which bike for newbie?

[jobob]

Hi Brigid -

Welcome to the boards!

It's so hard to get that first bike. Especially if you haven't been riding much, your body doesn't really know yet what does and doesn't work for you. So odds are, if you're bit with the bug, your first bike won't be your last .

I'd definitely go with a shop with salespeople that are easy to talk to, are willing to answer your questions, and will let you bring the bike in for the inevitable adjustments you'll want to make as your body settles in. Check to see if the shop gives clinics on simple repairs and adjustments, that's a great way to get to know your shop and to get to know your bike. If they give beginner's riding clinics, all the better. If you have a car or some other way to transport your bike, I wouldn't settle on a shop only because it's close by, but that's a reasonable deciding factor to use if you've narrowed it down to 2 bike shops that are otherwise about equal.

You're doing the right thing in asking around, too. Just remember that opinions are like (fillintheblank)s, everybody has one. Someone might praise a shop to the hills and the next person you ask might say that same shop is the pits. But if you gather enough data, a trend might emerge.

I don't know anything about the bikes you listed, sorry....

Best of luck, and let us know how it goes!

PS - are you in th East Bay, or the Penninsula? I might be able to recommend specific shops to you. Send me a PM (personal message) if you prefer.