New rider here...I need advice.

I'm looking at buying a bike and accoutrements (yes! I get a chance to use that word!) after having not ridden a bike for ten years. I'm looking at the Giant FCR3.
Apart from a helmet, gloves and a pair of shorts, what do I need? What might be useful? After looking at bikes the other day, apparently I'm better built for men's frames. Any changes I should consider? (My boyfriend's a cyclist, but since all his cycling buddies are male, he's not always helpful.)
(Small words, please. I know next to nothing about bikes!)

You're good to go!

Oh, a water bottle. Or two. And a repair kit (and the skills to use it, so that you won't be despondent if you have a flat tire on your own).

The rest is gravy. Like bike shoes and automatic pedals (or just toe cages of some sort if you prefer). And bike jerseys with pockets (to carry food and other stuff).

Welcome to TE! We look forward to reading about your cycling adventures!

A really good thing to have is a portable pump. Most everyone here's favorite pump is the Topeak road morph.
it's lightweight and even I can use it to pump up my tires.

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Originally Posted by Owlie

what do I need? What might be useful?

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You don't need special shoes.
You don't need a special shirt.
Not right now, anyway.
Mimi's road pump is a good idea and perhaps a small pack for under the saddle (or a handlebar bag) to carry tools, cell phone,camera, snacks, and lipstick;)

I'd add sunglasses to the list.

Changes you might consider: a saddle. Stock saddles are often not very comfortable. Narrower handlebars. If you're getting a men's bike, you might find that the bars are too wide. You might also find that they need to adjust the brake levers to accomodate you if you have smaller hands.

Good luck and have fun with your new bike!

and sunscreen :)

Really, you don't need much. Riding a bike is fun by its little ol' self.

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Originally Posted by Zen

You don't need special shoes.
You don't need a special shirt.
Not right now, anyway.
Mimi's road pump is a good idea and perhaps a small pack for under the saddle (or a handlebar bag) to carry tools, cell phone,camera, snacks, and lipstick;)

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I agree.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

I'd add sunglasses to the list.

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Yes as well to eye protection and sunscreen!
Pebbles fly off of trucks right into your face sometimes, or bugs hit your eyes at a high speed too- use eye protection.

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

Pebbles fly off of trucks right into your face sometimes, or bugs hit your eyes at a high speed too- use eye protection.

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Can anyone recommend something that works well with glasses? (Not going to switch to contacts--I'd poke my eye out.)

I might have missed it being listed, but patch kit too? Also reflective tape and lights if you'll be riding at dusk or night at all.

I also just picked up a new bike and found a mens model fit me best with no accommodations needed. My hands and body proportions worked fine as the bike was, though I picked up a bit wider saddle to suit my wider spaced sit bones.

Happy biking!

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Originally Posted by Owlie

Can anyone recommend something that works well with glasses? (Not going to switch to contacts--I'd poke my eye out.)

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Here's what I use- they are great:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showp...1&postcount=13

Agree with the previous postings on the needs: water bottle, repair/patch kit, and sun protection (sunscreen+sunglasses). If you wear prescription glasses look at Oakleys and Giro: they both allow you to order prescription lenses for your shades - and Oakley has transitions too, so you can use your glasses as vision glasses inside and vision sunglasses outdoors :)
Good luck and welcome aboard!

Yeah, sunglasses. You're wearing regular specs so maybe this won't be a problem for you, but I'd been riding for years off and on with sunglasses on and one day I got a wild hare thinking I didn't NEED them, it was overcast that day anyway.

No sooner did I take them off than I-am-not-kidding-you a huge bug of some sort smacked right into my ocular region. Like a bullet. Well, like a RUBBER bullet anyway.

I have never had a bug hit me before or since, but I always go bespectacled now.

Instead of a frame pump I go for CO2 cartridges and a little adapter that goes with them. I'd never patch tubes. Too lazy. I just carry a spare. Then again in 2x4 yrs cycling we have had a collective 1 flat.

There are niftier sports glasses with Rx inserts, that's what I'd go for.

Make absolutely sure the frame is the right size for you. Err on the side of small. Triple or at least compact gearing.

I've been talking to the people that I'll be riding with, and their advice is basically "get a road bike." This makes sense, as both of them will be riding road bikes and I don't think I want to completely wear myself out trying to keep up with them. On the other hand, I'm not sure I want to sink that kind of money into it just yet. (I don't know what I mean by "that kind of money", to be honest. Just that the low-end road bikes cost more than the FCR3.) That, and I have a feeling that the posture that road bikes put you in would kill my back and shoulders.
Thoughts?

Total newbie here, so for what it's worth I'm in the same predicament as you are. The person I will be riding with most of the time has a road bike. I also don't want to sink "that kind of money" into a road bike, but also don't want to stay behind. I ended up buying a hybrid. If it turns out that I really like cycling and stick with it, then I'll 'graduate' to a road bike. I suppose I can always sell the current bike or maybe they do trade-ins? I've no clue about that.

Anyway, yesterday I rode with my friend and I can see he is not going to stick with my slowness eventhough he was very accommodating. He is training for a tri so I understand. We've decided that we'll go out for X amount of time, he'll be ahead, and at a predetermined time we will both head back (our rides are all out and back at this point). I think that should work. I'm used to running alone, so I've no problem with riding alone. I just better learn to change my tires and patch a flat! :p

As a newbie, water bottle and sunscreen seem of upmost importance to me. Sunglasses are a given as I live in Florida.