Hi....I haven't been around for a long time

[sandra]

Life changed has changed and it has been a while since we have been able to ride - cancer diagnosis, our home was completely destroyed in a tornado last year and we were busy recreating a new life. We have 2 road bikes and 2 mixtes, all of which have been in storage. We finally brought the mixtes home today with the intention of getting back into riding.

We stopped at the local bike shop for some chain oil and after looking around we are considering selling all 4 bikes to purchase 2 comfort bikes. Health issues cause us to need bikes more for comfort than speed. Hubby has always had issues with neck pain on his road bike and we think an upright bike would be better suited for him now.

Our local dealers sell Trek and Giant. We looked at the Trek Verve 2 today and on a quick test ride, it was nice. I had a Trek FX 7.3 a few years back but never rode it much so I sold it. The Verve 2 seems to be smoother and more upright.

There are other dealers with other brands not far from here. Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions for bikes we should check out and the best bang for the buck?

We will be selling a gorgeous Lotus mixte and a Legnano mixte, both of which were reworked when purchased.

We will also be selling a 2007 Trek Pilot 1.0 and a 2007 Jamis Aurora, both with low miles and in mint condition. The Trek Pilot has all the original specs and the Jamis does too but I have added nice Continental Gatorskin hardshell tires in a smaller size. (I forget the size and the bike is in storage still.)

I have no idea what to ask for these and hope someone can give some guidance on pricing these as well. Thanks so much in advance.

Sandra

[salsabike]

Sandra--welcome back.

[Pax]

Welcome back, so sorry to hear about your troubles. Glad you're getting back on wheels and I hope you find a great new bike that makes you feel like you're flying!

[sandra]

Thank you! I know there is a wealth of information here and am hoping to get suggestions before purchasing. That's how I ended up getting my Jamis and I do love it. I just think we would do more riding on a different style bike now.

[thekarens]

You might try looking at bicycle blue book to get a general idea of your bikes worth.

[colorisnt]

Welcome back! Bikes are only "worth it" if you feel comfy and ride regularly. I say go for it if your find something that makes riding more fun and comfy.

[emily_in_nc]

Sandra, I remember you and am glad to see you back. So sorry to hear about the health issues and the tornado -- yowzers. That's a lot to come back from.

I am glad you're trying to get back into cycling. The bicycle blue book site mentioned above is something I just found out about recently and may help you price your bikes you hope to sell. The link is: http://www.bicyclebluebook.com/Default.aspx

You may find buyers through craigslist, which is much easier than selling on ebay and having to deal with shipping. I'd certainly try craigslist first. Make sure to take photos and include information on the frame size, mileage, condition, etc. of the bike. The more information you can provide the better targeted your ad will be -- and likely the better buyers you will attract.

Good luck, and please stick around!

[sandra]

Thank you Emily! I remember so many of the members here too even though it has been a while. I've really missed riding.

I just listed them all on Craigslist tonight. I know about all of the specs of the Trek Pilot and the Jamis Aurora but I have no idea about the old mixtes. I can't remember the frame size or the particulars. Our local bike shop may be interested in buying them because they sell used bikes so that might work too.

Anyone with any comfort bike suggestions to test? Please chime in.

[Pax]

I tried a couple of comfort bikes but they felt mushy and cumbersome, even bought a Trek Allant last year. Found it very uninspiring so I decided to try something more zippy and see if I could modify it for comfort. Bought and am loving a Trek 7.4FX WSD; changed out the saddle for a Terry and had the shop put on a higher riser for the bars, made it more comfortable and am loving it, very zippy and fun!