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Theo Huxtable had this thread going on the old board. There was some good info and not sure if he was finished with it, but I also need some bicycle advice and my interests are slightly different.

I was thinking I wanted a road bike. I do a fair amount of running and thought a road bike would give me the option to run some triathlons later on if I feel like doing so. If not, then at least they are efficient and would allow me to ride long distance or ride with other people and be able to keep up. I live in Fort Worth and the Trinity Trails appeal to me, although I won't truly know the places I'll be riding until I actually have the bike and get to explore some.

My wife will also be getting a bike. She's athletic but will probably use it less than I do and that's fine. I realize that going into it. [insert bike won't get used comment here]

I went to Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop here in town. They sell Specialized which I am familiar with. It was recommended that I either go with a road bike (as I previously intended) or a cyclocross. These are roughly the bikes I was shown:

Specialized Allez Sport ($950-1150)

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/allez-sport/p/128865?color=239794-128865

Specialized CruX E5 Cyclocross ($1400)

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/crux-e5/p/128988?color=239482-128988

As it was presented to me, the cyclocross would be more versatile for times when I need to go off the pavement - light gravel, etc. The wheels can be changed out to skinnier tires if I want more efficiency later on. The road bike has the benefit of being lighter and faster, as well as less expensive, with the downside being that it needs to stay on pavement. They have demo bikes so I can go back for a test ride (or even keep one overnight if needed) and see how it feels.

Adding to this purchase will also be the various accessories. I'm sure I don't even fully grasp that yet, but I'm expecting $300-400 for each of us for the sake of shoes, pedals, shorts, helmet, etc. The bike shop said bikes will be the same price everywhere but they do take 15% off any gear that I buy to go with it.

Are my expectations reasonable here? Any advice?

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here you go fam

https://www.canyon.com/en-us/road/endurace/endurace-cf-sl-disc-8-0

you can put some wider knobbier tires on it.

 

but seriously, its almost a  guarantee that when new purchasers want a bike that "may" venture into off-road, gravel, dirt roads, etc.... they overstate the need and end up never ever ever doing it.  which means that most people end up in some sort of a mountain bike that never ever goes off pavement.  

both those bikes have lower grade geartrain.  shop for last year's model and you can find something with shimano 105 groupset.

yes the shop always gives discounts on accessories with new bike purchase.  but you can always always find them cheaper online 

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This may simplify it a bit.  Trinity Trails are quite roadbike friendly, smooth and in good condition and accessible from streets.  The off-road trails in FW are relatively few and probably not something you want to try on a cyclocross bike (maybe Gateway, but not Sansom).  River Legacy Park has both paved and unpaved trails.  Parts of the unpaved would be cross-friendly.

Whereas, in Dallas, there are entire MTB trails that you could ride on a cross bike, maybe even a road bike.

Edited by TwiceHorn
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Here my thoughts.  Dont get it stuck in your mind which brands are "better".  A shop that sells specialized is probably going to tell you specialized is the best.  Same for a shop that sells trek.  And a shop may only sell a handful of different brands.  

But for the most part a bike company makes the frames and that's it.  And most of the frames are made in china or Japan, sometimes different brands are made in the same factory.  Then ask yourself how many times you've had a frame break, or heard of one breaking.  Almost never.  Point being, unless you are looking at cutting edge tech, and at your budget you're not, the name on the sticker doesnt matter. 

Components are where you want to focus your attention.  Components do break, or need adjusting.  Learn the different "gruppo" levels.  learn the different aluminum types that bars and stems are made from.  Look at how much swapping parts would be in relation to the price difference in the entire bike.  Meaning dont spend $200 more on a bike because you like the saddle when you can buy that saddle for $50.  Same with tires.  

Unless you're a pro, don't worry about weight.  Easiest and cheapest way to drop weight from your bike is for the rider to lose weight.  But if you are going to go down that path, look for lighter wheels.  Less rotational mass will make the bike feel snappier.  

 

Tldr: shop around, dont worry about brands, at your price there are no shitty options, so get the best bike you are comfortable with.

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Oh, since OP seems to be deciding between a cross or road bike, you can ask the shop to figure out the biggest tires that will fit on athe road frame.  Itll differ for sure.  But again, dont spend an extra $200 on a cross bike for the larger tires, if you know larger tires will fit on a cheaper road bike.  If you like the inline cross brake levers, see how much it's be to get those installed.  

If you're an old man just go ahead and get a hybrid with a front and seat post shock. :D

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Good info everyone. I figured the brand wasn't the most important thing, but I feel like this particular bike shop has been helpful and they happen to sell Specialized.

I'm still leaning towards the road bike, but I need to wait until a day when we can go ride them around and try the different options.

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If you are buying a new bike, fit is most important.  I wouldn't buy from a bike shop that didn't suggest getting measurements first - not that I'd necessarily buy a bike from the place where I got fitted.  Pay the money to get a fit and then use the measurements to narrow the bikes.  Once you get a bike that fits, then have the fitter dial it in after you ride for a while.

I used to have a good fitter in Austin, but he retired and would not recommend anyone else.  Find someone with experience fitting bikes, not experience selling bikes.

I received a ~$1200 Cannondale road bike in a barter situation.  Luckily for me the frame was the right size.  Even with that, it took some significant tweeking of components for the proper fit. 

 

Edited by Jerry Callo
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Go get fit and figure out what size you need. Then in mid to late April, check Craigslist for all the bikes going up for sale after the Ms150.

If you go road, go full carbon. It really is worth the money. Then spend money on your contact points - good saddle, good gloves and good shoes.

Good luck.

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Just know with the cyclocross bike, the gears are not entirely optimized for long fast turns in the saddle. A 46T chainring is considerably smaller than other bike. Something to keep in mind.

Brands are not all that important, but the geometry between bikes (and lines within the same manufacturer) can be quite different. Go someplace competent and get properly fitted to something that works for your intent. 

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10 minutes ago, William_Cannon said:

In all honesty, you should rent and demo as much as possible. Even within a particular type of bike, there are a lot of variations.

Lotsa truth to this.  You can talk things with knowledgeable people until you're blue in the face, but until you do some riding, you won't know what things are important to you.  I hesitate to say go "cheap," but odds are decent after a few months of riding, you will have what you like closer to figured out and may wind up buying another bike.  So maybe the thing to say is "don't go bigtime into your first bike" in a while.

Edited by TwiceHorn
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I don't think I'd get a cross bike unless you are going to be entering cross races.  Get a cheaper (or used) road bike for the road and a hard tail mountain bike for everything else.  Trying to make one bike fit multiple roles just leaves you with a bike that does neither very well.  Swapping out wheels and tires for different rides is a pain in the ass after a while too.

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Can someone explain the fitting process a little better? The bike shop did mention doing that but I just didn’t do it that day.

I realize I could probably buy used and save some money, but I don’t like the idea of using the bike shop for their expertise and fitting, then not giving them my business. They seem very helpful and I feel like that’s worth something.

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My 2 cents on some of the various advice:

Demo/ride a bike first: this depends, when I first got into road cycling I had no idea about - well, anything. Riding different bikes meant nothing to me. Even riding a cross vs road bike meant very little. This was a waste of my time - I simply didn't know what I was looking for. They all felt "fine." Which is to say that I wasn't particularly comfortable on any of them, but I had never really ridden before other than just riding as a kid and well all rode bikes all the time. Even with much more experience I don't think this would help me that much. It *might* help a bit with determining between road/cross/mountain and possibly material, but not much else. And not manufacturer.

Road vs cross vs mountain or in-between bikes: this may depend on what you really want to do, but in-between bikes are generally not great. Having said that, that's exactly what I got my wife and she likes hers. If you are primarily going to be on the road, get a road bike. Cross bikes seem like the ideal solution, but they are really meant for cross racing, and you probably are not going to do that. Mountain is great - for mountain biking. But they suck on the road. So this is more of a depends on what you are doing.

Aluminum vs Carbon vs Steel: All are great, and all have advantages disadvantages. I won't get into titanium b/c this is $$$, but it is great too. Aluminum will beat you up this most, but you still see pros riding aluminum (well, you would if sponsors would let them and non-protour guys). Aluminum is generally the best bang-for-the-buck. Carbon is great and light, but if you crack the frame you are pretty much out of luck and it is more pricey. Steel has the best ride of any of these (not just my opinion), but can be heavier. All can be expensive - a quality frame is a quality frame regardless of the material. Lighter is generally better, so get the lightest you can afford. And work on losing the heaviest component - you (gut, love-handles, etc.).

Groupsets: probably the most important thing, as someone earlier said if you can get Shamino 105 components, that's all you'll ever need. And if you take care of them, with a little maintenance you can hand them down to your kids - they'll last a very long time. Go for the most your budget will allow. Compare different bikes based on their groupsets more than the bike manufacturer.

Fit: unless you are seriously getting into triathlon, youtube should tell you all you need to know about fit. It is important, but until you are riding >25 miles it makes little difference. Even then, youtube is your friend. With tribikes it is a different story.

Brakes: for road, get rim brakes. Less hassle, and if you are riding something that really needs disc brakes - well, you aren't. Disc brakes are generally hated by most pro road cyclist, they just have to ride them because of bike sponsors ($$). That's for a slightly different reason, but I stand by this. I've had both and never felt the need for the heaver/more expensive/more maintenance brakes. For mountain it's a different story and this is much more important. I live in a very hilly area in Austin and my rim brakes work great.

General: Buy used. Craiglist, eBay, friends. Buy in the "offseason" if you can (can be tricky, end of summer probably best). If not used, last years model. Don't get into electronic shifting, it's not worth it and will eventually break or need replacement. Just get mechanical and it will last you a long time. Buy some decent wheels. They'll possibly cost more than your frame, but they are worth it if you want to go faster. But - if you want to go faster, ride faster. It is that simple - nothing will replace it. Buy inexpensive but quality shoes (expect to pay around $80). Buy the cheapest helmet you can find that (in Texas) has a lot of ventilation. Clothing - don't go overboard, just find something that breathes and has some pockets for spare tubes, etc. Cycling shorts - just get something that has some padding, but don't go overboard. Get you butt used to the uncomfortable saddle - it will break-in (your butt and the saddle). Pedals - this may depend on what else you would be doing, but I despise Spd pedals and this is a lot of what you'll find on lower-end bikes. Get some SPD-SL/Look or really anything else - just don't pay a lot (< $50: https://www.rei.com/product/710073/shimano-r540-spd-sl-road-pedals). Even just toe straps to begin with wouldn't be a bad option.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’m fairly confident the biking will be on paved surfaces and I would like the ability to go longer distances in races, so the road bike seemed like the answer. As an added bonus, I’m told a road bike can handle light gravel if I need to veer onto an unpaved trail at times. The Trinity trails in FW are mostly paved but have some areas that fork into gravel if you choose that path.

I bought a Specialized Allez Elite with an aluminum frame and a carbon fork. It has Shimano Tiagra 105 shifters. It looks like this:

PR3E9075_mlg.jpg

My wife got a Specialized Dolce Elite with an aluminum frame and a carbon fork. It has similar Shimano 105 shifters. It looks like this:

elite2_1.jpg

I really appreciate all the advice. I realize I could’ve saved a little money buying used but I received excellent service from the LBS and I value their help. I’m also impatient and I don’t want to spend weeks/months surfing craigslist and driving all over to look at used bikes. These guys earned my business.

A couple questions I still have:

1) What is a reasonable price to spend on bike shorts, a helmet, a pump, and a flat repair kit? What other gear should I be thinking of? I will be getting shoes/pedals but I want to ride for a few weeks to get used to the bike before making that change.

2) Any recommendations for a 2-bike rack that can mount to a hitch on the back of a 4Runner? I suppose the could both fit in the 4Runner but the might scratch each other up that way.

Thanks again. I've been wanting to do this for a long time so I'm pretty excited to get out there and ride around.

Edited by wild_turkey
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I’m fairly confident the biking will be on paved surfaces and I would like the ability to go longer distances in races, so the road bike seemed like the answer. As an added bonus, I’m told a road bike can handle light gravel if I need to veer onto an unpaved trail at times. The Trinity trails in FW are mostly paved but have some areas that fork into gravel if you choose that path.

I bought a Specialized Allez Elite with an aluminum frame and a carbon fork. It has Shimano Tiagra 105 shifters. It looks like this:
PR3E9075_mlg.jpg

My wife got a Specialized Dolce Elite with an aluminum frame and a carbon fork. It has similar Shimano 105 shifters. It looks like this:
elite2_1.jpg

I really appreciate all the advice. I realize I could’ve saved a little money buying used but I received excellent service from the LBS and I value their help. I’m also impatient and I don’t want to spend weeks/months surfing craigslist and driving all over to look at used bikes. These guys earned my business.

A couple questions I still have:

1) What is a reasonable price to spend on bike shorts, a helmet, a pump, and a flat repair kit? What other gear should I be thinking of? I will be getting shoes/pedals but I want to ride for a few weeks to get used to the bike before making that change.

2) Any recommendations for a 2-bike rack that can mount to a hitch on the back of a 4Runner? I suppose the could both fit in the 4Runner but the might scratch each other up that way.

Thanks again. I've been wanting to do this for a long time so I'm pretty excited to get out there and ride around.


The Specialized pump is $30? maybe. Get a bike bag that hangs under your seat for your extra tubes. Also, get the canister air to fill your tire after a flat on the road. Those hand pumps suck.

Shorts - prices are all over. I ride in a bib and jersey. To me they are more comfortable over a longer period of time. Mine were $150 or so.

Helmet - mine was $90. Find one that is comfortable and breathes well.

Gloves - $30 or so.


Lastly, I owned that same bike. It’s a great entry level bike. Enjoy!
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Don't wear shorts, go bib.

No ankle socks, get real cycling socks.

Get good kit, it works and lasts. I like castelli, rapha, twin six. Lots of other quality brands out there.

Not a fan of the ballsack (aka seat bag) get a jersey with pockets and carry a lean set of items in there. Two tire tubes, a couple c02 tubes and gun, and a small Allen set. If you need more than that on a ride it's just not your day.

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Get a bike that fits. That cannot be overstated.

I would stay away from a cyclocross bike. Bikes like that are good on road surfaces, ok on dirt but excel at nothing. On road surfaces, a road bike will always kick a cyclocross bike's ass. Same with a mountain bike on natural surfaces unless it's mown grass.

Cyclocross bikes are almost always someone's 3rd bike that they add to their collection. The gearing is a little weird, fit is different.

 

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3 hours ago, Jeffrey said:



Not a fan of the ballsack (aka seat bag) get a jersey with pockets and carry a lean set of items in there. Two tire tubes, a couple c02 tubes and gun, and a small Allen set. If you need more than that on a ride it's just not your day.

I use a very small seat bag. It holds a tube, tube repair kit, tire levers, multi-tool, $20 bill. Small pump attached to the frame. I don't like carrying a lot of stuff in my jersey pockets. Since all that stuff is attached to my bike, I never have to worry about forgetting it.

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Don't wear shorts, go bib.

No ankle socks, get real cycling socks.


+1 on the bib. I ride MTB and I swore I’d never wear Lycra so my kit was just an poly T-shirt, liner shorts and baggies. Then my kids started racing and one of the dads is the Pearl Izumi reps and we had access to their pro bibs and jerseys. Night and day difference. Your wife will laugh and laugh the first time she sees you in them without a shirt on but they are totally comfy and keep your undercarriage dry and chafe free.

I really like the Swiftwick socks which vary from “zero” (at the shoe line) to “nine” which are almost to your knees. I dig the “two”.

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Don't forget to get a chain tool too, most come on the multi-tool kits but be sure to have one as chains break from time to time. 

 

Also recommend a patch kit in case you're spare tube somehow gets a puncture. They are cheap and light to carry. When changing out tubes be sure to run your finger down the inside of the tire(s) to find any slivers of glass, thorn, etc. otherwise you will just end up puncturing the fresh tube when you fill it with air. 

Edited by LoneStarBiker
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there is a cyclocross specific chainset such as 36/46, but many of them have exact same as a road bike.  like a subcompact (34-50).  which is what ive fitted to mine, so ive got identical gear range across all my bikes.

 

on the fit, i dont really agree with it on first purchase.  get a good friend to help you out, or a trustworthy shop to do a rough fit. youre going to go through a learning curve where your flexibility and form will evolve as will your physical preferences.  there will be an experimentation phase where you might play around with the bike dimensions.

 

if you pay $200 for a full fit now, as your fitness improves, how they fit you now probably wont be whats best for you 6 months later.  

 

where a fit makes sense:  if youve got current or previous injuries, or physical anomalies.

 

of course, there are many opinions on this topic.

Edited by 52-80
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So basically the LBS guys suggested a couple bike sizes based on our body sizes. We each rode the 2 different sized bikes for about 10 minutes on a trail. Both bikes felt fine but the shop guys ultimately thought we were better off with the larger sizes (58 cm for me, 54 cm for wife). Their recommendation was based on leg and arm positions once the seats were adjusted a bit. Those were the sizes we went with so I guess that's our rough fit.

They said it would be good for us to each ride for a few weeks or get about 200 miles under our belts, then they would do a more formal fitting later. That would be the time at which we can switch to clip-in pedals if we feel ready. They'll take care of the fitting and an initial tune-up, which are both included in our purchase price.

Not sure how much value there is in these services, but they seem very helpful right now and it's yet another reason I didn't mind paying a little bit more for new bikes from the LBS, rather than trying to blindly pick out a used bike for myself and expect it to just work.

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I mean, is it that hard to get a reasonable bike for less than 500? My old Specialized MB got stolen back on the day. Now I'm too cheap for that and want something low cost but where the derailleurs are semi reliable. Is an Academy Schwinn the main option? Got damn I hate Craigslist, but a used Trek would be ideal.

 

Plus I want to get a trailer for my girls and a bike for my wife. Adds up quickly.

 

Rant over.

 

 

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1 hour ago, MadTrapper said:

I mean, is it that hard to get a reasonable bike for less than 500? My old Specialized MB got stolen back on the day. Now I'm too cheap for that and want something low cost but where the derailleurs are semi reliable. Is an Academy Schwinn the main option? Got damn I hate Craigslist, but a used Trek would be ideal.

 

Plus I want to get a trailer for my girls and a bike for my wife. Adds up quickly.

 

Rant over.

I've got this in a 19.5 inch. Dropped a number of times, but hardly ridden. Too tall for me (5'11). Street tires and off road set to swap out. Would want it to have a good home.

2007 Trek 6000

https://www.bikepedia.com/Quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?year=2007&brand=Trek &model=6000

 

 

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Finally got all our stuff - helmets, gloves, shorts, flat fix kits (in small saddle bags), water bottles and holders, and a pump. We will go back in a few weeks to talk about pedals and shoes.

We were able to do 16 miles yesterday without breaking too much of a sweat. It's kinda fun and exciting having a new form of exercise and not knowing what our physical limits are yet. I know exactly how far I can run. I have no idea how far I can bike but I'm eager to test it out.

I got a phone app to track rides. I was thinking about getting a phone mount for the handle bars to make it easier to access the info and map. Is that kosher or are there cycling rules that frown on that type of thing?

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I realize you already bought, but for anyone else following, I have a Fairdale Weekender with drop bars and I love it, but I also don’t do any serious distance riding. It’s kind of a cross bike made for riding in an urban setting like Austin, slightly more upright than a traditional road bike and bmx pedals, but with drop bars and semi skinny tires. Frame and fork are chromoly and the component set is top notch.

OP- I also have a Thule hitch mount rack on my sequoia and it has been great.

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20 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

Finally got all our stuff - helmets, gloves, shorts, flat fix kits (in small saddle bags), water bottles and holders, and a pump. We will go back in a few weeks to talk about pedals and shoes.

We were able to do 16 miles yesterday without breaking too much of a sweat. It's kinda fun and exciting having a new form of exercise and not knowing what our physical limits are yet. I know exactly how far I can run. I have no idea how far I can bike but I'm eager to test it out.

I got a phone app to track rides. I was thinking about getting a phone mount for the handle bars to make it easier to access the info and map. Is that kosher or are there cycling rules that frown on that type of thing?

* you can find your physical limit quite easily.  VO2max level is the foundation and the ceiling of your aerobic performance.  you can approximate it with a few running tests (google it).... which then can reliably infer your cycling performance.

* at first, your limit will be constrained by adaption to cycling - fit, comfort, motion, pacing.  after that, duration is just about nutrient, and speed is about vo2max as above.

* phone mount is poo-pooed by the community.  if you are just putting around, riding for fun, its fine.  if you are more serious, just get a cycling computer system with cadence + heart rate now from wahoo or garmin.  it'll tell you lots about your form and fitness.  eventually you might upgrade to a power meter for serious training.

 

 

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On 4/17/2018 at 11:50 PM, MadTrapper said:

I mean, is it that hard to get a reasonable bike for less than 500? My old Specialized MB got stolen back on the day. Now I'm too cheap for that and want something low cost but where the derailleurs are semi reliable. Is an Academy Schwinn the main option? Got damn I hate Craigslist, but a used Trek would be ideal.

 

Plus I want to get a trailer for my girls and a bike for my wife. Adds up quickly.

 

Rant over.

 

 

Bikesdirect.com is a good place for lower end bikes on the cheap.  A step up from big box, about the same as Diamondback, and low end Trek/Specialized, and probably a tad cheaper.  They have some oddball component mixes sometimes, but not "bad."  Frames are pretty solid Chinese aluminum, that seem to come from the same factories/are the same frames as Fuji and GIant.

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Looks like you are all set to test the waters a bit.  Once you make the jump to clipless pedals, you will wonder how you ever rode without them. 

I have not used a patch kit in probably 15 years, and have stopped taking up storage space with them.  I squeeze two tubes, multitool, and a CO2 cartridge into a minimalist saddle bag, and carry my phone, keys, nutrition, and CO2 pump in my jersey pockets.  A patch will probably get you home, but I prefer the peace of mind of a new tube.  If you don't ride with someone who knows, make sure you learn how to change a flat.  It's common sense, but the time to learn isn't 40 miles from home.  At least watch a youtube.

As discussed in the road cycling thread, phone mounts are iffy, but not because all roadies are elite snobs.  I can still count on one hand the number of rides that I have been on in the past few years where someone has had their phone end up in the road or ditch, but it has happened more than once.  The safest place for your phone is your jersey pocket.  I do agree that if you are just tooling around on bike paths or neighborhood streets, your phone will likely be fine if the mount is at all decent.  

 

 

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Strava is a good phone app that will track miles, speed, heart rate (with the strap), climbing, and it tracks your progress on user defined segments so you can gauge your progress. This is all free, but you can upgrade for around $60/year to get more in-depth analysis on your rides and fitness level. You can just start the app and stash the phone in your jersey pocket. You won't have immediate feedback, but unless you have the strap, or want to see how fast you can get cranking on a downhill, you may not need/want any info while you are riding.

If you want a computer, I have a spare Garmin Edge 25 and is about the size of a book of matches that will link to your Strava account and gives you the choice of the data you want to see, like speed, distance and HR, on one page. I think you can have it auto-scroll through other pages if you want more info than can fit on one screen. https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/508489 $75 and its yours. I know you are riding with the spouse and this really doesn't work for multiple users on the same device but it will get you started to see if you want a more robust computer. The Edge 520/+ are great and are smaller than a deck of cards, but start at $250 new.

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On 4/24/2018 at 5:39 AM, wreckatx said:

I realize you already bought, but for anyone else following, I have a Fairdale Weekender with drop bars and I love it, but I also don’t do any serious distance riding. It’s kind of a cross bike made for riding in an urban setting like Austin, slightly more upright than a traditional road bike and bmx pedals, but with drop bars and semi skinny tires. Frame and fork are chromoly and the component set is top notch.

 

Got one of these for my girlfriend (ex) a few years ago on her birthday but with swept bars. I want it back.

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  • 11 months later...

I need help.   I haven't had a bike in 20 years and now I need one to ride around the neighborhood with my kids.  Mostly riding around streets, but I'll probably have to follow them over curbs and other shit kids like to ride over.  I don't know anything about bikes. 

What category should I get, and what are the minimum things I should be looking for?   Any help is much appreciated. 

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19 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

I need help.   I haven't had a bike in 20 years and now I need one to ride around the neighborhood with my kids.  Mostly riding around streets, but I'll probably have to follow them over curbs and other shit kids like to ride over.  I don't know anything about bikes. 

What category should I get, and what are the minimum things I should be looking for?   Any help is much appreciated. 

Lots of options.  How old are your kids and how far do you think you will ride, either with them or without?

I might guess that you don't want anything with drop bars, but a more upright position?

Next question is do you think you want or need gears?

 

Edited by TwiceHorn
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Just now, TwiceHorn said:

Lots of options.  How old are your kids and how far do you think you will ride, either with them or without?

Oldest is 9.   I don't think I'll be riding very far, just a couple of miles through the neighborhood and back.   We do have a lot of hills here. 

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10 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

Oldest is 9.   I don't think I'll be riding very far, just a couple of miles through the neighborhood and back.   We do have a lot of hills here. 

I added the question about gears after.  So maybe you want some gears?  Will make the hills easier.

Probably want something called a "fitness bike."

https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a25628874/marin-fairfax1-review/

Marin is an old mountain bike brand that has been killing it lately with lower-priced, well-spec'ed bikes that are fun to ride.  Here's a more general review/discussion.  https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a22140457/best-fitness-bikes/

Bikefags are going to scoff at this type of bike because it's neither a mountain nor a road bike.  It's the worst of both worlds.  But you aren't a bikefag and want neither a mountain bike nor a road bike (or a cyclocross or gravel bike).

Edited by TwiceHorn
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9 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

I added the question about gears after.  So maybe you want some gears? 

I guess?  I'm a little embarrassed to admit, but I don't know how to use gears.  But we have relatively steep hills in my neighborhood, and I guess that's what they're for? 

Upright sounds right to me, but I don't really know what drop bars are for.  Like I said, I'm extremely ignorant about bikes.  I had a bmx bike I rode the hell out of as a kid in the 80s, but i haven't biked much since. 

Ideally I would spend no more than $500-600 because anything beyond that would be wasted on me at this point. If I were to get into biking, I'd rather upgrade later than get something amazing now.  

Edited by Mojo Hand
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