Cycling

Go to a LBS and be fitted. In your price range, the most important thing is getting a bike with the proper fit and geometry. The components and quality will all be about the same.

i am thinking if you are getting a bike for exercise, you should get a cheap inefficient bike.. it will take more work to keep it going, and therefore give you more exercise.
i personally got a single speed dirt jumper bike the other day..
its hard as hell to ride up hills.. and you know what? i am going to start riding it up bigger and bigger hills as time goes on to get more exercise..
i am not trying to cover a ton of distance..

Sorry but that's a terrible idea. Yes, it's for exercise, but you want it to be something you enjoy not dread.

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

Yeah don't get a hybrid if you're getting a bike for exercise. I almost did ad I'm so happy that I went with a full road bike. You DO NOT want to be sitting upright for a 15 mile ride

On the contrary, an upright sitting position is more comfortable on your neck, your back, your arms. Yeah, there is more air resistance, but OP isn't exactly racing.

Go look at some bikes at a few nice shops, see what you like. I'd probably look on craigslist for a road bike - you don't need anything special like carbon parts, but don't cheap out on components like shifters. The most important thing is the frame size.

Go to an LBS and try out some bikes and get fitted. Once you have an idea of the type and fitment then go shopping for the same bike and size on CL. You can get a very high end bike on CL or ebay for about 30 cents of retail.

You can work some amazing deals if you shop around and know what size and bike you want and then pick it up in the used market one year old.

Said another way.... you can double your budget for what bike you want by picking one up a year or two old and have a MUCH higher end bike at the end of the day.

Here's my CL special... got a total of $3400 in it. All but a couple components... bars, seat and tires were bought used. People at the shops think it would take well more than double that to replicate.




Good luck and go turn some cranks..

330CK's suggestion is money. Get fitted at a shop then browse craigslist to death and find something you like that fits. Any bike shop worth a damn will fit you for free. Even if they know you're not buying from them good shop owners know if they treat you right you'll be back to either buy your gear, do service, or even do group rides with them. Walk away from any shop that even hints at selling you some $2000+ bike when your budget is only $500.

And finally YES you can find NEW real road bikes for that price. My friends who start on their $500 Fuji and Jamis bikes aren't getting any less of a road bike than my carbon Bianchi 928 with Campagnolo Record/Chorus. Mine is just lighter, prettier, and smoother

Originally Posted by kuksul08

On the contrary, an upright sitting position is more comfortable on your neck, your back, your arms. Yeah, there is more air resistance, but OP isn't exactly racing.

Go look at some bikes at a few nice shops, see what you like. I'd probably look on craigslist for a road bike - you don't need anything special like carbon parts, but don't cheap out on components like shifters. The most important thing is the frame size.

I know that I would rather be hunched over, but for some reason I go as hard and as fast as possible for the duration of the ride. I wouldn't want to be pushing it in an upright position

Originally Posted by KtecR

330CK's suggestion is money. Get fitted at a shop then browse craigslist to death and find something you like that fits. Any bike shop worth a damn will fit you for free. Even if they know you're not buying from them good shop owners know if they treat you right you'll be back to either buy your gear, do service, or even do group rides with them. Walk away from any shop that even hints at selling you some $2000+ bike when your budget is only $500.

And finally YES you can find NEW real road bikes for that price. My friends who start on their $500 Fuji and Jamis bikes aren't getting any less of a road bike than my carbon Bianchi 928 with Campagnolo Record/Chorus. Mine is just lighter, prettier, and smoother

Ktec ^

Pics please... sounds like a sweet machine!


There is good advice ITT.

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

I know that I would rather be hunched over, but for some reason I go as hard and as fast as possible for the duration of the ride. I wouldn't want to be pushing it in an upright position

Ahh, so you're more of a short sprinter type? I know for me my neck starts to hurt pretty damn bad after 20 or so miles on a road bike, but maybe that's because I don't ride them enough.

If the bike doesn't fit you properly you can get cramped pretty easily.

But yeah, I sprint...but I'm working on fixing that. I have no clue why, but I'm hardwired to go as fast as possible once I start moving, doesn't matter if I'm in a car, on a bike, or running. I want to try to up my distances this year. Last year was the first year with my bike and I was topping out ~15 miles on a good day.

Originally Posted by kuksul08

Ahh, so you're more of a short sprinter type? I know for me my neck starts to hurt pretty damn bad after 20 or so miles on a road bike, but maybe that's because I don't ride them enough.

hate to tell you this, but that's an indicator of a bad fit....if I were to take a rough stab at it, I'd say you're too stretched out

take it from someone who's logged thousands of miles, including multi-day trips (~100 miles a day for 2 days) and races

Originally Posted by Ghostie

pretty sure you can find lots of entry level road bikes for around $500...There are TONs of bike manufacturers and models

Really? Show me! I'm 99.9% sure you have no idea what your talking about.

For a starter bike I would go craigslist... Also check out bonktown.com You have to keep checking the site throughout the day (mostly for components, gear, and clothing). I would also check out LBS for previous season models....

Originally Posted by punchesdfw

Really? Show me! I'm 99.9% sure you have no idea what your talking about.

how about a whole page full of them?

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...egoryId=400306


http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...8_20000_400306

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...0_20000_400306





good thing you left yourself that .1% margin for error

you wanna 5tfu now?

or you gonna keep talking out of your a$$?

Originally Posted by Ghostie

hate to tell you this, but that's an indicator of a bad fit....if I were to take a rough stab at it, I'd say you're too stretched out

take it from someone who's logged thousands of miles, including multi-day trips (~100 miles a day for 2 days) and races

I thought it was just from having to look up where you're going. Since you're leaned over more, you have to tilt your head up further and it uses those muscles.

Originally Posted by kuksul08

I thought it was just from having to look up where you're going. Since you're leaned over more, you have to tilt your head up further and it uses those muscles.

again, it's hard to diagnose your fit without seeing you, but based on past experience, it's a possibility (if you're too stretched out or cramped i.e, stem too long, too low or even top tube too long)

Keep in mind that the fitting process on a bike isn't always a one shot deal, sometimes you have to ride for a bit, then go back to have the shop adjust the fit

also, depending on how long you're been riding, it may just be a "break-in" issue, but if you've been riding for more than a few weeks and the pain persists, you need to look into it

go here and read some more (you might have to register)

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/sea...archid=3407517

Originally Posted by kuksul08

On the contrary, an upright sitting position is more comfortable on your neck, your back, your arms. Yeah, there is more air resistance, but OP isn't exactly racing.

I fell for exactly the same thing when I was looking to purchase a bike. I looked at hybrids thinking they would be more comfortable: upright seating position, straight bars, wider seat, etc.

Actually, what you want is a narrower seat and drop bars, as they allow you to move around to get comfortable on long rides. You can switch from up top, to the hoods, to the drops, and back. A narrower seat will rub less. Yes, an upright position tends to be more comfortable, and you can get road bikes that are more of a touring bike that have more upright positions.

But you don't need to ride in the drops all the time. In fact, most new cyclists don't. Really, most experienced cyclists don't either (they spend a lot of time on the hoods).

Originally Posted by Ghostie

how about a whole page full of them?

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...egoryId=400306


http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...8_20000_400306

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...0_20000_400306

I dunno, I'd be pretty nervous buying a bike at that price point. I've ridden my girlfriend's tiagra, and I'm not crazy about it. Nor about Sora. I understand that when you start moving from 105 to Ultegra, and then DA you are really paying for bling and weight, but there are some real functional differences in $500 bikes. Not to mention the frame...

Originally Posted by Ghostie

how about a whole page full of them?

good thing you left yourself that .1% margin for error

you wanna 5tfu now?

or you gonna keep talking out of your a$$?

Obviously, you can't read or understand English. THERE WAS 1 $779 FUJI ROAD BIKE ON SALE FOR $449. All the rest a single-speeds or hybrids.

Now I have to increase my claim to 100% chance you have no idea what your talking about. I've been in the business for 30-years Sonny Boy, so why don't stop talking out of your ass and shut the **** up? Your embarrassing yourself!

PS - No more time to play with you today. I'm heading to work at the Bike Shop.

Don't cancel out hybrids. Many bike trails switch between paved and gravel/dirt, and I HATE riding my carbon road on those surfaces. I've done many 60mile rides with my trek hybrid, and I felt great afterwards. The geometry variation is a lot more forgiving than a road bike. Also, it gives you the flexibility to decide whether to go the road path or mountain in the future. Long distance road isn't for everyone.

All the suggestions for used, last years model, etc.. I agree with. Do remember that although all the bike models have a frame size, the fitment differs due to geometry. You can be a 56cm on one bike and a 54cm on another bike. That's why it can be difficult to buy used, as it's best to get fitted to the bike. This really applies more to road bikes- hybrids are much easier to fit comfortably to.

A proper fitting bike should not cause any pain through the length of the ride, whether 10 miles or 100 miles. There should only be some slight discomfort around no-man's land, which can be relieved by riding off the seat for a bit. It should not be numb.