Newbie, bike ?'s

[toughlove]

Hi all,

First, let me introduce myself. I'm Leah. I am 18 years old and just got into cycling. My dad has been riding for years and trying to get me into it, and I finally caved. Well, I love it. I'm currently riding my dad's old nishiki road bike, which, asside from being a little too long for me has somewhat fear-inducing brakes (read, takes a quarter mile to stop). I'm looking into buying a new bike, it won't be really soon, but probably in the next few months. It would be promarily for weekend cycling with a few benefit rides (like the MS 150) that I'm working up to being able to do with my dad next year. I will probably take it to college in Vermont with me and join the cycling club. I'd prefer a bike somewhere around the $1000 price range with the oportunity to improve on it should I need to later. So my questions are:

Is a WSD bike better in any way than a unisex?

Is it worth it to look for a used bike and where are good places to look?

what are some features that I should look for in the frame?

are there any makes or models that I should stay away from?

My dad just bought a Trek Pilot last year and he let me ride it last week, it was mighty comfy.

[Kitsune06]

Hi Leah!
Congratulations on starting into the world of cycling! I'll take the first crack at your questions, and the more experienced among us will correct me.


Is a WSD bike better in any way than a unisex?
It definately depends on your build. WSD bikes tend to have shorter grip-distances for the brakes, among other things.

Is it worth it to look for a used bike and where are good places to look?

Used bikes can definately be worth while, but be very careful to inspect the frames for cracks, and make sure all the components are in good shape, or count their replacement/upgrade into the overall cost. A lot of grand old ladies of the bike world are very worth repair and have many, many miles in them yet.

what are some features that I should look for in the frame?
This is best left for our experienced ladies...

are there any makes or models that I should stay away from?

You mentioned taking your bike to college with you.... I'd stay away from taking a *new* or *good* bike to school. Sadly, lots of people who go to college are still just big kids and will trash or steal someone's perfectly nice bike. I'd take an old beater or if need be just a GoodWill bike tweaked into good performance.

As far as the Nishiki, I'd have an LBS take a look at the brake pads, cable wear and tensioning, etc, or at least go to parktool.com and have at it yourself if you're so mechanically inclined. There's just no excuse for unsafe brakes. If the bike is truly *that* old, it might need new pads.

[CyclChyk]

Hi all,


Is a WSD bike better in any way than a unisex?

Is it worth it to look for a used bike and where are good places to look?

what are some features that I should look for in the frame?

are there any makes or models that I should stay away from?

My dad just bought a Trek Pilot last year and he let me ride it last week, it was mighty comfy.

Hi Leah! Welcome!

First let me start by saying that I am in no way one who is very knowledgeable with cycling so all I can offer you is input into beginners experience (mine specifically). A WSD bike works for smaller women but if you are like me, 5'7, long, etc, then a mans frame works just as well. I have a Giant OCR that is a medium mans frame and its perfect for my size. The only thing I needed to change out was for smaller handlebars.

As far as what kind of bike to get, I would highly reccommend test riding any bike you are interested in. The geometry of the different brands will make the ride feel differently. Some will feel good, others won't. Also you can probably get a used bike with more quality parts for a better price than a new bike with the same parts (i.e. gears, brakes, etc).

Then you have your choice of steel/aluminum/carbon fiber frames. It is my understanding that the lighter the bike, the faster you can go. Also, the lighter the bike, the more expensive they get. So decide what your needs are going to be and utilize your fathers knowledge. It sounds like he has been riding awhile, so he may be able to help you decide what would work best for you.

I realize my response probaby didn't do anything in helping narrow your options but we can pretend, right?

[trickytiger]

Okay, in my somewhat limited experience, here's my input to your questions.

I'm 5'8 and found the best fit on a WSD. Why? Long legs, very short torso. I just simply couldn't reach the handlebars on a men's bike. I ride a 56 cm bike that has a short top tube to address that issue. Besides a little toe overlap (toes potentially touching front wheel when I turn), it's been great. It just comes down to your size and proportions, whether you are most comfy on a WSD or men's bike.

Other than that- I will echo the advice above. Bring a road bike with you to college..... and then ride it OFF campus and guard it with your life. Buy a $50 "beater bike" to commute with or to cruise campus with- then you won't be heartbroken when someone steals it.

[jenxxs]

Hi Leah,
I can relate to your beginner's questions, because I'm at the end of my first season of cycling. Knew nothing at the beginning, but learned by doing a summer charity ride similar to the MS150. Just traded in my first purchase for a much more suitable bike for me.

From what I can tell from reading this forum, as well as my own experience - it takes a certain amount of road cycling experience to figure out your riding needs and style. If you have an excellent relationship with a good bike shop, their advice can help you make the best possible choice of first bike. But there's still no substitute for learning through your own experience. Also, please keep in mind that there are many people out there who favor one material over another (steel, aluminum, carbon, titanium, etc.), and that may influence their advice to you. What most people seem to agree on is that proper fit to your body dimensions is most important - you can have the most expensive bike in the world, but if it doesn't fit, you won't be happy.

Because of the importance of very careful fit, there are a couple of ways you could go - pay a bike store for a fitting session, or if you're lucky, maybe you know someone who can give you expert advice. A cheaper (free) option is the one I took: take careful measurements of yourself, and use an online fit calculator as a ***starting point*** for narrowing down possible brands and models. (I repeat, this is just a starting point!!!) The calculator that I found to be very helpful and easy to use was at wrenchscience.com.

If you take those measurements very carefully (get someone to help you), you will find that certain brands/models will emerge as good candidates for you to consider first, because of their geometries. I think it's a reasonable way for a newbie to try narrowing down the field, and to come up with a reasonable list of bikes to test ride. Also, this is exactly how the expensive custom framebuilders start their process - by having the customer fill out a questionnaire that includes all of the key measurements.

I actually put enough faith in the calculator's output for me to buy my current bike on eBay, based only on its geometry and my current knowledge of my riding preferences, with no test ride. So far - very happy!

Given your budget, it might not be such a crazy idea to spend $100-200 on a fitting session, and then the rest of the money on getting the best possible used bike you can find that fits your dimensions. There are a lot of barely used bikes out there, because road cycling is definitely a sport that many people try and quit rather quickly. Also because many people get their size wrong the first time!

Good luck finding your first bike! --Jen