Need bicycle buying advice for adult rider

[KennyG]

My personal suggestion would also be to pass on the suspension. If he has the non suspension model, I would look at that. It would have to be a pretty rough road before you would even know the difference and it does add weight and cost.

Biking is great cardio exercise. If you are really focused on this, you might think about a heart rate monitor. They are pretty cheap now. I don't worry about it. I just stay hydrated and bike as fast as I can without breathing too hard.

 

[JimRB]

Go fast and you get a big workout, go slow and you still get a workout. Just ride anywhere is better than sitting in a chair typing about riding a bike.

I have a rear fender that clips on to the seat post. It keeps mud off my backside when riding in sloppy stuff. Sometimes the air is clear, the skies are blue but the roads are still wet from the rain, or melting snow.

My mountain bike has suspension but my road bike, my cross bike and my time trial bike do not. I have done 100 mile rides on all of them and never looked for suspension. But the question is a personal thing. My tractor does not need or have 2 cup holders. Some folks want two cup holders, a long rifle scarab and a chain saw scarab on their tractor. I do have lights front and rear, mirror on one bike and fenders some days. My fenders go on and off in a few minutes.

 

[sseelhoff]

My personal suggestion would also be to pass on the suspension. If he has the non suspension model, I would look at that. It would have to be a pretty rough road before you would even know the difference and it does add weight and cost.

Biking is great cardio exercise. If you are really focused on this, you might think about a heart rate monitor. They are pretty cheap now. I don't worry about it. I just stay hydrated and bike as fast as I can without breathing too hard.

I think it is this:

Rapid 1 (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States

Cannondale has the Quick line, and Specialized has the Sirrus line which are similar.

I'm have been looking at a Cannondale Quick 3 as a replacement for my current road bike. Trying to get away from the drop bar road bike.

 

[panchohughes]

Great comments and I took them to heart. Went to a bike shop this AM and talked to the knowledgeable owner for an hour. Good guy and a bike shop is the only way to go. Great tip and thank you on that. Came away thinking a holdover model of the one shown below is the right idea...Same bike but two links............. towards this model.

Sounds like you are getting it narrowed down! Keep us posted. Lots of good advice here, but take it at your own pace and enjoy it. I do agree about the suspension. If you do end up getting a good deal on the bike that has it.. then no big deal. But i would not go out of my way to get one with suspension. Most cyclists that ride on the roads regularly will avoid bikes with suspension.
Hope you end up loving it. Quick note then i will shut up- I never had any interest in cycling, and frankly thought cyclists were freaks and probably muttered '****-cyclists' as I drove by them. I can't stand conventional 'exercise' like going to the gym, so I ended up trying cycling. It changed my life. My Dr. had prescribed statins to me for cholesterol, but I decided not to take them. I lost 20lbs over 2 summers, and my labs came back perfect! It gave me more energy, and it was actually strenuous activity that i looked forward to. Especially when riding with others. Met some great folks - just like here on TBN. Sorry if i sound like an infomercial. I am just excited for you.
All the best-

 

[sixdogs]

Yeah, where I live bicyclists with an attitude try to ride 2 or 3 abreast down a 65 mph highway. Whoa, not smart and every now and then one gets whacked. That's not for me so I'm at the crack of dawn on fair days and back roads for maybe an hour at a time.

I can get the non-suspension holdover model for a really good price as well so we'll see. As suggested, i'm going to test ride and see what happens. If the weather is good maybe I can test ride on Saturday. We'll see.

Here's the same bike without the suspension. It also lacks the adjustable-angle handlebars as well but the guy said no one ever changes them.


Cypress (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | United States

 

[panchohughes]

at least it still has suspension in the seat post! You may love that. If you dont, that is an easy swap. A friend of mine has suspension seat post on his hybrid and likes it. Seems like a good bike for the money.
Make sure they give you a free water bottle cage. (to hold your bottle)

Also- most bike shops will give you a nice discount for awhile on any after-thought accessories if you buy a bike from them. 5 to 10% is typical. Sometimes more, but they don't make too much money anyway.

 

[The kid]

I single speed bike may not be a good idea if you are trying to work out because you will pedal very fast...but if you get a multi-speed bike, you can crank on the pedals at the speed you choose, and the bikes speed will still be fast enough to develop appreciable wind resistance.

When I bought my bike, I was weird about it and there were certain things I wanted and was willing to pay for. I wanted a shaft drive bike so my pant's leg wouldn't get caught or greased up. I wanted front disk brakes. I wanted at least 6 speeds. I wound up with all that, but 7 speeds. It set me back money wise, but sometimes I find it's just best to pay up and get what you want.

I did want some sort of suspension front and rear, I mine has that. It was sold by a company called Dynamic.
Dynamic Hybrid Bikes, Folding Bicycles, Commuter Bicycle, Chainless Bicycles, Bicycles

I beleive the OP described what he was looking for and not what you have or bought. Flat ground. Single speed, high handle bars is perfect and your not all slumped over with a padded 2X4 up your crack. He'll get his exercise and not have to float a loan just to putter around. But he won't have the high tech bragging rights, with carbon fiber, shaft drive, sonic warning dog repellent, LED lighting. Just a plain bike. PLus he won't have to wear all that SPANDEX..

 

[RobertBrown]

I enjoy cycling, it's always been something that has been a part of my life.
I recommend it as a form of exercise and relaxation all at the same time.
It's very important to get the right size, fit and adjustment, as Egon and Aky217 have stated.
12 miles is a long way if your not comfortable. You will find that there may be some sore spots in the beginning but after a few trips and proper equipment it should become quite pleasant and I suspect if you do your home work (just like you are now) you won't regret this endeavor. :thumbsup:
There is a lot of hype surrounding the sport or hobby. I was all caught up in it years ago. I try not allow my self to get enamored with the latest trends....unless it works. I try to keep it simple now.


At your size, it's likely that the largest frame would not be "too large". I'm slightly shorter than you, and l like a 60mm frame, on a Giant, that's a large. (I think giant use only 3 frame sizes? S, M, L).

How come I need fenders? I'm a fair weather rider only.

You don't need fenders, I recommend passing on the fenders.

The bike I'm looking at has a front shock absorber suspension. Do I need this and is it a big deal?

I personally would pass on the suspension, but that is something you might want. It can be added or removed by replacing the fork later or added later, but it's a bit pricey.
I would recommend you go with a thread-less headset to made customizing easier.

Question...Can I get a cardio exercise out of this?

It depends on how you ride, but it's a lot more cardio than sitting on the couch :laughing:.

I think of the bike trans sort of like my tractor trans. I pick one of the three ranges I need to operate in depending on the terrain. ( I ride off road as well as on road....with the same bike.) It's important to try to anticipate a coming obstacle and understand that you need to shift into the right gear before you reach it and understand that your transmission only works while pedaling. After a while, you will shift without being conscious of it.
I think of my legs as the engine, and the engine never stops....as long as the bike is moving.

 

[Egon]

If you put the time in the cardio will be there.

As to the seat situation things get better with seat time. The seat doesn't wear in but the other seat does. It develops more blood vessels to cool things down.

Fenders work for light rain. Heavy rain your wet or if you wear the proper rain gear you will be sorta dry. By that I mean Gortex just don't work well if you are working hard.

If you ever venture off road or use the shoulders frequently suspension is nice. Also helps riding down stairs and such. If you get into some mud they will plug up!

For the uninitiated the Lycra looks sorta non manly but after using it one finds it's exceedingly comfotable.

 

[mvwicker]

Great advice. Who kew tractor people knew bicycles? And I almost didn't ask.
Yes and yes on the things I forgot to note. Rearview mirror, flashing light, bright colors and helmet. And yes, I'm doing the test ride thing as soon as no ice on pathway. Not sure if I need a large or X-large frame plus want to see how things feel.

Question...How come I need fenders? I'm a fair weather rider only.

Question...The bike I'm looking at has a front shock absorber suspension. Do I need this and is it a big deal?

Question...Can I get a cardio exercise out of this?

Yes, fenders add weight and a little drag, but without them any water on the road and any loose dirt will get thrown onto you and the bike. I commute daily in all weather so it makes sense for me. You will no doubt make upp your own mind after a little bit of cycling.

Front shocks help when your inner child makes you jump curbs, or when your roads develop potholes and frost heaves, but you can certainly live without them.

I think that biking is the best cardio exercise after swimming. The speed keeps you cooled, and you can get your pulse rate up to any desired level and hold it for any desired time. Plus, you can be doing something useful like a shopping trip when you get a basket or panniers or a backpack.