Okay, bike (cycle) enthusiasts!!
 

I've decided I am going to start riding a bike to work once the weather gets a tad warmer. It's only 5.8 miles both ways.

Any recommendations or brands to target, or stay away from?

I'm not looking to spend a lot of money -- and will probably wind up just buying something used.

I'll dish out a couple of extra dollars if I can get sweet, red/blue KU streamers and a sweet horn too. So, that won't be an issue.

Thanks!

I'd look for a cyclocross or performance hybrid bike. I wouldn't worry too much about brand name. Just ride them and buy the one that feels right.

What's the route to work? On the road or on a bike trail?

Do you have any thoughts of riding recreationally in the future, or is this purely a commuter deal?

Also, if you haven't already, go to a local bike shop and get fitted. That way, if you decide to buy used, you won't waste time looking at the wrong bikes. Make sure the bike you buy fits you well.

Avoid the KU colors unless you desire to get "doored" by MU fans.

I concur with this. Went into a bit more detail in this post in another thread, but basically, this.

I live in Topeka, Ks. About 25 miles from Lawrence.

Not too worried about that.

See, I would have never thought about this. I never knew you could get fitted for a bicycle. However, my chode and I would like to thank you!

There's a place in Topeka called CAPPS I plan on checking out soon.

Mostly sidewalks.

I'm doing this mostly to get exercise, save on gas money and wear/tear on my car.

Just commuter, mostly.

Then I agree with the suggestion to look at at CX or hybrid bike. You could also look at a true commuter bike.

Since it's going to be a commuter you might also want to consider something with fender and/or pannier mounts in case of unexpected weather or if you need to carry much.

Any idea what these cost new and used?

I've got a Specialized. It's a Hard Rock that I bought new in 1991, but it's been awesome. It's a mountain bike but I have hybrid tires on it. Can't say anything bad about the brand.

Like anything else you can spend as much or little as you want.

Figure out what size you need and what you like then watch the list of Craig. Lots of people get bored or buy something that doesn't fit and end up not being able to ride and dump them there.

If the terrain is mild between you and work you could also think about a single speed and not have to worry as much about maintenance.

Not much out there right now in Topeka re: the list of Craig.

My girlfriend found some used bikes for $60. They looked in really good shape and it looks like they would do what I needed them to.

See if you can ride them and if they'll let you adjust things for a decent fit.

And when I say ride them, I don't mean down the block and back, I mean something substantial in comparison to one-way of your commute. If you're planning on wearing a backpack or shoulder bag, load it up like you're going to work and ride with it. That stuff will make a difference.

I'd really advise taking your time and riding several different brands if you can. If you want to use it every day you really need it to feel good.

I know my sack will appreciate it in the long run.

I may visit Capps and see if I can get fitted there -- that way I know at least what I am looking for.

If you go the used route, I'd spend a little extra to have it gone over at a bike shop. Brakes, lube, chain, gears, etc. You don't want to be flying downhill and have something fail on a bicycle.

Cyclocross bikes will start at about $900 and can run up to several thousand dollars at your local shop.

Hybrids usually start in the $250 - $300 range up to about $2K or more.

If you want to save cash AND you're very comfortable with your size and the style of bike you want, you can save quite a bit buying online from bikesdirect.com. You can get a cylcocross bike for less than $400. The bikes come partially assembled so you'll have some work to do and you may want to have it checked out by your bike shop for a small fee. You are also buying a bike you've never ridden so you'll be rolling the dice that you'll like the feel of it.

I know people who've gone this route and they've been happy. I prefer to test ride my bikes before I buy.

Let us know what you decide.

Great suggestion. My buddy bought a used mountain bike that looked to be in decent shape. He had some problems with gears slipping and learned that all of the cables needed replaced and had to shell out another $150-$200 to get it right.

I will be sure to do so.

I'm assuming those prices are brand new.

Admittedly, a little out of my price range.

So, it looks like going used - getting fitted, and doing excess repairs at a shop sounds like my best bet as of right now.

Get fitted. I have a Trek hybrid...a great bike.

Just throwing this out there, but typically a bike shop will throw in a fitting if you're buying a bike, but will charge otherwise. Of course every shop is different, but you probably don't want to spend as much on a fitting as you do on your bike.

I found this site to be decent in determining fit, at least as far as road bikes go.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za...LCULATOR_INTRO

It's not going to be as accurate as being professionally fitted, but the price is right.

Hybrid is the way to go.

Unless you're pretty mechanically inclined I wouldn't do too much wrenching of your own (partially assembled bikes). If you decide to go the bikes direct route and you're not mechanical just let a shop do the build depending on what, exactly needs to be done.

But definitely do learn some basic field adjustments. I've had to adjust the
indexing on several times on rides to use all the gears. Especially when I fail to keep things shiny side up.

That said, I had no idea there were so many cyclists on the board. We may need a "Pedro's Sweet Bike" thread to post your ride(s) in.

And anybody be interested in a CP Strava group or something? Maybe competing with you mastidges is what I need to get my fat ass in the saddle more this winter.

Feel free to use this thread as a CP bicyclist haven.

I am sure once my bike is purchased I will post here frequently.

i just thought it would be great to ride to work to save some money on car maintenance and get fit.

Just get a single speed commuter bike. Low maintence, comfortable, and TOUGH as nails. Trek makes a good one.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes..._utility/earl/

Yeahhhhhhh...

$400 is still out of my price range.

Many bike stores will have used bikes at a good price.

Right now - that's looking like my best option.

If you're going under four-hunge your best bet is probably used, will be hard to get a major brand (I have brands I prefer, but I don't brand advocate because it's subjective; I can tell you who I like, but they may not fit you as well as me. A lot of the frames from a lot of the big brands are all probably made in the same couple of factories in Taiwan with brand-specified geometries and decaled for whatever brand anyway. What I'm really talking about is an established reputation that probably won't get you a lemon or attempted sodomy.) for that new. You could check Performance Bikes, the Fuji and Scatantte stuff is good even if snobs consider them "off" brands. I've also heard decent things about the Motobecanes from the previously mentioned bikes direct. Typically I stay away from brand reccos, but with a lower budget in mind I would have more of a concern with overall build quality in budget brands.

I've seen people but internet bikes as an xxx, Dura Ace (implying a full DA gruppo) for a great price, not reading the specs and getting a bike with a DA cassette and the rest go the gruppo is a mix of 105/Alivo. Shame on them for not reading, but still a shitty bait-and-switch type tactic.

And thanks for offering this as a repository, didn't want to thread-jack you too hard.

I just don't want to overspend on something which is basically a recreational, commuter bike.

And I work in the flooring business - trust me, I am aware of the "get what you pay for" motto.

I think at maximum I would spend $200 on a bike. I think that's reasonable for a used bike.

I guess I didn't know near enough about bikes than I had originally thought.

I will swing by Capps on Friday to start actually looking.

It's going to be tough to find something decent in that price range. If you get a crappy bike, you won't enjoy riding and it will end up collecting dust in your garage. I just dropped nearly $1000 on a new bike, and I had to settle for low-end components at that price. Plus I'll be in for another $300 in accessories by the time I'm done. It's not a cheap hobby but it can be a lot of fun. And in my case, it's stress relief. I love going out by myself on some of the rural trails and just getting away from it all for several hours. It's hard to put a price on that.

There's just no way I can shell out much more than $200 for a commuter bike.

And I realize I am not going to get a great bike for $200 or less.

I just want something I can ride to and from work comfortably.

How far is your commute?

It can be expensive, but don't let that discourage you.

For $200 you should be able to find something used to fit your needs, it may just take some patience and work.

5.8 miles total.

All pavement/sidewalks.

Shit, that was in the OP. Reading fail. :facepalm:

I suppose you may be able to find an older, halfway decent road bike for that money as long as you're not that picky. Just don't buy a mountain bike, they tend to be heavier, they are geared lower, and the knobby tires create a lot of rolling resistance.

I'm really not picky. Like I said, I understand you get what you pay for. Hell, it could be pretty pink - I could just tell all of the onlookers who stare at me awkwardly that I support breast cancer.

All I am looking for is something that actually rides and fits me and my junior well.

I wouldn't completely rule out mtb's if you find a smokin deal on one. It'll be heavier, but you may like the riding position more than a road bike and depending on the commute you may appreciate the lower gears. I know there have been many times I wished for something lower on my road bike, but I don't ever think I've needed more on the high end. And you can always swap the knobbies out for street tires.

And don't hate on pink. There's a special standing for it in racing culture. I had a pink Crux frame I built up for cyclocross for a while. There's no shame in that game.

http://cdn3.media.cyclingnews.future...wsport_600.jpg

Tell me that's not dead sexy.

Edit, for preemptive clarification, not me. Just same frame I was talking about (minus the world champ badging, natch).

Trust me. I like da' boobs.

Heh, I'm just the opposite. I've been riding a hybrid for the last 12 years and I rarely use the low gears. OTOH, I got sick of other people on road bikes blowing by me on descents because I'm spun out. I bought my new bike specifically because it had more high end.

Pardon my ignorance -- but what's wrong with just a standard mountain bike?

Other than weight. Seems like they'd be more in my price range.

Well if you don't mind the extra weight (it's going to work you harder) and you don't care about top end and you change out the tires like Chest mentioned...nothing really.

The weight wouldn't bother me. I would imagine it'd help my rides from a fitness perspective.

I just asked because when I did ride bikes that was really all I was accustomed to.

Yeah it probably won't make that big of a difference on a 6 mile ride. But for any serious rider, weight is evil. And definitely avoid anything with a full suspension, especially on a low-end bike, that's going to add a crapton of completely unnecessary weight.

if youre serious about doing this from now on you need to plop down around $500-$600.. the money u save from gas will pay for that quickly. Or you could buy a cheap bike like i did for like $150 then a year later after you've gone to the bike repair shop 100 times you'll realize you should have spent some more money on it.

I wouldn't mind going the the learner, cheaper bike route first. If it is something for me i could always buy a better bike down the line.

And keep in mind i live in Kansas - i probably won't be riding 4-6 months out of the year. At least to work anyway.

Yeah, nothing at all wrong w/mtb's. Like Bugeater said heavier and lower top end. If you're good with that you'll probably appreciate the extra gears. And the fact that you really don't need any suspension will bring down the cost. Basically you're getting a performance hybrid with more gears but no hipster markup. A circa 1995 hardtail w/o suspension fork mtb in good shape like a Specialized hardrock (I think someone mentioned this bike earlier, props.) or Giant iguana sounds like something that would work well for you.

I had and absolutely loved both of those bikes in the past. Wish I hadn't sold them.

Re: too high vs. low gearing that Bugeater mentioned, that makes sense with the hybrid. We're apples to oranges on that one. My race bike has more balls than I have brains, but then again, that's what makes it so much fun. I can't spin it out on a downhill at 75 kph (it's not even in top gear at that; hell the top pros can sprint that on a flat); I've had it around 100, but fear of death outweighed curiosity so I was feathering the brakes rather than spinning so I don't know if I can out spin it. Someday maybe my handling skills will approach it's performance, but it's more likely my confidence will just outrun my ability and things will end poorly.

kph? Are you in Canada? I had to go out to the car and see what that means in US speed, which looks to be around 40 mph. Yeah, that's freaking flying on a bike. I'm spun out around 25 mph on my hybrid, although I did manage to somehow get it to 29.8 one time by catching a sweet draft. But no way I could maintain a speed like that for any amount of time on that damn thing. I'm real anxious to get out and find out what the new one can do, but yeah, I don't want to die trying.

LMAO

No gawdammit I'm a real ****ing 'murican (queue the Hulk Hogan music). Ok, East Coaster, but don't hold that against me. I was born in Kansas and raised in Missouri.

I do the metrics re: cycling because that's what I'm used to being accepted in the culture. I live in DC and my normal rides average about 17 mph over hilly terrain. I ride with a lot of bike messengers recreationally, which is when my ego overtakes my sense and things go to weaving in and out of traffic at 30-35 (that sounds pretty slow until you're on a bike in stop and go traffic with a bunch of east coast drivers) mph and going 60ish on long downhills.

I'm getting a little smarter as I become an old ass man and cutting way back on those shenanigans.

ROFL
A pink bike and the gay flag on his uniform. Yeah that's not sexy. Well unless you're a homo.

I bought a pacific dual shock in 99.Thing is tough as a tank. But the dual shock really saps momentum. I just started getting back into riding late last summer. I realized that I really need to get a single. But I love having a mountain bike. Love having the option of being able to ride nature trails as well as streets /sidewalks.

Now that i know this -- i am going to hunt you down and Grand Theft Auto your ass.

I've also got a pos that I've been riding because it is old and has no suspension. When you get your bike, feel free to hit me up if you wanna go ride.

Btw chest Rockwell, I was j/k about the homo. NTTAWWT

Also if nobody has told you yet, the Shunga/Landon trails are good concrete trails through town for recreational riding.

Ah, gotcha. I don't do traffic at all. I stick to shared use trails which aren't designed with speed in mind but there are some occasional stretches where you can haul some ass. I hit the 29.8 on a descent on a recently paved "rail trail", so no sharp turns or potholes or other surprises to worry about. I usually average 15 mph or so on my hybrid, so again, I'm anxious to see how much I can improve that on the road bike.

As long as you don't mind a big guy on a pink bike, with a rainbow on my ass cheeks you've got it. :thumb:

That's what hybrids are for, I'll ride mine anywhere.

I don't know anything about hybrids. They weren't around the last time I bought a new bike.

Sure they were, they just weren't popular. Mountain bikes were all the rage in the 90s. Think mine is a 97 or 98 model, I don't really know for sure because I'm not the original owner.

http://bikeshops.mtbr.com/cat/united...5_6250crx.aspx

Take a look at this used-bike shop in Lawrence. I believe they will buy their bikes back if you decide you need something else. The other place I've seen some decent used bike buys - pawn shops. I've bought a few nice old bikes off Craigslist, too.

Some stuff off my bike-links:

http://www.bikecommuters.com/
http://www.commutebybike.com/
http://amsterdamize.com/
http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/search?q=bicycle
http://bicycletutor.com/
http://www.howtofixbikes.ca/

No worries man, I didn't think otherwise.

Besides, when you're a road biker you get used to being called a skinny, spandex-wearing, leg-shaving roadie f*ggot. And that's just by mountain bikers. Drivers aren't even THAT nice.

:(

I avoid traffic as much as I can these days, but being in DC I can't avoid it all together. And like I said, I'm not as much of a moron as I used to be. At some point I figured out 150 pounds of me on 15 of carbon fiber was not a good matchup vs cars.

That said I stay off multi-use trails and sidewalks as much as I can. I've had more accidents on those because of people who don't pay attention to their dogs or kids or are on the phone/listening to music than I ever have on the road (when I wreck on the road it's usually because I did something stupid). I always call in those situations but people are just oblivious.

Dude I work with needed to lose some pounds per the doctor, so he went out a got a sweet bike. He said he lives about 12 miles from work. He's now at the point where he rides in basically anytime it's not raining. Dude has dropped some serious poundage fairly quickly.

I'm taking CP advice and getting fitted if/when I get a ride.

I used to ride a bike all the time then discovered jogging/running. Now it just collects dust unless the kids want to go for a ride.

Hell, at 5.8 miles you could build up the stamina to jog that in no time. :)

I say **** THAT!

Oh come on, you can do it. You can even eat my dust.:thumb:

Howie says NO DEAL!

Mrs. Plow has always kind of laughed it off when I said I want to ride a bike to work during the summer. I've been really thinking about doing it this year.

We're not talking about having a bike fitting done. He simply needs to know if he'll need a 56cm frame etc. Any shop will help him with that while he's shopping.

You love going out by yourself or you can't find anyone who is willing to ride with you? :evil:

Have you gotten the new bike out yet?

If you also get a bike we can go shop for helmets together! LMAO

http://www.thisblogrules.com/wp-cont...ike-helmet.jpg

This. If you're looking for an extra workout, it's not a bad option.

I would prefer to be a boobies head. Not an ass head.

I may be looking at hybrids this summer. This is the one I think I want, but I certainly don't need it:

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bik.../sirruslimited