Bike recommendations for DH and I?

[cransplash]

With the upcoming summer, DH and I are looking to purchase bikes to rise together.

We are looking for on-road and off-road bikes, but primarily on-road and trails (paved).

Could you please recommend types and brands of bikes for amateurs?

[sadlebred]

See my bio and then come back with specific questions.

[cransplash]

May 25, 2012 22:59:30 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

See my bio and then come back with specific questions.

thank you

[Deleted]

May 25, 2012 22:59:30 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

See my bio and then come back with specific questions.

I asked a similar question a few weeks ago and you gave me a the same response. I found your bio to be a little confusing. Unless I'm reading something wrong it seems like you've mainly copied and pasted responses to questions from the nest. It is hard to tell what the actual question was that was asked. I really did not find too much helpful info in there in regards to picking out a bike. You told me to up my budget to the $400 range but in your bio you said bike stores have bikes starting in the $200-$225 range, so I was even more confused I don't mean any of that in an offensive way, but I came on here to get helpful advice about picking out a bike.

Is there a specific section in your bio that you are referring to? I read the 'cycling advice' section.

OP- I am kind of in the same boat as you. After visiting all of my local bike stores, I think I may purchase a Trek Skye. I mostly plan on using my bike to ride on our local greenway but I wanted something a little more versatile if I wanted to ride elsewhere later on down the road. I also liked the brands Raleigh and Fuji.

[sadlebred]

The answer is unless we know more about what you want to do with the bike, it's hard to tell you what kind of bike to buy. It's sort of like saying "recommend a car for me." Ok, do you want to haul stuff for the farm (buy a truck), take the kids to ballet/soccer/swimming (get a minivan), drive really fast (get a sports car). You need to give us more info. about what you want to do.

FWIW, most bike shops have bikes starting at $300. Some of the info. in my bio is a few years old. Nope, don't really revise it very oftne.

With what little info you gave me, I'd say buy a mountain bike if you want to ride off road and buy a road bike if you want to ride on the road. "Hybrid" or "comfort bikes" are NOT designed to go off road and are dangerous if you try to treat them as a mountain bike.

[jchokie79]

Hi! I got a comfort bike from Dick's this spring and I love it. Previously I was riding around on a kid's bike from Wal-Mart since I didn't know how serious I would be about riding. After two summers, I finally got myself a big girl bike. The comfort bike's best on the trail or gravel. I would suggest going to Dick's or REI and talk to someone there and try out bikes for yourselves. FI's a bit more serious biker so he built his own.

[sadlebred]

I recommend staying away from any mega sports store (REI is the only exception as they usually have knowledgeable people in their cycling dept.). Go to your local bike shop. They can help you pick out bikes.

[Deleted]

LOL. Sadlebred - who is basically the most patient and helpful person on here - told me to go to her bio when I first asked about bikes on here and I read the bio adn was like "WTF, that doesn't make sense at all." But then I read the bio again about two weeks ago (maybe a month into my lonngggg and agonized process) and I was like "how did I not find that helpful? it is so helpful."

Anyway, the initial advice people gave me, which was correct, is go to a bike store that is patient and nice and knows what they are doing (and my own addition ~ has a generous return policy!). Then play with the bikes, then figure out what the terms mean, then read Sadlebred's bio again and you'll feel really smart and find it very helpful.