ThatDamnedPanda
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ORIGINAL: barelynangel
So do you have any recommendations as to what type of bike i should look into? I have no clue where to even start without getting overwhelming info from bike places. I will do research, i just need some direction as to what i should be considering.
I love bikes! I used to do about 300 miles a week until my health went to hell, and now I rarely do more than 100 in the summer or 50 a week in the winter. I still love 'em though. I have 6 or 7. Only a couple that I ride regularly, but I hate to part with one I like, so I've got a storage locker half filled with bicycles. A sleek silver Peugeot that looks like a greyhound, that I used to race, a couple of other road bikes, 2 mountain bikes, and 2 cross bikes or hybrids. I love 'em all for different reasons, and I'll tell you a little about the differences and the pros and cons of each.
First, you'll probably be choosing from about 4 basic styles - the cruisers you see pictured above, a road bike (the classic 10-speed design you grew up with) , a mountain bike, or a hybrid (also sometimes called a cross bike.) I don't know anything about the cruisers, so I won't talk about them. I'll break down the other 3 for you.
Road Bikes
Pros - light, fast, easy to ride for longer distances. Thin, high-pressure tires (usually around 90 psi) have very little rolling resistance, larger diameter wheels let you chew up big stretches of road with less effort. All in all, the most efficient bike to pedal, once you get it up to cruising speed.
Cons - those thin, hard tires transmit a lot of shock not only to your ass but to your upper body as well. The design of the bike means you'll spend most of your time leaning forward onto the handle bars, so some amount of road shock will go straight to your hands, wrists, elbows, arms, shoulders, and upper back, especially if the bike is not sized properly. It's something you can get used to, and most people do, but just be aware that it's an issue. Learning proper posture and getting a good pair of gel gloves will help considerably, along with padded sleeves for the handle bars.
Also, that road shock will be hell on the wheels if the roads are rough where you are. If you're carrying any weight at all, you can bend a lot of wheels and break a lot of spokes on rough roads. That's why I never even drag the 12-speed out of the garage any more except for the days when i just want to go really fucking fast. I just get tired of truing the damned wheels every 50 miles.
Geared for speed, especially on flat terrain. Not terribly user-friendly for hilly terrain or stop-and-go urban riding, not all that maneuverable in city traffic.
High center of gravity makes them a little unstable at really low speeds, such as you'll often find in city traffic. If you're wearing clips, it can be a real pain yanking your foot out of the pedal really quickly every couple of minutes when you have to make a sudden stop and plant your foot to stabilize the bike.
Some people with bad backs don't adjust to the forward-leaning seating position on road bikes, but I never had a problem with it, and I've had a disc removed from my lower back from a hockey injury. It's different for everyone, though, so be aware that it could be an issue. A properly-sized bike, with proper seat and bar heights, can minimize this problem.
Mountain Bikes
Pros - tough, rugged, take a hell of a beating on even the roughest roads. Upright seating position is more comfortable for some people. Much easier to maneuver in city traffic, and the smaller diameter wheels and lower gearing are much more conducive to low-speed, stop-and-go urban riding. Quick and easy to put a foot down if you have to stop suddenly in traffic. Much more stable at low speeds, if you have a well-made bike (don't buy one from Target!) You'll usually find a lot of options for shock absorption, more so than on road bikes. Soft, wide, knobby tires offer great traction, good winter bike.
Cons - heavy bike. A small woman won't enjoy lugging it up and down 4 flights of stairs. The wide, soft tires (usually around 40-45 psi) wear you out a lot faster with their greater rolling resistance, and the smaller-diameter wheels plus the lower gearing make this the least-efficient style to pedal. 30 miles on a road bike, I don't even feel it; 30 miles on a mountain bike, I feel like I rode 30 miles.
Cross Bike/Hybrid
A good compromise bike. Not as fast and sleek as a road bike, but much more durable and rugged. Not as durable and rugged as a mountain bike, but tough enough that you won't bend a wheel every time you run over a tar strip. Tires are usually around 65-80 psi, (softer than a road bike, harder than a mountain bike) and a little wider than a road bike but narrower than a mountain bike. You'll have a decent amount of comfort in your ride, but the tires are hard enough that you won't feel like you're trying to pedal through wet concrete. Seating position is more upright than a road bike, so it'll be easier on your arms and upper back, but with enough of a forward lean that you'll be able to maximize your pedaling efficiency on long rides (leaning forward gives you more leverage on a larger-frame bike, and gives you much better leg extension). Wheel diameter is much closer to a road bike than a mountain bike, but the gearing is usually similar enough to a mountain bike that you'll enjoy the hills and the stop-and-go city traffic much more than you would on a road bike. Pretty maneuverable in traffic, medium center of gravity so you'll feel more stable at near-zero speeds.
If you're only going to own one bike, a hybrid is probably the best choice. I have two, a GT Discovery and a Trek 7500. The Trek is probably better made, but the GT is the most comfortable bike I've ever owned. Just the way it's designed fits me perfectly.
Some random tips - if you don't mind buying used, you can get some fantastic deals on Craig's List. The Trek, i bought a couple of years ago for 300 bucks, and it's a $750 bike. A year old, but the guy had only ridden it 50 or 60 miles. If you shop around, and bide your time, you can get some great bargains.
Make sure you get the right size frame. Ask the local bike shop for the right frame size, given your height and leg length. A bike that's just a couple of inches too big or too small will be really uncomfortable and quite possibly cause injuries to your back, knees, and who knows what else. You may find a bike that you love, and has a terrific price, but if it's the wrong size you will almost certainly regret it every time you ride it. Pass it up and get the right size frame.
Make sure you adjust your seat height and bar height properly. Again, you can really fuck something up if you don't, and at best it makes for very inefficient pedaling.
Look at shock absorbers. It's not just for sissies - it's easier on the bike, as well. Shock absorbers on the front forks, and a shock-absorbing seat post, will mean less shock being transmitted to the wheels and spokes because it's minimizing the force of your body weight slamming down on the wheels.
Toe clips make for much more efficient pedaling, because it allows you to pull the pedal upward on the upstroke. Get half-clips for the pedals, not full toe clips. They'll accomplish the same thing, but you can slide your foot in and out the side of it much more easily.
That's about all i can think of at the moment (thank god, eh?) If you have any other questions, just ask, and I'll try to answer them.
< Message edited by ThatDamnedPanda -- 3/23/2010 11:18:10 PM >
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RE: Any bike riders out there? Advice pls? - 
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