Bicycle people...help me pick out a bike!

Some things to know up front:

  1. Everything I know about bikes I have learned in the last 36 hours or so.
  2. The last time I really rode a bike was a Murray 10-speed from Wal-Mart, 1985 vintage.
  3. I ain’t made of money, but understand that a Wal-Mart bike will not cut it either.

So I was cutting short a run this weekend because of nagging injuries, and as cyclists gleefully wheeled past me it occurred to me that maybe it’s time to find a low-impact cross-training.

In internetting and speaking with people at bike shops I visited, it seems that I am in the market for either what’s apparently known as a ‘gravel bike’, or a ‘fitness bike’. I know that I don’t want a dedicated road bike and don’t have time to devote to adding an additional skillset to ride mountain bike trails.

I was shown several bikes, but didn’t ride any because I wanted to look around more. I actually didn’t have the chance to seriously ride any, because nobody had a frame that was actually big enough. Come to find out after I came home and started doing research, a few of the bikes that were shown to me don’t even come in a XXL frame.

So The Bike will almost never spend any time on a road. It will spend a little time on paved paths, more on the finer crushed rock trails, and also some time on gravel and dirt roads. As I said, no gnarly MTB trails, rocks, roots, drop-offs etc. The Bike’s primary purpose will be exercise, as opposed to casually tooling down the lane.

Price range…well, I know I’m limiting myself here. I’d like to stay in the area of $1k. I know that adding another $500-1000 opens limitless possibilities, but I just can’t drop that.

Here are some bikes I was shown that I have considered:

First two are the ‘gravel bikes’:

Jamis Renegade Explore - https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/renegadeexplore.html

Specialized Diverge - Diverge | Specialized.com

Then there are the hybrid/fitness bikes.

Fuji Absolute - http://www.fujibikes.com/usa/bikes/city/fitness/absolute

Specialized Sirrus - Sirrus | Specialized.com

Canondale Quick, and Quick CX - Quick | Fitness Bikes | Cannondale

And I know that there are other comparable bikes from other companies that I don’t know about.

So hey, what do ya know? The good/bad? Anyone own one of these? Have a better recommendation?

To be honest - if you haven’t cycled before, get hold of a second-hand bike from somewhere. Beg or borrow if possible. Find out if you actually like riding. It is a fun sport, but not everyone likes it. As a beginner, you will be tootling along mostly flat bike tracks and paths - bike quality doesn’t have a lot to do with the experience.

If you don’t like it, well $1K is an expensive piece of unused junk sitting in your garage.

What Wallaby said. Find a used bike store and talk with them. They will have a good chance of setting you up with something decent but not extraordinary. Until you get used to biking, extraordinary is wasted anyway.

I think a used bike is a good idea, but part of me has reservations. At your size, you could probably find a decent older lugged steel road/touring bike - believe it or not there are a lot of the larger sizes still around and they are harder to sell so they go for pretty cheap.

I think it would be better to just go to Performance and get a new bike. I think some sort of basic flat bar hybrid would be fine. If you really get into cycling, then you would want to think of other options. Probably they would have a lot of absolutes you could test ride, Fuji (or the company that owns Fuji) owns Performance Cycle.

I would only get a used bike if you are not bothered by dealing with maintenance issues. Also, a lot of older bikes have compatibility issues - I see less and less 27" tires for sale, for example. Many older bikes are not as safe - poor braking comes to mind.

All my bikes were bought used, but I wouldn’t buy a used bike if I was in your position. So many headaches, so many headaches.

Be sure to buy a helmet and lights also. Get really bright lights, the ones that piss people off. Who cares if they’re pissed off as long as they can see you. If people can see you, they probably won’t run you over. I’m sure some people would still try to run you over, but they’re assholes, and you should wear a helmet in case one of those assholes tries to run you over.

I think the previous posters have explained it nicely - to sum up, buying new gives you the best chance of getting exactly the bike you need for hassle-free riding. Meaning you are more likely to enjoy the whole experience and get good use out of the bike. On the other hand, if you decide it isn’t for you, you’ll be lucky to recoup 20% of the cost of the bike by selling it on. Whereas buying used is a far cheaper route in, but battling with an older bike could turn you off the idea.

When I got back into riding a few years ago, I was lucky - I was able to borrow my dad’s old bike which was nevertheless good quality and fitted me well. After a year or so I decided to upgrade by buying a new bike. A recent theft has just triggered another upgrade, but I still spent only just over £1k including new accessories. $1k won’t get you quite as much, but should still be a very decent bike - far better than spending $500 on a new bike, IMO.

I’m afraid I have no experience with the brands and bikes you mentioned, and I don’t have time to go through their specs, but here’s a few things I would strongly recommend you get: a helmet (even if you don’t plan to ride on public roads much; falling off on paths and trails is still possible and still hurts), disc brakes (even if you don’t plan to ride much in the wet, their performance is so much better), puncture-resistant tyres (you will probably have to pay extra for these as bikes don’t tend to have them as standard, but hopefully the shop will cut you a good deal and change them out for you), padded cycling shorts (worth having no matter how comfortable the saddle is).

Good luck and enjoy!

How hilly is the terrain on which you intend to ride? You only need the 24+ gear stuff if you will really be doing lots of hill climbing, and then really only if you are seeking to maximize your efficiency. Even with occasional hills; if exercise, rather than efficiency is your goal, something with 6 to 8 gears are plenty. In Florida single speed bikes are the norm.

How long will your rides be? If you are planning long endurance rides of several hours on a frequent basis your needs are different than if you’re going to go out for an hour a few times a week, in which case something in the line of a “comfort bike” might be a good choice; perhaps something like an Electra 7D if it is big enough for you.

Unless you are planning long endurance rides the more upright the riding position the more comfortable you will be – forget anything with “drop” handlebars. No skinny racing tires; fatter trail tires for crushed gravel, cinder, dirt, etc. – but not a “fat bike” – that’s a specialty you might consider later, but not for a first bike. Also, forget about carbon fiber and ultralight stuff; you’re riding for exercise, not for peak efficiency … choose a steel frame bike over aluminum (for strength, not weight, since you’re a big guy) and put some sand bags in the basket if you really want exercise. :wink:

Unless racing or competitive riding is your intent don’t get caught up the common American idea that bicycle riding requires all sorts of specialized clothing and safety equipment. Cycling is fun and safe – just ride.

It’s correct that Walmart (and other big box store) bikes are a waste; they are actually engineered to last for about 75 miles before hitting the landfill. I think a used bike might be a good choice to get started – just be sure not to buy a used Walmart-type bike. You will learn a lot in the first couple of months about what kind of bike you should have bought for the trails you ride, then you can make a more informed choice.

Agree with the others that second hand is best in principle, but if you’re new to the game there are a lot of unknowns - it’s reassuring to buy your first decent bike from a shop. Gravel bike for a grand from one of the big brands sounds great - whichever one fits you and comes in a colour you like, they are very versatile bikes. I wouldn’t get hung up on small variations in componentry, but hydraulic brakes are a real difference maker IMHO. On a drop-barred bike the shifter and brake unit is integrated, so they’re more expensive - At this price point you will see some bikes with, some without (cable disks), so that is something you might weigh up. It’s far less important than the overall ride of the bike, though.

If you get a flat barred bike it’s not a consideration as they’ll likely all be hydraulic at that pricepoint (shifter and brake levers are separate).

I’ll be that one asshole in the bike thread to actually give you my opinion on a few of the bikes you mentioned.

I liked the Jamis Renegade when it was announced. Mostly for the ability to run different wheel sizes (650B/27.5 was barely a blip on anyone’s radar at the time) and they added actual fender mounts. I’m weird that way.

Specialized Diverge seems like a nice, capable platform and I’ve always like Specialized bikes in general.

Also check out the GT Grade and the Diamondback Haanjo. There should be a model in your price range.

What Busy Scissors said, too.

Hey wanted to pop in and say thanks for the response so far…busy all day but I’ll check in and reply tonight!

Not having much luck finding a used bike store! And I definitely don’t want to buy a bike off CL or something. I don’t know enough about what to look for etc.

I have a feeling I’ll like it fine, but even if I don’t…well, some people run even though they don’t like it because it’s good for them. Worst case scenario, that’s where I’ll end up. I’m not one to drop that kinda dough and let it go to waste.

Don’t know anybody to borrow from, really. Kansas City does have a really neat public bike rental program that I just recently became aware of, however. Maybe I will go un-rack a bike from there a couple times and just see how much I like trundling down the recreation trail and through neighborhoods, at least. I suppose if I hate that then I’ll call the whole thing off.

Hah! I am going to try to stay off the street, but there’s no way I’m going out without a helmet. It is instructive to me that, when I’m running on the MTB trails, the riders that seem to know their shit the most all have helmets, and the hacks in general are about 50/50. The only other dude out there this evening didn’t have a helmet. Crazy. Helmet for me, for sure.

Thanks! So, flat bars vs. drop bars. The guys at the bike shop seemed to want to steer (heh) me to bike with drop bars…they came to that conclusion I think because I told them I’d eventually want to be on the bike for a couplefew hours, and their resoning was that with drop bars I’d have more options for my hand placement, plus in the wind out on the prairie I could get my profile lower. But then I’ve been told and read that flat bars are just fine, so I’m kind of stuck on that aspect. The bikes with flat bars definitely start off cheaper, I have at least noticed that.

Ok got ahead of myself right above maybe. So, like I put up there I plan on using cycling to supplement my training for long runs. I’ll want to eventually work up to being on the bike for 2-3 hours, likely. And then another hour ride during the week some time. Hills, there’s nothing drastic like mountains or mountain foothills, but lots of long rolling hills.

A friend of my wife does some gravel endurance (50-100mile) events, and I toy with the idea of trying maybe a 50 sometime in the future. I will NOT be ‘racing’ anything, since no matter what I do I have two speeds; 1) slow and 2) stop.

Yeah, I can see a scenario where used might be the way to go, but between finding one that fits both me and the criteria, and then the unknown that come with a stranger’s bike I am going to buy new. Do shops usually offer some kind of service deal like a car dealer? Tuneups and stuff like that? I also assume that there is a manufacturer warranty if something goes haywire on the bike within a certain period of time?

Is there bike theft insurance?

No I WANT the opinions on the bikes! Cuz I know nothing, as I said. Anybody who knows about any of them or alternatives are welcome to chime in.
It seems to me that my needs are tending towards the gravel bikes? I don’t know, I keep going back and forth with the pros and cons. I’d love to have more input to help me with that decision as well. My feeling is that at the same price point I’d be better off with more bike that I need than less, but I could be making that entirely too simplistic. In anyone’s opinion, does that seem like where my needs are headed as opposed to a hybrid/fitness bike?

Am I correct that even upright with the hands on top of the drop bars, your posture is still a little more hunched over that you would be on flat bars?

Thanks again for the input!

I have no idea about Kansas City in particular, but the rental bike schemes in London and Bristol involve bikes that are pretty heavy and therefore harder to ride (caveat - I haven’t actually ridden the bikes but I know I enjoy a lighter bike much more than a heavier one). So just be aware that it could be quite a different experience. Or in short, if you hate the rental bikes - which probably also will not come in your size - you may still like a decent, well-fitted new bike. From what else you have said in this thread, if I were you I’d go for the new option.

Again, based on myself, when I got back into biking (having never ridden drop bars), I tried out both at my local bike shop, and just didn’t have the confidence on the drop bars. To me it felt less stable (probably because the bars are narrower, so small inputs can get big results) and less comfortable. There was also the unfamiliarity of operating the brakes and gears. So I happily plumped for a flat-bar hybrid. A couple of years and ~3,000 miles later, I’m now happily on a drop-bar cyclocross-style bike, having gained confidence and speed. Plus, I do mostly road commuting, not much gravel. Based on all that, I’d say flat bars are likely to suit you better. Until you get up to about 20mph (which is not ‘slow’ by any definition), the lower profile of drop bars isn’t going to make a whole lot of difference.

In my experience, yes - my local bike shop offers free servicing for the first year, which is often needed after a few weeks (brake and gear cables can stretch and require adjustment), and within a year you might need new brake pads (I do, because my commute involves a couple of big downhills with hard stops at the bottom - for flat trail riding, you may not). They’re also so much quicker at changing tyres/brakes or adjusting gear shifters than us non-pros - you can do it yourself, especially with the help of YouTube, so up to you really. Personally I find having a good relationship with my bike shop a really good benefit.

There certainly is in the UK and I assume so in the US. Most commonly over here by adding it to your house contents policy, but you can also buy it separately. Personally I’ve never done it because I prefer to self-insure things like this (i.e. over time I think I will pay more in premiums than I will lose in thefts). Admittedly I have lost a bike to theft recently, despite it being locked up under a CCTV camera - I assume a professional thief used cable cutters. So now I no longer leave my bike in high-risk (i.e. city centre) areas whenever possible, and if I do I use a proper Kryptonite D-lock and a cable - so far so good. My advice to you would be the same - I believe professional theft such as I suffered would be less likely on a remote bike trail, so any lock will do (to prevent casual theft), in higher-risk areas a D-lock is the way to go.

In general, yes. But the best advice (which it seems you have already taken) is to try before you buy. And once you think you have the right bike in the right size, get the bike shop to adjust things like saddle height, handlebars etc until you feel comfortable. Then if you become uncomfortable after a solid hour or so in the saddle, go back and ask for their advice. For example, I discovered that when there seemed too much pressure on my hands, raising the saddle solved it (which seems counterintuitive to me).

This is the worst time to buy a bike. Everybody buys a bike in the summer. You won’t find anything on sale, and the used bikes are totally depleted.

If you can wait until, say, October, you will find the same bikes you are looking at now at 30 & 40% discounts, and the used bikes will be replenished, because a lot of people sell them off at the end of the summer. This is especially true if there is a university nears you.

I ride for fun and exercise. I love the feeling of riding a bike, and I hate, hate hate running, so I can ride a bike for and hour and really enjoy it, whereas running for just 20 minutes is a chore.

I bought my last bike last winter, and got a deal. I paid $700 for a bike that would have cost $1200 had I bought it in the spring. I also spent $120 on a stationary trainer for my living room, so I can ride the bike on rainy days, or through the very cold days of the winter, and keep in shape. A trainer is a thing you hook up to a regular bike that turns it into a stationary bike, essentially. I have the cheapest kind, but you can buy all sorts, up to ones that cost close to $1000, and have electronic tension adjustment, speedometer/odometers, and display panels that show you scenery, and mimic the terrain you see yourself biking over-- in other words, if it shows a hill, the biking gets more difficult. Mine is the cheapest kind you can get. It has a knob for adjusting tension; it’s entirely mechanical.

Anyway, I have a Felt, one of the VR series. It’s an endurance bike, which means it is means to ride over long distances, and mainly on roads but over other terrain as necessary. It’s a very good bike. It has racing (“ram’s horn”) handlebars, because that’s what i had all my like since I was 10, and I just like them.

I would recommend a Felt. The bike is very easy to ride, and comfortable. My only thing is that the racing seat is not especially comfortable for tooling around the neighborhood, but you can get a spring-loaded, padded seat for $5-25, and install it yourself. I sold my original seat on Craigslist for $30. The seat I use came of a Schwinn.

Schwinns, FWIW, are really good bikes for amateurs. I had a Schwinn for 23 years. I got it for my 13th birthday, and rode it every year after that. It was even my primary transportation some years. The axle finally started to wear a little after I don’t know how many miles. In my 20s, I used to ride it to state parks. I put probably 100 miles a week on it for several years when I was really into biking.

My parents bought me a new bike for my 33rd birthday. I never liked it as much as the Schwinn, and got rid of it for a used bike about 6 years later. The used bike was a Schwinn frame with other parts on it that I got for free. At that point, I wasn’t biking a lot, and I needed the money I got selling the other bike.

The Felt is great, though. I intend to hang onto it forever, assuming nothing untoward happens. I’m 51, so if I keep it for 20 years, I probably will never have another bike.

If you stumble across a higher end Schwinn for sale used, grab it.

A lot of what you will get paying $1,000 for a bike are thing that racers or serious mountain bikers need, and you don’t need. Don’t worry that you can’t spend a lot. Just get a bike that feels good to you. I test rode several bike, and there were more expensive bikes that were not as nice to me as the Felt. Frankly, when I got it, I had practically unlimited funds, so the fact that I bought a bike for $700 is really because it was the one I liked the best.

Contact these guys - http://cyclingkc.org/ I bet someone there can find a used bike for you or at least a loaner until you find what you like.

Does your wife’s friend’s husband have a few bikes? If he is the right size and has the personality to take a newb out for a ride without crushing all hope, he would be a good candidate to introduce you to his style of bike and riding. Most weekend warriors and racers have more than one bike. Or, he might know a guy with a suitable loaner.

Gravel is big these days. Wider tires, drop bars of various sizes and shapes, accommodations for carrying things that can make a ride more comfortable. Tires are getting wider as folks are learning that comfort does equal speed (even in the pro peloton!) and that’s good for you and I. Personally I ride 650Bx42 on everything from road to path to gravel to single track. I wouldn’t suggest a frame and fork that could not take at least a 28mm wide tire, and I’m thinking of moving that up to 32mm. You can put a skinnier tire on a bike with clearance built in (but why would you?), but you can’t stuff a fatter tire into a frame built for 25s.

OK, I’ll tell you what I did two years ago when I got a bike.

I bought this one and yes, I got it at Walmart. It was only $109 at the time(sale, maybe?).

I’ve had it two years this summer and it’s great. I put new tires on it once and the rear axle had to be replaced, I think. I ride it daily, though.

Despite it being a budget bike, I get a lot of compliments from people who have no idea if it is an expensive or cheap bike.

I love it and would buy it again immediately if this one breaks.

I don’t have much more to offer than the good points already provided. Except, why not rent one for a day? They say they rent hybrids - and apply the rental fee toward a purchase.

Gravel bikes are the latest thing in cycling - the speed of a road bike with a few off-road capabilities. From your descriptions here these may be a good choice for the type of riding you may be doing. Hybrids may require some modifications, specifically, to tires more suited to dirt and gravel as opposed to pavement.

I 2nd the hydrolic brakes recommendation - they are really superior. But, they add a little to the overall cost and do require occasional maintenance probably best done at the shop - whereas cable brakes are usually less expensive and rarely need shop service.

I also agree to spend some $$ on good cycling shorts. Just hopping on a bike and going for a ride after a long absence you may quickly get disappointed by some discomfort down below. Good shorts and a decent seat can minimize this problem and keep you pedaling. Push thru the any initial discomfort and it will quickly not be an issue. Spend on items that come in contact with your body (shorts, shoes, gloves), and go cheap on everything else. Helmets all meet the same safety standards so how much you spend there is purely a matter of comfort and style.

Good luck with your selection - the best bike for you is the one you will ride the most!

When I got back into biking, I bought a Trek comfort/utility bike, in the $500-600 range, because I figured I’d just go for short 10-20 mile rides, run errands, etc. I ended up loving biking, and going on a 400-mile group ride, 50 miles per day average, on that heavy heavy bike. So then I bought an upgraded bike, a Cannondale, that weighs about 10 pounds less. I go on frequent 30-50 mile rides on moderately hilly terrain – at least, I did last summer – and love that bike. Got it late in season at a reduced price. It’s holding up very well.

So you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent bike for cross-training purposes. But you do need to go on test rides, because you may love the feel of one bike, and hate the feel of another. Getting one adjusted properly for your leg length makes all the difference in the world in how much you enjoy riding.

I have seen some bikes on the trails so big that they made my bike look like a child’s, so I know they are out there. Good luck finding the right bike, and I hope you love biking.

The sticking point is going to be finding a bike that’s large enough. Stopped a couple other places and I probably need a 64cm frame or larger, i.e. XXL, which some brand/models don’t even have.

Frustrating as fuck. I hate not being able to just go to a store and get stuff.

Here’s an article listing different kinds of XXL bikes by brand and model. It’s a few years old, but may give you some ideas of which manufacturers make larger sizes, then you can get online and find a LBS who may stock them. Scroll down for the Gravel bike section.

Keep an eye on Craigslist - there are MANY bought-and-ridden-once-or-twice bikes sitting in garages out there.