i dont get how bikes became so complicated. 1000 dollar bikes. 2 wheels, a couple gears. i just want a very comfortable bike with a soft seat and a low price. what the big deal between titanium, aluminum, etc. any help would be appreciated. especially a place to buy on the west side of socal.

 

go to Target. With your needs, I don't know why you'd spend more than a few hundred dollars. How much are you going to ride it? It would be foolish to get anything more than a cro-moly frame if you want a "comfortable" bike. Aluminum and titanium are materials poorly suited to a cruising bike, being stiff and expensive. Steel has a more comfortable feel to it, and a good cro-moly frame isn't going to be heavy enough to bother you.

You most likely will want to buy an aftermarket seat if you want pure comfort. You request for a "low price" would tend to eliminate full suspension, unless you get a discount department store bike, a la Target. I don't know what the selection is like at the Targets near you, but stay away from the Target-only (Magna) and gimmick brands (Jeep). Go with Mongoose at least.

If you don't buy from a bike shop, make sure you check all the fasteners like the axles, cranks, handlebars, etc. to make sure they aren't loose. Nothing like going for a ride and having your crank fall off a mile from home. Bike shop assembly is typically far better than the crap that gets thrown together at places like Target/Walmart/etc.

Unless you honestly plan on long rides or live in a hilly area, give serious consideration to a single-speed model. You can often get a very nice bike-shop single-speed cruiser for the same price as a POS 18/21 speed model. Most people never even shift, much less know how or when, and while the maintenance on any bike is minimal, the maintenance on a single-speed is as basic as it gets.

 

thank you

how about costco? do u have to assemble those yourself?

 

if you want basic bike, get one from a shop for about $250. Wait for sale though.
Performance bike shop (www.performancebike.com) is a large chain with frequent sales.

Titanium & carbon fiber bikes run upward of $2K. I wouldn't suggest those for beginners.

 

Go to Costco and test ride all their bikes! They have huge aisles that you can go down at 25+mph. LOL

PS, snag some samples afterwards if you get tired from the semi-excercise. If you're still hungry, can't go wrong with a hot dog/polish dog for $1.50 w/free refills.

David

 

oh, and if you're feeling the need for speed, one of these should do just fine

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?P...PRODUCT.ID=1852

 

someone teach me how to ride a bike!

 

If you are uncomfortable doing something like changing gears, buy a beach bike or something cheap from toys r us. You are getting ahead of yourself talking about titanium.

Sam

 

I would never mess with anything from Target, Toys R Us, etc. Go to a bike shop and look into something decent. The worst thing you can do as a new cyclist is get a bike that you immediately hate. It will turn you off to the sport and obviously not attain any of your fitness goals.

I would not spend thousands on the bike, if you are looking at a hybrid or something that you can take on some basic trails and still get some speed on the roads, you will need to spend about $400 or so to get something decent that will last a few years.

If you decide to go with a road bicycle, the prices go wayyy up. It is nothing to spend $2500 on a decent road bike. Most of the people who I ride with have spend $3000 and up. One of the most serious riders bought a $10,000 frame with $4000 wheels, total was well over $15,000. That being said, a decent entry level bike can be had for about $750 or so. Check out Trek, they had the highest rating entry level road bike on the market for about $700.00.

Hope this helps...

 

Definitely go to a bike shop and talk with someone who knows something about riding. You can get good used bikes for less than new, and it sounds like you want a cruiser and not a performance bike, so let the pros help you out... then buy one for cheap on eBay!