Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Road cycling for pleasure.. seeking feedback/advice.

thingstodo · 07-19-2006, 11:24 AM

This is right up my alley as I went through the same thing a few years back. Here's my experience:

I'd been wanting to get a bike for some time. My wife and I do a lot together so I also wanted to get her interested. My son had a Raleigh bike a few years before and I really liked how solid and dependable it was. We went to a decent bike store and ended up purchasing two Raleigh bikes for about $400 each. They were a little more because we got aluminum which was a little lighter. These were kind of mountain bikes but were a hybrid with smooth tires and 18 speeds.

As time went on and the distance increased we added bike computers which give you the speed and distance, along with average speed, etc. These in a wireless form are about $40-50. That was when we hit rides of 15 miles or so. Gloves became a require item by that point as well due to sweaty hands.

Next we added clipless (SPD type) pedals, so we had to purchase the pedals and shoes, together for one person maybe $100 or so. They really help your efficiency. We also got better seats as those gell seats are terrible and really numb you in bad places. Believe it or not, a hard, skinny seat feels much better and they fit your "sit" bones. The seats for mountain bikes are a little different than road bikes.

About that time we began to learn about the right clothes. We already had moved to bike shorts. We discovered wicking fabric (name brand Cool Max, for example) and started using that for shirts and socks. It makes a huge difference and all my workout clothing is that sort of thing.

The distances got longer and we started to learn about nutrition. When you ride an hour or less water is fine. When you move over that and depending on how hard you ride, you get into electrolyte replacement drinks, and I don't mean Gatoraide. That's OK in the beginning but there are other drinks that are much better. I personally like Accelerade. You'll also need to think about gel packs for fuel. We were riding these things about two hours for 30 miles so you need the fuel every 45 minutes or so riding that long.

After riding for a little over a year and getting our doors blown off by road bike groups, we began to research road bikes. We also had a good relationship with the bike store owner so he was very helpful and not just a salesman. Six months later we purchased Klein road bikes. We switched to Look pedals for these bikes. The bikes were about $1700 and add on pedals and shoes. I think the bill with everything was about $4300 at that point, shoes, pedals and bikes. Road bike pedals are a little more expensive but well worth it. We were able to use the same computer. The weight of the bike went from nearly 30 lbs to right at 18 lbs. We felt like we had bicycle sports cars it was so different!

Now we were able to join up with riding groups and that added a lot because it wasn't just the two of us riding. Groups are fun because you can go really fast drafting with the other riders, taking your place at the front when it's your turn.

So that was our progression over two years or so. We invested a little in the beginning but made the larger investment later when we were really into it and made other inprovements and investments along the way. And one thing that helped was a subscription to a few bike magazines. There is a great deal to learn about taking care of your bike, equipment, nutrition, etc., and the bike books cover it all pretty much over the course of a year. It really depends on how serious you get. If you get hooked like we did you'll have a great activity you can spend money on that is also healthy!

P.S. ALWAYS wear a helmut. Even if you are riding 2 miles down the road. You just never know. My wife got her back tire touched by a car slowing down at a traffic light. She was only going about 10 mph but it made her flip over the handle bars. Her helmu had a crack but her head was fine! Even better, the helmut companies give you a big discount on a replacement!

Good luck with your decision and pop back with more questions. I'm no expert but I can share what I experienced and how things evolved for me, as well as what I might have done different along the way. Bike riding is a wonderful activity.

Forgot to mention...I don't think height will have much impact. I'm 6'1" and I've had back toruble previously. Your back won't come into play on a hybrid, other than building up to the workload. If you get a road bike a good bike shop can adjust things to take the strain off your back. You don't need to lay down to ride well!

07-19-2006, 11:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
thingstodo A Storm Is Coming Location: The Great White North	This is right up my alley as I went through the same thing a few years back. Here's my experience: I'd been wanting to get a bike for some time. My wife and I do a lot together so I also wanted to get her interested. My son had a Raleigh bike a few years before and I really liked how solid and dependable it was. We went to a decent bike store and ended up purchasing two Raleigh bikes for about $400 each. They were a little more because we got aluminum which was a little lighter. These were kind of mountain bikes but were a hybrid with smooth tires and 18 speeds. As time went on and the distance increased we added bike computers which give you the speed and distance, along with average speed, etc. These in a wireless form are about $40-50. That was when we hit rides of 15 miles or so. Gloves became a require item by that point as well due to sweaty hands. Next we added clipless (SPD type) pedals, so we had to purchase the pedals and shoes, together for one person maybe $100 or so. They really help your efficiency. We also got better seats as those gell seats are terrible and really numb you in bad places. Believe it or not, a hard, skinny seat feels much better and they fit your "sit" bones. The seats for mountain bikes are a little different than road bikes. About that time we began to learn about the right clothes. We already had moved to bike shorts. We discovered wicking fabric (name brand Cool Max, for example) and started using that for shirts and socks. It makes a huge difference and all my workout clothing is that sort of thing. The distances got longer and we started to learn about nutrition. When you ride an hour or less water is fine. When you move over that and depending on how hard you ride, you get into electrolyte replacement drinks, and I don't mean Gatoraide. That's OK in the beginning but there are other drinks that are much better. I personally like Accelerade. You'll also need to think about gel packs for fuel. We were riding these things about two hours for 30 miles so you need the fuel every 45 minutes or so riding that long. After riding for a little over a year and getting our doors blown off by road bike groups, we began to research road bikes. We also had a good relationship with the bike store owner so he was very helpful and not just a salesman. Six months later we purchased Klein road bikes. We switched to Look pedals for these bikes. The bikes were about $1700 and add on pedals and shoes. I think the bill with everything was about $4300 at that point, shoes, pedals and bikes. Road bike pedals are a little more expensive but well worth it. We were able to use the same computer. The weight of the bike went from nearly 30 lbs to right at 18 lbs. We felt like we had bicycle sports cars it was so different! Now we were able to join up with riding groups and that added a lot because it wasn't just the two of us riding. Groups are fun because you can go really fast drafting with the other riders, taking your place at the front when it's your turn. So that was our progression over two years or so. We invested a little in the beginning but made the larger investment later when we were really into it and made other inprovements and investments along the way. And one thing that helped was a subscription to a few bike magazines. There is a great deal to learn about taking care of your bike, equipment, nutrition, etc., and the bike books cover it all pretty much over the course of a year. It really depends on how serious you get. If you get hooked like we did you'll have a great activity you can spend money on that is also healthy! P.S. ALWAYS wear a helmut. Even if you are riding 2 miles down the road. You just never know. My wife got her back tire touched by a car slowing down at a traffic light. She was only going about 10 mph but it made her flip over the handle bars. Her helmu had a crack but her head was fine! Even better, the helmut companies give you a big discount on a replacement! Good luck with your decision and pop back with more questions. I'm no expert but I can share what I experienced and how things evolved for me, as well as what I might have done different along the way. Bike riding is a wonderful activity. Forgot to mention...I don't think height will have much impact. I'm 6'1" and I've had back toruble previously. Your back won't come into play on a hybrid, other than building up to the workload. If you get a road bike a good bike shop can adjust things to take the strain off your back. You don't need to lay down to ride well! __________________ If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy. Last edited by thingstodo; 07-19-2006 at 11:27 AM..