You can replace the cranks with a shorter pair. I’ve noticed that most production bikes come with fairly long “one size fits all” cranks, typically 170mm or even 175mm. (It should be written somewhere on the crank arm). Go to your local bike shop and have them replace them with a pair of 165mm cranks, which is the shortest length that’s easily available. I use a pair of 160mm TA Zephyr cranks. They are a bit expensive, but they solved my knee pain problem.
Although it’s possible that she simply has the bike seat too low.
You mean the Bacchetta Corsa? Did I mention that bike somewhere? I happen to own the Bacchetta Aero which is the titanium version of the Corsa and it’s the most wonderful bike in the world. I don’t know why you think it’s dangerous - it’s a well designed, well built bike with very precise and predictable handling as well as top rate performance. I ride it in Tokyo traffic all the time.
I’m not an expert on these matters, just someone who rides a fair bit (averaging about 100 miles a week) and has a few bikes. The best advice I could give you would be to find a good local bike shop and stick with it. You might try asking people on rec.bicycles for recommendations (or searching their archives) or just ask a few other bike riders.
As others have said, definitely stay away from chain store bikes- you’ll get little to no advice and the bikes tend to be crap.
Getting the right fit is critical - poor fit can lead to injuries, hard work and a rapid decrease in enthusiasm. A decent bike store will help you chose a bike and fit it to you. If they don’t then go somewhere else. Good bike stores can be a little bit more expensive but it is definitely worth the extra money.
With respect to bikes. I use a hybrid bike for commuting - halfway between a road bike and a mountain bike with a stronger frame and wheels and lower riding position than a road bike but lighter and with larger wheels than a mountain bike. I find it’s a good compromise. Most of my miles are done on this bike.
If you’re worried about the strength of the frame you will want to pay attention to how it is welded up. Double-butt welding is the best.
Mild steel frames are the heaviest types of frames. Chrome frames are a bit lighter and alloy and aluminium frames are lighter still. However, as someone else said, aluminium frames transmit a lot of shocks and can be uncomfortable to ride after a while.
Hope this helps.
P.S. Someone said it doesn’t really matter what components you get on a bike because they’re nearly all made by Shimano. While it’s true that Shimano has a near monopoly there are definitely different levels of quality in the various types of Shimano equipment. Again, a quality bike shop should be able to help.
The Bigha costs $3000, way over Askia’s budget. It’s also a very heavy bike. I hear the quality is exellent though, and the electronic equipment is pretty neat. (Lights, turn signals, speed and cadence display, etc. all built in)
If a true recumbent bike is too weird/different, the RANS Fusion may be a good choice, and reasonably priced at $775 MSRP. More information here. I’m thinking about getting one myself. There’s also the Giant Revive which is similar, but seem to be receiving less favorable reviews than the Fusion from hardcore recumbent riders.
This guy is not a serious rider, why are all of you recommending expensive bikes? He just wants exercise. My brother and I always find good used bikes at garage sales and bike shops (see my previous post). Don’t waste your money, Askia.
Since exercise is your priority and not peak performance, buy used and cheap and if need be (stolen, wreck, falls off car rack, ect.) , buy again.
Where I come from, in your recreational situation, spending more than $100 is absolutely ridiculous. Part of life is learning what to spend money on and what to save money on… this is definately one of the latter things. But, to each his own.
The OP did specify an $800 budget. Even if he hadn’t, I’d recommend spending $300 at the very least, or buying a used bike that cost that much when new. For that price you get the equivalent of a Honda Civic - reliable, well built and easy to service. A $100 Walmart bike would be the equivalent of a Yugo. Sure, it will get you around, but it’s less reliable and when something does go wrong, it is much more difficult to get serviced and find parts for. Maybe eMachines computers are a better analogy: full of non-standard low grade parts.
(shrug) Low-end Shimano stuff but it’s still Shimano. Cheap bikes are nowhere near as nasty as they were a few years ago. And just cuz Buckley assembled it, it doesn’t mean you have to leave it that way. AND service (sorry, Agent LeMan) is so expensive you sometimes have to ask yourself if any but the most expensive bike is worth fixing if you can’t do it yourself. Which Askia is strongly urged to learn how to do.
That said, if I were Askia I’d drop about $300 on a nice enough city bike. Probably not a recumbent, though I personally need one desparately, because of safety issues. Too low. And I’d get a decent seat (being of similar, but heavier, build I’ve learned the folly of a bad seat or a seat recommended by some ultra-athletic semipro. Comfort is often what stands between a rider and a ride.
Today I went to a LBS called Bikesource. Got fitted for a small frame Giant hybrid Crossroads with kevlar tires and adjustable stem. Sticker price: $399 – not including helmet. It also comes with a 3 year free service warranty for repair work and maintenance at the store.
I know I wrote in the OP that I can ride for hours. That was very true in college, five years ago. I have, as I might have mentioned, put on 60 pounds since then, and basically only walk for exercise.
Reality smacked memory after a five minute test ride in the parking lot of Bikesource. It was a great bike – switched gears like butter, great cornering, took hills well, but I was shocked at how winded I was. However it was a lot of fun and I keep thinking back to that test ride.
I’ll be headed back to that shop to test another bike tomorrow. Just an update…
You don’t want speedos, you want bike shorts. The kind with the padding in the seat. If your bike store doesn’t have them in your size, check REI or Performance Bike
BUY A HELMET, and WEAR IT EVERY TIME YOU RIDE!
Did I mention every time? BTW the helmet is not Jewish, it is not worn like a Yamalke, it should be centered over your head.
Go to the drug store and buy a product called Bag Balm this stuff is the best ever for saddle sores. Bag Balm got me through the last 4 days of a 7 day tour, when I could barely walkat the end of day 3.
Make sure the bike has a water bottle cage, and get a large water bottle. As you start to ride further and further, you can get a Camelback Dehydration is not fun.
Endurance will come rather quickly with practice. When I first started on my mountain bike I could barely go around the block.
My brother and I rode $150 Mongooses for a year on hard mountain (man made) trails, twice a month. Never, repeat, never had a problem with them because they were so heavy and built tough. His got stolen, which is no big whoop because it only cost $150. I had knee surgery and didn’t ride for a while and left my bike out in the rain for 8 months, so it rusted. Again, not much loss at $150.
My brother bought a beach cruiser about 7 years ago for under $40 at a garage sale. Been a good bike ever since, taken it all over town.
I have gotten pretty serious about mountain biking in the past 2 years and bought a Specialized hardtail Hardrock Comp used for $250. I am 194 lbs and have jumped off 5 foot inclines onto flat ground with it. It does anything I need it to do on all the expert trails. Haven’t had a problem with it. $250, for high performance and no maintenance needed yet.
My bro just bought a race bike for $30 at a garage sale. Perfect riding condition except for rear brake and gears are better left alone (we live in flat South Florida). $30. I rode it across town twice now.
When something goes wrong? It’s ok, because the up front cost of the bike was nothing! Get it serviced, whatever it needs! It will still be less money overall. And if you are smart you can spot the difference between a bike that’s cheap because of poor craftsmanship or because it’s a good buy.
I’m here to say his needs can be met for well under $100. If you are worried about reliability… get two! Never Pay retail for a bike.
Now that you have a bike, my suggestion is join a cycling club. It can make cycling really fun and is a great motivator. I would probably never love cycling today like I do except that when I started cycling, I rode every Saturday with a bunch of hilarious, fun-loving, good (and bad)-advice giving people who loved bikes. I would look up and realize I’d ridden 20 miles without even noticing. Now I can ride 70 miles without being sore at all. (Unless you count my back sometimes.)
My cycling club is great because it caters to all levels – if you do decide to ride with a group, you definitely want to start out riding with a group of “light” riders, or beginning/lower mileage riders. Although most people in my club have road bikes, there are people who ride mountain bikes and hybrids too.
If you’re not into big groups, I would still look around for a couple other people of similar skill level to ride with. The good thing about clubs is you can learn from the people with more skills/experience than you, and then you move up.
Hey, when your life is put on hold for almost a year because of some stupid knee injury, you tend to do some pretty irresponsible, ignorant things with the things you can’t use anymore.
Besides, I had no choice. I moved into an apt on the third floor with no room for a bike in there. Had to keep it in the bike racks, without a cover.
The concept I am preaching is not unheard of, ya know? Ever heard of waiting to buy new cars until they’ve been off the lot and owned for a little while? The car depreciates drastically and you immediately can purchase a vehicle for a better value. What is wrong with applying this to bikes and possibly applying the “get the 4 cyl. civic instead of the V-6 accord w/ options” concept I am preaching?
Again, I say, part of life is learning what to spend money on and what to save money on. Investing money in the perceived highest quality option on every purchasing decision will get you nowhere. It’s alright, I’ll continue my low-cost biking… I was just trying to help. $399 with service is a decent deal so no harm done here.
Looking back on my post it seems like I’m trying to bust your balls, but it wasn’t my intention. Sorry about that. FWIW, I do agree with you about a quality used bike, I just worry about people buying those Walmart death-brake specials.
I’m glad someone out there is worrying about me. BTW, today on a ride I found a neighborhood in my city that i didn’t even know existed by following a trail that branched off a parkside trail I was on. Cool.
Also BTW, I think the OP said he was in the Columbus, Ohio area. Once you get your bike legs going (and it won’t take that long if you start slow and work up to longer distances gradually), there’s a great (and long) bike trial not too far from Columbus. Goes through Corwin, Ohio and some other cities, I think it’s an abandoned rail line that’s been converted.
Just find a way to keep your riding fun every time you do it, and you’ll do it regularly.
