# Help me choose a bicycle. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2004, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027 "2004-09-11T09:50:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/21 "2004-09-29T20:35:37Z")
I test rode a [Gary Fisher Tassajara\_Disc](http://www.fisherbikes.com/bikes/bike_detail.asp?series=genesis&bike=Tassajara_Disc) and liked it a lot, but my wife says $700 is too expensive. Even if the shop was offering a discount off the MSRP of $800. I still have to try out something a bit cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/22 "2004-09-29T22:36:41Z")
> [@Demo](#): > > Seriously though, even though the cross bike suggestion was made in jest… My post was in jest, but not the cross bike suggestion. Everyone should have one. **Demo** , can you put a brake on the Pista fork or is it strictly a track bike? ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/23 "2004-09-30T01:22:08Z")
> [@Dag Otto](#): > > My post was in jest, but not the cross bike suggestion. Everyone should have one. > > **Demo** , can you put a brake on the Pista fork or is it strictly a track bike? Yeah, I’d love the cross bike you linked or [this one](http://www.bianchiusa.com/cross_concept.html). 😉 Yes, the Pista’s drilled for brakes. I put a front brake on mine as well as bullhorn bars and SPD pedals. ---
**Author:** ![zippyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/839c29/32.png) [@zippyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zippyh)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/24 "2004-09-30T03:45:45Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > Do they make clipless shoes in 11 EEEE? Just how much difference do clipless pedals make, anyway? Sidi makes the Dominator Mega which is supposed to be for bigger feet. I’ve got a pair of Shimano something or other mountain bikes shoes in 11 that work for me. My feet aren’t extra wide though. I like using clipless pedals. They were kind of scary to get used to and I fell over a few times getting used to them but I can’t imagine not using them now. I could never get used to toe clips. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/25 "2004-09-30T12:31:44Z")
I’ve moved out of the insane realm and started road biking and I’ve enjoyed it more than I ever did mountain biking. It’s so much easier to get on the bike on a daily basis. Less maintenance. Less cleaning. More speed. Better, at least for me, for getting into shape. But, if you still have some insanity, a cyclo-cross might be a good option. You can still take it off-road. But, you can get a set of road tire for it, too, and you’re not giving up much. Now, I haven’t actually ridden one, but I doubt you can REALLY beat on it like you would a mountain bike (logs and rocks and streams and whatnot) but if you have some nice single-track in your area, it might be a good option. Now, I know this sounds slightly “uppity” to say, but you’re not going to find GREAT quality at $700 – at least not for something new. That’s about the entry level for the standard brands (cdale, giant, trek, specialized). But, I’d check out performance bike (a shop or the website). They have off-brand frames that are put together in the same plants in Taiwan as Fujis and Giants and probably Specialized. They have good components on them. There’s nothing wrong with them and they’re a good price. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/26 "2004-09-30T15:02:20Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Now, I know this sounds slightly “uppity” to say, but you’re not going to find GREAT quality at $700 – at least not for something new. Search ebay for cyclocross. There are some nice redline bikes there that should go for less than that. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/27 "2004-09-30T16:24:11Z")
I forgot to mention, Diadora also makes wider than average cycling shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Natural](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@Mr\_Natural](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Natural)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/28 "2004-10-04T22:22:22Z")
I love my Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra. Urban cruiser with road bike tires on a mtn bike frame. Straight bars, rapid-fire shifters, disc brakes, front suspension. Will acommodate mtn bike tires if so desired. Shimano XT/XTR components. Geared for any grade you might encounter. Weighs 22lbs. Bought it 3 years ago and put over 2700 miles on it. I love it! ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/29 "2004-10-04T22:57:23Z")
> [@zippyh](#): > > Sidi makes the Dominator Mega which is supposed to be for bigger feet. > > I’ve got a pair of Shimano something or other mountain bikes shoes in 11 that work for me. My feet aren’t extra wide though. > > I like using clipless pedals. They were kind of scary to get used to and I fell over a few times getting used to them but I can’t imagine not using them now. > > I could never get used to toe clips. I’ve got wide feet (close to your size, actually) and I have an older “model” of the Sidi’s that fit great. I’d bet the “Mega” is just the ticket. And clipless pedals are far, far, far superior to those stupid toe cages. I never could get the hang of toe cages, but years ago when I got my first clipless pedals it was sooooooo nice. It’s amazing how much more efficient your pedal stroke is with these things! Good luck in your search. Hope you find something you like. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027/30 "2004-10-04T23:37:30Z")
> [@](#): > > About the recumbent bikes, how well do they handle hills? On a regular bike you can stand and lean forward for more power and better traction on the front wheel. - - - Recumbents are usually faster at flat and downhill riding than upright bikes and slower on uphills. And they are more comfortable _all_ the time, but they are really “road” or “smoother fire-road” bikes. If you are riding anywhere that you need to be concerned about front-tire traction, then you probably would be better off with an upright MTB. For true off-roading, there are a few fully-suspended recumbents but MTB’s are still more maneuverable, for the same reasons that they are uncomfortable for long rides–because you can move around on an upright/MTB easily. … > [@](#): > > Is there a difference between a cross and a hybrid bike? - Last time I looked, a hybrid bike was a “light-duty mountain bike”, almost always with flat or low-rise handlebars. A cyclocross was an “off-road _road_ bike”, usually with road-style drop handlebars. And in the past, hybrid bikes became rather inexpensive while cyclocross bikes tended to be more-expensive, using better/upper-end parts overall. The two have somewhat converged and homogenized now; I can’t recall seeing any “cheap” cyclocross bikes but now many upper end examples of both use many of the same components. ~ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-a-bicycle/264027.md?page=1)