OK, So I’m going to buy my just turned 20 y/o daughter a bicycle for her birthday. Give the IMHO on buying a wal-mart special for around $150 - $200 compared to a better bicycle from a bicycle shop, where the introductory models seem to start around $240 - $300.
FYI She want’s a hybrid that is mostly street use but can be taken on light off roading as well. She doesn’t need a full blown mt bike.
Thanks.
E3
I can’t say it any better than these guys:
Reasons for buying from a real bike shop:
[ul]
[li]They carry higher quality bikes.[/li][li]They can give you informed advice on choosing the right bike.[/li][li]They’ll install accessories for you, usually for free (at least when buying a new bike). [/li][li]Bike shops assemble and inspect the bikes they sell. I don’t know what exactly Walmart does, but I’m pretty sure they don’t have bike mechanics on thier staff.[/li][li]They usually give you a free 30-day inspection. Things can come loose or settle in during that time, requiring re-adjustment, so it’s important to get this done. [/li][li]By buying from a bike shop, you’re establishing a relationship with the shop. It’ll make things easier when you need to get it serviced.[/li][li]You help the bike shop stay in business. If they go broke, where are you going to get your Walmart bike repaired?[/li][/ul]
Reasons against buying from a real bike shop:
[ul]
[li]You save a little bit of money up front.[/li][/ul]
Your choice.
Wow, nice link. I haven’t read it all yet, but I will.
Thanks.
Check this out: http://www.abikestore.com/beach-cruisers.htm. I’ve seen those up close, I think they’re exactly the sort she has in mind.
I was recently helping a friend buy a hybrid bike for bike path and light dirt trail riding. I thought this Marin Muirwoods was an excellent value. The wheels are sturdy and the frame is strong and reasonably light. Good brakes and gears. The tires are are not too fat and perfect for city/path/packed dirt riding. The matt black finish is pretty cool looking, low maintenance and is unlikely to attract unwanted attention.
Since I wnat to be careful to spend equally with all my kids, I’m going to give her $xxx.xx towards the purchase of a bicycle, and encourage her to chip in to get a better one. On the other hand if she isn’t that serious about it, a Wal Mart special will get the job done.
I know where I’m going now. I had a good talk with a sales person at the bicycle shop here in my town.
E3
See if you can get one of last year’s models - you’ll save a ton. When I bought my bike, I lived in Madison, WI, a town that has a bike shop every couple of feet. One chain had a store that carried last year’s models for significant savings. I bought a hybrid Mongoose that’s just fine for me for $150-$160, when nearly the same bike new was running $240-$300. And I got to support my local bike store and all those goodies too.
Does anyone have experience with bikes for heavier people? Does there tend to be a weight limit on conventional bikes? I think biking would be more fun than walking for fitness but I am 300# now and am kind of embarrassed to broach the topic at a bike shop.
Don’t be embarassed. That’s exactly the kind of reason you want to go to a knowledgable bike shop.
Heavier people don’t really want some of the components that might be standard on some bikes. You need more strongly built wheels, most importantly. But, if the bike shop guy says that they’re all right, then they’re probably all right, and if you break a spoke, they’ll fix it for you (they better).
That said, some of the ultra light weight stuff does have weight limits, but those probably aren’t the types of components you would wind up with unless you went seeking them.
Also, I’ve heard that this book can be pretty inspiring to the heavier person taking up biking.
Enright - Consumer Reports (no link) also agrees that in bikes you really get what you pay for.
gigi - http://tylersstory.blogspot.com/ . From what I’ve read/heard - the important thing is having 36 or more spokes, and a wider based tire (like on a hybrid or mountain bike).
Definitely do not get a box-store bike. My bike-obsessed sweetie has been showing them to me for years. The bad welds, the poor construction, the crappy materials, and the abysmal assembly.
If price is a problem, ask the bike store about used bikes. I got my first bike for about half-price at $150; it was a trade-in someone made on a better bike. (And about a year later, I traded up myself; that’s why they won’t mind selling you a used bike. That bike was almost half-price at $300 - it was an odd-sized, two-year-old model that they wanted to clear out.)
Another advantage (at least here) is that our bikeshops do lifetime adjustments for free.
gigi - talk to the bike shop. They’re usually pretty nice people, and want to get new bikers started. Trust me, I’ve seen some guys that were at least 275 landing BIG jumps. If bikes can survive that, you should be fine. You may need to change out some parts but it shouldn’t be a problem. Definitely ask them about their policy on seats - many bike stores will let you trade seats until you find one you like (it’s a very personal fit issue). I know that’s the main problem my friend (about your size) had when she started biking.
Bike shops are great for bikes but they seem to be hit or miss when it comes to innertubes. I stopped getting tubes from the shop nearest to me because every one of them came with holes!
I just bought a hybrid from my local bike store. The service was excellent, I really felt they were giving me the best information, I get free tune-ups for life, and they put on all the accessories I got when I bought it. I did spend more money than I was planning on when I walked in the door, however. I’m quite satisfied, though, and am now having to learn how to ride all over again, since I haven’t been on one since I was 10 or so.
I bought a Raleigh C30 in 2001 from my LBS, with the express desire of urban commuting for a fat guy. I was 300+# at the time myself. Broke off a pedal at a year, and had both replaced with BMX pedals. Rode it several seasons with no further problem, and once I moved to Virginia, used it to commute to work. By that time, metal fatigue started costing me spokes, so I paid $50 to have the back wheel relaced with tandem grade spokage. Not a problem since.
I’ve had a gastric bypass since then, and lost 115 lbs. I’m sure my spokes are thanking me. 
Who was it that said that the tubes s/he got from the LBS had holes in them? What a great idea! I’ve had to put them in myself… 
Ok, yeah, me too, I was rounding (heh) down a little. Congrats on your weight loss!
Thanks too for everyone’s comments; very helpful.
That would be me. I started getting suspicous after going through so many tubes that I submerged the last one I bought from them and–bubbles! That did it for me, no more 26×2.125s from them.