[DVBC] Bike buying advice

[Drew Knox]

Hi Joe,

First of all, welcome to DVBC. Doing 14 mph on a mountain bike on the
Brandywine 27 is a fine start but you will definitely find a road bike
faster and more comfortable. Most of us love cycling so much that it has
become an important part of our lives, so naturally we encourage everyone to
take it up. There's a wonderful, positive feedback loop to it: the more you
ride the better shape you get in, the better shape you get in the more you
enjoy it, and the more you enjoy the more you want to ride.

If your budget is $1500, which is plenty to get a really nice entry level
outfit, plan on including in that initial purchase a helmet, shoes, riding
shorts and even a shirt and gloves.

I suggest you forget about buying a bike from the Internet, at least for
now. Go to one of the local bike shops. Our club sponsors CycleFit and
CycleSport are two that we endorse strongly. There you will be fitted for a
bike, and can also test ride some before buying, and get the technical
support you need afterwards. Getting a proper fitting bike is much more
important than deciding on a component gruppo or frame material.

Then come out and ride with us. Look on the club's ride calendar
http://dvbc.org for shorter C-paced rides and build up. You'll learn more
tips and tricks, as well as many cycling-friendly roads and,
most importantly, the join of riding, esp with friends.

Hope to see on the road soon, say, next weekend?

Drew




On 9/18/06, Joe Sayer <jsayer3 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>  Hi,
>
> I'm a new member.  My first ride with other people was the Brandywine
> Tour.  I joined the club at the course.  I did the 27 mile route on a
> mountain bike (with slicks).  I really enjoyed the ride and want to keep
> doing it.  But, the mountain bike does make it a bit of a challenge keeping
> up with road bikes.  I only managed to average 14mph on the Brandywine
> ride...at least that's what the gps monitor said (borrowed one for the
> ride).
>
> Anyway, I'm looking for advice on buying a good road bike.  I know that's
> a relative term, but any advice anybody can offer will be appreciated.  I
> really have no idea of what to look for.  What makes one bike better than
> another?  What does one type of rider look for over a different type of
> rider?  What kind of rider should I consider myself until I figure out what
> I really want?  Also, all the various components for the bike and the
> many composites that things are made of, have created quite a challenge to
> the novice.
>
> I've been told that my size, approach to riding, etc is important to share
> to get good advice.  So here goes:  I'm 42 years old and I'm 6'4" tall and
> weigh about 200 lbs.  I used to be a fairly good lightweight rower/sculler,
> (with heavy dieting) so you can imagine that I'm not as fit as I could be.
> I'm thinking I'll get down to about 185 to 190 if I ride 2 or 3 days a week
> on a regular basis.  I wouldn't mind doing some "old man" racing at some
> point.  I've been told that I could get a really good no-name bike if I go
> on the internet and know what I'm looking for.  I've also been told that
> that's a crap shoot and good luck if I need any help after I spend my
> money.  I figure I'll end up spending about $1500 on my first bike, all said
> and done.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Regards,
>  Joe
>
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