conflicted, stressed, and making this too hard!

[Geonz]

Go for the one that feels good.

IMO 8 gears would be fine - except I am an the prairie and overpasses are about as steep as we get! and b: I've never had trouble with hills. However, C: there is no hill too steep to be walked.

I guess one question to ask would be whether you're thinking of doing solo rides or club rides, and if there's a bike club, do they have "entry level" rides? The one place a "slower" bike can be a nuisance is riding with people who have faster bikes and knowing you could keep up if you had better gear. However, in our club we've sort of grown a group of people with "slower" bicycles. It wasn't always thus and I know it's not true everywhere.

In general, though... get what you will *ride.* You might end up trading in for thinner tires - that's good for 2 mph right off - but a decent hybrid can be a friend for life. I am still riding hybrids myself and I can pretty m uch ride with anybody I want to... and it all started with a Giant Nutra "entry level" one, that was the one that *felt* the best.

[Torrilin]

I just bought my second adult bike. I did a fair bit of riding as a teenager (14-18) and had some very defined desires for this bike.

- I wanted to be able to lift the bike comfortably. I'm somewhat out of shape, and I knew from experience that if I couldn't lift the bike easily, walking it up hills would *hurt*. I grew up in Pennsylvania, the Appalachian mountains are no joke. This was my one and only dealbreaker feature, since I spent years getting around on a 40 lb "mountain" bike that I couldn't ride up hills.

- I wanted a bike that would handle relatively rough road conditions. Gravel surface, potholes, ****ty road patches... I don't intend to ride offroad, but then again, on-road isn't usually smooth as glass in the upper midwest.

- I wanted a bike I could ride in the rain and snow.

- I wanted a bike that fit me reasonably well.

I also had a tiny budget (needed to come in under $500) and I needed a bike *fast*. I don't have a car, and mass transit here is kind of iffy for a lot of the errands I need to run. Also, I walk pretty fast, but more than about a 4-5 mile walk will turn into an all day trip. Fortunately, I'm pretty good at estimating weights by lifting things, and I ended up with a 25 lb mountain bike that clocks in closer to 30 after necessary additions like fenders, lights and a lock. It's a 24 speed, tho I'm not strong enough yet to use about 10 of the gears. Don't worry about not having enough gears - bike manufacturers don't want you to end up walking.

The key is to look for a bike you'll want to ride. If you've ridden recently enough to have ideas, great. If not, just accept that you will outgrow this as a primary bike sooner or later. You can't know in advance what will be best for the you-who-rides-bikes-outside.

Me? I'm already plotting a saddle adjustment. I can *feel* that's one part that's not quite right.

[SactoGal]

Go for the one that feels good.


I guess one question to ask would be whether you're thinking of doing solo rides or club rides, and if there's a bike club, do they have "entry level" rides? The one place a "slower" bike can be a nuisance is riding with people who have faster bikes and knowing you could keep up if you had better gear. However, in our club we've sort of grown a group of people with "slower" bicycles. It wasn't always thus and I know it's not true everywhere.

Great question!

I haven't gotten that far in the thought process. I know there's a team at work, but they seem to all have speedier bikes, and have been together for awhile.

I have a feeling, I'd like to ride with a few friends, but not a large group, but I'm not going to say I'll never try to find a group to ride with.

[SactoGal]

thanks for all the replies ... the anxiety level is decreasing. I know I've been stressing about it when I dream about looking at bikes, and it's the first thing on my mind when I wake up.

I think I want to make a final comparison between a Trek 7300 and 7500, Specialized Sirrus, Sirrus Sport, Crossroads Elite, Giant Cypress DX, and the Jamis bike. It still sounds like a big list, but I've actually eliminated quite a few from my list.

I have a feeling that I'll have a new bike by the beginning of June.

Then it will be on to figuring out what I need beyond a helmet (I've got my HR monitor, some tech fabric clothes but beyond that, no idea what I need).

Thanks!

[mimitabby]

right away, you need gloves and protective glasses!

[xeney]

Assuming you live in Sacramento proper and not up in the foothills somewhere, and assuming you mean the American River bike trail ... 8 gears is more than enough. There's a decent hill on the bike trail as you get up towards Folsom, and there are some overpasses here and there, but I mostly ride out there on a single speed, and even when I ride my road bike I tend to use only a couple of gears. I am not a strong rider by any stretch of the imagination ... it's just a really flat trail.

A hybrid is not a bad option at all for around town and on the bike trail, although I started to hate mine pretty quickly because it was so slow and heavy ... it's a lot of work to get very far on a hybrid, so you ride the same stretches over and over and it gets a little dull. You might do better with an entry-level or used road bike.

It's too bad College Cyclery on Freeport seems to be under new management -- they used to have a very nice selection of used road bikes, but the last time I was in there it seemed like it was mostly a bunch of old Schwinn cruisers (many marked "not for sale"). Bicycle Chef sometimes has used bikes on consignment but they tend to be fairly high-end stuff.

[SactoGal]

Assuming you live in Sacramento proper and not up in the foothills somewhere, and assuming you mean the American River bike trail ... 8 gears is more than enough. There's a decent hill on the bike trail as you get up towards Folsom, and there are some overpasses here and there, but I mostly ride out there on a single speed, and even when I ride my road bike I tend to use only a couple of gears. I am not a strong rider by any stretch of the imagination ... it's just a really flat trail.

I'm out towards the fish hatchery (probably the spot that I'd park the car). I know there are a few rises along the way, and maybe they just seem steeper when a person is out walking. LOL I don't think I'm ready to tackle the hill heading to Folsom lake yet, maybe some day


Bicycle Chef sometimes has used bikes on consignment but they tend to be fairly high-end stuff.

The woman at Bicycle Chef was the sales person suggesting the Jamis Commuter with 8 speeds. It's a real light weight bike. I am going to go ride it again (as long as they're open this weekend)

Thanks for the feedback.

[michelem]

Hey SactoGal,

I live in Folsom and normally I'm able to do that Beals Point climb without resorting to the "granny gear" (I have a triple 21 sp. mtn. bike right now). BUT, this past weekend I didn't fuel/hydrate myself properly and ended up using that "granny" for even the smallest inclines on the trail toward the end of my ride.

One thing I've learned in my test-riding is that you need to speak up and be really specific about what you need. Or, if you don't really know what you need (which is how I was in the beginning), just inundate the lbs employees with information about your riding style, goals, things that feel good or don't feel good about your current bike, etc. In the beginning, I thought I was communicating okay with the lbs guys, but turns out I wasn't because I didn't know what I needed to communicate! The more test-riding I've done the more I know what I want/need now.

Good luck to you!

[Laterider21958]

I too have a late 1970's 10 speed in the shed and last year bought a new hybrid. There was an Avanti (New Zealand made) bike sale and there were 3 bikes left. The women's bike was not my favourite colour, so I went for a men's bike. At the time we bought 2, one large and one medium (each $600 Aust).

I am 5'6" with 31" inside leg too and found the men's bike to be no problem. Just lift your leg up and over the back wheel (it helps to lay the bike over a little). The top bar of the hybrid women's bike was only about 4" lower than the men's anyway, so I thought it would not be that much different to mount.

Even though I ride the medium, I am just as comfortable on the large. (Have my seat the same height as HB's) Seat height was adjusted so I could touch the ground with toes bent (both feet) while seated, but now after a year, I have adjusted it so I can only just touch if I lean to one side a little. This height seems to suit my leg length, I still have my knee slightly bent on the down stroke and it feels comfortable when I ride.

I find the hybrid good for sealed roads (though I have not experienced the feel of a modern road bike to compare) and also ride quite a bit on unsealed roads and tracks without experiencing problems. I like the wider profile tyres - a bit extra grip in the rough. The 10 speed tyres are narrower and I don't feel as confident on unsealed surfaces, so avoid those when on it.

[Laterider21958]

Forgot to add.... the Avanti is 24 speed and I have really only used 14 of these in various conditions, including some hills. Not sure if I will ever need to use No. 1 front cog - haven't yet. Love the digit gear shift levers.

[SactoGal]

I am 5'6" with 31" inside leg too and found the men's bike to be no problem. Just lift your leg up and over the back wheel (it helps to lay the bike over a little). The top bar of the hybrid women's bike was only about 4" lower than the men's anyway, so I thought it would not be that much different to mount.

Even though I ride the medium, I am just as comfortable on the large. (Have my seat the same height as HB's) Seat height was adjusted so I could touch the ground with toes bent (both feet) while seated, but now after a year, I have adjusted it so I can only just touch if I lean to one side a little. This height seems to suit my leg length, I still have my knee slightly bent on the down stroke and it feels comfortable when I ride.

This may sound silly, but I took a pretty good fall when I was in 6th grade, broke a front tooth, so I to have this fear of falling on my face. I was very comfortable on the larger bike, but it's just the getting on and off that I need to conquer!

[plantluvver]

Are you riding your 70's vintage bike right now? I am riding an early 80's bike. For my current needs, it is probably the best thing for me, except for the low handlebars. I am not very flexible, and and thinking about swapping out the handlebars. I am riding on a paved bike lane with very low traffic, on flat terrain.

I was going to say not to worry about the accessories, but actually, there is a fair amount of essentials to buy: helmet, gloves, shorts are nice (now that I finally have a pair, I think they are worthwhile), and sunglasses, and a lock. But sorry, you said you were already stressing .

I had the 'knees rubbing my ears' experience, and the shop owner told me, "Well, inexperienced riders feel more comfortable lower to the ground." It made me unhappy that he would purposely put someone on a bike too small, rather than educate them. But I guess I can't blame him, if that get's someone to buy a bike. (Although, now I have second thoughts about going to his shop, so he's possibly lost a more discriminating customer.)

Remember, your doing this for FUN, so quit stressing . And don't feel pressured into buying a bike. Take it for granted that there is probably not one 'perfect' bike for you. Just buy what is best for the needs and style of riding you anticipate right now. And enjoy the process .

Mary

[Torrilin]

Accessories:

Are you going to ride in the rain? If yes, you need fenders. Also, a rain jacket.

Are you going to ride in the dark? If yes, you need lights. Also, reflectors and reflective tape. Go nuts.

Are you going to fall? If yes, you need a helmet and gloves. (Everyone falls btw). I'm stalling on gloves some while I figure out what I want out of them.

Are you going to ride for more than 20 minutes at a time? If yes, you need a water bottle and a way to carry it. (This doesn't mean you need to buy a water bottle cage right away... I refill a cheap 20 oz recloseable water bottle and carry it in my backpack)

Are you going to get flats? If yes (and everyone who rides will eventually answer yes) you need a spare inner tube and a way to inflate it.

I tend to forget about safety glasses. I wear regular ones and unless I'm doing serious metal shop or chemical lab stuff, they're usually ok. If you don't wear glasses, at least get *something* to protect your eyes.

All the rest of the accessories can wait til you know what you (and your bike) need.

[northstar]

Hi there!

I had an 05 Giant Cypress DX. It was my first "adult" bike. It was perfect for what I wanted: running errands, riding paved trails, tooling around comfortably. Sadly, some scummy bike thief stole it a couple of weeks ago.

I loved it and miss it. (That being said, I did go and spring for a road bike less than a year after I got the hybrid. But I think both bikes have their purpose. A hybrid will NOT end up being a waste of money if you wind up getting a roadie. The hybrid serves a lot of purposes, well!)

Good luck, and have fun! I hope you get hooked as fast as I did!

[SactoGal]

Accessories:

Are you going to ride in the rain? If yes, you need fenders. Also, a rain jacket.

I've got a good "shorter" coat that was too short for walking, so it'll probably work well for riding, it's even a bright yellowish color. I like the idea of fenders regardless ... I do have memories of that splat of mud up the center of my shirt back from riding in damp conditions.

Are you going to ride in the dark? If yes, you need lights. Also, reflectors and reflective tape. Go nuts.

Not sure about this one .. but I would think the reflective items could be good even at dawn and dusk (if I get out at that time ..LOL)

Are you going to fall? If yes, you need a helmet and gloves. (Everyone falls btw). I'm stalling on gloves some while I figure out what I want out of them.

I was planning on a helmet ... is there a brand that's better than others. I understand they all have to pass the same saftety standards, but all they all considered equal? Gloves ... sounds like it's something to learn more about.

Are you going to ride for more than 20 minutes at a time? If yes, you need a water bottle and a way to carry it. (This doesn't mean you need to buy a water bottle cage right away... I refill a cheap 20 oz recloseable water bottle and carry it in my backpack)

Ah ... got lots of bottles from my distance walking ..I think I'm covered, although I do need a way to put them on the bike.

Are you going to get flats? If yes (and everyone who rides will eventually answer yes) you need a spare inner tube and a way to inflate it.

Can I just skip the flat thing? LOL ...

I tend to forget about safety glasses. I wear regular ones and unless I'm doing serious metal shop or chemical lab stuff, they're usually ok. If you don't wear glasses, at least get *something* to protect your eyes.

I've got quite a few pairs of older, prescription sunglasses, I hope they'll do the trick.

All the rest of the accessories can wait til you know what you (and your bike) need.

Thanks for all the info, my husband is going to love the shopping list!