Total Newbie

[vegmama1205]

Hi everyone. I figured I'd out myself in the title since anyone who reads this post will be able to easily tell that I know little to nothing about cycling.

I am a fairly new runner who just loves being outdoors and active. I ran my first half marathon in December and despite proper training, I have been battling shin splints since. I should be good to start running again in a week or so (hopefully) but all of this time off has made me think that I should find another activity to supplement my running. I have a feeling that I would love cycling, but I really have only used a stationary in the past decade.

So I'm turning to this forum in the hopes that I can find some information on getting started. We can't spend a lot on a bike right now (maybe $400??) and I have no idea where to begin. How can I find out what bikes would be good in my price range and what gear I will need to get started?

Any tips on getting started would be greatly appreciated.

[redrhodie]

Hi Vegmama. If I were starting out with your budget, I'd probably go into a few bike shops to see what they have available. There are bikes in your price range, but you may get a better bike if you look for something used, or NOS. Some shops, like the one I go to (which is small and independently owned), have a great selection of used bikes in storage, which you'd never know unless you asked. My shop will also broker deals between buyers and sellers, which they've done for me.

You could also try Ebay and Craigslist. If you're in a place with an active bike club, there might be a bulletin board of stuff for sale with the club. There are often bikes for sale here on the forum, too. Usually, forum members will like to know you a little before selling to you, so stick around and go here:http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=2001

The only other real necessities are a helmet and gloves, and your cell phone in case you need a ride home . You will eventually want shorts and jerseys, and shoes, but none of that is at all needed at first.

Once you find a bike you think you might want to buy, test ride it, tell us about it and the price, and someone will let you know if it sounds like a good deal. Good luck!