Help! I need a new bike!

[monster]

OK, I am fed up to the back teeth with my 15yo mass production British Raleigh Mountain bike. It's wearing out and it weights a ton.

I went in my first bike store this evening and the guy recommended a Cannondale Road Warrior 500 @ $800. seemed nice enough to ride and certainly nicer that the couple of cheaper bikes I rode, but they're all so different from my current tank that it's really hard to tell.

Anyone have any opinions on this bike in respect to my needs/use and what is a reasonable amount to spend? I'm not loaded, but this time I want a bike I'm going to love. And will last.

I ride most days -but that's just to the bus stop with the kids. (And then back with two fold-up scooters in my saddle bag and wheeling one bike). Some days I ride to the gym a mile away. In the summer I will ride to the pool once or twice a day. I ride often, but not far. Sometimes we go for longer family bike rides. Sometimes I'll do about 10 miles with friends. I'm no racer. We take our bikes on vacation where we'll ride on dirt roads and grassy or woodland tracks, but nothing very rough. If I get a nice bike and really enjoy it, I might look into doing it a little more. ((I'm sorta thinking triathlon, but that thought scares me right now and I wouldn't want to buy based on that wisp of a notion.))

I'm 5'4", 170lb, muscular, and I want a bike that I'm going to be happy with for a long time. I don't like to be terribly upright, but I don't really need drop handlebars. I occasionally like to be a daredevil and ride without hands. I like this not to be an effort as it is with my current bike.

I think I don't want to spend this much money, but I certainly preferred this bike over the cheaper ones and the few reviews I've found on the internet have been favorable.

Your thoughts? Any advice on how to proceed in my bike quest? I like biking, it's my preferred mode of transport when practical and once my kids are in full-time school (September), more places will become practical -. But $800? Is it worth it for my level?

Have at it and thanks......

[glatt]

Have you tried craigslist for a used bike? At least give it a look. You might find a good used one for half that.

[Beestie]

$150.00 tops. Either Craig's list or Walmart. $800 is a bit much for a mile or two. You could take a cab for six months and still be ahead.

[monster]

If I decided this was a good bike, I would try to find a used one first. Walmart is a no. A while back I looked at their entire stock and it's utter crap and weighs a ton. Weight is an issue -my bike needs to be stored on hooks and like I said, I bike often. right now I sometimes walk or drive rather than bike because it's too hard to get the bike down and back up because it weighs so much. I want to make it easier.

Why on earth would I want to take a cab? I like to cycle, I hope to do it more, I cycle rather than drive whenever I can. Cabs are costly, nasty and hardly environmentally friendly. I never take cabs. I walk 5 miles home from the pub rather than take a cab.

[Beestie]

No - the cab fare was just a comparison.

Yeah - getting the weight down gets very expensive. My bike is attached to my car and since I park about a mile from where I work, I take the bike the last mile - whatever the weather. But mine is pretty heavy.

I saw a bike the other day I really wanted. But since I don't feel like a third mortgage, I'll just have to live without it. Can't find the dang link. Just picture in your mind a really cool bike.

[monster]

Oh right, sorry. So used to people who don't see the point of doing anything else when you can drive.

Ok We are lucky, we could "afford" the $800 if there was evidence that it would be worth it to us, but right now -nice though the bike was- I'm after alternatives/suggestions etc, it really does seem like too much to be spending on this. This is just the starting point -I'm still trying to work out what i wantr/need/feel is good value. My last bike was bought because we had a buy one get one free coupon in the UK. These do not happen often on things like bikes in the UK It was a good deal. but we had to buy in a certain store, so choice was limited. the bike before that my parents bought. So this is a whole new ballgame. I could get a nice looking second hand bike fairly easily round here, but before I even contemplate that option, I need to know what I'm out for. And how to spot a fucked-up bike that's been neaten back into reasonable shape. I bike a lot, but I'm not a cyclist.

that said, I liked that bike. If it turned out to be the best and I couldn't find a decent second hand one, I'd consider buying a new one. But I like to do my research thoroughly, and asking you lot is part of it.

thanks

[monster]

Oh forgot to mention, thanks for the craig's list reminder

[Perry Winkle]

Have you looked at folding bikes?

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/397/

You can get fairly cheap ones...and they're easy to store and transport.

[monster]

Originally Posted by grant

Have you looked at folding bikes?

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/397/

You can get fairly cheap ones...and they're easy to store and transport.

No, but I will, thanks.

....do you know anything about them? are they very robust or mostly novelty? I weigh more than I should and the road the bus comes on is a dirt road -would a folding bike hold up as well as a real one? I can't see them lasting very long with all the collapsing and uncollapsing, but the storage and weight aspect is certainly appealing. One of the thigs I liked about the $800 bike was the suspension. Would a fold-up bike make any acomodation for this?

[Griff]

Originally Posted by monster

One of the thigs I liked about the $800 bike was the suspension. Would a fold-up bike make any acomodation for this?

The GoBike on Grant's page has suspension. It also has a $1500 price tag.

There will be a weight penalty with any bike that has suspension. I saw this on the REI site. It looks like an effective town bike, but I wouldn't do anything resembling single-track or high mileage with low end components.

Have you considered cyclocross bikes? They are actually made for riding on changeable surfaces, but maintain a roadbike feel. If I could only have one bike I'd lean toward a cyclocross machine. Kona Jake

[xoxoxoBruce]

Well. you could keep the bike you have and buy a $150 electric hoist to lift it.

OR
ROAD BIKES For long, demanding road trips.
_____________________________price___rating____weight
1 Klein Rêve v_________________1,800___87_______20
2 Giant OCR Composite 3________1,800___84_______22
3 Giant OCR 1_________________1,000___79_______22 best buy
4 Specialized Roubaix___________1,300___78_______21
5 Trek Pilot 2.1________________1,320___78_______21
6 Cannondale Synapse 4________1,050___77_______21 best buy
7 LeMond Poprad______________ 1,350___76_______22
8 Raleigh Cadent 1.0_____________650___72_______24 best buy

FITNESS BIKES For regular workouts or daily commuting.
9 Giant FCR3___________________630____72______23
10 Schwinn Super Sport GS_______700____71______23
11 Fuji Absolute 2.0_____________700____70______24
12 Jamis Coda Comp_____________830____70______26
13 Cannondale Road Warrior 400___700____67______25

COMFORT BIKES For leisure riding on generally flat roads.
14 Schwinn Sierra GS____________340____69______31
15 Mongoose Switchback SX______280____62______32
16 Giant Sedona DX._____________360____61______32
17 Jamis Explorer 4.0_____________600.___60______35
18 Diamondback Wildwood Deluxe.__350.___58______34
19 Specialized Crossroads Sport.___330____58______31

I used to work with an old engineer that owned over 150 bikes. He told me it's better to ride a rusty old bike that weighs 30 lbs than a high tech, $5000, 15 lb bike and have to carry 20 lbs of chains and locks.

[monster]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I used to work with an old engineer that owned over 150 bikes. He told me it's better to ride a rusty old bike that weighs 30 lbs than a high tech, $5000, 15 lb bike and have to carry 20 lbs of chains and locks.

yeah, that's another issue with the expensive bikes. My current bike weighs way more than 30lb, though. It's also knackered. It needs so much work were I to keep it that it would cost at least the price of an equivaklent bike to fix it. I suspect it may have been damaged when it was shipped here, because I didn't have problems with the front wheel shifting out of alignment like I do know. I'm thinking maybe the packers just forced it flat and bust it rather than using the appropriate tools

I'm biking more and more, so I really want something that I'm not going to curse at and wish I had a different one, as I do currently.

thanks for all the comments and info, guys. all very helpful.

[monster]

(I never used to be one for spending huge quantities of $ on things when there are cheaper options, but I'm coming to appreciate that sometimes it's worth it, especially in sports -my $250 figure skates have been worth every penny. I should have got them in the first place, instead of the $100 off the shelf ones. I want to try and avoid a similar double-purchase)

[LabRat]

I bought a Trek WSD (woman specific design) because I'm 5'2"and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Front suspension is great, easy on the wrists. Rear, really not needed IMHO for mostly road riding. Picture in the BIKES! thread, post #144. Can't remember the # and what I paid for it though at the local mom and pop bike shop, will look it up at home tonight and edit...less than $400 for sure though. I think this is the current model of what I have. $375. Did I say I loved it?


Had an often used Trek 820 that lasted about 10 years previous to that, so that's why I went with another. Sold the old one for $30, paid $300 for it in '94.

Definately try one out if you have the chance

[monster]

Thanks, LabRat, I will. Just the sort of recommendation I need.