few times last time. Then this morning, I went for a ride with my husband and son. We were planning a 5 mile to 10 mile ride. Well, on the way up the hill I somehow tried to stop and trip and fell with bike and all. But am fine, barely scratch my knee. I was a bit shaken up, but my husband being the Marine he is, encourage me to get back on and atleast finish the loop. I did. It ended up being about a little over a mile. But my sit bones were really killing me. So, I came home and they went on.I did get padded shorts.

Maybe I will venture out tonight. Also as promised here are a couple of pictures of my new bike.1657316574
Try tilting the nose of you saddle up a bit and see if that helps with sit bones

[ojoscafes]

Try tilting the nose of you saddle up a bit and see if that helps with sit bones

I will definitely try that tomorrow!! Thanks so much

[kris7047th]

I just back into it last May after yeeaars of being away. I am 63 now with physical issues .. bad knees and back surgery. I had gained way too much weight (for me anyways) and needed to drop 20 + lbs. and have lost most of it.

My advice to you is to start off slow only a one or two miles every day and after a week stretch your ride out longer to build leg muscles and stamina (wind/lungs) I would push myself a little at a time. .. Now I can easily do a 15 mile ride averaging 14 mph up and down slopes and still not feel wiped out.

This is my road bike that I bought last may a 2011 Specialized Dolce Sport Compact that I ride on group rides that meet twice a week. I now have a REI Novara trunk on the rack that is loaded with all kinds of stuff, including an emergency kit, tools, extra tire tubes, rain jacket. Just last week a guy went over his bike and sliced a finger wide open. I was able to stop the bleeding & patch him up so he could continue with the ride..

16588

The top tube bag is made by TimBuck 2 Goody Bag. I keep my house keys, pen, small ID wallet and my iPhone 5 on top. So handy to get out and take pics. A guy in our group works for a bike shop and was impressed with the functionality of the bag .. looking to get it in stock in the store where he works. I bought this on sale under $30.00

http://www.rei.com/product/829993/timbuk2-goody-box-top-tube-pack

Since you mentioned your seat hurt .. invest in some padded bike shorts or capris. I LOVE mine. The padding/chamois helps to keep you in the right spot on the saddle. Bike specific clothing serves a real purpose. Jeans and street clothing seem to choke off the circulation at the back of the knees, seams rub .. extremely uncomfortable on longer rides.

BTW .. To do 5 miles your first time out was expecting too much of yourself. Take it slower to avoid injury .. and above all .. HAVE FUN.