Big girl looking for bike to hold her goodies! Any suggestions on bikes 4me

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Here's my 2 cents...(since you asked!)

From your described situation I would say a hybrid bike might be a great choice for you to start out on and commute on. For one thing: really skinny road bike tires + heavier rider + typical commute pavement with potholes and broken glass= more flat tires to fix!

Hybrids have good sturdy commuting tires, sort of between small heavily knobbed mtn bike tires and way-skinny roadie/racing tires. They also have comfortable handlebar position for doing shorter rides and commutes. It takes racks and baskets and kickstands etc quite well too.

"Comfort/Cruiser" bikes sold to ladies may not be what you want if you start enjoying yourself and riding longer distances. They have cushy seats, can be heavy, with fewer gears for climbing hills. They are particularly good for flat neighborhoods where you are mostly using it for errands or riding with your kids.

Typical road bike crouched position may not be the most comfortable choice for a new rider commuting short distances. And if you are commuting, you may have to attach panniers or racks and such to carry clothes and laptops. Why get a racing bike for this purpose?

A hybrid bike can comfortably fill a variety of different riding situations, and if you get one that fits you well and is comfortable, you can still use it for different types of riding as you start becoming a better rider. It can handle some fairly long rides and does well on hills and has few flats.

[mtkitchn]

Happy Birthday!
I agree with the suggestions about a hybrid bike. You might even find a used bike on craigslist or at a yard sale to get you started riding, and as you learn more about your style of riding and how you'll use a bike, you can put your money toward something new that will suit your situation.
Good on you for moving where you are so close to work! Please keep posting and let us know how your new life is progressing!

[DarcyInOregon]

I agree with everyone who suggests starting with the hybrid bike. That is what I did. I want to mention some additional benefits and that is you will build muscle density faster on a hybrid because it is heavier than a road bike. My LBS told me that the 20 miles I pedal on my Trek Navigator 300 is equivalent to pedaling 40-50 miles on a road bike.

You move up to the road bike when you strongly desire to ride that 40-50 miles, not the mere 20 miles, and at higher speeds. If you are starting at base zero, it takes awhile to get your fitness level up there and for some people, they will always prefer their hybrid, but for others, they progress from the hybrid to the road bike when they really want to pedal more miles and are capable of doing so.

Darcy

[Denise223]

Hi Darcy!

Originally posted by Darcy: My LBS told me that the 20 miles I pedal on my Trek Navigator 300 is equivalent to pedaling 40-50 miles on a road bike.

I can't believe this would be true. I have a hybrid as well..... When I ride 20 miles on my Gary Fisher Nirvana --- that's exactly what it is -- "20 miles". It's not equivalent to 40 or 50 miles -- it's equivalent to 20 miles!

I wonder why your lbs said that pedaling 20 miles on your Trek Navigator is equivalent to pedaling 40 - 50 miles, if you were on a road bike????

Does this sound right to anyone?

Denise

[pooks]

Would it be because you're pedalling harder?

It does sound extreme.

[uforgot]

Hi Darcy!



I can't believe this would be true. I have a hybrid as well..... When I ride 20 miles on my Gary Fisher Nirvana --- that's exactly what it is -- "20 miles". It's not equivalent to 40 or 50 miles -- it's equivalent to 20 miles!

I wonder why your lbs said that pedaling 20 miles on your Trek Navigator is equivalent to pedaling 40 - 50 miles, if you were on a road bike????

Does this sound right to anyone?

Denise

Well, as a former Navigator owner, I'd say yes. It was a beast to pedal on the roads (and hills!) compared to my Jamis Quest. It has a fork also. I think I would classify it more as a comfort bike. I'm not sure how it compares to the Gary Fisher Nirvana. (When I first got it, it was heaven compared to Wal Mart bikes, though). And my Navigator got me started...

I sold it for a Trek 7.2fx which was lighter with no fork. It was more like a road bike than the Navigator, but definately a hybrid, and it works equally on roads or rail trails. I heartily recommend it. It's known as a "fitness" bike and now it's my commuter. You know what they say, you'll be wanting that great mountain or road bike when you decide what type of riding you will do, (because you will love riding and stick with it!) but I don't regret the 7.2fx purchase. I think it's a terrific bike to get started on and it starts in the low $400.

[uforgot]

Okay, okay, before everyone starts cracking jokes about my bike not having a fork, I meant to say suspension fork.

[KnottedYet]

My hybrid (Kona Dew) was a great purchase. $400, very user friendly, sturdy, willing, good (not great, but darn good) components. Very nice geometry. I can go fast on the road or slow in the dirt and commuting is very good with it. I even did a triathlon with it!

As I got into longer rides I knew I needed to get back onto a steel road bike, which I've done.

But I certainly have no regrets about my Kona Dew! My son will ride it until he outgrows it, then I'll take it back and use it as my commuter/wet weather/loaner bike again.

http://www.konaworld.com/shopping_ca...6&parentid=253

[eclectic]

Okay, okay, before everyone starts cracking jokes about my bike not having a fork, I meant to say suspension fork.

As I was reading I was trying to visualize what a bike would look like without a fork and thought "Whoaaaaa pretty amazing, I've got to surf, find and take a look at one of these contraptions" Thanks for the clarification - saved much web time

[DarcyInOregon]

Hi Darcy!



I can't believe this would be true. I have a hybrid as well..... When I ride 20 miles on my Gary Fisher Nirvana --- that's exactly what it is -- "20 miles". It's not equivalent to 40 or 50 miles -- it's equivalent to 20 miles!

I wonder why your lbs said that pedaling 20 miles on your Trek Navigator is equivalent to pedaling 40 - 50 miles, if you were on a road bike????

Does this sound right to anyone?

Denise

Hi Denise, it is like what others said. My Navigator is real heavy, and the tires are wide. Not only that, I have mud guards on it, a back rack and a pack. It was a good bike on which to start, and I put 1300 miles on the bike this summer. However, it is time for me to move on up and this week the bike shop is selling me a Pilot 5.2 WSD in pearl pink. It is quite fatiguing for me to pedal the Navigator over 20 miles, and I am having to adapt my diet to it, which is causing me some difficulties. I think the comfort hybrid bikes are a good starting bike for a lot of females; it made me love biking as much as I did when I was younger. I believe the LBS when they told me that pedaling the Navigator 20 miles is equivalent to pedaling a road bike 40-50 miles, because I really acquired a lot of muscle density this summer and I went down two clothing sizes. Didn't lose much weight though.

Darcy

[mimitabby]

I agree with everyone who suggests starting with the hybrid bike. That is what I did. I want to mention some additional benefits and that is you will build muscle density faster on a hybrid because it is heavier than a road bike. My LBS told me that the 20 miles I pedal on my Trek Navigator 300 is equivalent to pedaling 40-50 miles on a road bike.


Darcy

This seems to be a bit extreme to me as well. My Raleigh c700 is an aluminum hybrid and although i can't sustain high speeds as well or climb quite as fast while riding it, i wouldn't say that i was working more than 2x as hard while riding it. Maybe 20% more; so 50 miles on the road bike would be equivalent to 40 on the hybrid. And that might even be a stretch!

[BeeLady]

Hmmmm- when I rode my unicycle I always thought I was riding over the back wheel rather than the front one!

But I guess you're right - just hope the new rider who started this thread got off to a good start.

[uforgot]

This seems to be a bit extreme to me as well. My Raleigh c700 is an aluminum hybrid and although i can't sustain high speeds as well or climb quite as fast while riding it, i wouldn't say that i was working more than 2x as hard while riding it. Maybe 20% more; so 50 miles on the road bike would be equivalent to 40 on the hybrid. And that might even be a stretch!

Here is a photo of the Trek Navigator that I had. I looked at the Raleigh c700 on the Raleigh website and it isn't even close to the beast that the Navigator is. I now have a Trek 7.2fx which is very similar in style to your Raleigh, and Trek calls it a "fitness" bike. Let me tell you, that Navigator was a ton heavier, had huge tires and that big suspension fork made it even less hill friendly. I couldn't believe the difference between the fx and the Navigator. I really think the Navigator should be classified as a comfort bike. This year's model even has that weird step through design that has become so popular on the Electra bikes. I also have a Jamis road bike, and I'm gonna go on record as believing the stats the lbs gave her. I've been there and ridden them. If I were to give advice on someone just starting, I'd say get the Navigator type if you are just riding around town, riding trails, stopping at a store, etc, and get the Raleigh c700 or Trex 7.2fx if you want to ride more than 20 miles on the road and then do some rails to trails.

Seems that each company's definition of hybrid varies considerably!

[Rakekay]

Check out Spokes, Etc. right there in downtown Vienna. I've found them incredibly helpful. I too am a fairly new rider (about a year and a half) and also tall and heavy. I bought a road bike from the get-go because I knew I wanted to ride long distance and started training for a century from the very first day I bought it. That's not to say a road bike is best for you. I don't know enough about the different kinds of bikes to give you any advice there.

I will, however, echo what some others have said -- I, too, kept breaking spokes on my rear wheel. When I broke the third one in a 10-day period, I took it back to Spokes, Etc. and told them my problem. They, too, were kind enough not to tell me it was because I was too fat. They just said that bike (Specialized Sequoia) didn't come with very good wheels. They replaced my rear wheel with a sturdier one, and I haven't had a single problem since. (Now, watch, I'll break a spoke on my next ride after saying that).

And, since you're in Vienna, you probably already know about the W&OD trail -- a wonderful, wonderful place to bike, regardless of if you have a hybrid, mountain or road bike. 45 miles of nice, smooth pavement for riding!

[Duck on Wheels]

Hi, and welcome to the forum! (is that an echo???)
I too am fairly tall (5'9") and heavier than I'd like to be (about 192lbs when I (re-)started biking, about 10 less now). I started out on a "comfort bike", a Giant Se..something or other, Sedona? Sierra? Oneathose. Boy was she ever heavy! Just ask Trek420 who lifted her onto a car-top rack once! But for commuting around town and getting in shape initially, she did the job. And she was cheap. When I decided I could afford it, I traded her in and upgraded to a Trek "fitness bike". This is still a hybrid, but muuuuuch lighter weight and with a somewhat more forward-leaning sitting position (i.e. slightly more aerodynamic). Between those two, I also have an older Trek 7000 (steel hybrid) but didn't have it with me last year when I did all that biking. The 7000 is now my bad-weather bike (or will be when I get a decent saddle on it). The new faster, lighter, sleeker 7.6 will be for long rides (wheeeee ) and good-weather commutes. I may even put studded tires on the 7000 and try winter commuting this year .

The most important thing with all these bikes was how they felt when I test rode them -- how they fit, whether I was comfortable with the gear range, whether I was comfortable with the seating angle. I can't crouch double like racers do, because I wear an ostomy bag. Sitting pretty much straight up is more comfortable and down leaves me less nervous about the bandage coming undone. And I'm lousy at hills, so I need some seriously low gears ... although a few high ones for speed on the flat road or a downhill are nice too.

Anyway, the conclusion is:
Look at hybrids. There's a whole range of them from "comfort" to nearly road bikes. Within that range, you just need to test ride them and find out what feels right. If it feels right you'll ride it, and that's what you're aiming for. Have fun!