Inspired to say hi

[tbl35]

Been trying to find a message board and stumbled across this one while buying an actual cycling jersey (cotton t-shirts in Florida are not cutting it!). Am impressed enough at the friendliness that I wanted to say hi, so...hello!

Got a bike in an effort to try & find some physical activity I can enjoy and loving it so far. Wish I had tried this earlier as it's 90 pretty much every day now here in Central FL so it's tough to find a good time to ride.

Most of you seem to have nice bikes, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who started with a $100 Walmart deal, right?! Like I said, I'm enjoying it, but it's a no-speed cruiser and man is it hard to deal with even the slightest incline. The bike trail near my house is fine as it's very flat. The husband & I can manage about 7 miles there now, but in the neighborhood I can do maybe 2 or 3 before I'm tuckered out & getting wobbly legs. Am having some problems with sore arms but I just raised the seat & am trying to get the handlebars up enough so I'm still sitting upright. Haven't found the right balance yet. I have a plate in my left wrist from breaking it a few years back so I think any leaning forward would cause me more discomfort.

I know you all would be guessing, but would some speeds help with being able to go further while being more comfortable? I like the upright/cruising style, does anyone manage to do 10+ miles on those? For anyone else who started with the cheapie bike, how long did you stick with it before upgrading and what are the biggest differences between a cheapie and a "good" bike?

I think am just babbling because I found a group where I can get some info & have some bike chat. Yay! Also sort of in a hurry, so please excuse bad grammar or spelling lol.

[Roadtrip]

Welcome!! Glad you found TE. There are several members on this forum from Florida and yes, many that started out on Wally World bikes.. Most important part is your having fun and enjoying your bike.

You may find it helpful to visit your local bike shop as they may be able to offer some very specific advise about your injury and any concerns about being forward on the bike. I too had an injury, to my lower back, so I thought I'd never ride a road bike due to the extreme position, but with some professional fitting, I'm riding happily these days and enjoying my time on the bike

Good luck!!

Shannon

[Reesha]

Welcome, welcome! The first bike I bought myself wasn't ultra cheap, but it was a $400 low-end Gary Fisher mountain bike. I loved the heck out of it and rode it everywhere. I think after a while I just felt the need for speed and mountain bikes are fairly specialized. I started shopping around for a real road bike two years later. It was the rode bike that really changed the way I was riding around... and some days I really miss those leisurely "Townie" style rides that aren't all ridiculously hard work all the time. I'm glad I went down that road though, because I love what hard road biking and hard mountain biking do for my health and energy levels. Plus I feel a great sense of accomplishment in many different aspects of cycling.

Generally speaking, you pay more for the quality of the bike components and when you spend more money, it makes a big difference when it comes to ease of shifting/braking, frequency of required maintenance and durability. You also start seeing the weight of bikes drop off fairly sharply.

Anyway, if you love it on a bike that is not the greatest, then think how much you'll love it when you upgrade eventually!

[blackhillsbiker]

My friend has a Specialized Ariel that she really loves. We've done some really long rides together. It is upright and comfortable for her, with nice components. Just one to think about. I had a Cannondale Comfort 400 as my first nice bike. More upright bikes don't have to be low end and heavy. Some are quite nice.

Welcome to TE. A search here on just about any topic will get you lots of help, reviews from women of all body types, preferences and fitness levels, and more woman-specific answers than you will find anywhere else on the net.

Deb

[lph]

Welcome! A bike to enjoy riding on does not have to be an expensive bike, and it can certainly be upright. But it does have to be in good working order, and it shouldn't be too heavy, especially if you're a smallish rider or ride up hills.

Gears on a bike are pretty essential for most people to be comfortable riding on anything but the flats. The main difference between cheap bikes and slightly more expensive bikes I think is mainly weight, and maybe how serviceable the components are. Used bikes are a great way to get a decent bike for not too much money. I have four bikes, and 3 of them were bought used But if you make sure the chain is lubed, there's plenty of air in the tires and the brakes aren't rubbing, almost any bike will be fun!

[Biciclista]

Lots of us started on cheap bikes. But as we get more, shall we say, INVOLVED, we end up buying better bikes. Keep riding, have fun, welcome to TE

[tbl35]

Thanks for the replies ladies! All very helpful. I have stopped by one LBS already as I drive by it every day, had not thought to discuss my injury with them but I might do so and see if they have suggestions. I had also noticed they have some used bikes for sale so I might check those out also. I think if I stick with this for some time I'll reward myself with a better bike.

I appreciate the bike suggestions! Every thread I read here I look up the bikes mentioned & read up on them so I learn more. A lighter bike would be nice, getting this puppy up on the bike carrier so I can get to the trail is a workout in itself!

I see from reading around here that I am not alone in the desire to buy new bike stuff, I'm glad to see it's normal! Think I'm going to pick up a cycling computer today so I can at least see how fast/long/far I'm going. The last time I was actively riding I had a thing that looked like a car odometer.

[Antaresia]

I can do 10+ miles on my up-right cheap bike! Mine was cheap because it was used, and well, cheap. Early 80's Mixte style bike; and I got it because there are SO may styles of bikes out there, I wanted to know for sure what was right for me before I dropped some serious cash.

The 5 gears are a necessity for me. I think 21 is a little overkill for city riding, but I wouldn't say no to a 10 speed. You should look at mixtes, not as heavy and a little more practical than cruisers, but not as serious and aggressive as road bikes. My opinion is biased of course. Hybrids and comfort bikes would be good to try out too.

As for how long I've had the cheapo bike (and I say that lovingly)...not long. I'm already looking at upgrading - but just looking. I'm still trying to figure out what kind of rider I am, but commuting is a high priority. This is the one I'm thinking of getting in a year or so:
http://www.linusbike.com/models/mixte-8/
and who knows if I'll change my mind before then.

a lighter bike would be good - but I have heard aluminum frames really transfer every bump in the road to your body - you might want to read more about that if you have wrist problems (I have never tried it myself though).

[Owlie]

My first bike (the one I'm riding now) wasn't particularly cheap--an entry-level (low-end) road bike. She's not a perfect fit, and I doubt she'll ever be. I do love her, though. I'm finding that as I ride more, I learn about what I actually want my bike to have. One day, when I have the money, I'll upgrade.

Your bike doesn't have to be expensive or flashy to be fun.