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Please help me choose a begginers bike

4K views 61 replies 15 participants last post by  pblogic 
#1 ·
Hi there,

When I was a kid my main form of entertainment was riding my bike. I'm now 28 and haven't been on a bike for awhile, and I really miss it. On top of that, I could use the extra exercise.

I live in michigan, so I won't be riding year round, but a good chunk of a year, as long as there isn't snow.

I will be doing mostly city riding but like the idea of riding trails/mountain biking as well, so I would like versatile bike. Also, the terrain,while suburban, is still going to be fairly uneven much of the time. I prefer something more like a mountain bike and less like the classic '10 speed', just a personal preference.

I am looking to spend maybe 200- 400$. I don't want a cheap piece of junk, but I also can't spend a ton of money, as I don't have it :p

My only other concern is that I have been told biking can be hard on certain parts of a mans body. Is there a certain type of seat I should be looking for?

I welcome any comments or links to any kind of 'beginners' sites. I have no idea what I am doing yet but I learn quickly and enjoy research. I find message boards to be the best jumping off point for me to start.

Thanks for any help!
 
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#2 ·
Hey,

If you're serious about getting into the sport, you should really be looking in the $400 to $500 range. I would test ride all the bikes you can find in that price range, but most beginners seem to have good luck with Specialized Rockhoppers, Trek's, Giants, and Gary Fishers. Full Suspension is out of the questions at this price.

Most new bikes have ummmm, love channels, for those special parts. If your new ride does not, look for a WTB with the channel and you should be set. Set aside some money for a real pair of Cycling Shorts as well. Padding is gooooood.

Also, if you get hooked, and you probably will, try to avoid upgrade fever. Ride the hardtail as long as you can stand it, then get a whole new FS as a package. You can spend an obscene amount of money replacing one part at a time.

Good luck!
 
#3 · (Edited)
Hi,

I'm not serious about getting into the sport, and I probably never will be. I also have no intention of spending that much money, although I appreciate and understand your advice. I am quite sure that the 500+ plus would buy me an excellent bike that I would love, however it would buy me so much more bike than I need or want, and I would be spending alot of money that I could put somewhere else.

My need is to have a bike for town riding and maybe well packed dirt trails (and ths rarely) that will hold up well. I just need it to be able to handle any in town obstacles, like riding on grass for 20 feet when there is no sidewalk/street now and then. Once again, I have no intention of getting into the 'sport' whatsoever. I just like to ride a bike, for exercise in the suburbs. I want something that is sturdier than a dept. store bike, that is comfortable for long rides. I certaintly don't mean to sound ungrateful, however I am an enthusiast in other hobby areas, some sports oriented, and some not. So, I know that enthusiasts love their hobbies and want to share them with others. I respect this however, I didn't need special shorts or shoes to ride a bike from the time I was 6 to the time I was 16, and I spent most of those ten years on a bike day in and day out, so while I am quite sure that many companies have come with all sorts of different types of clothing and accessories for bikers, I have no interest in turning this into an enthusiast hobby. I spend alot of time on that with computers, photography, and body building among others. I need some of my hobbies to be simple and I honestly don't care to learn extensivley about everything in mountain biking, although i'm sure it's all very interesting and fun. I just want advice on a bike I can get for a max of 400$ at the very most, that is a quality bike, that I can hop on and ride around the suburbs.

If I could do that for years on a cheap huffy as a kid, I can't fathom why I would need to spend 500$+ on a bike now. There is always something bigger and better, I just don't want absolute crap. I really appreciate the advice, but I don't need to be over-sold. :)

I assumed that with bikes I could get this kind of advice on the internet, just like I could with computers or cameras, but if I cannot, I'll try hitting a few local bike shops and see if they contradict each other etc and try to divine what is BS and what is not.

Thanks

ClydesdaleSports said:
Hey,

If you're serious about getting into the sport, you should really be looking in the $400 to $500 range. I would test ride all the bikes you can find in that price range, but most beginners seem to have good luck with Specialized Rockhoppers, Trek's, Giants, and Gary Fishers. Full Suspension is out of the questions at this price.

Most new bikes have ummmm, love channels, for those special parts. If your new ride does not, look for a WTB with the channel and you should be set. Set aside some money for a real pair of Cycling Shorts as well. Padding is gooooood.

Also, if you get hooked, and you probably will, try to avoid upgrade fever. Ride the hardtail as long as you can stand it, then get a whole new FS as a package. You can spend an obscene amount of money replacing one part at a time.

Good luck!
 
#4 ·
pblogic said:
Hi,

I'm not serious about getting into the sport, and I probably never will be. I also have no intention of spending that much money, although I appreciate and understand your advice. I am quite sure that the 500+ plus would buy me an excellent bike that I would love, however it would buy me so much more bike than I need or want, and I would be spending alot of money that I could put somewhere else.

My need is to have a bike for town riding and maybe well packed dirt trails (and ths rarely) that will hold up well. I just need it to be able to handle any in town obstacles, like riding on grass for 20 feet when there is no sidewalk/street now and then.
In that case, look at getting a hybrid or a cruiser. You can get them for under $300.00 and they'd still be better built and work better than a Huffy/Pacific/other department store bike.
 
#5 ·
pblogic said:
Hi,

I'm not serious about getting into the sport, and I probably never will be. I also have no intention of spending that much money, although I appreciate and understand your advice. I am quite sure that the 500+ plus would buy me an excellent bike that I would love, however it would buy me so much more bike than I need or want, and I would be spending alot of money that I could put somewhere else.

My need is to have a bike for town riding and maybe well packed dirt trails (and ths rarely) that will hold up well. I just need it to be able to handle any in town obstacles, like riding on grass for 20 feet when there is no sidewalk/street now and then. Once again, I have no intention of getting into the 'sport' whatsoever. I just like to ride a bike, for exercise in the suburbs. I want something that is sturdier than a dept. store bike, that is comfortable for long rides. I certaintly don't mean to sound ungrateful, however I am an enthusiast in other hobby areas, some sports oriented, and some not. So, I know that enthusiasts love their hobbies and want to share them with others. I respect this however, I didn't need special shorts or shoes to ride a bike from the time I was 6 to the time I was 16, and I spent most of those ten years on a bike day in and day out, so while I am quite sure that many companies have come with all sorts of different types of clothing and accessories for bikers, I have no interest in turning this into an enthusiast hobby. I spend alot of time on that with computers, photography, and body building among others. I need some of my hobbies to be simple and I honestly don't care to learn extensivley about everything in mountain biking, although i'm sure it's all very interesting and fun. I just want advice on a bike I can get for a max of 400$ at the very most, that is a quality bike, that I can hop on and ride around the suburbs.

If I could do that for years on a cheap huffy as a kid, I can't fathom why I would need to spend 500$+ on a bike now. There is always something bigger and better, I just don't want absolute crap. I really appreciate the advice, but I don't need to be over-sold. :)

I assumed that with bikes I could get this kind of advice on the internet, just like I could with computers or cameras, but if I cannot, I'll try hitting a few local bike shops and see if they contradict each other etc and try to divine what is BS and what is not.

Thanks
If you just going to be riding pavement and hardpack trail you might want to look into a hybrid, something like the Specialized Expedition. The Elite's MSRP is $440, so I'm pretty sure you get one for round $400. If not you could go down a modal to the sport which will be in your price range even at MSRP.

Unlike mtn bikes or road bikes which are design which are designed mostly performance. Hybrids are design for comfort, with features like padded saddle (no need for padded shorts), suspension seat post, front shock, adjustable stem and upright geometry.

I'm not really expert in these hybrid, other then Specialized (which I help a co-worker pick out) I really don't have any more recommendations. All the major manufactures produce a line of hybrid bikes, so if the Specialized doesn't work out for you, you should still have relatively wide select of bikes to choose from.
 
#6 ·
Hmm. I see your point. I am also new here, but I've done some test rides. Well I live in California, Cerritos and recently I've visited a couple nice LBS's and many of them recommend the Specialized Hardrock Sport 2004 model, it costs around 280 (from my LBS, but website price tag says 330) I tried it and damn it rides nice. It has a strong frame that look stylish, durable, and lasting. It's a little heavy but all I care is comfort and durability unlike some cheap junk like walmart bikes. I don't think you need a specialized rockhopper, those are like 500 and up. You don't need those or the racing types. If your like me, just plannin to ride for fun and exercise, try the hardrock specialized sport. Others also recommend Trek 4300. I tried that, it's also very good, but I still like the hardrock better. I'm planning to get one sometime in June. Anyways nice meetin ya.

- Chiaroscurist
 
#7 ·
Drewdane said:
In that case, look at getting a hybrid or a cruiser. You can get them for under $300.00 and they'd still be better built and work better than a Huffy/Pacific/other department store bike.
See, the reason i'm posting is because I don't know what a hybrid or a cruiser are :) I haven't bought a bike for over 10 years now. Is there a place on the web that tells me what a hybrid is, what a cruiser is etc?
 
#8 ·
Chiaroscurist said:
Hmm. I see your point. I am also new here, but I've done some test rides. Well I live in California, Cerritos and recently I've visited a couple nice LBS's and many of them recommend the Specialized Hardrock Sport 2004 model, it costs around 280 (from my LBS, but website price tag says 330) I tried it and damn it rides nice. It has a strong frame that look stylish, durable, and lasting. It's a little heavy but all I care is comfort and durability unlike some cheap junk like walmart bikes. I don't think you need a specialized rockhopper, those are like 500 and up. You don't need those or the racing types. If your like me, just plannin to ride for fun and exercise, try the hardrock specialized sport. Others also recommend Trek 4300. I tried that, it's also very good, but I still like the hardrock better. I'm planning to get one sometime in June. Anyways nice meetin ya.

- Chiaroscurist
Hey there thanks for the reply. I am having a hard time understanding what the different categories are. What do you mean by a 'sport' model? or a 'Hybrid" ? I don't want to buy padded shorts etc. I am not going to be doing any kind of racing, not even remotley, and I may ride a hard pack trail in the future, who knows, but most likely nothing more than that.

I don't really want something too watered down. I want it to be very sturdy. That's important. I don't mind spending at my upper limit, i'm just trying to get across that I will never be 'hard core'

I just want something quality and antry level and a reasonable price, that will also be fairly inexpensive to maintain.
 
#9 ·
Well, I wasn't trying to "oversell" you. I've had too many friends that got into riding on a $200-$250 level bike, and out grew it amazingly quick. You can get a solid reliable bike for $300 at any bike shop, I just personally think you get more bang for your buck closer to the $400 range.

Regardless, the whole point is moot if you just want to recapture that fun you had as a kid. In that case, I kow the perfect bike for you. Kona Smoke. $350 Great fun to ride. Very low maitenence.

http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_smoke.cfm

Also, padded bike shorts aren't really a high performance bike nut thing, they're just really comfy for Jimmy and the Twins.
 
#10 ·
I definitely agree about the bike shorts just being a comfort issue - the padding makes any time on the bike longer than about 30 minutes much more comfortable for the twins.

I'd look into the Trek 4300 and 4500. Basically just go to your LBS and find a reasonable non-suspension mountainbike that you can live with the price. Ride it, make sure that you find the geometry reasonable, and make sure that it shifts reasonably and has tolerable brakes, and don't look back. This should run you around $250. If you want a susp. front fork, look to spend about 350-450 (I bought a Trek 4500 for 375 on sale).
Have fun!
-john
 
#11 ·
You can do it for $3-400

There are a bunch in your price range. I would not go much below $300 these days, tho.

Just go to your Local Bike Shops and take a look around. All the major brands are good, so it comes down to what you like and what fits you best.

Avoid any shops that are not dedicated bike shops, with the exception of REi or Copeland Sports. Those places actually have decent, if small bike departments.
 
#12 ·
I understand what you are saying, I appreciate your help, I just wanted to be clear about my needs. I don't mind spending closer to 400$ as long as it is the right bike for me comfort/feature wise. I just didn't want to get myself into a bike that may be a great bike for racing etc, but be less comfortable etc.

I like the look of the kona, except for those goofy fenders. Would it hurt to take them off? They just look really dumb.

ClydesdaleSports said:
Well, I wasn't trying to "oversell" you. I've had too many friends

that got into riding on a $200-$250 level bike, and out grew it amazingly quick. You can get a solid reliable bike for $300 at any bike shop, I just personally think you get more bang for your buck closer to the $400 range.

Regardless, the whole point is moot if you just want to recapture that fun you had as a kid. In that case, I kow the perfect bike for you. Kona Smoke. $350 Great fun to ride. Very low maitenence.

http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_smoke.cfm

Also, padded bike shorts aren't really a high performance bike nut thing, they're just really comfy for Jimmy and the Twins.
 
#13 ·
ClydesdaleSports said:
Well, I wasn't trying to "oversell" you. I've had too many friends that got into riding on a $200-$250 level bike, and out grew it amazingly quick. You can get a solid reliable bike for $300 at any bike shop, I just personally think you get more bang for your buck closer to the $400 range.

Regardless, the whole point is moot if you just want to recapture that fun you had as a kid. In that case, I kow the perfect bike for you. Kona Smoke. $350 Great fun to ride. Very low maitenence.

http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k4_smoke.cfm

Also, padded bike shorts aren't really a high performance bike nut thing, they're just really comfy for Jimmy and the Twins.
Ok. i'll bite on the bike shorts. How much do they run, and are they worth it? I can remember spending almost days on a bike with no problem, but then again i'm not a kid anymore either :p
 
#14 ·
pblogic said:
I understand what you are saying, I appreciate your help, I just wanted to be clear about my needs. I don't mind spending closer to 400$ as long as it is the right bike for me comfort/feature wise. I just didn't want to get myself into a bike that may be a great bike for racing etc, but be less comfortable etc.

I like the look of the kona, except for those goofy fenders. Would it hurt to take them off? They just look really dumb.
No, you could take them out without any problem.

If you these urban street machine. Check the Cannondale Badboy
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/04/cusa/model-4MRBB.html

I'm not sure what the price is but I thought I bring it up as any option.
 
#16 ·
I went to my LBS today, and they seemed to only have 'fuji' and 'bianci' bikes. Are these good brands? they were selling something like a sunfire for about 360$ They really had very, very little variety, and didn't really talk to me about any other brands. It was pretty much just like, you got a fuji or a bianci and thats it. There was also a fuji he said he could order for 550$ that had disc brakes, but I thought you should stay away from disc brakes at this price range? Plus 550 is more than I want to spend.
 
#17 ·
I'm not sure about Fuji and Bianci, but I do know that most LBS' only sell maybe 3-5 brands. For example, one shop I go to sells, Trek, GF, and Kona, while another sells Specialized and Cannondale. You might need to go to a few shops to get some variety.
 
#18 ·
pblogic said:
I went to my LBS today, and they seemed to only have 'fuji' and 'bianci' bikes. Are these good brands? they were selling something like a sunfire for about 360$ They really had very, very little variety, and didn't really talk to me about any other brands. It was pretty much just like, you got a fuji or a bianci and thats it. There was also a fuji he said he could order for 550$ that had disc brakes, but I thought you should stay away from disc brakes at this price range? Plus 550 is more than I want to spend.
I've tested ridden a Fuji a few years back and was not impressed at all. For the cost, the components could have been better. The low end disc brakes they had on that bike were weak. Standard V's had more stopping power then those things. So, I would not recommend getting a Fuji.

As for Bianchi, they're an Italian bike manufacturer. They've been around for over 100 years, I think. They're best known for their road bikes. If you looking for a road bike, I would say you can't go wrong with a Bianchi.

Now as for their mtn bikes, I can't honestly give you an opinion because I never been on one. The LBS that carries Bianchi in my neck of the woods only carries their road bikes. Given their reputation, I would assume that their mtn bike would be decent.

BTW, given the type of riding you're planning on doing, there's no real need for disc brakes.
 
#19 ·
wraith said:
I've tested ridden a Fuji a few years back and was not impressed at all. For the cost, the components could have been better. The low end disc brakes they had on that bike were weak. .
WORD!

I felt the same way while looking at the Fuji's at my LBS. Seems like they had a FS Fuji there for like $600. Needless to say, you get what you pay for. I would shy away from that brand. The components were also pretty cheap.
 
#20 ·
Bianchi makes some really nice bikes at the upper end, but it seems like their lower end stuff is a little below par. They are one of the only steel frames out there at that price though, if you're into that.

I'm also not impressed with mechanical disk brakes of any manufacturer. I would go for good Avid or Sram rim brakes, or save up for hydraulics. Not worth the extra money.

Is that the only LBS in the area? Seems like they specialize in road stuff and only carry mountain as an afterthought.
 
#21 ·
Max99 said:
I'm not sure about Fuji and Bianci, but I do know that most LBS' only sell maybe 3-5 brands. For example, one shop I go to sells, Trek, GF, and Kona, while another sells Specialized and Cannondale. You might need to go to a few shops to get some variety.
Well, at this point i've tried 3 shops. The fist one only had fuji and bianci

The second two had a few high end kona, a smattering of specialized, and ALOT of Giant.

Both stores pushed giant pretty hard, but a friend of mine said Giant sux, like a huffy. They tried to puch the rincor ? I think thats how it was spelled. It was right for my price range, but now im thinking I shouldn't get Giant.
 
#23 ·
ClydesdaleSports said:
Sorry, but your friend is on crack. The rincon is a great bike for the price, and should work very well for your purpose. Comparing it to a Huffy is just ridiculous.

I still think you should ask the Kona shop if they can get the Smoke, but the Giant is great as well.
Thanks, I was hoping that someone would say that. I have read some personal reviews of the Rincon and all seem to be good.

I asked about the smoke, and they said they had one and just sold it. They said they get them in once in awhile, but they didnt seem to want to order one just for me to try.

I wouldnt mind trying one though! Ill keep looking at other bike shops. One of the guys at one LBS said the smoke compared to the Giant boulder SE.

Also, I would really appreciate it if someone could point me to some professional reviews, all I can find is user reviews, which have their place, but pro reviews would be nice as well.

I am going to go to a shop tomorrow and look around some more.

The Rincon is 299$ which is nice. Would I gain much by stepping up to 500$? My friend that thinks Giants suck wants to ride with me :) So I might consider a little more of a bike at this point ( I know I know, you told me so :) ) I am keeping my options open though.
 
#24 ·
Alright,

First of all I want to say thank you all very much for all of your help. I am still not sure what I am getting but I am starting to understand things a little better.

I am going to reaveluate my situation.

If I get the Rincon, it seems like I can use it for on the road riding, and also some light trail stuff, hard pack, a little grass, etc. Then if I get into it, I can trade it in and buy a higher end bike later.

OR

I can start looking a little higher. Say in the 500$ range, although I dont want to hit 800$ or anything like that. That's too much bike for me.

Would I be better off just getting the rincon and using it until I refine my tastes? It seems like a good beginners bike.

Also, did Giant used to be worse than they are today? Perhaps they have improved since my friend was in college (feel free to fire away at my friends credibility, it wont bother me.)
 
#25 ·
Ok, I know I said you should look into the $400-$500 if you are serious about riding, but honestly, a $300 bike will allow you to ride the same trails as the $500 bike, just a little slower. I ride some of the toughest trails around SLC with a one guy on a $200 ten year old Nishiki, and another on a Mongoose BMX. Either of these guys would kill for a Rincon, but they do just fine. You get comfort, reliability and performance as you spend more, but don't feel like you have to spend the cash just for the capability.

Financially, you are much better off getting the Rincon, riding the crap out of, and if you get addicted, sell it for $200 and move up to the next level.

Be prepared though, I've shared most of your hobbys, and none of them has been as addictive, or as life changing as mountain biking.
 
#26 ·
ClydesdaleSports said:
Ok, I know I said you should look into the $400-$500 if you are serious about riding, but honestly, a $300 bike will allow you to ride the same trails as the $500 bike, just a little slower. I ride some of the toughest trails around SLC with a one guy on a $200 ten year old Nishiki, and another on a Mongoose BMX. Either of these guys would kill for a Rincon, but they do just fine. You get comfort, reliability and performance as you spend more, but don't feel like you have to spend the cash just for the capability.

Financially, you are much better off getting the Rincon, riding the crap out of, and if you get addicted, sell it for $200 and move up to the next level.

Be prepared though, I've shared most of your hobbys, and none of them has been as addictive, or as life changing as mountain biking.
All right, just about everything points to the Rincon at this point. I am starting to get pretty excited. I like the rincon quite a bit, and I think 300$ is a nice price. I see on some online reviews others are pay 400$ for it.

My friend has a trek 6000, and I told him I cant get into anything really advanced with the bike I am getting, but he is just happy to have someone to ride with. I told him he was full of it about the Giant.

I've been caught up in too many sedentary hobbies for too long. I love my pc, and I love photography, but now they need to take a backseat while I get back into shape. Iive just gotten into bodybuilding as well, so I am happy to add another active hobby.

I am going to go look at some Trek's and Gary fischer's tomorrow as well, but unless I am totally blown away I will most likely get the rincon.

So, in summation let me as this:

Will the Rincon allow me to:

1.Ride long distances reasonably comfortably in town (I'm talking 1- 2 hour rides for exercise, and I don't mind a little soreness, I like feeling worn out at the end of the day)

2.handle urban/suburban obstacles such as gravle, grass, curbs etc

3. Get into some light trail riding and be MILDLY aggressive at times

Basically I am now really intrested in trying this out, and having a bike that can get me into this for a year or two, and then if I need a better bike sell the rincon and get something great.

I think you may have covered some of these points, so please bear with me. I want to make sure I am making a good choice.

I REALLY appreciate all the advice. Thanks again.
 
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