# Newbie Which Bike



## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

I been reading around the forums as to what would be the best for my first bike. I have looked and the ones at wal-mart and target but it seems most people on the forum are against those. I would like to get some suggestions to help me decide on my first road bike. I think I am going to ride back and forth to work. Around 10 miles a day. Probably no use other than that for now. I would like to stay under the $250 range. Any advice is appreciated. This seems like a great forum with lots of info.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

The biggest problem you'll have with the department store bikes is adjustability and maintenance, hopefully nothing worse than that. Your $250 price range is well within a local bike shop (LBS) bread and butter line (which is what they sell the most volume of). Plenty of functional decent entry level bikes can be had for under $300.

What sort of cycling history do you have? How athletic are you? Are you more attracted to the racer style bikes or more towards a comfortable looking bike? You don't have to answer these questions here so much as you should answer them for yourself so you'll be better able to talk to the shop salespeople. Many shops also offer test rides of their bikes, so wear something you can ride in if it is a nice day. Also allow in your budget some money for a helmet and gloves, maybe a mirror of some sort, a handlebar bell of some sort to warn walkers and runners and slower riders of your approach. You should also know how to fix a flat and any decent shop can show you how to do that if you don't know already, most of us just swap out the tube and worry about patching the tube later (sometimes). Throw in a small seat or handlebar bag and a small multi-tool along with a small pump or CO2 holder and you should be good to go for a basic here to there setup. Leg velcro straps are handy if you need or want to ride in long pants to keep the chainside leg out of the chain.

Beyond all that just go down to one or more local shops to just look around and get a feel for what they have. Maybe decide to not buy something until your third trip/visit to get yourself past the impulse purchase stage. By the time you've decided if you like grip shifters or thumb shifters or brake lever shifters (brifters) and if you like flat handlebars or traditional roadbike handlebars you should be good to go for your first purchase.

Clip-in pedals and special shoes can come later unless you think you're ready for them now. This sport can really grow on you if you let it, and that can be a good thing.

So, head down to your LBS (local bike shop) and look around, then come back here and ask lots of questions about what you saw, the old see-saw game, go see what they got, then tell us what you saw, then go back with fresh info, lather rinse repeat until you buy your new bike.


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## fishtaco (Mar 28, 2007)

At that price you should be looking at used bikes. A nice sporty hybrid is nice for 10 mile commutes or a used roadbike. Craigslist works well for finding deals on roadbikes and the like. Ebay is another option.


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## JayTee (Feb 3, 2004)

A hybrid or an mtb is a better option for low price urban assault commuting IMO.


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## Barabaika (Jan 15, 2007)

I would go up to $500 for a commuter not road bike.
You'll need fenders, a rack, etc to make your trips comfortable.

Some used bikes can be nice and less attractive to thieves, but they usually require overhauling. If you are not good at wrenching, it will cost you $100-200.


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Is that $250 for the stem AND handlebars OR just for the handlebars?


Wake up and smell the roses.


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

fishtaco said:


> At that price you should be looking at used bikes. A nice sporty hybrid is nice for 10 mile commutes or a used roadbike. Craigslist works well for finding deals on roadbikes and the like. Ebay is another option.


Hey fishtaco,

Your advice stinks. Think of something you know absolutely nothing about. A machine that is fairly complex, requires routine maintenence, varies in price from 100 to $10,000, and now go out and buy one of these machines on Craigs list. By the way you have no knowledge of how to deterime if one of these machines is in good serviceable condition, and if you happen to make a poor choice you might just get run over by a truck.

A used bike at your LBS might be a good option to save $$ if they offer warranty and maintenence. You are going to need some support - eBay and Craigs list are for savy buyers only.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

ewitz said:


> Is that $250 for the stem AND handlebars OR just for the handlebars?
> 
> 
> Wake up and smell the roses.


http://wheelandsprocket.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=7237

With a suggested MSRP of $269.99 he/she could probably find this particular bike on a summer/spring sale for $250 out the door with a helmet included if they work the deal a bit. A $250 budget for a first bike is very doable for a reasonable bike for a new rider. A bike like this will get them on the road and get them plenty of miles of use out of it before and if they outgrow it. With some regular maintenance it could easy serve them for many thousands of miles of service.

I am awake, and the roses smell just fine. Please don't sneeze in the coffee pot, messes it up for the next one in line. This being the beginners section I think we need to be a little bit more understanding and more welcoming to new riders.

Have a nice day, and hopefully a nice ride as well.


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## fishtaco (Mar 28, 2007)

ethebull said:


> Hey fishtaco,
> 
> Your advice stinks.


I think your reasoning stinks. Bikes are not that complex and your post makes it sound like every new roadbike buyer has never set foot on a bike before and can't think for himself. There are many good used bikes to be ahd out there. Pratically new ones can be found person-to-person (online or local) or at an LBS. Maybe you should take your LBS rant and start a new thread about the virtues of LBS vs. Online retail.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

ethebull said:


> Your advice stinks. ...


I don't agree, as craigslist can be a great resource for people on a limited budget. It is very reasonable to find a bike on a local craigslist and then see if the seller will take the bike down to a LBS of the buyer's choosing to have someone at the shop's service department look it over and recommend if it's worth getting and having a tune-up done on it. When I helped part-time at a LBS here people would regularly bring in older used bikes to get them serviced and we'd pretty much tell them if it was worth the cost or not. For some we'd suggest they same some money and do the necessary work themselves, for others we'd direct them to a new bike for around the same as they'd end up paying to fix their old one, and for still others we'd bring their bike into the service/tune-up queue to get it back up to snuff and freshly ridable. There were even quite a few people who came it with a bike they were thinking of buying to ask if it was worth it or not, and if so then they'd usually check it in for a service and tune-up.

Plus, it is very likely that the person looking for the bike might know someone they could take along with them who is knowledgable who could look the bike over. Or they could even post a link to the craigslist ad or a link to the classifieds on the site here and ask for opinions if anyone thinks it is an okay deal or not.

Some people think onions stink, others just love them, it's all in the preparation and application and what one is used to that makes the difference. Yeah there's some overpriced junk on craigslist, but there are also some gems of a deal on there too. At the very least it's a good place to go window shopping to narrow down what someone is looking for in a bike. Recently someone posted a Basso Funnybike to the local craigslist, most likely not for a beginner, but it was interesting to see it show up.

Have a nice ride.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

*Case in point:*

Here's an example of what shows up on craigslist sometimes:
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/bik/347255228.html
Not sure how long the link will remain active, but a decent and nice first bike for the road for $175. I think this seller posts quite a few bikes on the local site, not sure if he's a dealer or garage operation if he's the same guy.


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

Treebound's significantly qualified advice is sound; fishtaco's unqualified suggestion was not. One savvy, one not. Clearly joallen001 is as green as it gets (sorry ja1, no disrespect). To suggest a used bike from a stranger, without the several important caveats that TB noted, is quite reckless.

Ja needs to get a handle on way too many variables before a solo used purchase makes any sense.


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## Barabaika (Jan 15, 2007)

treebound said:


> Here's an example of what shows up on craigslist sometimes:
> https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/bik/347255228.html
> Not sure how long the link will remain active, but a decent and nice first bike for the road for $175. I think this seller posts quite a few bikes on the local site, not sure if he's a dealer or garage operation if he's the same guy.


*19.5" and 17.5" GIANT Eddie Bauer 27-speed Comfort Bikes - $175*
These bikes are from 1999 and cost at that time < $450.
You'll probably need to change the tires, chain, brake pads; make some adjustments; lubricate it. It'll cost $100 or more at a bike shop. So, the full price is $300.

Similar new Giant Cypress starts from $370 and is available in any sizes. The shop can even offer life-time adjustments.
https://www.giant-bicycle.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/600/28425/

And this Giant Suede bike for $380 seems to be more suitable for commuting if the author's area is flat enough for 3-speed:
https://www.giant-bicycle.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/729/28442/









What about a cheap and maintenance-free single-speed bike for $280?
https://www.giant-bicycle.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/729/28444/









Or an automatic transmission bike:
https://www.giant-bicycle.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/729/28502/


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## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

Thanks for all the help and input. I am gonna shop around a little and see what I can find. There is something about the look of a road bike I like better than the hybrid and commuter bikes.


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

Good decision. Go shop around and get some in person advice. A good shop will ask lots of questions and dig for answers before reccommending anything specific. The silly squabble I had on this post prompted me to write this:

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=1078704#poststop

Perhaps this will help. - E


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## Barabaika (Jan 15, 2007)

For $250 you won't be able to find any good new *Road* bike.
That's because road shifters are enormously expensive. The cheapest are 7-speed Shimano Sora for $100. You can imagine how little you'll get for the remaining $150.

Old used bikes usually have simple and cheap downtube shifters. Though, it's the only way to go in your case.


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## physasst (Oct 1, 2005)

*Plus*



Barabaika said:


> For $250 you won't be able to find any good new *Road* bike.
> That's because road shifters are enormously expensive. The cheapest are 7-speed Shimano Sora for $100. You can imagine how little you'll get for the remaining $150.
> 
> Old used bikes usually have simple and cheap downtube shifters. Though, it's the only way to go in your case.



one...to the OP, congrats on doing something active and considering the roadie lifestyle, and I say lifestyle, because that's what it becomes....But to be honest, if you are SET on a road bike, you may need to either a- Expand your budget....OR b- buy something used...if you are going to go with option b, please at least get fitted by your LBS, so you know your sizing requirements, and ask someone knowledgeable about bikes before buying anything, you don't want to get scammed. YOU can ask here, others have, and most of us will give you no BS advice, which is what mine is above. But you won't really find a true road bike new in that price range with the exception of the Walmart/Target brands (Schwinn Varsity), and even that is about 350 I think....Good Luck, and feel free to ask questions.


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## akatsuki (Aug 12, 2005)

Definitely figure out your size if you are interested in a road bike. Your budget is not going to leave much money for changing stems or anything should you get the wrong size.

Then go to craigslist. The ideal situation is you find someone who bought some entry level road-bike a few years ago like a Giant OCR3 or something similar, never got on it, and is clearing it out. You will have to be patient, especially in spring/early summer.


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## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

The varsity at walmart is $299 I think. How do I find out where the closest LBS is? I know there are none in the town I live in.


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

Go to a few websites of the brands you might fancy. Specialized Giant, Trek are good places to start if you're not thinking of a particular brand. Use the dealer locator function by zipcode.

Buying a brand name bike shop quality bike used is bettter than buying from Walmart. They have no service department or quaified bike repair people - no support at all, and they assemble bikes with the same people who throw together their Weber grills. No trained fit services... they have no business selling bicycles at all.


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## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

So lets say I am 5'9 and wear a size 10 shoe. Does that mean I need a 21" bike? Also if weight is a factor. I weight around 175


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## akatsuki (Aug 12, 2005)

*Walmart*



ethebull said:


> Go to a few websites of the brands you might fancy. Specialized Giant, Trek are good places to start if you're not thinking of a particular brand. Use the dealer locator function by zipcode.
> 
> Buying a brand name bike shop quality bike used is bettter than buying from Walmart. They have no service department or quaified bike repair people - no support at all, and they assemble bikes with the same people who throw together their Weber grills. No trained fit services... they have no business selling bicycles at all.


We are talking about $250 here. I think that is a pretty ridiculous. If you want a new bike under $500, there is a niche for Walmart.


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

akatsuki said:


> We are talking about $250 here. I think that is a pretty ridiculous. If you want a new bike under $500, there is a niche for Walmart.


As self appointed king of bike retail, I will allow them to sell single speed coaster brake beach cruisers.


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## Paul Barnard (Jan 29, 2007)

joallen001 said:


> So lets say I am 5'9 and wear a size 10 shoe. Does that mean I need a 21" bike? Also if weight is a factor. I weight around 175


You really need to find a good bike specialty shop near you. They will be able to help you find the not only the best bike for your money, but they will also be able to help adjust it for you. I'll go do a little homework to see if I can stir up a good bike in your price range. I'll post back if I find anything.


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## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

Thanks Paul


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## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

*Litespeed Blade Triathlon Bike - $700*

Litespeed Blade Triathlon Bike - $700 reat bike for triathlons. Titanium, 21" or 53cm frame, Dura Ace Deraillers, Chris King Headset, FSA carbon crank, Fizik Allainte seat, Easton post, stem and post, Syntace aerobars, Ultegra 9 speed shifters and spd pedals. This bike is race ready. 2001 but in great shape. 650cc wheels

Would this bike be worth looking into. I am not willing to spend 700 but I thought I could make an offer


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

The Blade is a super super unforgiving tri bike, designed for one purpose and one purpose only. It sounds like a good deal for the right rider. Would you buy a pair of top of the line metal cleated track shoes designed for 100M sprints to walk 3 miles to the grocery store?


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## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

http://nashville.craigslist.org/bik/337187731.html another link to a bike


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## ethebull (May 30, 2007)

Same as the lightspeed. 

I think I give up, you're not learning.


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## joallen001 (Jun 5, 2007)

what do I need to look for or are you sayin just got to LBS


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## fishtaco (Mar 28, 2007)

I think what ethebull is trying to say is a Triathlon bike is basically good for riding in Triathlons. They are not particularly good for rides around town or commuting on. They are bikes and one could certainly ride them around, but not extactly what you are looking for. When you have a chance definitely find a LBS or go to an REI store. REI will have deals on the type of entry level roadbike you are looking for and you can ask all the question you want and ride a few bikes. If you are set on the used route, something like this would probably suit you better. Cheers.

http://nashville.craigslist.org/bik/336592991.html


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