No idea what type of bike to buy...?

Question

Want to buy a bike but haven't owned one since my BMX back in the day...

So now i'm faced with mountain bikes (front, rear or duel suspension or fixed frame), urban, street, racing (road?), hybrid and probably a few others.

I want to ride the few k's from home to gym (instead of car), and occasionally to the office. So road mostly but maybe the odd trail at weekends. Also worry a bit about racing bikes not coping with pavements and other obstacles in case i need to get 'creative' on route.

Any ideas??

Answer 1

You would be better suited to get a hardtail MTB or one of the new breed of Urban bikes!

You don't need to spend much, go to Halfords or Walmart and have a look!

Raleigh Grifters !!! WOW!- What a blast from the past!
They don't still make them do they??

EDIT: Far be it for me to challenge your "advice" Dave - but I will! ! -
Hybrids are a reasonable compromise between a Roadbike and an MTB - and If I wasn't a roadie then perhaps a Hybrid might be my next 'port of call'! - I think a Hybrid would actually suit the questioner more than a roadbike would! - Read his question again,- Do you not agree?

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Answer 2

From what I understand, Jake the Snake (Kona) would probably be a good idea for you. It's a cyclo-cross so you could be creative on your way home. I have an inexpensive mountain bike ($200) for my weekend trips and a road bike (trek 1.2) for my commuting and almost regret getting the mountain bike b/c my road is so zippy and light. I was worried about constant flats, but haven't had a problem, despite the fall debris on the roads this time of year. However, I don't take my trek off-road. In the informal research I did before purchasing my road I noted that people who purchased a road bike mostly regret getting a hybrid first. You may decide you love cycling so may as well invest wisely if you're already active.

Answer 3

Go for something like a Specialized Hardrock at that price. Great bikes, easy to find parts for or upgrade. Will do anything you'll need to unless you're racing or doing some serious downhill/freeride. I'm about 14 stone and have hammered one around black runs at Coed Y Brenin unskillfully and with impunity! In general, however: Go for an MTB. They're better generalists and more robust, although not nearly as fast as road bikes. Go for a hardtail (ie no suspension at the back). A decent full-suspension bike is expensive and you'll only get tat for £300. You'll get quite a good hardtail for the same. Budget on buying a helmet - you'll need one and they're more expensive than you think. Rugby players are hard, but buses are harder!

Answer 4

My advice to you would be to try before you buy. Most shops, i would hope, will have test bikes that are available (for a small fee which can be used against a purchase of a bike) so you can have a go and see what you think. when i first got into mountain biking i hired a bike from a trail shop in Peebles, Scotland which also had ex demo bikes for sale at half the cost of a new one, again the cost of the hire was used against the cost of the bike when purchased.
Try and get the best bike you can afford especially if you are going to try proper trails riding, once you start you will be instantly hooked and the better bike you have the more trails you will be able to attempt without compromising the bike and therefore your fun factor.
the first bike i had was a Kona Caldera, excellent bike and as it was an ex hire it was £400 as apposed to the original price of £800.
Enjoy the trails.

Answer 5

Consider getting a mountain bike with a quick release in the rear and putting slick 26x1.5 tires on it. Put the knobbies back on when you want to do the "odd trail at weekends" if you need the extra traction they will give you. If you find that you are changing fairly often, you can get an extra set of wheels to make the change quicker and easier. At first thought, a fairly cheap set for road use makes sense, depending on how "creative" you are when riding to the gym or office. You probably won't be bashing them too hard.

Answer 6

"Racing" or road bikes would not be what you want. I don't know what you mean by "odd trail at weekends". If you mean single track mountain bike trails then you need a mountain bike. If you mean paved or smooth dirt or packed gravel bike paths then a hybrid type bike would be best suited to you needs. Mountain bikes are fine but the aggressive knobbie tires are a pain on paved roads after a while. A good alternative to a hybrid would be a unsuspended or front only suspension mountain bike with smooth tires mounted for street and light trail use. I have 2 sets of wheels for my mountain bike - knobbies on one set for single track and smooth 1.5" wide tires on the other for all other riding. It works great.

Answer 7

Yeah, mountain bike all the way my friend. Good for occasional trail use as well as bashing up and down pavements. I think you need to go into a bike shop and see what they have and what you can afford. Personally I wouldn't pay much less than £400 for a decent one with front suspension.
And don't forget a decent lock and a helmet. An extra 25 quid could save your life.

Answer 8

I would look into the Hybrid bikes category.
Mountain bikes are heavy and their tyres cause a lot of drag on the tarmac. You would be better off changing them to slimmer less knobby tires. Also, do you need all those gear?, the small frame?

Consider a bike where you can put good lighting on, crud guards, and a pannier for your stuff. Such a bike would be comfortable to go to the gym and other trips, and still be a decent off road bike as long as you keep on mountain trails.

Look into this sites for more information:

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3529

http://www.timeoutdoors.com/sitetools/Article_List.asp?acd=bike

Answer 9

Hybred. Road tyres, mountian bike shock. Geometry is not so extreme.

However, if you want to go off roadI would go for a hard tail mountain bike (Either a Giant Rock SE, or Specialized would do). You only need full sus, if you are thinking about serious XC or all mountain.

Word of warning. You will need to spend about £350 or $700 on a viable, basic machine. Do not buy a budget bouncer with full sus and discs for £80. Not worth it. Nasty peice of machinery.

Luck

P.S. This means - DO NOT touch Walmart or Halfords.

Answer 10

If you want to go on hill trails and tracks, especially rough ones, you need a mountain bike because town bikes and hybrids are not suited due to their unsuitable tyres. If the ride to the gym is not far, a mountain bike is quite comfortable even though their tyres have bobbly bits. Go down to Decathlon, if there's one in your town, and look at the different types available. They are also reasonably priced and you can also pick up the rest of your kit.