Need bike advice... for me

[Happy 2B mommy]

We just bought our neighbor's 3 year old Burley dlite. Dh does a fair amount of biking in the summer, but I don't even own a bike. I want to take DD out in the burley (and I'm looking to lose some weight) so I'm looking for a bike for me.

Soooo, I haven't been on a bike for years and am about 40 pounds overweight. I don't want to spend a lot of money (no more than $300.00 and would prefer to keep it around $200) and I want a comfy seat. I would be mostly on city/suburb streets and the (mostly) paved bike trail along the lake.

Any suggestions on bikes or even good websites to figure out what I should be looking for? I don't want to go into the bike shop completely ignorant.

[geochick]

Look at the Schwinn Mesa:
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/sports_and_leisure/mountain-bikes/

[shilo]

apparently, i can't write a short post about bikes. hope this helps not hinders...

for what you're describing, i'd start with what's called a "hybrid" bike. it has a more upright riding position and the straight type handlebars/brake levers, but is meant for paved road/light trail riding. it's not meant for racing (like a road bike) or for careening down dirt trails (like a mountain bike) - it's meant for casual leisure riding.

i personally would choose to spend a little bit ($20-$50) more to purchase at a local bike shop than a big box store. the main reason being the staff will have a lot more experience in fitting bikes, and because they want your repeat business for maintenance, etc. they have a vested interest in making sure you get a bike you're actually going to use - if you never ride it, you aren't going to be bringing it in for service ;). whereas most big box stores will only let you ride the bike inside 10 feet or so, and won't be able to customize any of it to you. also, most shop's will include some kind of maintenance agreement with the purchase. for some shops this means priority appointments, for others it means discount work and free minor adjustments. just like car dealerships, it's ok to shop around.

last general point... the 'accessories' can add up quick, so don't forget those in your budget. at the very least, you need to leave room in your numbers for a helmet for you and the Burley occupant (yes, they still need a helmet, even in the trailer!). like all things bike, there is a huge price range, but an entry level Giro or Bell helmet (generally accepted as excellent skull protectors ;)) starts at around $40 (altho rei.com has the women's giro skyla on sale for $28 right now, which is a great deal for what you get). helmets, just like bikes, get more expensive as the materials get lighter and add more features. the other thing i wouldn't leave the shop without is a spare tube for your tire and the burley tires. then, eventually, learn how to change the tube yourself in case you get caught out by yourself :).

basic bike anatomy 101 so you understand what they're talking about at the shop ;):

road bike - think the "10 speed" you probably had growing up. has the curved "drop down" handle bars, skinny, low friction tires (often called 'slicks') and generally lighter weight frame and components. meant for riding on paved surfaces only and with low weight for speed and climbing.

mountain bike - heavy but durable - meant to take abuse and so generally has heavier components to absorb some of the hard bumps. big wide 'nobby' tires to create lots of friction/traction meant for trails with lots of loose dirt/rocks. almost always has a large shock absorber on the front fork of the bike. a 'hardtail' means no shock absorber on the back end of the bike, a 'softail' means it does have one.

a hybrid bike - falls in between. more upright riding position like a mountain bike, but 'rides' more like a road bike on paved surfaces. it can have some minor suspension built in to the frame (usually up on the front end of the bike on a hybrid, but can be between the front fork and frame rather than the fork itself) and will generally have wider tires than a road bike, but smoother, not nobby's like on a mtn. bike - way to much friction and drag for the road, especially if you're towing a trailer.

FRAME: the tubes of steel, aluminum, carbon fiber or other material that make up the support structure of the bike. most hybrids would be aluminum or an alloy called cromoly - aluminum generally being more affordable. for a first bike, there is nothing wrong with an aluminum frame. it will be a little stiffer ride and transmit a little more road noise (vibration/small bumps), but for the speeds and activities you're talking about, there is no reason to be shelling out the extra $$ for a better frame initially IMHO, unless you know you're going to be doing a lot of riding.

FIT: is very important and will probably be the single biggest determining factor in your comfort on the bike. many manufacturers now make separate "women's" and "men's" frames. odds are good that a "women's" frame will fit you best, but if you are tall and/or tend to have a longer trunk and arms sometimes a "men's" frame will fit some women better. generally "women's" frames have a 'top tube' that slants down at a little more of a diagonal which results in a shorter overall reach from the seat to the handle bars. the single most important feature of the frame is how it fits YOU. you can take the shop's recommendation as a starting point, but you need to get on the bike and ride it around and get a feel for it. a good shop will have loaner helmets (or you can bring your own) and will let you ride the bike outside, at a minimum in the parking lot, but even better if they have a short 'route' they send you out on, on local streets (around the block kinda thing). if you can, have your DH bring his bike and ride with you. minor changes like seat height and handle bar height and even the stem length (see 'componets' below) can change how the same frame feels to you quite a bit. so leave the kids at home and be prepared to spend some uninterrupted time trying out some different frame sizes. once you're getting close with the frame size and seat/handle adjustments, then you can customize the 'reach' slightly with the stem length/pitch. altho a nice cushy seat is a nice feature, buy the bike that FITS you best first and replace the seat with a nice big cushy one later if needed. (bike seats are kinda like breast feeding ;) they're gonna hurt the first few times you ride pretty much no matter what until you build up your 'bike butt')

COMPONENTS: all the bits and pieces that make the bike go and stop and other comfort and function features. (common ex. would be crank, pedals, crankset, brakes, shocks, even handlebars and seats can fall under the "components" umbrella). in general, what they will try and sell you on is packages that come with 'better' components (lighter weight, higher quality, etc). the nice thing about bikes is, as long as you start with a decent frame that fits you well, you can always upgrade the components individually as your needs and skills advance.

lingo a bike person might use that can be confusing at first - a 'stem' is the part that attaches the handle bars to the frame - it's important because it is a piece you can swap out easily to increase/decrease the 'reach' of the bike as well as slightly change the riding position (how upright you are) by changing the pitch (angle) of the stem. a 'fork' is the upside down U shaped piece that connects the frame and handle bars to the front wheel axel. a 'derailleur' (Dee rail er) is the part that moves to guide the chain when you shift gears. a 'crankset' is the chainring (large rings in front) where the cranks attach (your pedals are at the end of each crank). a 'cassette' is the stack of smaller rings (think gears) in back. the chain loops around the chainring in front and the cassette in back. so the "10 speed" we all grew up with would be 2 chainrings in front (called a 'double') and a 5 speed cassette in back (2 x 5 = 10). more chainrings and gears in your cassette gives you more variability to choose from when you're out riding.

ok, so that's it. ask any questions you want. start slow (around the block a few times ) for you and your DC. it took sam several rides to get comfortable in the trailer and helmet, so it may not be instant love for both of you, but stick with it! good luck!

lori

[Happy 2B mommy]

Lori
Thank you for your excellent post. I have a few other questions that perhaps you can shed some light on.

Can I get a decent beginners bike for $200 -250? Or does it depend on area?

Our local hospital sells kids helmets for $8.00 and will fit it to the little ones. I thought I'd go this route for DD as I assume she will need a new helmet each year. Are these helmets safe enough for a burley? Or will a helmet fit for a few years? I'd rather spend a little more to keep DD safe if the hospital helmets aren't very good.

Thanks for the info on helmets for me. Nice to know what to look for.

[MontrealMum]

ITA with what Lori said, and won't even try to compete :) For the type of biking you want to do, a hybrid is the way to go. I haven't shopped for bikes in awhile but I would guess you should be able to get one for between $200-$300. I would ask our family bike/gear nut (DH) but he's at work.

Helmets are extremely important - it's not what you pay for them, but how they protect you. Paying $80 will not protect you more than $40, so don't get hooked by a pushy sales clerk. The more expensive ones often have more bells and whistles (venting, easier adjustment) but not hugely important for your case. As Lori said, you can expect to pay about $40 for a good, safe helmet. She mentioned Giro and Bell, two other brands are Specialized and Louis Garneau. Louis Garneau is especially known for kid's helmets and small sizes. It's a Canadian brand, though, so maybe they don't have it down there. Every helmet fits every person differently so try them on. I have personally just switched between brands and it made a world of difference. I do not know about this $8 helmet deal that you mentioned since the price seems low, but you said it was a hospital. Keep the brands mentioned above in mind, and Snell certification is good to have too (I just checked mine and it doesn't mention it, but DS' does - maybe this is just for kids). You can go the used helmet route but I'd be wary of that - you should always replace a helmet that's been in a crash, and you can't always be sure with used helmets.

A comfy bike seat is a must in my book, but I am an avid biker and log a lot of miles. If you find that the seat (called a saddle) your bike comes with is uncomfortable you can buy a woman's specific saddle as an add-on. This will be a bit more money, so try what it comes with first unless the shop makes some sort of offer to fit you with something. Again, as with the helmets the price can go up exponentially here. A quick check shows that the Nashbar brand has one for $30, while you can get a cheaper Women's Selle for $75, with some others in between. You shouldn't have to spend more than that.

You may also find that you prefer to wear padded bike shorts while riding. You don't need to go spending $100+ on fancy shorts, especially for the amount of riding you want to do. You should be able to get a pair through LLBean, www.Nashbar.com , REI or EMS.

Scanning down I see Lori talked about tubes. You might want to investigate a small patch kit also. They can explain that at the bike shop. Cell phones or money for a pay phone are good things too :)

[DrSally]

I bought my bike quite awhile ago, but was in a similar postion...new biker, not looking to spend a lot of $$. I bought a hybrid Trek on the advice of someone else who said they were specifically tailored for women. I've been happy with it, although haven't rode for a long time.

ETA: That was a great post Lorien CA, I too agree that buying at a bike shop is far superior to a big box store. DH just bought a nice entry road bike and we shopped around. The bike shop we ended up going to was so awesome. They worked hard to find the bike that would fit his needs and budget, even tailoring a cheaper bike with different handlebars and a shorter stem to make it nearly comparable to the one $300 more. The expert fitting really made a big difference in comfort for DH. Not all bike shops were that great, but this one was. Then, when he had a flat, he walked to a local bike shop and they changed it for free (minus tube cost), and let him watch so that he would know how to do it in the future.


I think I spent about $300 on mine several years ago.

[tylersmama]

:yeahthat: to pretty much everything covered above. That was a GREAT post, Lori!

I completely agree on the seat. My saddle looks like the most uncomfortable thing ever, and kind of felt that way the first couple of times I rode it. It takes at least a week or two of regular riding to build up a good callus on your girlie parts so it doesn't hurt anymore. If the seat is still uncomfortable at that point, then I would think about switching it out, but not before.

The fit is so, so important. More important than how much money you spend, what kind of components you get, etc. You could spend 10 grand on a bike, but if it doesn't fit you well, it's a waste of money. I bought a road bike in the fall, and the guy at my bike shop spent a good hour tweaking the fit to me (at no additional charge, of course).

A good bike shop is a wonderful thing. I was just at mine today (wanted to look at Kettlers for DS) and had a question about my Chariot. I ended bringing it in to show them what I was talking about and they pretty much did a tune-up on it for free!

You definitely will need spare tubes and a fix-a-flat kit, but I would also consider making the upgrade to goo or slime tubes. These are tubes that self-seal after minor punctures, so you don't have to change the tube to fix the flat. We have these nasty little thorn things out here that thrive right along bike trails and I've had many a flat tire from them. With my goo tubes, all I have to do is remove the thorn, give the tire a spin to reseal the tube, and inflate. Obviously, they won't help if you hit something major and completely blow the tube, but for lots of smaller things, they're great.

I got DS the Giro me2 helmet. It's adjustable, so we should be able to get at least 2-3 years, if not more, out of it. Also, I think Giro has some kind of trade-in program for kid's helmets for when they outgrow them. REI has their anniversary sale going on right now and have 25% off all Giro helmets through Sunday.

Congratulations on your new Burley!

[shilo]

Can I get a decent beginners bike for $200 -250? Or does it depend on area?

i'm guessing it depends somewhat on area, but also on how flexible you are. if you're open to color, and maybe they have last years model still sitting around or one of their suppliers still has some of last years stock at the warehouse and you can wait for them to get one in for you and build it up, you might find a 'deal' to be had. but in general at that price range, most shops around here may only have 1 or 2 bikes they stock in that range. whereas, if you could go up to $275-$325 you might have more to choose from. the other option you could consider is figuring out what frame size you need and scour your local craigslist or want ads for a used one. just keep in mind that most bike shops will then charge you for their time for a fitting, tune up, etc.


Our local hospital sells kids helmets for $8.00 and will fit it to the little ones. I thought I'd go this route for DD as I assume she will need a new helmet each year. Are these helmets safe enough for a burley? Or will a helmet fit for a few years? I'd rather spend a little more to keep DD safe if the hospital helmets aren't very good.

i'm guessing that the local hospital has a very vested interest in making sure they are giving out adequate (safe) helmets :). again, the more well known brands will usually have a couple of price points with the hight price points being associated with some nicer features (easy adjust clips and straps, better venting, lighter weight materials, etc) but are not necessarily any safer. as pp recommended, look for something with a SNELL sticker (it will usually be on the box and also on a sticker on the inside of the shell. any helmet that meets SNELL standards meets the most stringent criterion for safety. i'm not recalling the SNELL numbers for kids under 5 (i'm sure you can google for it), but it's a different standard for kids under 5 helmets than over 5 or adults. IIRC from when i was shopping for sam's helmet, the under 5 standard has more coverage requirements (has to cover lower in the front/back and sides) and pass the impact test all the way into the extended coverage areas i think. so i'd call and ask if the $8 helmet is SNELL certified, if it is, and you can get a good fit when you go, go for it! if you can't get a good fit, then you can hit REI or a LBS (local bike shop) for something with more adjustability bells and whistles.

hth, lori