Bicycles-recommendations?

As a point of reference DW and I are not hard core riders, but we do ride 1x to 2x a week about 25 miles round trip. On flat level trails. We are in or 60's

In my opinion money spent on bikes is money well spent, both from a health and something to do together point of view.

So I do not think, price should be the main consideration. They will last for many years, and any money you spend on them is about 6 seconds in a hospital.

So if it keeps you healthy, and doing something together it is a super deal

Couple of thoughts, buy a decent bike, things like thumb shifters, a nice after market saddle, a nice rack and bag will add a lot of value to your enjoyment.

I have a Trek Verve, very much enjoy it.

My DW rides a Tera tadpole Trike, With is something else, I think worth a thought. She never really enjoyed a bike but loves that trike. Turns on a dime, very stable and just a whole lot of fun to ride.

Time, I tricked both out, with racks, bags etc. Probably in about 1K on the bike, and 2K on the trike. But as I said for us I fell it is money very well spent, and probably about the best 3k we have ever spent.

As a PS, you might consider a bike with an internal hub. They range from 3 to 8 speeds, and you skip all the problems with de-railers.
You can "dead shift" them, the are smooth and easy to shift, That is what the trike has and I am impressed with it. Just a few thoughts you might consider

PastorCharlie wrote:
After reading all the recommendations for the Trek bikes I did a Google search and have decided the "big box store bikes" are not in their class of ride.

The Trek Remedy 9.9 priced at $8,400
The Trek speed concept 9.9 priced at $11,500
The Trek yo****omo nara speed concept priced at $200,000
And last but not least:
The Butterfly Trek madone priced $500,000


There were a couple others within the Trek range.
The KCS tier 3 custom at $22,00-$32,000
The Aston martin one 77 cycle priced $37,905

Considering these prices one must conclude there is more to their comfort than just the seat. :B

Do you believe everything you read on the internet?



Markiemark:C

If I were to buy a general bike, I'd see about buying one with a Rohloff 14 speed hub. It is priced at around the same price as a decent shifting group, and weighs just as much... but you can shift while stopped, the chain lasts longer, since it isn't bounced between gears, and it lasts longer. Just make sure to change the oil.

I would run, not walk from department store bikes. Just looking at them, I saw brakes that couldn't be adjusted, forks that were impossible to repair, and many other details. From a distance, they looked decent, but no so when close. At least get a low-end model from a reliable brand (Trek, etc.) That way, you can upgrade the fork, components, and other items as one sees fit as time goes on.

As for bicycles, I'd consider different types, depending on use:

If I had to just have one general use bike, I'd go with a mountain bike. For city roads, I can use slick tires which give a surprisingly good amount of traction. It isn't as roadworthy as a dedicated road bike, but it is better at handling whatever terrain a RV park throws at you. I wouldn't go too high-end, so if it it gets stolen, it isn't too much of a loss.

If I could go with another bike, I'd have the mountain bike, but I'd also have a decent quality folding bike like a Brompton or Dahon with a good carrying case. Case in point. Here in Austin, there are a lot of cyclists, and the buses have at most two slots on the front for a normal bicycle. I've seen people actually get into fistfights about those. The folding bike is a lot better for crowded areas, especially if you have to use buses or subways. Plus, when folded, it doesn't take that much room in a RV.

After that, depending on where I was going, a good quality mountain bike, road bike, or whatever is the best for the area.

fj12ryder wrote:

rexlion wrote:
(snip)
The only thing I wish for differently is an internal hub; with chain gears you have to let off pressure on the pedals when shifting down, but an internal hub doesn't need any letup when shifting. These are pricey but nice to have.

I think you've got that backwards: external derailleurs require you to pedal while you shift because the derailleur has to move the chain to another gear, the internal hub shifting is the model that shifts when you remove pressure from the chain, i.e. stop pedaling for a second.

With derailleurs, a slight decrease in pressure, only for a moment (but maintaining rotation), prevents excessive chain and sprocket wear, making for a smooth shift. Constant, full-on, loaded-for-bear, going up-hill pressure while shifting seems to produce less reliable shifting, tweaking the chain and sprockets. Maybe, it's just me and I'm doing it wrong, but this is my observation. I'm a cycle hobbyist, not a pro.
Going up the price scale of bikes, you get better and better components, to a point. Then, reducing the weight of the quality components kicks in, costing a little more (excluding engineering costs and marketing from the scale).
I used to think spending thousands on a bicycle was insane. I never imagined I'd buy a bike that had a comma in the price tag, but I'm glad I did. Compared to previous bikes, including a hard-tail Cannondale that I rode for 5 years and thought it was the Bee's knees, my present bike feels like I'm, somehow, cheating. Forty years ago, I'd slap a couple wheels on any frame I could scrounge up and be in tall Cotton. My tastes, and level of desired comfort, has matured. Amortized over 5 years, it cost about the same as a gym membership, which would be worthless, because I hate going to a gym.
When you visit your LBS (local bike shop), ask about last year's model. Sometimes, they're not on display and you might save a few bucks. Don't sacrifice fit for money, though.

We owned 2 Trek 7 speed men's bikes for about 10 years. Aluminum frame and comfortable to ride, but as my wife started having hip issues hard for her to get on. She researched easy boarding and found the Biria Easy Boardingso she bought one. After a few months of me using it whenever I had a chance and she was not using it, I bought one too. Light weight, easy shifting (we purchased the 3 speed model)and comfortable. You sit more erect and it is very easy boarding and exiting. The bike shop we purchased from sells many of these bikes to folks that have had knee or hip replacements as they are so easy to use. Not cheap, but I think these will be the last bikes we will ever have to purchase.

After reading all the recommendations for the Trek bikes I did a Google search and have decided the "big box store bikes" are not in their class of ride.

The Trek Remedy 9.9 priced at $8,400
The Trek speed concept 9.9 priced at $11,500
The Trek yo****omo nara speed concept priced at $200,000
And last but not least:
The Butterfly Trek madone priced $500,000


There were a couple others within the Trek range.
The KCS tier 3 custom at $22,00-$32,000
The Aston martin one 77 cycle priced $37,905

Considering these prices one must conclude there is more to their comfort than just the seat. :B

rexlion wrote:
(snip)
The only thing I wish for differently is an internal hub; with chain gears you have to let off pressure on the pedals when shifting down, but an internal hub doesn't need any letup when shifting. These are pricey but nice to have.

I think you've got that backwards: external derailleurs require you to pedal while you shift because the derailleur has to move the chain to another gear, the internal hub shifting is the model that shifts when you remove pressure from the chain, i.e. stop pedaling for a second.

I love my “lower level” Diamondback hybrid with a shock in the fork and a big comfortable aftermarket seat.

Had it for 5 years and perfect for my needs…..ride it down beaches at low tide; don’t worry about covering it up when it rains and even though it “wouldn’t be a pleasant experience” no big loss if it’s stolen.

I have a Cannondale hybrid but 90% of the time ride the Diamondback.

:)Hello, I have had different bikes since I was a kid. As an adult I bought a few from different stores that were around at the time like a Walmart. I bought a bike from a bike shop based on what it looked like. Then 13 years ago for my 50th birthday my husband David said he wanted to take me to a really good bike store and buy me a new bike. A year or so before I had rented a bike up in Bar Harbor ME. I loved it and made sure I wrote down the brand, which I had never heard of, for when I would buy a new bike. It was a Specialized and was the most comfortable bike I had ever ridden. So 13 years ago we are at a bike shop that ran the gamut from inexpensive to thousands of dollars expensive. The person who waited on me was so helpful and patient. I test rode a few bikes that were matched to my needs height size. What a difference. I had the name of the Specialized and tested that one. I was sold. It cost 500.00 at the time but I am still riding it. Its the BEST bike I have ever had. We have taken our bikes all over the county and we ride bike paths and safe side street, along beach, in the woods and my Specialized is still going strong. I have certainly gotten my moneys worth...or Davids money as it was a gift in the last 13 years.I recommend looking at Specialized.

My daughter is a bicycle racer, and she is an expert on all bicycles. She custom builds all of their bicycles from individual pieces.

Stay away from Walmart and all their mass merchandised heavyweight bikes.

Go to a bicycle shop and go for a brand like Specialized or Giant. They purchase components in mass, and give you a good mid priced bicycle that's not too heavy. I'm talking $400-500 range for a decent "comfort bike." They can also fit you with a frame size that fits your body.