holy hell i'm overwhelmed! PLEASE HELP!

[tulip]

earthgirl, kudos for taking the big step and living healthily.

No matter how much a deal a bike is, if it doesn't fit, it's not a deal. You will end up being uncomfortable riding it, and then you won't want to ride it.

Like others have said, bikes are not like cars. You can't just trade it in. Some shops will sell bikes on consignment, others will not. You may well end up with a bike that doesn't fit and have to deal with the hassle of selling it.

I suggest taking your time and getting a bike that fits you properly. Praying it will fit will not change the size of the bike.

[earthgirl]

okay so i went ahead and bought the bike from my friend because, like i said - it's the only thing i can afford, the final price was $250 plus 1/8 tank of gas.

So does it fit? I don't really know what an actual good fit is... so I can't say for sure. Edit: I lowered the seat, my feet are flat on the floor. (i previously said that my heal comes a 1/4 inch or less off of the floor...)

And this may be because I'm so heavy -but I noticed that when I stand on it, the tires flatten out a bit. Not completely, but more than I expected it to...

I haven't actually ridden it yet, so I don't know if this the case when I ride it.


***the reason I haven't been on it yet, is b/c there's a hurricane coming through and my friend's city is being evacuated. So I just picked up the bike from him and head out of dodge like the rest of the people. I'm going to ride it tonight :-)


i really can't say thank you enough to everyone on this thread. You seriously helped out a great deal. I wish I could have fixed up the Schwinn first, like so many advised... but it wouldn't fit in my car (the wheel can't come off b/c it's rusted over...). sad :-(. and I didn't want this trek to be gone by the time i figured out the cost of fixing the schwinn...

<3

I gotta say though, everytime I glance over at the Trek... i fall in love a little bit...

[wackyjacky1]

I am assuming you're here in Texas because you said there was a hurricane coming? If so, I'm always glad to see another Texan!

Regarding the tires, they're probably not fully inflated. Check the sidewall and see what they should be inflated to. My FX has 700x35 Bontrager tires that call for 60-80 psi. I pump mine all the way up to 80. Fully inflated tires deter flats, and as Martha Stewart might say, that's a good thing! You'll probably want to invest in a pump with a gauge. I got a cheapie one from Wally-World -- a Schwinn something-or-other -- that's kind of a piece o' crap until you figure out its quirks. Or spend a few buck more (maybe around $40 or so?) and get a decent quality one from your LBS.

Search TE for tips on bike fit, like saddle height. Basically you want just a slight bend at the knee when your foot is on the pedal and the pedal is at its lowest point. After that, I think you'll just have to ride it to get a feel for what you like and don't like, and adjust from there.

As for clothing, if you're like me and aren't quite ready to do the lycra thing, check out underliners -- they're padded shorts designed to go under regular shorts. The TE store has 'em. I recently got a pair and love 'em.

Rock on!

[Biciclista]

If your feet are flat on the floor your saddle is too low!!
that's really hard on your knees!!

but the good news is it sounds like the bike fits. Get some air in those tires and go riding (well, as soon as the hurricane blows through)

[earthgirl]

If your feet are flat on the floor your saddle is too low!!
that's really hard on your knees!!

but the good news is it sounds like the bike fits. Get some air in those tires and go riding (well, as soon as the hurricane blows through)

Really?!?!? I thought it should be flat on the floor.... maybe I read it wrong.

Okay well that's good to know! I don't need it on the lowest setting then :-)

[celerystalksme]

Really?!?!? I thought it should be flat on the floor.... maybe I read it wrong.

Okay well that's good to know! I don't need it on the lowest setting then :-)

the proper seat height vaguely/generally works like this: your saddle is the right height if your knee is just slighly bent while your foot is on the pedal at the lowest point of the pedal stroke.

so if you're sitting on the seat and your feet are flat on the ground, the seat is too low.

as for the tires squishing down a bit when you get on...you'll have to make sure that it's inflated enough. inflate up to the max psi printed on the tire sidewall. also...there might be a weight concern...seat posts, frames, wheels/tires have gross and rider weight limits. my suspicion is that everything will be ok except maybe the wheels/tires. i had a friend that bought a trek 7300 fx...he was around 280lbs...trek said everything would be fine except the wheels. so he head to get sturdier tires.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Remember that wheels (rims), tires, and tubes are three separate things.

You don't want to ride that bike without enough air in the tubes or it might pinch the tube against the rim edge and give you a flat tire. When you sit on the bike the tire should only flatten down a little bit, not much.

If you start riding and a spoke breaks then that *might* indicate you need rims (wheels) built for a heavier rider. I don't think weight matters so much with the tires and tubes though, as long as they are in good shape.

[Kano]

Earthgirl, the slightly bent knee thing when your foot is on the pedal is the best thing -- I always have to get off my saddle when I stop in order to reach the ground.

I know it takes a while to get there, and each in her own time, but the lycra on our big butts isn't such a bad thing -- if people don't like it, well, tough: you're USING that butt of yours, they're probably just sitting on theirs!

Karen in Boise (who's still 5'4" but not 236 anymore!)

[wildhawk]

I was hesitant to wear cycling shorts too, but believe me when I say they make a huge difference in your comfort. I ordered mine right off TE and they were inexpensive - $29.95 Cannondale. Glad that you decided on the Trek - sounds like it will fit you. Happy riding!

[earthgirl]

Thanks for the tip!!! you're right... i'm SO not ready for lycra. I can't even imagine a day that I will be.... seriously...

yup - i'm from Houston!!

My friend who sold me the bike lives out by Galveston... they ordered an evacuation... I'm not sure if it was voluntary or mandatory.. But all the billboard flashy sign things were like "HURRICANE EVACUATION IN EFFECT" or something close to that.

So I got the bike, and sped off before traffic hit :-)