Need bicycle recommendations???

The wife and I are looking for some good bikes to ride. We are mainly riding for recreation and exercise. We have looked at some Trek bikes at the local bike shop and one of my friends suggested checking out Giant brand bikes???
We will be mainly be riding on bike paths and some urban riding. (no tour de France or the like). Looking for a quality and comfortable bike with nice components that will serve our purpose. The bikes at the local Wal-Mart do not look as good or well built as the bike shop ones, except for the price.
Any cyclist out there to recommend a bike????

Can you give an estimated price range that you will be looking to spend? If you have a Scheels in your area, they may have some very good year end clearance deals. I myself ride Specialized bikes, may be worth checking into.

Decide on a price. For bike paths, road and similar, you DO NOT need any sort of suspension. Suspension may make a ride feel slightly more comfortable but it adds unnecessary weight(not much) to a bike and sucks up energy when you're pedaling. Avoid rear suspension completely.

How fit are you now and how fit do you think you'll get? If you do eventually put in up to 10 miles per ride, aviod 'recreational' shaped bikes. Yeah, their sitting position may be comfortable but, when you ride often, you'll soon be more concerned with pedaling efficency and control. From what I seen, they also don't have great components which can stand the test of time. Road bikes on the other hand are the most efficient at transfering your energy to the bike but, they are not that comfortable. The riding position puts a bit of your body weight on your arms and they may ache.

If it's not obvious, I'd suggest a mountain, urban or hybrid style bike.

I just purchased another bike. My old GT mountain bike did not suit the type of riding I find myself doing now: urban trail (mostly paved) and commuting to work a few times per week. Most of my trips are between 25-70km (15-43 miles).

I ended up buying a hybrid-type bike, second-hand, off one of our local bike shop guys. It is a Giant FCR-4 and he had upgraded some of the components (rear derailleur, brakes, shifters, tires and tubes). I am quite happy with the bike and it has shaved several minutes off my ride to work.

There are plenty of on-line resources that will help you choose the right bike and accessories that will make your ride much more comfortable and enjoyable. This site is a good repository of information.

It is also very important to ensure your bike is adjusted to your body (especially as you age and joint-pain greets you daily ). Good luck in your search.

I agree about not getting suspension for urban bikes, particularly if the bike you are looking at has higher volume tires than the old ten-speeds. Good tires and a Brooks saddle can give you a pretty good ride, for the weight, in the city.

The old mountain bike I rode for many years was stolen last year and I had to rethink my whole bike thing. (Mrs Umbra and I use our bikes as our sole mode of transportation.) I have a number of neurological problems that have been causing my nervious system to dereriorate for decades. My balance is becoming more affected.

When I needed a new bike I went to the top notch shop I always use and explained my situation. They suggested more of a multi-speed "Cruiser" style which could actually be called semi-recumbent when compared to my old mountain bike. I sit more upright and when I stop I can put my feet on the ground while sitting on the seat.

It has been a very good choice for me.

I mention all of this merely as a methodology example. Bikes have gotten so diverse in the last thirty years that you can find something to meet almost any needs. If I were you I would think about all of my friends that ride bikes and then I'd talk to the one who seems most serious/knowledgable/experienced and ask him where to find the best bike store with the best service reputation. I would then go talk to them about what they think would be appropriate for your situation. That is how I found my bike shop fifteen years ago and it has worked well for me.

I also agree with suspension, I do a lot of trail riding and my MTB bike has suspenspension, but when I ride roads I lock it out (only available on pricey models) and it makes an incredible difference. Point being suspension is definately not needed for city riding. I also ride a nicer road bike. It's a full carbon bike with slightly relaxed frame geometry, makes a huge diffference when when riding because I am not so slouched over.
Depending on what you want to spend, Specialized makes a hybrid that is carbon, it is a bit pricey but since the frame is so stiff (from the carbon) you will actually get a better, more efficient ride and the natural properties of carbon will absorb a lot of road vibration. It also sports much nicer components inturn giving you a much more enjoyable ride.

As usual, the CPF people come through.

Like Sub said, make sure to go to a local bike shop.
Make sure you both get the proper fit: a bike shop will assure this.
You must have the right size frame!
You can always adjust the saddle, bars, etc, but the frame is static.
Once you have a good overall fit, everything else will fall into place.

Trek and Giant both have great bikes for your needs.
I worked at a bike shop which sold both) a few summers ago.
We sold a lot of Trek 7000 (hybrids), 3000 and 4000 (mountain) series to people like yourself.
We also sold a lot of Giant Sedonas, Cypress (hybrids), Rincons and Boulders (mountain).

Hybrids or comfort bikes usually have larger wheels, narrower tires, and a much more upright position. They are very nice around-town bikes. The larger wheels allow you to roll-over stuff easily.
The downer is that they tend to be pretty heavy, partly due to low-end suspension forks and suspension seatposts. They are still GREAT bikes, though.

The "lower-level" mountainbikes are also very comfortable, but are more off-road worthy.
I generally recommend them because of the flexibility (on road or off), and the wheels, which allow you to put some really fat tires on.
Big, fat low-pressure tires make for a very smooth ride, and won't kill you if you end up on a gravelly or sandy road.
Generally, the "mountainbike" has less proprietary parts as well, but certainly isn't always the case. You can often find deeply discounted parts online, due to their standardized nature.

Also, the mountainbikes are upgradeable to be more off-road worthy. Even a $300 bike with some new tires can be a load of fun off-road.
*If you can, get a bike with a 1 1/8" head tube. This will allow a lot of flexibility for a future fork upgrade...if needed.*

For $300-$500/bike, you both will have great bikes that will last a very long time.

Bob

First off, you're right to avoid anything at your local Walmart. Typically cheap department store bikes have a heavy steel frame, steel instead of alloy wheels which dent easily, cheap components which are more or less shot by 1000 miles, etc. Regardless of the type of bike you want, these are all definitely things to avoid.

Next, the kind of bike you get depends a lot on your riding style and where you intend to ride. The suggestions in this thread so far seem good but let me add my two cents about mountain and hybrid bikes. In general, the larger (read lower pressure) tires and wheels may make for a better ride but they slow you down quite a bit. Every mountain bike I've ridden I felt like a giant hand was holding me back compared to something like my Raleigh. It was that noticeable and that bad to me. Bikes with larger tires are slower off the line, slower cruising, slower up hills. I'll gladly trade a slightly more sore backside for greater all-around speed. If the differences were slight I wouldn't have complained or even noticed but they weren't. Crusing speeds for me were a good 5 mph slower at least on a mountain bike. Normal for me on my Raleigh is 21 to 25 mph without being in an aero position. I can do high 20s or 30 hunched over but my back can't take it for more than a few minutes. On a mountain bike I'm lucky if I can hold 20 mph for any length of time regardless of position. Forget about acceleration-you're talking 5 or 6 seconds from a dead stop to 20 mph on my Raleigh when I'm feeling good and hit my shift points right versus being lucky to hit 20 at all after a few blocks of huffing on a mountain bike.

Now that I so delicately made my point about the speed, or rather lack of it, I'll also add that big mushy tires make for sloppy handling and poor road feel. Granted, some people like feeling isolated from the road. I don't. I also like every bit of handling I can get to avoid someone's wayward car door swung in my face when I'm half a second away. Skinny tires cut through rain and especially slush way better than fat ones. The only caveat is you need to keep them inflated properly or they handle sloppily as well. The only obvious downside of road tires is the harser ride when the road gets rough. Anyone who has ridden on thin, hard tires on a street freshly grooved for repaving knows exactly what I mean.

Everything I said in the last few paragraphs might be moot in your case if you either don't care about going fast, and/or are happy with the physical effort/forward progress ratio you get on a mountain/hybrid bike. If so, then such a bike might indeed be a better choice for you, especially if you might occasionally venture off-road.

As for equipment, there are a few things I consider must-haves. A bike computer comes first. Lights come second. An aero disk on your rear tire comes a distant third, and only if you choose a road bike. I find my rear disk gives me a good 2 mph more speed for a given effort. I had one on the front also at one time. It was probably good for another 3 mph or so (~5 mph total for front plus rear disks) but it was horrible in crosswinds. The handlebars were literally yanked out of my hands a few times before I decided to end the experiment. Does anyone know if they make partial front wheel disks for a reasonable price (i.e. $30 or less)?

If you want to go really radical you might consider a recumbent, or better yet a streamlined recumbent. The only problem, especially with the latter, is the price tag. A streamlined recumbent is definitely going to be my next set of wheels if I can ever afford it.

I recently bought a Landrider (click on the bike part labels for info). I haven't had it long, but so far I like it a lot. I have some back and neck problems, and this bike lets me ride in a much more verticle position. I just wanted a good, comfortable, no hassle bike for casual riding, like on bike trails and such. This bike seems to fit the bill pretty well.

:thumbsup: @ jtr. I agree with you fully about fat tyres on the road hence my reason for suggesting a hybrid which usually comes with less 'knobby' tires.

Fat, soft MTB tyres slow you down terribly (high rolling resistance). Smoothe tyres are 100% better for road (bike path) use. They have significantly lower rolling resistance, last longer and corner better (yes, they DO corner better). My Giant MTB has 1.25in slicks on them and I DO NOT ride it otherwise on the road unless the road leads to a trail.

The disadvantage was stated by jtr. When you first start with slicks, you feel every bump and stone in the road however, in time, though you still feel everything, it doesn't bother you anymore and in fact, you'll probably miss that feeling if you go back to MTB tyres. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. There are fatter slicks (1.95in) out there if you want the volume of air to act as a shock absorber.

With respect to tail end comfort, I too have heard great things about Brooks saddles however, it's my experience that you more or less get used to any medium or high priced saddle even if initially it's uncomfortable. I've heard that very soft saddles initially feel comfortable but in time, they hurt. If a good saddle isn't good enough, you can check out suspension seatposts. I'm not too sure of their performance on road though.

A good bike shop should be willing to swap parts for you for the price difference.

eebowler said:

With respect to tail end comfort, I too have heard great things about Brooks saddles however, it's my experience that you more or less get used to any medium or high priced saddle even if initially it's uncomfortable. I've heard that very soft saddles initially feel comfortable but in time, they hurt...

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The nice thing about the Brooks saddles is that since you're sitting on just one thickness of stretched leather they radiate quite a bit of heat away from...you. The "gel" seats may feel squishy but they trap a lot of heat in...you. That makes a huge difference in the sub-tropics. The Brooks seats also mold to your bones.

Also, just because the tires are bigger doesn't mean that they have to be run way soft. I run mine at 65 psi, which I feel is kind of a compromise between comfort and speed. I feel I'm much less likely to ding my rims on a pothole than I would be with narrower tires. We have potholes that double as gator traps.

Try checking out Gary Fisher or Cannondale among others. . .Lots of sound recommendations coming forth.

Enjoy!

Sub,

My life sounds like yours!! I'm interested in your ride, do you have a link?

I've been considering the full recumbent idea for my next bike, but your's sounds like a good option.

Bill

I wouldn't fixate on rolling resistance of wider tires.
Smooth, wide tires roll better than smooth narrow tires at the same pressure.

http://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/rolling_resistance

Now, if you really want a skinny little tire, so you can inflate it to 100psi... so you can go faster...you might want to check your dental work, because your fillings are likely to be rattled out!

The nice thing about the mountainbike wheels (26") and frames is that you can easily choose anything from 1" wide tires to probably 2.5" wide...and pump them as hard, or as soft as you like.

You cannot run a skinny tire at lower pressure, unless you want pinch flats or dented rims.

Just food for thought.

Bob

Knight Lights said:

Sub,

My life sounds like yours!! I'm interested in your ride, do you have a link?

I've been considering the full recumbent idea for my next bike, but your's sounds like a good option.

Bill

Click to expand...

PM sent.

Thanks Sub!

Bill

Bob, I love my Trek 7500 bought about seven or eight years ago now and it has replaced my Univega road bike for fitness. I will gladly sacrifice the couple mph's in speed for all the other benefits and I have used it for 50 mile rides before (ok once). I would never want suspension on a hybrid. The mere make up of the bike itself leads to a pretty comfortable ride and I think suspension will waste too much of the pedeling energy. I have never gotten a flat tire with this bike.

I wholly recommend a hybrid for a beginner searching for an all around bike. If they then decide they really like off trail riding they can get a mountain bike and if they decide they really like speed and extreme long distance, they can get a racing/road bike but for all around versatility you can't beat a hybrid. It's true my Trek is on the heavier side although certainly not compared to a Walmart special but I don't notice it while I'm riding and I figure I am burning extra calories.

Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?

pedalinbob said:

As usual, the CPF people come through.

We sold a lot of Trek 7000 (hybrids), 3000 and 4000 (mountain) series to people like yourself.

Bob

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Yeah, I tried a bunch of the hybrids and thought they were stellar!

Surprisingly comfy, and handled nicely as well.
As a former hardcore cyclist, I was surprised I liked them so much! Regarding handling they were very stable, which allowed you to relax and enjoy the ride.
I recall one having a nifty adjustable-rise stem.

Bob, my Trek 7500 has a "swivel stem". I have never taken it out of the default position. I had thought about replacing it with a standard stem which undoubtably is lighter but never got around to it. I did replace the handle bar with a flat bar and added the top grips to it (forget what they are called).

Thanks for the input fellas, It looks like a hybrid bike is in my near future. I like the Trek navigator, is has the wider tires, but it only has knobbies on the side of the tire....the center section is ribbed and smooth. I wonder if this tire will provide a good compromise between ride and handling?? I also like the Trek 7000 series. It has an Alpha aluminum frame and skinner, less cushioned tires. I may just have to ride them both and make up my mind from there.

We also may be getting as bike trailer to tow junior around. I kind of like the ones that are a bike trailer and also function as a three wheel stroller. I think they are a lot better idea, than the infant /toddler seat that mounts to a rack behind the rider. This type of seat seems to be a little top heavy, and could throw your balance off.

We may do some more investigative shopping this weekend, if time permits. Thanks again for all your inputs.