Let’s talk bicycles…

[Clearedhot1]

I searched but couldn’t find a thread on this.

At 41, my knees aren’t what they used to be and I’m looking to get into something lower impact. I haven’t ridden a bike regularly since before I could drive. Here are my big three questions:

1) Your recommended brands/components for under $1k total.

2) My riding will probably be 50/50 road/trail. I see there are quite a few styles nowadays. Which one is most suitable?

3) Any vendors already on here or reputable places you have bought from? I’m on the IL/WI border.

You have my word that if this becomes something, I won’t be that guy that hogs up the lane on two wheels. Thanks.

Kyle


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[redwood1199]

Are you looking to add a motor or keep it pedal only?

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[Clearedhot1]

Pedal only.


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[Cactus kid]

IF you are looking to ride MTB trials i'd strongly consider buying a low travel mountain bike rather than a hybrid. Hybrid road/trail bikes do both things horribly. A hard tail mountain bike is easy to ride on the road but WAY more fun on the trail. You can do as deep of a dive on all things bikes as you want, its a HUGE topic.

 

[elkguide]

As an over the top bicycle rider, (4000 road miles last year, slow year) you should go to a bicycle shop and get fitted. No matter how high quality a bicycle is, if it doesn't fit you, it will take the fun out of it. Next issue is that bicycles have been another of the items that have suffered from the covid disease. At three of the shops that I visit, each of them used to have at least 100 bicycles to choose from. As of last week, there wasn't 30 bicycles in all of them combined.
Now that I have played the Debbie Downer role, I hope that you can find out what size you need to ride and then find a great new ride. Bicycling is a great low impact sport.

 

[def90]

A lot to go over here. Bikes are like anything else, they all have different geometries and the perfect bike for one guy will be a torture machine for another. I would suggest that you visit as many local shops as you can, test ride as many bikes as you can, and then go with the shop that you feel gave you the best service along with the bike that fit the best.

Also, $1k is going to be a severe limiting factor.

 

[keystone112]

+1 on what elkguide said. I am also an avid cyclist (3000 miles per year). Work through a local shop if you can. You will be money ahead when you need a minor adjustment to your shifting or any other support.

For the type of bike, if by trail you mean mountain bike trail, I think you will have a tough time finding one bike to ride both road and trail.

If by trail you mean tow path stuff, I would look to what is known today as a "gravel bike". It is basically a road bike with larger tires and lower gearing. You can set it up to work very well on the road and light trail.

For brands, I have used quite a few. In your budget, I would first look at Giant. They offer a lot of bike for the money.

Here is another problem you will likely find. The global supply chain issue is causing all kinds of problems on bikes and bike parts. Your selection at the moment may be very limited.

Good luck.

 

[El_Duderino]

For mixed pavement and trail use I would suggest a 29er (wheel size) hard tail (front suspension only) mountain bike. Specialized, cannondale, trek, giant, salsa are all reputable brands. I believe Specialized has some models around $1000 in its Rockhopper series. I think the higher end trim in the Rockhopper is around $1500. The more you spend the better and more reliable components you get.

If you will be spending more time on pavement and do light gravel/ dirt on occasion without the need for suspension you could also look at cyclocross style bikes. They will be a lot faster and more efficient than a MT bike

 

[sILlogger]

Most people, myself included, have never rode a bike that actually fit them properly. With that in mind, find a local shop there you hit it off with. Create a relationship there, you will be surrounded by like minded people and stay in touch for local rides. Pick their brains and test out a couple bikes. All the brands have good ones, finding what you can get good service and fits you is most important.

For what you are describing, id look into a "gravel" bike. It's a good hybrid. (I ride a specialized diverge)

You will never regret having a front headlight and a rear strobe.

 

[peterk123]

I'm going to get shredded by the bikers here but hey, what the heck. I also bike a lot. These days I only mountain bike because I find it more enjoyable. I also rather get hit by a tree than a car.

Folks that road bike a lot will tell you the first thing to do is to get fit for a bike. That's fine but you could dish out a few hundred bucks for that luxury. Bikes have been around for a long time. Not sure for how long but I will venture to guess since the late 1800's. Millions and millions of us have managed to ride without getting fitted. You have a tight budget and you are going to do it for exercise. Maybe down the road you will want to go all in. But for now, a reliable bike is what you need. This is not rocket science. Sit on a horrible seat, put your feet on the pedal, grab the bars and go.

You will be looking for something that falls into the entry mountain bike category. Do not get a hybrid. They suck for off road use. I think you will want to limit your choices to a rigid (no suspension) or hardtail (front suspension). Suspension adds to the price. At your price point full suspension is out. Anything you would get would be crap. Good full suspension gets expensive. If your trail riding is basically fire roads or smooth, you can get away with a rigid. However, some front suspension will make it much more comfortable and really open up where you can ride. I rode a hardtail for a while and hit some very bony trails when I lived in New England. Even hit some small drops with it.

Get a feel for the size bike you will need. It is easy to figure out, just do a little reading. A little smaller is better than a little bigger. You can buy a cheap stem of different lengths down the road to tweak your fit if you desire, but honestly it won't matter. A dedicated road bike is a bit different, because you are hunched over for long periods. Trail riding, you are always changing your position, which does a lot to improve your comfort.

Check out bikesdirect.com. Lot of bang for your buck there and they tend to have way better specs then the big guys at the same price points. Don't get caught up in the weight game and the latest and greatest in frame tech. Unless you are a racer, a 34 pound bike is just as much fun as 28 pound bike. Less weight adds a lot to cost. It is all about getting the best components you can afford. Especially if you go off road. Cheap components go out of whack all the time. The middle of the road stuff by Sram and Shimano are very good. Same goes for your front fork, if you go that route. Do some reading so you know what is good and what is junk. Good suspension makes a world of difference.

I started on a $500 mountain bike. Today I am on a $5,000 bike. I had as much fun on the $500 bike as I do on my current ride. It's all good. Is my new bike better? Yup. But I'm 54 years old and I need all the cush I can get

 

[sILlogger]

I'm going to get shredded by the bikers here but hey, what the heck. I also bike a lot. These days I only mountain bike because I find it more enjoyable. I also rather get hit by a tree than a car.

Folks that road bike a lot will tell you the first thing to do is to get fit for a bike. That's fine but you could dish out a few hundred bucks for that luxury. Bikes have been around for a long time. Not sure for how long but I will venture to guess since the late 1800's. Millions and millions of us have managed to ride without getting fitted. You have a tight budget and you are going to do it for exercise. Maybe down the road you will want to go all in. But for now, a reliable bike is what you need. This is not rocket science. Sit on a horrible seat, put your feet on the pedal, grab the bars and go.

You will be looking for something that falls into the entry mountain bike category. Do not get a hybrid. They suck for off road use. I think you will want to limit your choices to a rigid (no suspension) or hardtail (front suspension). Suspension adds to the price. At your price point full suspension is out. Anything you would get would be crap. Good full suspension gets expensive. If your trail riding is basically fire roads or smooth, you can get away with a rigid. However, some front suspension will make it much more comfortable and really open up where you can ride. I rode a hardtail for a while and hit some very bony trails when I lived in New England. Even hit some small drops with it.

Get a feel for the size bike you will need. It is easy to figure out, just do a little reading. A little smaller is better than a little bigger. You can buy a cheap stem of different lengths down the road to tweak your fit if you desire, but honestly it won't matter. A dedicated road bike is a bit different, because you are hunched over for long periods. Trail riding, you are always changing your position, which does a lot to improve your comfort.

Check out bikesdirect.com. Lot of bang for your buck there and they tend to have way better specs then the big guys at the same price points. Don't get caught up in the weight game and the latest and greatest in frame tech. Unless you are a racer, a 34 pound bike is just as much fun as 28 pound bike. Less weight adds a lot to cost. It is all about getting the best components you can afford. Especially if you go off road. Cheap components go out of whack all the time. The middle of the road stuff by Sram and Shimano are very good. Same goes for your front fork, if you go that route. Do some reading so you know what is good and what is junk. Good suspension makes a world of difference.

I started on a $500 mountain bike. Today I am on a $5,000 bike. I had as much fun on the $500 bike as I do on my current ride. It's all good. Is my new bike better? Yup. But I'm 54 years old and I need all the cush I can get

There is alot of truth to what you say here. I was quite a bit heavier, biking was my entry to get into better shape. Started off with an ole mountain bike that was too small. Lol

There is something to be said for just getting out and moving.

 

[2531usmc]

I bought a Trex FX2 for the same reason you mentioned. They go for 700 bucks new. I put thousands of miles on mine and could not be happier.

I don’t claim to be an expert, but I would guess what the big cost driver in expensive bicycles is the weight reduction materials used in building it

 

[3forks]

I'm going to get shredded by the bikers here but hey, what the heck. I also bike a lot. These days I only mountain bike because I find it more enjoyable. I also rather get hit by a tree than a car.

Folks that road bike a lot will tell you the first thing to do is to get fit for a bike. That's fine but you could dish out a few hundred bucks for that luxury. Bikes have been around for a long time. Not sure for how long but I will venture to guess since the late 1800's. Millions and millions of us have managed to ride without getting fitted. You have a tight budget and you are going to do it for exercise. Maybe down the road you will want to go all in. But for now, a reliable bike is what you need. This is not rocket science. Sit on a horrible seat, put your feet on the pedal, grab the bars and go.

You will be looking for something that falls into the entry mountain bike category. Do not get a hybrid. They suck for off road use. I think you will want to limit your choices to a rigid (no suspension) or hardtail (front suspension). Suspension adds to the price. At your price point full suspension is out. Anything you would get would be crap. Good full suspension gets expensive. If your trail riding is basically fire roads or smooth, you can get away with a rigid. However, some front suspension will make it much more comfortable and really open up where you can ride. I rode a hardtail for a while and hit some very bony trails when I lived in New England. Even hit some small drops with it.

Get a feel for the size bike you will need. It is easy to figure out, just do a little reading. A little smaller is better than a little bigger. You can buy a cheap stem of different lengths down the road to tweak your fit if you desire, but honestly it won't matter. A dedicated road bike is a bit different, because you are hunched over for long periods. Trail riding, you are always changing your position, which does a lot to improve your comfort.

Check out bikesdirect.com. Lot of bang for your buck there and they tend to have way better specs then the big guys at the same price points. Don't get caught up in the weight game and the latest and greatest in frame tech. Unless you are a racer, a 34 pound bike is just as much fun as 28 pound bike. Less weight adds a lot to cost. It is all about getting the best components you can afford. Especially if you go off road. Cheap components go out of whack all the time. The middle of the road stuff by Sram and Shimano are very good. Same goes for your front fork, if you go that route. Do some reading so you know what is good and what is junk. Good suspension makes a world of difference.

I started on a $500 mountain bike. Today I am on a $5,000 bike. I had as much fun on the $500 bike as I do on my current ride. It's all good. Is my new bike better? Yup. But I'm 54 years old and I need all the cush I can get

I know it’s generally a waste of time to try and provide a counterpoint to someone who contends that you can save money by not getting assisted by a professional or that a bike fit isn‘t worth it, but NOT getting a proper start in cycling will result in an overuse injury very quickly.

The OP (or anyone else) will make thousands of pedal strokes each time they go out for a ride, and in short order something like tendinitis or back/neck strain at a minimum is going to become an issue. Like other actual cyclists who have chimed in on here have said, the OP should go to a local shop and start there. A basic bike fit will more than pay for itself in preventing later issues. Also, generally your Dr can prescribe a bike fit for you and your insurance will pay for it.

Going the cheapest route, and skipping on getting started correctly is going to be more costly and create more issues in the long run. It’s the equivalent of buying a bow off the rack without knowing your draw length, buying boots that are your size but too wide or too narrow, or buying a pack and having the fit completely wrong.

 

[peterk123]

I know it’s generally a waste of time to try and provide a counterpoint to someone who contends that you can save money by not getting assisted by a professional or that a bike fit isn‘t worth it, but NOT getting a proper start in cycling will result in an overuse injury very quickly.

The OP (or anyone else) will make thousands of pedal strokes each time they go out for a ride, and in short order something like tendinitis or back/neck strain at a minimum is going to become an issue. Like other actual cyclists who have chimed in on here have said, the OP should go to a local shop and start there. A basic bike fit will more than pay for itself in preventing later issues. Also, generally your Dr can prescribe a bike fit for you and your insurance will pay for it.

Going the cheapest route, and skipping on getting started correctly is going to be more costly and create more issues in the long run. It’s the equivalent of buying a bow off the rack without knowing your draw length, buying boots that are your size but too wide or too narrow, or buying a pack and having the fit completely wrong.

Nope, not a waste of time. Just offered another option. Choices are great. Just sharing what has worked for me. I'm still here and by some great miracle, not crippled after logging countless miles.

My point is that we tend to over complicate things.

 

[5MilesBack]

My buddy and I grew up with really heavy steel framed 10-speed Schwinn's from the late 70's. They were built like a tank. We never knew the difference between bikes and we road those things all over creation for miles and miles. We even put puncture-proof tubes in so we could ride them over whatever terrain we wanted. We had a long hill covered in cactus, sagebrush, and rocks that we would drag our bikes up, and then ride them down. So ya, you can make whatever bike you get work for whatever you want if you really had to.

But later when I was in college I got into road biking and got a road bike that felt like a small bag of feathers compared to that Schwinn. Wow, what a difference. I averaged about 100 miles a week all through college. These days, it's too hard on my neck on a normal bike. I would need a recumbent bike. I have a recumbent stationary bike in the house that's OK, but just not the same as being on the road. Good luck with your search.

Talk about getting fit for a bike......I'm 6'6" 220 with a 38" inseam.

 

[camelcluch]

Get on your major cities auctions. You will be able to pick up a bike for a fraction of the price. Govdeals/yourcity.com. You may need some repair work but you will end up with a very nice bike.

 

[rharbaugh]

+1 for a gravel bike. I got a Raleigh Willard 1 gravel bike and it's awesome. I used it for RAGBRAI for two years, the wider tires make riding on pavement so much smoother than traditional road bikes. I've taken it on many gravel roads and it works like a dream. Our local bike shop is awesome to work with, plus they're attached to a brewery

 

[sneaky]

How tall are you? May be someone on here near you with a bike you could try. Fitting on a mtn bike isn't rocket science, neither is it on a road bike for that matter, unless you have some ridiculously weird body shape.

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[Clearedhot1]

How tall are you? May be someone on here near you with a bike you could try. Fitting on a mtn bike isn't rocket science, neither is it on a road bike for that matter, unless you have some ridiculously weird body shape.

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6’ even. A lot of great info here and it helped narrow things down. I know $1k isnt a lot, but as a beginner I cannot justify to myself, or my wife, more than that right now. I have a few bike shops near me and will give those ago. A coworker also recommended bikes direct for online ordering.


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[Maverick1]

6’ even. A lot of great info here and it helped narrow things down. I know $1k isnt a lot, but as a beginner I cannot justify to myself, or my wife, more than that right now. I have a few bike shops near me and will give those ago. A coworker also recommended bikes direct for online ordering.


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@Clearedhot1 - to add on to what was posted above by @peterk123 or @3forks.....they are both correct.

Getting a bicycle that is appropriately sized for you is important. (I think all would agree that a 6' tall man shouldn't be riding a 20" kid bike, after all.....) With that being said, the main thing is to get a bicycle with the proper frame size, whether you are buying a mountain bike, road bike, gravel bike, or e-bike. Frame sizes are usually dictated by your height, and indicated by cm, size, or inches. Most/all bicycle shops will do this for you, free of charge.

Beyond the frame size, adjustments can be made to several aspects of the bike to better fit you. (Saddle height, saddle setback, saddle tilt, handlebar positioning, stem adjustment.) Some bike shops will make these adjustments for you, at no cost, at the time of purchase, or you can do them yourself as there are plenty of DIY information sources online. Another option is a professional bike fitting service. As someone mentioned above, this can be a couple hundred $.

As @peterk123 mentioned, don't over complicate it. Get a bike with the right frame size, check to make sure the saddle is in the right position, check your knee bend, and start riding.