Want to start Riding but feeling a bit overwhelmed and defeated.

[Penny4]

Welcome Ojo...

I'll tell you my story I hadn't ridden a bike since i was a teenager. One summer (as an adult) I bought a big box comfort bike. After riding a few weeks, I wished I had a bike that could go faster. THe next summer i bought an FX. Based on my goals, the sales guy strongly suggested a road bike. However, I REFUSED to even sit on one....not me, no way, no how will I ever ride a road bike! I rode the FX for a summer, and was able to keep up roadies, but definitely in the slower groups. At the end of that summer, I decided I wanted a a road bike and then bought one

Now, with all of that being said, I'm not sure I would have felt comfortable right away on the road bike instead of the FX, but i think if i would have adapted just fine.

If you get a road bike, you should have someone spend some time giving you a lesson on how to use it. I never had a geared bike as a kid, and barely knew how to work the big box bike. I actually watched a lot of you tube videos and read articles on line to learn how to shift. (I didn't really have anyone to ride with at that time.)

Is budget a factor for you? If not, you could get an FX (or similar) now, and then keep it for light trail riding, knocking around town kind of riding in the future, if you upgrade to a road bike.

Could you rent a road bike for a day to see how you feel on it?

Good luck in your search! Lots of folks post this exact same dilemma when starting out....

[Bike Writer]

Welcome!

Only you can decide ultimately, however you're looking for opinions so this is my take. You haven't ridden in a while and seem a little tentative about the road bike from your test ride. Yes, you just might get real relaxed soon on one or you may be afraid of it and end up not riding because of that. You have a daughter who you said will need a bike. Depending on your pocketbook, you could get a new bike that she can end up using if you need to move up, or you can get a craigslist bike and if you want to upgrade in a couple of months you can post it back on craigslist and probably won't lose a dime on the deal if you shop smart. If you end up really getting into cycling you'll want a better bike at some point and at that time deal with a local bike shop and invest in a good quality bike. Until you know if you're going to like it it's kind of a crap shoot and it could get expensive. Money's no object? Go for the moon out of the chute.

Beware, this is an addictive sport!

[ojoscafes]

Welcome!

Only you can decide ultimately, however you're looking for opinions so this is my take. You haven't ridden in a while and seem a little tentative about the road bike from your test ride. Yes, you just might get real relaxed soon on one or you may be afraid of it and end up not riding because of that. You have a daughter who you said will need a bike. Depending on your pocketbook, you could get a new bike that she can end up using if you need to move up, or you can get a craigslist bike and if you want to upgrade in a couple of months you can post it back on craigslist and probably won't lose a dime on the deal if you shop smart. If you end up really getting into cycling you'll want a better bike at some point and at that time deal with a local bike shop and invest in a good quality bike. Until you know if you're going to like it it's kind of a crap shoot and it could get expensive. Money's no object? Go for the moon out of the chute.

Beware, this is an addictive sport!

I am married to a pretty big addict. He hasnt written in a year and just getting back. He got out of the USMC and we have been transitioning to civilian life.
I have a really funny feeling, I will totally get addicted.

[ny biker]

I am married to a pretty big addict. He hasnt written in a year and just getting back. He got out of the USMC and we have been transitioning to civilian life.
I have a really funny feeling, I will totally get addicted.

My first bike as an adult was a mountain bike, though I rode it more on paved trails than on dirt. I rode some pretty long distances on it and then decided to get a road bike so I could ride centuries. I remember feeling very unstable on the narrow road bike tires the first couple of times that I rode it, but I adjusted quickly. I still have the mountain bike, though I don't use it much. But it's a nice change of pace to ride it from time to time.

Whatever bike you decide to start with, just go at your own pace while you get accustomed to it. The advice to start at a school parking lot or quiet street is good. Take your time getting a feel for the bike and getting used to the shifting. You'll be up and riding in no time.

Thanks to your husband for his service, and to your family. Semper Fi!

[Velocivixen]

I was sort of in your situation. I rode a "10 speed" Schwinn Le Tour (drop bar, gears, etc) from age 13 to 23, then essentially little to no riding (mostly on the wrong kinds of bikes for me) until about 2 years ago. I bought a Trek FX 7.3 and LOVED IT. I put probably 2,000 miles on in 10 months. However I wanted more hand positions and decided I wanted steel, so 10 months after buying the FX, I bought a Surly Cross Check and never looked back. So many more hand positions available with drop bars, etc. I ride with platform pedals with no interest in clipless pedals, so if you go straight for a road bike you might want do get some cheap platforms until you get comfortable with everythng else, then switch to clipless if that's your ultimate goal. I think it's better not to try to learn too many different things at once, however everyone is different.
I will say that the FX is a great bike and if you got it first, nothing wrong with saving it for an "errand" bike or such - fenders, racks, a bell, etc. This would be a totally different set up than you'd have on a traditional road bike which won't have room/eyelets for fenders, racks, etc.

So...you could easily go either way. Have fun!

[Crankin]

I started on a mountain bike with slick tires, after not riding much for years... I had both 5 and 10 speed road bikes that would now be considered classics, but I didn't ride them a lot. First year, I rode 800 miles on that mountain bike. Second year, in Sept., DH took me to buy a road bike. The shop tried to steer me to a flat bar roadie, but I knew better and bought an entry level Cannondale with drop bars. I had it a year and upgraded to a Trek carbon bike. That was 13 years ago and I now have a carbon road bike and a titanium custom road bike that I have a rack on, good for both road riding and casual stuff. I am so glad I didn't get the flat bar road bike that the shop was pushing on me. I had no trouble adjusting to the road bike and I am not that coordinated.
Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a flat bar road bike. I had a Jamis Coda, like Murienn speaks of, for 4 years, as an errand/around town bike. I loved it. I sold it when I bought my custom bike, but eventually, I will get some kind of around town bike like it.

[OakLeaf]

Yeah, I should add also that after tens of thousands of miles on road bikes, including commuting, recreational riding, solo unsupported touring and local/regional racing, I burned out hard and didn't ride anything non-motorized for 10 years. In the interim I *did* ride motorcycles, so it wasn't like I wasn't riding anything on two wheels. But when I first test rode my hybrid, probably over 40# with an upright riding position and a long wheelbase, I literally thought I was going to fall right off the thing.

They say you can't forget how to ride a bike, but I sure came close to forgetting. It wasn't long before I was comfortable on the hybrid, but it was NOT instant, either.

Getting back on a road bike was more of an emotional barrier than a physical one, for me, but when it happened, I'd already been riding the hybrid for three years and at least 1,000 miles. And I still have my errand bike.

[lgibster]

I too started riding again about 3 years ago at 39 years old. I chose a Specialized Vita Elite (hybrid) sicne I liked the idea of having numbers to see which gear I was riding in. I rode about 2000 miles on that bike and decided that I wanted to do metric centuries and maybe one day a full century. I traded my hybrid in on my road bike (full carbon frame). I would suggest a good local bike shop (LBS) that would be willing to trade up when and if you decide to trade for a road bike. A friend of mine rented a bike on the weekends for three weekends in a row to get "used to" riding again, she then went to the LBS and purchased a road bike because she fell in love with riding. Either way get the bike you feel confident riding.

[ojoscafes]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. Its true I had the whole intention to get a road bike. After having my life flash before my eyes, i just got scared.

Getting a rental bike is an option. My daughter is 52" and half, so roughly 4 foot 4 1/2. So that might be a very good possibility, lol
I have been reading alot of the threads about people getting the hang of it more quickly then I imagined. I really want to do cycling for the endurance and miles. Which is why i am weary of the FX.

Thanks so much for the encouragement. Its exactly what I needed. I will let you all know how it plays out.

[Owlie]

Welcome to TE, Ojoscafes!

My advice: I'm with goldfinch on this. If you're getting your daughter a bike, there's no reason you can't use the one she's getting to learn how to ride a bike again. I will say that this forum does tend to skew "roadie" to some degree, and there's nothing wrong with flat-bar road bikes/fitness hybrids/whatever they're calling them now. If you think you'll want to do distance in the future, get your daughter a bike, then get the roadie, or a nicer FX. Are you planning on riding with your husband?

I got into cycling after not having ridden a bike for ten years, and the last bike I had was the single-speed with a coaster brake that I had as a kid. I learned to ride again by borrowing a friend's mountain bike. I was planning to get Giant's equivalent of the FX, but since the people I thought I'd be riding with had road bikes, I decided to go ahead and get the Avail. Yes, the first few rides were...interesting, to say the least, but I'm glad I bought the road bike.

[ojoscafes]

Welcome to TE, Ojoscafes!

My advice: I'm with goldfinch on this. If you're getting your daughter a bike, there's no reason you can't use the one she's getting to learn how to ride a bike again. I will say that this forum does tend to skew "roadie" to some degree, and there's nothing wrong with flat-bar road bikes/fitness hybrids/whatever they're calling them now. If you think you'll want to do distance in the future, get your daughter a bike, then get the roadie, or a nicer FX. Are you planning on riding with your husband?

I got into cycling after not having ridden a bike for ten years, and the last bike I had was the single-speed with a coaster brake that I had as a kid. I learned to ride again by borrowing a friend's mountain bike. I was planning to get Giant's equivalent of the FX, but since the people I thought I'd be riding with had road bikes, I decided to go ahead and get the Avail. Yes, the first few rides were...interesting, to say the least, but I'm glad I bought the road bike.

Yes, the ultimate thing is for my husband and I to ride together. The hope is to do charity group rides and stuff like that.