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'.

[ColoKate]

I just wanted to chime in with staceysue...I was against a road bike with skinny tires and dropped bars and special shoes because it intimidated me, however I waited to make a decision and passed on quite a few hybrid bikes I was SURE was "the one" and I'm so glad I did. I mulled it over and got lots of input from others, all who steered me toward a road bike. I was impatient and wanted to jump on every bike I looked at, but again waited and snagged a great deal on craigslist - a $1200+ bike hardly used for just $400. It's serving me well on the downtown roads and paved bike paths so far. Just loving it. Good luck searching, and enjoy!

[LAM]

Thanks for all the advice...I looked at my LBS and they had a used FUJI road bike for $400, and they told me it was the size i needed. I was just wondering if anyone had any feedback on this brand. He also said it weighed 24 pounds, and I was wondering if this is considered too heavy?

[staceysue]

I don't know anything about the different brands but if you use the "search" function at the top of the page you can see what everybody's said about their Fujis. If you know the model and year, you can see what it cost new. Did you give it a test drive?

[roguedog]

Thanks for all the advice...I looked at my LBS and they had a used FUJI road bike for $400, and they told me it was the size i needed. I was just wondering if anyone had any feedback on this brand. He also said it weighed 24 pounds, and I was wondering if this is considered too heavy?

Lam, can you provide a bit more info like model and componentry? Fuji's are pretty good bikes. I think of them as good value bikes.

Also were you able to take it out for a decent ride .. like 40 minutes or more? HOw did you like the ride? Did you feel any discomfort? Did it feel rough or sooth? How did you like it?

These days there are good deals on craigslist for used bikes. As someone mentioned will you be using this for road riding or for commuting to school? IF the latter, I'd be afraid of getting too nice a bike.

And I dunno bout TSU but my college had auctions for bikes on campus. These were run by the campus police and I got decent deal on a bike.. which I think got stolen, if I recall.