What Type Of Bicycle Would Best Fit My Situation?

Question

With rising gas prices, greenhouse gases, and the fact that the older I get the less I tend to workout. I would like to start biking to work and other random places. I know very little about bicycles owning only one when I was 8 years old. I need some well informed information.

Ideally I will be traveling a distance between 10-35 miles in a round trip. The majority of my commute will be on flatland or on a somewhat inclined distance. I will be traveling next to a heavily traveled highway that has a sidewalk about 25-35% of the way since it is in somewhat of a dense commericial/residential area.

What would best suit my situation a Hybrid, Moutain Bike, or a Moutain Bike with "aftermarket tires"? Price is somewhat a factor since I dont know if I will keep up with this hobby. I would like to stay under 500.

Also what does the average beginner to intermediate person bike with the above conditions (mph)?

Answer 1

Well.....an actual road bike will get you there faster, but you may not like the riding position as much. They're really built for performance. If you like the look of mountain bikes, you can buy a decent hardtail and a set of slick tires for another $40 and ride happy. Most slicks are road-size, but I'd really recommend looking for a 2" width. They still roll fast and will give you more cush for the cracks and bumps. Whatever bike you buy, be sure to get tires that have a kevlar (or aramid, or whatever) flat-protection strip in the tire.....if you're commuting to work you don't want to be late or aggravated by repairs during rush hour. Putting some Slime in the tubes is a good idea, too, even if it makes them heavier.

It sounds like you would fit a hybrid bike nicely....they're not always quality or lightweight, though......but they have a comfortable position and saddle, plenty of gearing to take you where you want to go, and most of them have the right fittings for mounting a rack or basket if you want to.

There's a new group of bikes finally being offered by some companies now....kind of a courier style of lightweight road bike with components that are more comfortable and gearing that isn't so racy. Trek, Felt, and Specialized are all good places to look.

Since you'll be on flat roads mostly, this may not matter to you, but I'd really recommend using "clipless" pedals. You'll need special cycling shoes to which you mount a cleat that snaps into the pedal kind of like skis. They help you use energy more efficiently on longer rides.....but it means packing your work shoes with you and you can't ride easily in casual shoes. There are all kinds of cycling shoes to choose from, though, and lots of them look casual enough to not make you look like a racer-geek when you go into the coffee shop or grocery.

As for average speed, it's easy for most people to maintain 12mph. With smaller higher-pressure tires and a lighter bike, you can go faster easily. A guy with medium cardio fitness and strength can average 18+ on a road bike and get faster as he trains. The most important thing is that you love your bike and enjoy the ride!

Answer 2

Either Hybrid or MTB would work with 1.5" road tires.

I always recommend the MTB option because it allows you the flexibility of trail riding if you ever want to. I have road and MTB bikes. I use my MTB with the road tire set up for tooling around town, riding with my kids to the store etc. works great. Use my knobbies for the trail only.

I'm open minded enough not to insist you do this but explained why that would be MY choice.

A reason in favor of a hybrid: You likely will like to sit more upright than a high mileage performance cyclist. A nicer MTB will have a fairly low, long reach. A hybrid will more likely have a more upright, short reach, what most non riders find comfortable. Lots of hybrids have adjustable stems to raise and lower the bars to suit you too. You could do this for a MTB too if you like but you'd have to buy it as an extra like the tires.

Please go out to a couple bike shops to try both out. You likely will opted for the hybrid. Buy there or look on-line after you know what you want. Make sure you get the right size, so many people end up riding too large a bike. $500 will get you a good solid bike.

Don't forget a helmet, gloves, and a bike rack. If you're riding up to 35 miles think about toe clips or clipless pedals. Your bike will likely have toe clips give 'em a try. There's very good reasons why people use 'em. I always wear lightly tinted glasses for eye protection.

Hope this helped.

Answer 3

Trek makes a line of bikes specifically targeting commuters, but the price range is well above $500. I have a Trek 7.3 fx which is marketed as a fitness bike. It is aluminum, pretty light, has a frame inbetween a road bike and a mountain, with straight handlebars. That way you are not as upright as you are on a hybrid, and not all hunched over like on a road bike.

The tires are 700 x 32, so they are thinner and faster than mountain tires, but more shock absorbing than road tires. Plus, it came with Bontrager Hard Case tires which are super puncture resistant. I really love this bike, and it's just under $500 retail. I swapped out the pedals for clipless, but got the kind that are clipless on one side, and like a regular mountain bike pedal on the other, in case you need to ride with regular shoes.

There are other bikes in this series, each with better components than the previous model, such as better derailleurs, a carbon fork, lighter wheels, disc brakes, etc. If you are doing serious commuting, you might want one of the better models.

Anyway, other companies make similar types of bikes, but you will find quite a range of prices from brand to brand, so try a few different models and see what feels good. And go on a real ride, meaning several miles, not just a spin around the parking lot.

Answer 4

Check out the Jamis Coda. It costs around $450 - 500 bones. It's also sweet looking. Jamis calls it a street performance bike. Or look at the Fuji Absolute Dx, it's very similar to the Coda, also in the same price range.

A beginner will typically average about 14 - 16 mph, an intermediate will average 17 - 19 mph, advanced riders will average 20 + mph.

Also, if this sidewalk you are talking about is used by pedestrians, DO NOT ride on it. You will be going too fast and you could cause a serious accident. Stick to the road. Obey traffic laws as if you were in your car and stay to the far right as possible, pending road hazards.

Answer 5

Sounds as though you would be better off with a road bike. If you are commuting to work, on roads, you probably want some carrying capacity, since you will probably want to take lunch, or do shops on the way home. Although a reace set up would probably cover the ground better, something like a traditional style, with a rack on the back might be more viable. If you want to do a few easy trails at the weekend (Riding around well surfaced tracks. A highbred might be better, as the extra suspension will help smooth out the ride.

Mountian bikes are good, but not for what you want to do with it. My sugestion would be to go to a tourist location, with a bike rental shop and have a play on a few bikes before you decide.

Luck

Answer 6

With 500 bucks, I think you could get a good bike. With the conditions you gave I think a road bike would be good but this kind would be a bit more expensive. I think you should get a hardtail mountain bike with a rigid fork (maening no suspension at the rear and in front) because as you said majority of the travel would be flat. Suspensions are most useful in off-road trails to reduce the effects of the bumps on the rider. Even more a hardtail frame and a rigid fork would cost less than the suspension frame and fork, and it would be more efficient in the road you described because if your bike has suspensions you will need to exert more effort in pedalling. Your wheels should also be slick to maximize the traction on the road.

The speed is up to you, you can go fast as long as you can control the bike and are always prepared for sudden stops.