Bike shopping advice?

[kutia 0]

Hey y'all

I'm thinking of purchasing a bike soon. I'm trying to make myself more active and keep from getting bored. That's when I usually head for the fridge.

I'm hoping y'all can tell me things to look for/ask about when I go to the bike store. Any lingo I should know so that I won't make a fool of myself? Any tips offered will be greatly appreciated.

[jahair 0]

Hi Kutia,

I haven't bought a bike in years, but I found a couple of sites that might help you...

Click here: How To Buy a Bike

Click here: National Bicycle Dealers Association - Shopping for a Bicycle?

These will at least let you ask the right questions.

Good luck!

Jo Ann

[kutia 0]

Hey guys, thanks for the help.

Jahair, I checked out both of those links, extremely informative. Just the kind of stuff I was looking for.

And thanks Jack, your suggestion was awesome too. I hadn't even thought of that. (Plus it made me laugh)

[BPM 0]

What kind of bike are you looking for. I would suspect most of your questions could be answered here.

[kutia 0]

I'm just looking for a regular, comfy road bike. I'm not an "off-road" kind of girl. I actually went to my nearby bike shop a day or two ago. The guy recommended either a hybrid or a comfort bike. I still don't know which would be better. The comfort bike had wider tires. Does that have any effect on stabilty? I'd really like to not fall on my ass if I can help it. I can't remember if the bike he showed me had gears. If so, I'm gonna need someone to explain them to me. My last bike had 5 gears and I had no idea how to use them.

I'm going back to the shop tomorrow. If anyone has any last minute advice I'd love to hear it. Read it, whatever.

[gonnabethin 10]

Ride both and see what you like the best. I have a hybrid bike and LOVE it!! You can ride mine and see what you think- then we can meet and ride bikes!!

[kutia 0]

Ride both and see what you like the best.

That's a good idea. I wonder if the bike shop would let me take them for a spin around the parking lot.

I know I said I was going back to the shop today, but I didn't get around to it. I have a real problem in that area. I'll definitely go somethime this week.

[SunnysGran 0]

I just recently bought a new bicycle. It's a Trek and it is awesome! It has shock absorbers and a very comfortable seat. It has gears and hand breaks and a nifty little bell device on the handlebar. I found that the gears just help you get to a comfortable pedaling level for you on any given day and once your gear is set, it's fine to just ride in that gear. Also, I saved about $100 by purchasing the last year's model, which is identical to this year's model; they are exactly the same bike. I had owned a 'comfort' bike, but this is actually much more fun to ride. I hope this helps.....good luck!

[kutia 0]

I went out and bought my new bike today. The salesdude let me take it for a spin around the parking lot. I was grinning like an idiot. I forgot how much fun it was. Here's some pics. (I hope they're not too big, I tried to resize them.)