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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: freakazoid on September 11, 2011, 07:37:13 PM

Title: Help in choosing a bike.
Post by: freakazoid on September 11, 2011, 07:37:13 PM
So I would like to get a bike to ride around. I figure it would mostly get used in the city and also to get me across base to the ship everyday. I would also use it for off road riding and hopefully some of the mountain trails around here. I don't know anything about bikes and would like help in figuring out what sort of things I need to look for.
Title: Re: Help in choosing a bike.
Post by: Ron on September 11, 2011, 10:37:42 PM
Set a price point.

Go to a shop that will help you determine the correct size bike frame for you.

Urban riding and mountain biking are two totally different categories. There will be compromises if you will be using the bike for both. What is more important? Off road or on road?

Where are you at?
Title: Re: Help in choosing a bike.
Post by: roo_ster on September 11, 2011, 10:52:58 PM
Quality:
Hmm, entry-level LBS major brand: Trek, Specialized, etc.  Avoid Wally World bikes.  Performance Bikes has too much crap from Pacific Cycle or whatever the company that uses Chinese political dissident slave labor to make its bikes.

Purpose:
I bought a mountain bike and transformed it into a commuter/utility bike by replacing the knobbies with street slicks and slapping all sorts of cargo-carying & commuter doo-dads on it.  Ron is right, though.  The ideal urban/street bike will be a different critter than a mountain bike. 

If I wanted to do both WELL, this is what I'd do:
1. Buy entry-level LBS mountain bike like the Specialized Hard Rock (front suspension, hardtail)
2. Buy entire front wheel / tire deal, same size/brand rim as stock.  Slap a street slick on it, though.
3. Similar for the rear with the street slick instead of knobby.  Also, choose a cassette with a higher HIGH end.  If possible, one with the same LOW end.  When commuting with my utility/mountain bike, I have never lacked for low-end grunt, but I have lacked high-end legs.  There are a buttload of gears with front & rear dérailleurs, and they overlap a lot.  Spreading them out would be no biggie.

If you plan on hauling heavy loads with it in urban/utility bike guise, might want them to use tandem bike spokes on the rear rim.

All this is about worthless if you really want a road / racing bike to make your commute as fast as possible.

Be sure to wait for the folks who REALLY know their stuff on this.  I am just a duffer.
Title: Re: Help in choosing a bike.
Post by: freakazoid on September 12, 2011, 12:46:11 AM
I don't think price is much of an issue. I'm in San Diego.

Quote
All this is about worthless if you really want a road / racing bike to make your commute as fast as possible.

Speed isn't really a big issue. While it would actually be getting more use getting me across base and sometimes to/from base and San Diego, the distance isn't really that much that I don't think I'll really need a commuter bike. I think if I really needed to, I could probably swap out whatever I needed too to make it work better as a commuter bike. Quality is also important so knowing what to avoid is good.
Title: Re: Help in choosing a bike.
Post by: RoadKingLarry on September 13, 2011, 03:45:49 AM
BMW makes some nice dual-sport machines.  =D