very new at this and LOVE it!!

[j.nurse63]

hello all,
I started riding my bike this spring/April...an hour a day. That turned into wanting to leave the neighborhood and explore. Now I ride into CT on quieter roads 4-6 times a week averaging 20-23 miles. It is amazing how wonderful I feel!! Unfortunately, being an ex smoker hasn't helped, but it is 18 mo behind me...forever. The wind and lung capacity should only get better!
I push around a very old, heavy "Mom" bike. Mongoose Pro I think they call it. The work out is great, but I look forward to the first road bike. I am on a tight budget with college kids...help!
A friend has said that I should not "skimp" if it is to be a possible "last bike". I have been looking at the Specialized Women Specific, reading the threads on this site
My budget thinks about trying to also consider a used bike for the moment. I really want to get out there to ride and also possibly consider group rides in the area. Can't do that on my current bike.

Any thoughts would be great! I love reading through this site! I am thrilled to have a new passion! Anyone live near Western Massachusetts?

Glad I am here! Jean

[mimitabby]

Hey Jean, welcome to TE!
how awesome that you quit smoking. I expect if you keep riding your mongoose or any bike you're going to continue to improve. It has taken me YEARS to develop wind and muscles and stamina, so be patient and keep working.

I bought a used bike on Ebay. nice bike, good deal, but it didn't fit right.

Put as much $$ as you can afford into a bike new or used. If you buy new, theoretically a bike shop person is going to help fit you to your bike; that's one of the advantages of buying new.

And something that's been discussed around here; if you're looking to get started, all you put into a bike the best value for your dollar would be up to the first $1000.00.
Then after that, you start getting less value for your dollar, you know expensive components that weigh 20 grams less than the less expensive component, but reallly don't work better and YOU can't tell the difference.
So yeah, if you think you can only buy 1 more bike, spend as much as you can and remember you're going to be buying other stuff too, like a helmet, gloves, waterbottle cages, perhaps mirrors, lights.

good luck and have fun.

[j.nurse63]

I have been looking and talking with our local shop. Great folks! I am figuring out that there is a risk buying used and not having a good fit. My head know to just wait, save and buy new but my excitement wants to get out there NOW.

Again, this shop deals in Specialized, Cannondale and Trek. I rode the Dolce. It felt so different to be over the bike as opposed to sitting so upright. But...it was so light and fast! At one point I thought, "yeah Jean, but YOU are the momentum!"

What can I expect from a bike shop in terms of "test rides". To buy a bike and only ride it for 10 min. is scarey. But to take it out for 10 miles seems unrealistic to ask for.

jean

[hipersons]

Hey J. Nurse, wecome!

I'm from Southwick. Have you ridden out there yet? I used to like to bike around the lake when I was a kid.

Anyway, I think if you wanted to go for a longer ride, as long as you left something as collateral they would be okay with it as long as you were upfront about how long of a ride you wanted to take. They want you to be super happy with your purchase so you keep coming back to them over and over and send others, and getting the perfect bike is part of that.

I just got the Dolce (white and yellow) and I love it! Gorgeous bike, beautiful ride, a huge step up from my mom's 35lb mountain bike.

[MsTerra]

I grew up in Wilbraham. When I was a teenager I would ride an old three-speed into CT, Somers and thereabouts. You're in a great location for longer rides, I think, as long as all that farm land and conservation land I remember hasn't been built up.

[bambu101]

Welcome, Jean! I am in Blandford, where it is VERY hilly.

[j.nurse63]

Hey J. Nurse, wecome!

I'm from Southwick. Have you ridden out there yet? I used to like to bike around the lake when I was a kid.

Anyway, I think if you wanted to go for a longer ride, as long as you left something as collateral they would be okay with it as long as you were upfront about how long of a ride you wanted to take. They want you to be super happy with your purchase so you keep coming back to them over and over and send others, and getting the perfect bike is part of that.

I just got the Dolce (white and yellow) and I love it! Gorgeous bike, beautiful ride, a huge step up from my mom's 35lb mountain bike.

Hipersons...Great to know that their are women close by. I drove over the bridge and started around Agawam and Suffield. It was a fun ride. I am still venturing and being a transplant to New England I am still learning the back country roads. Funny, you find that all the years of driving a car generally taking the most direct route. Now, I look for the quietest way to get to the same place on a bike. Let me know if you have any good rides in the area. I'll check out the lake!

I have been serious about the Dolce. Still unsure about the model...what I really need. The Ruby and the Dolce seem like two very different animals and the price reflects the carbon frame. This is a big learning curve. I talked to the shop and they will be happy to fit for a longer ride. Where did you shop?

[Torrilin]

Test ride different bikes. Even if you really really like one, you will get useful stuff out of other test rides. My last batch meant I got to try every major handlebar style out there, a Brooks, almost every standard wheel size (missed 16" and the various sizes of 650x). It was a lot of fun, and very useful. I took fliers on all kinds of stuff that I didn't expect to like. Turns out I don't particularly like brifters but a lot of other stuff was fun.

I also learned that I can peg a basically good fit on a very short test ride. I can't always verbalize what's wrong, but if it's bad, I won't feel right.

[KnottedYet]

What can I expect from a bike shop in terms of "test rides". To buy a bike and only ride it for 10 min. is scarey. But to take it out for 10 miles seems unrealistic to ask for.

jean

10 minutes is pretty unrealistic, really. My shop lets folks take bikes out for 10-15 MILE rides, as long as they leave their driver's license or other i.d. (so, about an hour) I tend to be careful to take a bike out twice (two different days) for about an hour or so each time before I buy it.

None of my bikes was over $1,000. My most expensive bike ($930) was major love at first ride, but I still made myself wait and test ride a second time before I bought it. (Surly Cross Check, gloss black... oooh sexy! http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck_comp.html ) My second test ride was very long, and I told the LBS I'd be gone a while. They knew I was in love with it and was gonna buy it, so no problem!

[mimitabby]

Yes, What KNot said. 10 minutes isn't near long enough for a test ride. And yes, be up front with them. Tell them how long you think you'll be out.

[j.nurse63]

10 minutes is pretty unrealistic, really. My shop lets folks take bikes out for 10-15 MILE rides, as long as they leave their driver's license or other i.d. (so, about an hour) I tend to be careful to take a bike out twice (two different days) for about an hour or so each time before I buy it.

None of my bikes was over $1,000. My most expensive bike ($930) was major love at first ride, but I still made myself wait and test ride a second time before I bought it. (Surly Cross Check, gloss black... oooh sexy! http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck_comp.html ) My second test ride was very long, and I told the LBS I'd be gone a while. They knew I was in love with it and was gonna buy it, so no problem!

yup...they were very helpful. I plan to get over to the shop next week. I am struggling with the issue of "too much bike". What I need... starting with the frame.

I am soooo hooked here. What wonderful information from some incredible ladies! Glad I am involved! A wealth of knowledge for someone like me who is so new.

[j.nurse63]

I am soooo excited!! I went to my LBS to test the Ruby Elite again. Went out for about 1.5 hrs on some of my same roads. It was a great fit...although I know my saddle may be an issue. I will ride a few times and measure my butt! They have an open saddle policy to be sure what I have is the best it can feel.

You guys have helped so much!! Thanks for all the advice...things to ask about...ways to test...bikes to consider.
my biggest fear was buying too much bike. But, I flew today and the hills that usually leave me out of breath were not the killers while on my wide tired Mongoose!

A very happy chic!! Jean