Buying a BIKE, advice needed.....

[Car Guy]

I am finally in the position to buy a bike but know very little about them, my last bike was purchased 20 years ago. I plan on logging many miles and want something of quality that will give me years of hassle free enjoyment. The vast majority of my riding will be on paved or semi-paved bike paths, no mountain or 'off road' riding for me.....

Here are a few questions floating around in my brain:


Where can I get professionally fitted...???

Is buying used worth considering...???

Where can I get a good deal if buying new...???

What brands are regarded as high(er) quality...???



Any help is much appreciated...!!!

~Justin :thumbsup


.

[pOrk]

Brands are pretty much the same if you go above big box stores, Trek Gary Fisher ( same company ) Specialized GT blah blah blah. All of the frames are made in china or taiwan anyways, its all about component sets. If you liked the riding position of my bikes but want to ride on pavement, I would suggest a hybrid bike. Spend at least 500 if your buying new, the difference between a 300 dollar bike and a 500 dollar bike might not look like much, but it is a huge difference when your talking components. I bought Lisa a Jamis and man the bike kicks ass, wish I could find one for myself :)

Wheel and Sprocket is likely the best place to get fitted if thats what you are looking for, but that is more for a road bike then anything. I would check out Bens for a bike, and just ask for suggestions on sizing and ride some bikes. Don't worry about numbers as much as how comfortable you feel while riding the bike. Don't just sit on them in the store, take them out for a pedal and make sure everything feels ok. Don't worry about the seat being uncomfortable, cause it will be until you have a few miles under your belt.

http://wheelandsprocket.com/buyers-guides/how-to-pick-the-best-bike-for-you-pg965.htm

[05caddyext]

Wheel & Sprocket is having their huge bike show this weekend at State Fair Park. Best place to get a great deal on last years model bikes, and good savings on this years. They will fit you and get you the right equipment to fit your needs. I purchase all my bikes, and all the bikes for my business from them.

[Bobby "Big Daddy" Flay]

If you go to Ben's, tell Vinnie that Ben from Hayes sent you.

[Car Guy]

Thanks for the input guys, if anybody else has more to add please do.....

[awsomeears]

I went to the Show at State Fair thursday, I was probably the 80th person in the door. personally I didn't see any Smoking deals !

Better off giving it a week and going to wheel and sprocket and asking I need a deal on a last year model, probably come out ahead price wise vs. the show.

Buddy of mine did that and picked up a full suspension Trek XXXX something for 1200 originally I think 2k

[05caddyext]

Pretty late in the new year for a lot of old bikes to be around from last year yet.

[British_Ben]

I agree with Pork, a hybrid bike sounds like it would be best for you.

Trek makes great bikes, plus it's nice to support a Wisconsin based company. In the $500 range, you are going to get a Chinese frame, however. This isn't a big deal because the Chinese frames I've seen seem very well built and very sturdy.

Wheel and Sprocket is a good place to find/ride/buy a bike. The staff there is usually pretty informative and not very pushy. You can also haggle the price a bit and negotiate a deal. The staff seems to get crabby towards the end of the day though. Just an FYI :thumbsup

I was recently at REI in Brookfield and they seemed to have some decent deals on bikes as well. I was looking only at mountain bikes though. I'm not too confident in the staff's expertise on bikes, since it is not a mostly bike store like W&S.

In my opinion, any derailleur that says Shimano SIS on it is pretty much a no-no. They are generic, cheaply made derailleurs. Anything above that is a good starting point for anyone just starting out or just getting back into biking. (Shimano Alivio, Acera, etc.)

Keep in mind when buying a new bike, your shifter/brake cables will stretch and require some adjustment. Most places offer free tune ups in the first 90 days of ownership, if I recall correctly.

I got a basic fit to my bike for free when I bought it. I bought it from Emery's cycle. The fitting was OK. I ended up tweaking things here and there as I rode it more. Other than that the staff were very helpful and not pushy. The bike selection is not nearly as big as W&S though. http://www.emerys.com/