question for cyclists

N

nancyg

Active Member
I am thinking of buying a bicycle that I can use on roads and dirt. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good bike? The last time I did any serious riding was 20 years ago, so I don't know anything about what's out there now as far as manufacturers, what to look for, etc.

Thanks

Nancy
 
I have a Trek hybrid, which means it's a cross between a street bike and a mountain bike. It has skinnier wheels than a mountain bike, but they are slightly wider than those on a dedicated street bike. It cruises better than a mountain bike and has better suspension and is more durable as far as bumps and potsholes, etc. than a street bike. I adore my Trek!

And how's this for customer service--I wrote a nice letter to the company complaining that I'd had five broken spokes over a period of 1 1/2 to 2 years and that I felt I'd received a defective wheel. They completely replaced BOTH wheels with better quality wheels at NO CHARGE! Wowser! I'd certainly buy another one!
 
My dh spent 2 months last year researching bikes and Trek is the best bike for the money. He says the best thing to do is to find your local authorized Trek dealer and go into the shop and tell them exactly what you want to do. They should be able to fit you with the right bike to meet your needs for around $300. If you plan to ride trails,my dh suggests that you buy a mountain bike not a hybrid. You can get slick tires for a mountain bike to make riding on the road more comfortable.

Hope that helps
 
I agree with calico that you should go to a good bike store and have them make a recommendation as to what's best for you. But I must also agree with wuth: I love my Trek 7500 hybrid!
 
Funny, I am a Trek girl too! I would agree with everyone and maybe add that you really get a feel for a bike store you like. There are a number of them where I live and some are sort of snobby, or condescending in a way. Some really cater to tourists. My favorite store is just plain cool. I didn't buy my bike there, but they treat me like I did. I would suggest really trying them out. Most stores rent bikes for the day, and you can test ride all sorts of them. I honestly don't know much about the hybrids, but my thinking is that if you mountain bike you really need that kind of bike, and the same for street. They can be so different. Unless there are some amazing hybrid bikes that would blow me away! I just know the suspension and tires are so vital to where I ride. Regardless, pick the brains of the employees and build that relationship. My store has a deal that you buy from them you will get lifetime maintenance on your bike. You could bring it in daily if you needed to, and they would tune it. Sometimes you can get a great deal on a used bike through the store. Trade-ins and that sort of thing.
 
No, Nancy, I don't think you should be determined to buy a Trek. Just know that if the sales person has you try one, and you like it, you can know that it is a tried-and-true excellent brand. That doesn't mean there aren't other excellent brands. As long as you get an excellent brand, the brand is less important than getting the right type of bicycle for your kind of riding.

BTW, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is have the knowledgable folks at the store set the seat height for you. If the seat height isn't right, believe me, nothing else will be!!
 
Nancy,
Just had to say that I also have a Trek hybrid. I love my bike, use it all the time. I've had it for about 10 years and it still works great.

Joanne
 
There are many good quality bike manufacturers. Chose the bike that fits you best that has the components you want. Gearing has come a long way in 20 years! I have a Trek road bike, Cannondale touring bike & a Bridgestone hybrid.

If you just want to ride dirt roads, then a hybrid will work for you. But as others pointed out, you need a true mountain bike for trails. You can take a mountain bike to the roads, you'll just go slower because of the extra resistance of the knobby tires.

Debra
 
I had actually tried the Trek and it felt really good to me. And I am quickly finding out the difference in dealers. Some of them don't want to spend the time properly fitting you to a bike - they just want to make the sale and send you out the door! So all your feedback has helped a lot. I am not planning on dirt trails, just roads, so I think the hybrid would work the best for me.

Thanks again.

Nancy
 
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