Fitness

My family is planning on buying me a bike for Mother's Day. Any suggestions on what kind to get.  some that are better than others?

what a great mother's day present!!

others will certainly chime in since we have lots of experienced cyclists on here, but here's my initial input...

first : the best bike for you is the one you love enough to ride often! so pick out something you really like & that is very comfortable for you.

there are lots of options for bikes and your choice should be made on the basis of what's comfortable for you and what type of riding you want to do. if you plan to ride off-road, a mountain bike might be right for you (that can be a rough ride though, so be sure that's what you want). if you plan to ride long distances on the road (or to race), a road bike might be right for you (the riding position takes some getting used to if you've been off a bike for a while, but a nice road touring bike is the best way to cover lots of miles). or a cruiser might be the right thing for you if you want to do distances under 5 miles on roads, sidewalks & well-manicured biking hike & bike trails.  

basic bike models provide several options -

- cruiser bikes offer upright seated positions that allow you to put your feet on the ground while seated on the bike, wide handle bars, padded seat, easy handling & big wide, soft tires;

- mountain bikes offer a little more crouched-over riding position, a flat handle bar, suspension/shocks are often included, and they have knobby tires for trails & off-road riding through loose dirt, gravel, rocky trails, etc.;

- road bikes have the most crouched-over riding position, curved "drop" handle bars, and narrow tires for riding on paved surfaces at higher speeds;

- cross or hybrid bikes combine the fit of a mountain bike with the road-friendly attributes of a road bike so they have a flat bar, wider tires with little tread (to reduce rolling resistance & provide a smoother ride), and a wide range of gearing.  

you are probably in the market for a hybrid or cross bike (different manufacturers call them different things) if you wish to do general neighborhood riding for exercise. best bet is to ride a few things at your local bike shops to determine what suits you and what best fits the type of riding you want to do.   

whatever you do, make sure the shop takes time to put you on a bike that fits you - bike fit is the most important aspect of bike comfort, proper positioning, and bike safety.  

have fun & be sure to wear your helmet & hydrate!

Great post.  I would add a small repair kit with things like a small tool with multiple bits (often called a multi-tool) tube, maybe a patch kit and a small pump.  Learn how to do basic maintenance too.

Kevin

Wow!  Thanks for the wonderful information carrihound!  I am a beginner at biking so this info is great!  

bschow, carri knows her stuff so I would trust her opinion very much.

Just for your info I will be posting a cycling club forum on the fitness boards shortly so keep an eye out for it and join in.

DAN

Oh hey I just wanna note that though you can go to a fancy bike store and spend hundreds and hundreds of $$$ on a bike (and even thousands on a high end road bike like the pro's use)... there are a lot of good bikes at Walmart and so on that are very easy to budget into a purchase.

I just bought a GMC Denali, which is a 26" road bike for riding the local paved bike trail.   At $150 it as was an easy pill to swallow and it only weighs 25 pounds which my mountain bike (which I bought reduced at k-mart for $50) weighs 40 pounds.    So hey, you don't have to break the bank or buy something fancy.   There are a lot of good bikes out there by schwinn, gmc, and others at Walmart... and all very affordable.

You'd probably be good for a hybrid road/mountain bike or cruiser.   Also your weight will play into the purchase as well.

Oh and just because they say you can't ride a road bike without bending way over doesn't make that true.   I can ride mine in a near complete upright position by holding the top handles... however it makes hitting the brakes harder... though on the local paved bike trail that's not really something that important.   When I want to go fast I'm often standing or bent over in the serious racer position.

But hey... go try some bikes out... see what you like.. and make sure whatever you get you can stand over the center bar of it with both legs on the ground.   This isn't a problem with real girls bikes but often I see girls on boys bikes too.

It's true that you can find cheaper bikes at places like Walmart, but you won't necessarily get the customized service you might need as a new rider.

I bought my first "good" bike last year. I thought I could get away with a department store buy, but within 5 min of talking to the salesperson, I could tell I needed someone who actually knew what they were talking about. I went to a bike shop and learned a lot about bike styles and options.

I ended up buying a Kona Dew $500 (Cdn) and spend about another $200-300 on accessories (mirror, better seat, riding shorts and shirt, helmet, good lock). This year I bought a jacket and panniers. Yep, a $1000 investment sounds like a lot. But I also now love riding my bike. The accessories really do help make a ride more comfortable, and a bike with a proper fit and feel make it much more likely I'll ride it than the $50 piece of junk I never rode.

Sorry but I have to disagree with night, you get what you pay for and most shops won't even touch those bikes (repairing them that is).  I speak from experience!

What you get at a shop is the wisdom of the shop owner, take your time and talk with them about your needs and you will see what I mean.

Spending a grand on a bike is not possible for most average people.   With a wife and 3 kids myself... that makes my paycheck pretty streched thin.

Alot of the bikes at walmart now use Shimano shifters & derailleurs.   Yeah the same people that the higher end pricier bikes use.  Expecially on the bikes that gmc & schwinn sell through walmart.

The frames .... a bike frame is a bike frame.   A bicycle itself is a pretty SIMPLE machine that nearly anyone could fix.   You have break calipers and shifting mechanisms... and some minor adjusting for the chain and some oil for it every so often... and that's it.   People pay top dollar though for expensive service even when some bike shops sell the same exact bikes that walmart has ... though for $100 more.

I paid $150 for my GMC Denali Road Bike... it's a great bike.   The seat actually is perfect, no need for an upgrade... Kenda tires, Schimono shifters & derailleur ... the only things I added were a $3 waterbottle, $8 under the seat storage bag, and a $10 speedometer (made by Schwinn).    Well under $200 and a great setup and really a great bike a lot of people use to train on instead of thier super expensive competition bikes.

A friend of mine is pretty brainwashed by the bike stores though... he said the repairs on his current bike and getting it ready were going to run nearly $200.   He'll end up paying that too... me... I got a second bike so now i can go mountain biking or paved road/trail riding :) .   Why pay more?

There are plenty of good bike sites out there that tell you what you need to look for in a bicycle for your height, sex, and what type of riding you want to do.  Also sites that rate the bikes.   The one I bought had a lot of praise by both serious riders with more expensive bikes and regular everyday people.

Sure you can pay more... sure you can get more advice by a person at a store... but if you educate yourself a bit you'll end up finding a great bike without needing to blow a lot of money (or other people's money).

i'm going to split the difference and say that while it is possible to get a bike that is entirely rideable, comfortable, safe & of reasonable quality at a chain store, it's best to shop there only if you are very knowledgeable going in. the employees who assemble those bikes aren't mechanics, so they can make big mistakes (i've seen cables routed completely wrong on bikes on the sales floor at the local Target, rendering the unit very dangerous if not entirely unrideable).  the average person would not realize the cables were not properly routed, they would just have a bike that was very difficult to handle; and they'd end up at the local bike shop with a repair bill eating into the savings they realized buying from a chain.   

if you're new to biking, it pays to at least talk to a shop about proper fit and quality equipment. your average chainstore bike department person (if they even have a dedicated person), won't know a chain ring from a spoke wrench. not their fault, and you save money, but you have to invest in educating yourself first is all.  i wouldn't recommend it for a total newbie. and local shops can have great deals in the few-hundred dollar range if you let them know your price range and if you are firm - of course they'll upsell you if you indicate a willingness to spend more because the sky is the limit on what you can spend.  

anecdote : i recently called my local Wal-MarTarget when i was shopping for a lawnmower. the person in their "Garden Department" left me on  hold for 15 minutes while he went to find out whether they sold LAWNMOWERS!!!

I suppose a purley recreational rider can get by on a cheap depeartment store bike. When you start riding of 60-100 miles things like bike fit and quality really matter. Sure the derailers say shimano but are they the good stuff like Ultegra's or 105's or the bottom line made for the retailer. When I am 70 miles from home I want to know that my bike is going to work no matter what. I'm not knocking cheap bikes they have  their place. I don't have the best most expensive road bike either but it does have decent parts and is made well. I can't say enough about the relationship between the customer and the lbs. If you cultivate a good realtionship you will be very happy with any bike you buy. I have an excellent example. Just this week my rear wheel broke some spokes. I figured it was just bad luck on my part so I just fixed it. I went into the shop to buy new spokes so that I could relace the wheel since I no longer trusted the spokes and to my suprise my lbs warranted the wheel set. Two new wheels for me at no charge. They didn't even  charge me to change my tubes and tires. Try and get that type of service from the department store. IMHO  some times you really do get what you pay for.

My experience with the cheap bikes is very poor, they may say shimano, but its a very low end version of the stuff on my good bikes.  Why do i say this, because I messed up a cassette (that's the part in the back with all the gears) on a bike from Wal-mart and guess what, it can't be change because the press fit them on not hand assembled and we ended up throwing a less than 1 year old bike away.

For 20-25dollars I can have a new one put on any of my current bikes and the shop will adjust it free, see if any of the walmart people can do that.

That said if its wal mart or no bike than you have to do what you have to do, I realize not everyone can afford 3000 dollar bikes.

Oh BTW  a bike frame is not a bike frame, they may look similar but the performance of each is quite different, and the materials can be a whole nother story.  Most bike stores will bend over backward to find a bike for you that is why their there, they love the sport, not to become rich that's for sure

.

I should stay out of this but I'll just this, I put in an order to an online bike shop today.  I order cleats for my shoes because my cleats are worn out, bar tape, gloves, and a new seat (same model as my current seat) that was one sale.  I spent $125.00.  How much bike will you really get for $150.00.

bschow: You didn't mention what your budget was but $200-300 at a local bike shop can get you a very decent bike especially (but not only) if you are mainly doing recrational riding or short distances, under 5-10 miles.

I just bought a decent bike but not from the bike shop.  I looked around and shopped with my local bike shop guys and found out what I wanted and then hit Ebay.  I couldn't afford the bike I wanted at full price but I managed to find it for about $700 including the pedals and a good wireless computer.  It retailed a year ago at $1500 so even if there were some repairs needed etc. I still got a screaming deal.  It was in amazing condition btw, a $25 tune up and it was cleared by the guys I trusted as road worthy.  I then went and bought any accessories needed from the bike shop, that is what they make money on anyways.

Another thing about how great the local bike shop guys are, yesterday I was buying shoes for my new road bike and the manager/owner of the shop asked my husband what size shoes he wears.  The manger said i have an pair of mountain bike shoes that haven't sold for 3 years if they fit you they are yours.  My husband got brand new shoes for free because the guys know us and we are loyal to their store!  His old shoes are worn out and 1/2 a size too small so we were stoked!

repeated for enthusiastic concurrence :

"I can't say enough about the relationship between the customer and the lbs. If you cultivate a good realtionship you will be very happy with any bike you buy."

"IMHO  some times you really do get what you pay for."

"Oh BTW a bike frame is not a bike frame, they may look similar but the performance of each is quite different"

Bottom line is that you don't have to spend $4,000 on a bike, or even $1,000 by going to a reputable local bike shop. Especially in the market for cruisers, you can get a great cruiser for $200-300. Hybrids suitable for the average rider are priced reasonably too, because these shops know the folks in this market aren't Lance Armstrongs.

Be EXTREMELY wary of chain store bikes until you are savvy enough to know how to fit yourself properly, how to spot a problem with a bike build and how to identify issues with the components you might need to change/upgrade, such as the saddle, cogset, handle bars, etc. (And once you're that savvy, you'll know enough to find something quality used on your local Craigslist & buy that instead.)

There's a new line of bikes coming out, with internal hubs & a relaxed riding position aimed at folks who just want to get back on a bike for fun & errands & light commuting, but who don't (yet ;-) want to go hardcore. They're calling them "coasting" bikes & they may be in this more affordable price range. Might be something for OP to check out if these are in the stores this season!!

Oh yeah, I know I pushed the whole if you're educated enough on bikes (which are pretty simple machines) you can buy one for less at a department store... but that was just to ballance out the overwhelming s upport of bike shops.

There certainly are some good reputable bike shops out there some where.   Locally ours is IMO a big rippoff.  There's not a bike there for under $599.   But certainly you can get some good bikes at the other shops.   However if you find a lower end schwinn or gmc bike at your local bike shop and it's more than $200... consider pricing the same bike out through froogle.com or any of the other tons of price comparison shops out there.   You may find your local shop rocks and is great... or you may find that it's like mine and charges way too much and caters more to higher end bikes and serious riders.

Many bike shops sell used bikes as well. You can get good deals on last years or the year before's model because of the silly people who have to upgrade to the newest and coolest every year. 

Working with a bike pro is essential.

If you really want to go the big box store route, try to take an avid cyclist with you for an expert opinion.

nightc, what a pain that your local shop is not trustworthy. i'm blessed with lots of great options here, but i recognize not all shops are as reliable/honest. glad you've learned to look out for yourself!

it also makes sense to point out that all shops are not created equal in the types/brands of bikes they sell. some shops cater to family cycling, some cater to triatheletes, some cater to pro riders (and us wannabees ;-), so the selection, quality, and price range will vary dramatically from shop to shop. austin is a wellspring, so i easily have 10 shops to choose from, and i shop regularly at about 3 of them depending on my needs & my relationships with personnel; there are 2 or 3 i'd never go in again, and there are some that are just way too pricey to frequent.

and yes, ohjanet is right : i always recommend taking an experienced cyclist with you to shop if you're not totally at home with bike shopping. and most avid cyclists LOVE to bike shop, so invite one along if you know one!! :-)

"A bike frame is bike frame?"  And I suppose a mother is a mother?  (Just adding some Mother's Day humor)

Well, the subj line is "A Good Bike".  You won't find that at a chain store.  Here's my middle of the road recommendation - go to a Performance Bike Shop maybe in the $800-$1200 range,  you feel a big difference between that and a Walmart bike. Take a test drive.

Hey its an investment in your health.  My wife gets on me because I have 3 bikes I use (MT, road, tri).

Best Wishes, Geo

I'm not really sure about what bike is the best.  But I got me a bike and started riding it.  I rode today 3 miles, and it was really hard for me.  It's day 2 for me.  I've set a goal for myself, I live in Texas for I looked for www.BicycleTexas.com and there are all these dates with bicycle rides all over Texas.  They have from 5 miles to 250 miles, most of these rides are benefits for one thing or another.  I also found out a bicycle group in my area that ride everyday.  You should check in your area and have fun with your family. 

     I'm riding "David Eikenburg Memorial Bike" this June 16, 2007 @ 8:00am. @ McQueeney 12 miles!  That's my goal! 

Wish me luck!

i'm in TX too, so thanks for posting that link. i rode in the Hill Country Ride for AIDS on April 28 (62 miles), and i'm riding in the Tour de Cure May 19th (90 miles).