So I might as well be a new rider...

[WVGeo]

Hiya -

Haven't been riding for years. Neighbor gave me her old bike a couple weeks ago and all it took was about 2 minutes for me to remember the YAHOO!! reason I loved it - I'm like an alcoholic who has fallen off the wagon with it. Fortunately, it's a much healthier hobby than drinking! But now my neighbor's generosity is going to cost me money, because the bike is too big and is about 10 years old and I need to replace it with one that fits me.

I say I might as well be a new rider because so much has changed since I last bought a bike, and it's decisions decisions as to what I want/need. I found this forum and thought I'd get experienced input. Let's say I'm in the $500 to $800 price range. I live in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and we have a lot of back roads. We also have the C&O Canal Towpath nearby. I'm not inclined to true mountain biking, but I am inclined to distance riding. What would be recommended for something that can go a little off road, but won't kill be after 50 miles on pavement?

[Kris]

[QUOTE= I'm not inclined to true mountain biking, but I am inclined to distance riding. What would be recommended for something that can go a little off road, but won't kill be after 50 miles on pavement?[/QUOTE]

I will await the answers too, since that description fits me pretty well and I'm looking to upgrade. I went on the Mickelson Trail in SD this summer with some friends and everyone could go faster than I could, even downhill! I had to pedal to keep up with their coasting on the downhill stretches. I have been going to Weight Watchers since I figured out that exercise alone wasn't going to lose the weight, and I have promised myself a new bike when I get to my goal weight.

[WVGeo]

... and I have promised myself a new bike when I get to my goal weight.

No no! Wrong order! To me good bike=weight loss!

Maybe I should add to my post that I'm 5'1", and 55. But I did 22 miles on the towpath yesterday for my third ride. I just keep wondering, though, how I could have so much padding on my butt and still feel the bones through it today...

[Kris]

No no! Wrong order! To me good bike=weight loss!

Maybe I should add to my post that I'm 5'1", and 55. But I did 22 miles on the towpath yesterday for my third ride. I just keep wondering, though, how I could have so much padding on my butt and still feel the bones through it today...

Well, I tried that, and it didn't work. I don't have an oh-my-goodness-wonderful bike, but when I got it 5 years ago (when I was 55) I thought it was great, by far the best bike I'd ever had. It did get me exercising, and kept me exercising as my knees got worse, but I didn't lose weight on biking alone. Some do, I'm sure, but they must ride a lot more than I do. I'm working on increasing my mileage, but biking isn't my only interest, and I live where there are winters.

[WVGeo]

Well, I tried that, and it didn't work. I don't have an oh-my-goodness-wonderful bike, but when I got it 5 years ago (when I was 55) I thought it was great, by far the best bike I'd ever had. It did get me exercising, and kept me exercising as my knees got worse, but I didn't lose weight on biking alone. Some do, I'm sure, but they must ride a lot more than I do. I'm working on increasing my mileage, but biking isn't my only interest, and I live where there are winters.

Actually - I was kidding about that. It's just a "good" rationalization for buying a new bike. I get a lot of exercise already, but my eating and beer habits have been so bad for a few years, and then there's the whole getting older so the weight "sticks" more. So I've got about 25-30 lbs to lose as well.

I've been reading reviews of the Trek 7.3 FX WSD, and once in a while I note a "not good off road" in the rating. Anybody have any experience with that at all? Or is it more a "not a mountain bike so it feels different" rating?

[Cataboo]

it depends on what you mean by off road - it definitely doesn't have a suspension, so if you really want to do mountain biking type trails... it's not what you want. You could maybe look into cyclocross type bikes for that.

but if you just want to do gravel or unpaved tow paths, the trek is going to be fine.

the trek is aluminum... aluminum is "harsh" when you hit bumps - it's a stiff material that transmits vibrations. The Jamis that I mentioned & Zen has is steel... Steel's a more "comfy" ride because steel sort of flexes and absorbs vibrations.

[Cataboo]

Hiya -

Haven't been riding for years. Neighbor gave me her old bike a couple weeks ago and all it took was about 2 minutes for me to remember the YAHOO!! reason I loved it - I'm like an alcoholic who has fallen off the wagon with it. Fortunately, it's a much healthier hobby than drinking! But now my neighbor's generosity is going to cost me money, because the bike is too big and is about 10 years old and I need to replace it with one that fits me.

I say I might as well be a new rider because so much has changed since I last bought a bike, and it's decisions decisions as to what I want/need. I found this forum and thought I'd get experienced input. Let's say I'm in the $500 to $800 price range. I live in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and we have a lot of back roads. We also have the C&O Canal Towpath nearby. I'm not inclined to true mountain biking, but I am inclined to distance riding. What would be recommended for something that can go a little off road, but won't kill be after 50 miles on pavement?

Maybe look into one of the trek fx's? Or a touring bike? Jamis aurora?

http://bicyclebananas.com/mm5/mercha...amis_08_Aurora

[maryellen]

+1 on checking out the Trek FX models. My first bike was a Trek FX and still I love it. A wider tire and more of a tread (varying by model) than a road bike but still light enough to carry up/down steps if necessary. Several of the models would be in your price range I think. I did a week long AIDS ride of 560 miles on mine and a few other century rides, so it should work for the distances you have in mind.

[Zen]

Maybe look into one of the trek fx's? Or a touring bike? Jamis aurora?

http://bicyclebananas.com/mm5/mercha...amis_08_Aurora

Well...
Speaking from experience with the FX 7.3 and the Aurora, I'd vote for the Aurora.
It's faster on the road and will do the towpath too.