Beginner ready to get started!

[staceysue]

I'm relatively new to this, as well. I got a lot of very good suggestions from the ladies on here last year and I couldn't be happier with the bike I chose. Because I got a bike I absolutely LOVE, I spend a lot of time riding it.

I didn't have much to spend and I wanted a high-quality bike I would really enjoy riding, so I decided to go used. It took me a little extra time because I had to find somebody selling one in my size, but it was definitely worth it.

I hadn't even considered a road bike before I came on here. The skinny tires and dropped bars intimidated me, and I thought I should be looking for a comfort bike or a hybrid. I am absolutely THRILLED with my road bike. It's fast and responsive.

I would feel comfortable riding it around campus, if it had paniers on it to hold books etc., but I would worry aboutsomebody stealing it. I bought mine in a college town and while I was shopping I found a TON of really great deals on used mountain bikes in the LBSs but very few road bikes. If I was still in college, I'd probably get an adequate used mountain/hybrid bike for school and a good used road bike for "real riding'.