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Robert Poole

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Hi y'all



I need a bit of advice, I am looking into buying a bike, I was thinking of a road bike like a 12 speed or something.mostly for exercise, and I am confronted with all this technical data as to the size of bike. I am 5ft 7 inches long and have a 30" inseam. Any advice would be appreciated.



Thanks Everybody



Bob
 
Most bike shops will take your measurements i.e. standover height, reach, etc. and help you pick out a bike. Please don't go to Walmart and buy a bike. A low end Trek or Specialized will beat a Walmart or Target bike anyday. You may have to pay a little more, but they are fully serviceable and parts are replaceable. Bikeforums.net has a great thread in the Road cycling section called "$750 and under road bike" Check it out.



PS- e-mail me if you have any specific questions. I've been riding my whole life and work at a bike shop during the summer.
 
Hmm k.



I work at a bike shop so I have some questions.



Where will you be riding? Paved paths? Along roads? How often will you ride? What is your physical fitness level? What is your budget.



Ill make a basic list and you cant tell me what you think.



1. Specialized Sirius flat bar road bike (500-1200$) - Great bike rides on 700x23c wheels with flat bars. You will sit upright. Comes with suspension seatpost and is very quick.



2. Specialized Cross Roads (350-700$) - Bike is set up for more of the cruising type. If your just riding on the weekends and dont want to burn up the pavement this is the most comfortable ride you can get.



3. Trek FX (400-1000) - Treks version of the sirius it has a wider tire and is a great path and touring bike geared for the cyclist who wants 2 ride 2-3 times a week its a great bike very comfy and comes in many different levels.



For pure road.



For beginners



1. Specialized Allez (600-2500$) - This is your basic road bike. Its most basic form it comes with some low-midrange shimano components and is your best bet for getting into serious road riding.



2. Trek Pilot 1.0 (500-2500$) - Much like the Allez this bike comes with low-high end components depending on which model you get. The difference is the frame. This frame has a much more upright seating position and will be more comfortable on long rides.



3. Cannondale Cadd 8 (1000-2000$) - Same as the models above. More progressive geometry.



Bikes today dont come in 12 speed. The most basic bikes you will find at your local bike shop will have atleast 24 speeds and range from 300-12,000 $



If you have ?'s please you can email me at [email protected] or pop into your local shop they should have the know how to hook you up.



Hope this helped.

 
Wife and I bought Specialized Crossroads hybrid [cross between mountain and road] bikes last fall to replace our Kmart/Target bikes and what a difference. Same level of night and day as the Ford OEM shocks vs. Rancho RSX on my Trac. On the Crossroads, everything is adjustable for getting the right fit. Seat and handlebar positions can be set so that you get the most comfortable ride for your body and believe me, when you do a 30 or 40 mile ride, that makes a tremendous difference over the discount store bikes. The 29", higher pressure tires also make for a much better ride and more speed for road riding while still being able to do some light off-road type of riding.



Specialized [frames made in China] and Cannodale [frames made in US] both make some very good bikes in all price ranges although Cannodale's usually cost a bit more. Can't go wrong with either make. Visit a bike shop and they will get you set up right.
 
I'll echo what Heather said. Go to a bike shop and they'll set you up with the right bicycle for the type of riding you want to do. I'm partial to Giant bicycles (at least for mountain bikes), but any reputable bike shop will set you up with a quality bike.



If you're serious about getting a road bike, be sure to try out both compact and traditional frame geometries. I spent a season with a compact road bike, and could not find a comfortable position.
 
Geez. Whatever happened to the $100 Schwinn? Wheels, pedals, frame, handle bars. You pedal it, it goes.



Robert, be sure to checkout craigslist.
 
The $100 Schwinn's are still out there but Americans work sooo much that we feel the need to spend $500-1k on a bike. It seems that the lighter they get, the more expensive they are. To me, you are taking away from your workout and leg strength with the lighter bikes. Hit some of those trails and hills with a 1 speed and no shocks;). Then you'll feel like a kid again until the next day:lol:.





BTW, my bike is a Diamondback Sorrento that I got for FREE. It's about 7 years old and rides like a Cadillac.





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We bought our Specalized Crossroads for $300 each at a year-end clearance sale at a local bike shop. My wife is 5'9" and I'm 5'11". Both have 32" inseam and needed men's large frame bikes. Frame size is very important and the Kmar/Target/Walmart [Toy] bikes are medium to smaller frames geared toward children and shorter adults. Bicycle fit is the most important aspect of getting a good ride when you ride long distances. If you only ride a few miles, doesn't matter much. But, if bike doesn't fit and you ride 30 or 40 miles then it matters a lot. It's not so much leg strength and fatigue. A poorly fit bike will hurt your back, shoulders, arms and hands. The "toy" bikes do not fit tall people well. Seat and handle bars do not raise high enough. There is no way to adjust seat-to-handle-bar distance. The shifters and brakes are usually of the lowest quality. Now one can buy add-ons to correct those issues but in the end will spend more than if they just went out and bought a good adult bicycle. If you are truly serious about riding, then a good bike is worth it.
 
I have a coronary every time I take my bike to a shop to get serviced. The prices on these things today is mind blowing. Though I know my bikes weren't cheap in their day, I still have them. They are considered "vintage" now from what I have read ion some of the MTB forums and sites when I was looking for parts. I pretty much use my bikes to ride around the races I go to and hit the trails about one a quarter. My bikes are a 1992 Schwinn High Plains Aluminum and a 1993 Haro Escape. Fun stuff.



Of course, what I really miss is my old Diamondback Viper from my BMX days. Man I had that thing tricked out...lol.
 
At 5'7", you are probably looking at a road bike frame in the 54cm size. New road bikes will probably have 16-18 speeds (double chainring) or 24-27 speeds(triple chainring). Like others have said, go to a bike shop, not a department store.

A mountain bike for you would probably be the 17" size. A mountain bike or crossbike is usually better for all around riding, because you can hit the dirt roads, trails and paths.
 
Bikes, like many other items, come in all price ranges and levels of performance. The $100 bike at Target is a good bike, no question. But, It's probably a medium or small frame. Seat post is short and seat is not at all cushioned. Handle bars can only adjust up/down. Tires are knobby, off-road tread. So to get that bike ready for a tall person who rides on pavement; have to get new seat post, new seat, new handle bar stem and new tires. Now you've spent over $200 and still have the cheapest brakes and shifters made.



Tires you ask, why different tires? The difference between street tires and the knobby ones feels like about 2 gears in peddle effort. Over a 20 to 40 mile ride, that's a big difference.
 
LOL Ben I know what you mean...



Seven Cycles, Gary Fisher Sugar 1 and Klein Attitude with full XTR, Rock Shox Race, and Race Face CF Cranks. BTW...I need to have you guys rebuild the Rock Shox.
 
I have one for sale, but its too big for you-its an XL:[Broken External Image]:



Its a BMC Streetfire SSX (nice aluminum road bike- about $2500 new)built it last month, then fell in love with the Carbon fiber model, which was used in the Tour de France:



[Broken External Image]:



I'm riding in a 165 miler on March 29- Miami to Key West!:cool:
 
"Ben/Sea...do they still make/sell the polymer thingies for the old Manitou fork shocks?"



Elastomers went out years ago (8+). They are a dead technology you would be better off getting a new fork. You can get a newer (2003 +) Manitou black which will be lighter, stiffer, and have a much plush travel progression for 100$ on ebay. Plus it uses a modern coil/oil combo which is easier to maintain.



I tell customers who have elastomers to throw the fork away. We can fix em. Manitou cant fix em. They dont even want to admit they made them :blink:
 
I second the advice on a 54cm or so frame size. A reputable bike shop will set you up, and there are many great bikes out there. Most important thing to determine is the type of riding you want to do and how much. A good start might be the "city" bike, which has a front suspension, semi-slick tires and an upright riding position, made by Giant, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale and several others. If you get more into the sport, you can upgrade.....:cool:
 

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