Three questions about bike shopping

[PamNY]

I hope these thoughts, however disorganized, help a little bit.

Yes, it helps a lot. I was just about to delve into the difference in road and touring bikes, but I carry quite a bit on the bike for my birdwatching trips, and I might do credit card touring -- so researching touring bikes is on my agenda now. Thanks very much for your reply.

[Grog]

Yes, it helps a lot. I was just about to delve into the difference in road and touring bikes, but I carry quite a bit on the bike for my birdwatching trips, and I might do credit card touring -- so researching touring bikes is on my agenda now. Thanks very much for your reply.

Some further notes:

Hybrid bikes
Loosely refers to bikes with flat bars, although there are subtleties regarding frame geometry that are beyond me. 700c wheels is typical. Can be more upright ("comfort") or more sporty riding position.
Usually running bigger tires for easier handling on gravel trails.
Usually easy to fit a rear rack on. I never saw one with a front rack but I guess it can be done.
Some models have disk brakes.
Some models can be very heavy due to added suspension at the fork and seat, which I personally see as useless and cumbersome, but to each their own. Others are quite lean with carbon fork and lighter tubing.
You can sort of tell what kind of buyer the manufacturer had in mind when you look at the saddle...
Typically aluminum but there are other options.
Typically in the $300 to $1200 range.

Road bikes
This could be hotly debated I'm sure, but commonly refers to bikes with drop bars, a somewhat lighter frame, 700 or 650 wheels. Tire size varies depending on the bike's purpose: generally speaking, racing bikes will take very small tires (700X23) while touring bikes will accommodate 700X35 (for all-terrain riding and comfort) with fenders, rack, etc.
Can be of many varieties, the vocabulary of which is not agreed on: racing (focused on speed, handling, and efficiency), club (similar to racing but more relaxed and comfortable), touring (longer wheel base to accommodate the cargo), (cyclo)cross (higher bottom bracker to go over obstacles more easily), etc.
Made of steel, aluminum, carbon, titanium, bamboo (not kidding!)... sky's the limit, depending on your budget.

This being said...
I do my credit-card, not-too-long-distance touring on my hybrid bike (Trek 7.2fx) because it's my only bike with a rack, and it's comfortable enough for up to 2-hour rides, as long as I don't do that every day. It's probably about 10 pounds heavier than my road bike, but once I'm loaded with full panniers who cares? It's reasonably good quality, so when I pedal it actually transfers my energy to the wheels and I go forward. I am currently working on getting a steel bike for light touring, but it's really a luxury more than a necessity considering what's in my stable... although it will be very nice to have the drop bars for long-distance riding.

Some members of my club go touring on heavy mountain bikes. They don't seem to be phased by it. (However, they probably don't go up and down stairs as often as you do.)

Folding bikes - which also come in many varieties - are also an option and some can be light weight.

Be aware that weight is very relative. My husband's racing Cervélo bike is about 15 pounds, but also more expensive than all of our other bikes together (and we have quite a few). Some people pay big $$$ to shave just grams off their bike. At 25-30 lbs, including accessories but not panniers, you have a very reasonable hybrid. For reference, a typical Walmart bike would be over 40 lbs. Weight matters a lot on hills, but I think the big difference from one bike to another is efficiency of energy transmission. I have a cheap aluminum hybrid that just eats up all of the power I put through the pedals. It's maddening! On my road bike with high-grade components and wheels, I just think about going forward and it's already gone!

Just go out there and try some bikes, both hybrid and road, both within your budget and beyond. See what happens!

Have fun! Bike shopping can be fun.

[PamNY]

Very helpful! Thank you, Grog.

[ccnyc]

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[MollyJ]

Helpful thread. I have a mountain bike that I have put smooth tires on and I really like it. But my top speed is not that great (avg 14 mph). While I have no interest in racing, mph does equal distance traveled in one hour and I'd like to extend my range with a faster bike, so I am thinking road bike.

I bike in KS mostly on paved roads and (medium sized) city streets. I would like to bike further and do some extended rides.

I really hear what the above poster said about riding bikes to try them out. My DH got all excited about a recumbent bike and so I rode it. It was nice but it did not make my heart go pitter-pat.

The thing that makes me the most nervous is adjusting to the forward and down handlebars on a road bike, so I'd be interested to hear from others about that.

My current bike is probably older than my 18 y/o son--and it has small levers for derailleurs and classic brakes on the handlebars. I understand there is some new stuff there. Any preferences or thoughts about that?

[redrhodie]

Another thing that might be helpful is to bring your current bike with you as you bike shop. That way, the shop can see how you're set up already, and you can tell them what you like and dislike about your bike, so they won't be starting from scratch.

[Catrin]

Yes, it helps a lot. I was just about to delve into the difference in road and touring bikes, but I carry quite a bit on the bike for my birdwatching trips, and I might do credit card touring -- so researching touring bikes is on my agenda now. Thanks very much for your reply.

Also not that touring bikes do not have to have road bars. I switched out the road bars on my Surly Long Haul Trucker for riser mountain bars and am very happy with it. We will see how my hands feel after a long day's riding - but so far so good - though I've yet to exceed 3.5 hours on the bike.

A lot of us love the Surly LHT, the Jamis Aurora and the Trek 420(?). The smaller sizes aren't that heavy, they are steel and ride beautifully. I think Cannondale makes an aluminum touring bike? It might be lighter in weight over the steel.

For light/credit-card touring you might want to consider a cross-bike. I considered this when I started looking for a touring bike as they will take rear racks.