Bike...

[sinkoman]

I has decided that I need a bike.

Bicycle...

No idea what i'm looking for though. I used to have some generic BMX that I loved taking everywhere, but i'm pretty sure that's not what i'm looking for this time around.

I just want to be able to point the damned thing in a certain direction and go. If I hit mud, dirt, gravel, or just a tonne of pavement, I want to be able to handle it.

Bicycle enthusiasts of HL2.net, what am I looking for?

Probably looking to spend 200-300+ ish btw.

 

[MJ12]

Man, ever since Dan went on his first adventure this place has been nothing but a BIKE FRENZY!

Anyways, it's actually nice to see people getting interested in bike travel again, it's helpful, I travel mostly by bike during good weather conditions. People laugh, but I am not the one paying 4 dollars a gallon for gas.

 

[Dalamari]

 

[ríomhaire]

Mountain bikes rock.

 

[Saturos]

I miss my bike. My favorite form of exercise fs and effective as well. I used to ride for miles and lost around thirty pounds (got down to about 168 lbs.) in just a few weeks. I completely cut out sugars from my diet that time too though.

If I had the $, I'd definately invest in a new bike over a new gaming console.

My record distance on a bike at a time was around 33 miles. Not much, but considering I used to ride like this everyday, that's quite a bit, and I still had plenty of energy to go another 100 miles or so if I really wanted to.

 

[Vegeta897]

Make sure it has disk brakes. And get metal pedals for it if it doesn't already have them.

These are essentialssss.

You also want the lightest bike you can find. Aluminum frame. I doubt you'd find any without front suspension in that price range, but make sure it has that too.

 

[sinkoman]

Make sure it has disk brakes. And get metal pedals for it if it doesn't already have them.

These are essentialssss.

You also want the lightest bike you can find. Aluminum frame. I doubt you'd find any without front suspension in that price range, but make sure it has that too.

Companies you can suggest?

Looking at Giant and Mongoose atm.

I don't know shit about bicycles. It looks like i'm looking at Hybrid bikes atm though.

 

[Adabiviak]

Are you going to be taking it off road at all, or at most, on packed trails? Get a road bike. For that price range, you should be able to get a pretty good setup from your local bike shop. You can also get a perfectly functional bike from Wal Mart for less than $100, but I wouldn't advise that. Suggested components:

Brakes: standard v-brakes (or calipers if they're still about) are fine - they may try to sell you disc brakes, but unless you're doing long (miles) downhill, or want your wheel rims to last beyond your lifetime, standard brakes are fine.

Shifters: whatever's cheap: grip shifters, triggers... unless you have a preference, they all work. Depending on what you're riding (lots of offroad hills or paved flat), your sprocket gearing may be fine-tuned to match, but you'll be just fine with a 'stock' cassette.

Wheels: If you'll be on pavement the whole time, get some very narrow, hard road wheels (but avoid ones with Presta valves if possible, for pump compatibility). If you'll be on packed trails, some cross tires (say, 26"x1.5") with a solid line of tread down the center of the tire will work nicely.

Frame: You may not be getting a bike with rear suspension for the price range you're looking at (unless you take the Wal Mart option). Front suspension is almost compulsory on bikes nowadays unless you get a road bike. Again, unless you're riding off road on relatively aggressive terrain, suspension can be skipped. Hardtails also lend themselves to better rear bike racks, if you'll be using them.

Handlebars: if you're not racing or otherwise doing aggressive riding, see about having your handlebars raised a little. The shop where I got my bike switched out my handlebar stem for a raised one for free, and I bought new handlebars with ~2" lift. The norm is to have your seat level with or higher than your handlebars, which I find incredibly uncomfortable (but will give you an edge in a race).

Seat: The bike will probably come with a seat that's pretty good, but I personally can't stand tiny, hard seats. They're certainly lighter, but the price your ass pays (in my opinion) isn't worth it.

Pedals/shoes: Start with platforms. If you get into long distance rides, then consider clipless pedals with shoes (so you can 'spin' instead of 'pedal'). I use Crank Bros. Eggbeater pedals because they're light, deal with mud/snow well, and are a snap to get in, but have a set of platforms that I'll switch to if I know I'm going to be doing downhill only. They do make hybrids, but I haven't used them myself.

edit - Vegeta, what's your take on disc brakes? I'm not sold myself, but maybe you have some good insight?

 

[sinkoman]

Are you going to be taking it off road at all, or at most, on packed trails? Get a road bike. For that price range, you should be able to get a pretty good setup from your local bike shop. You can also get a perfectly functional bike from Wal Mart for less than $100, but I wouldn't advise that. Suggested components:

Something offroad oriented would DEFF be overkill. Mostly packed trails and maybe a few dirt road here and there, but I want to know that if I hit a bit of mud, my bike and my thighs won't be screaming bloody mercy at me.

I just remember when I was a lot younger, about 11 or 12 ish, I just used to have some BMX bike that i'd ****ing take EVERYWHERE. I took the thing into town, to the beach, up to hiking trails, up and down some fat assed hills (me and my friends all lived on a series of hills and mountains back then), to sports practices, etc etc. I just want to get something versatile that I can do precisely that with, go wherever the hell I feel like going.

Brakes: standard v-brakes (or calipers if they're still about) are fine - they may try to sell you disc brakes, but unless you're doing long (miles) downhill, or want your wheel rims to last beyond your lifetime, standard brakes are fine.

Would it be at all feasible to do something like get a front disc, rear V? Because as I said, I used to take my bike down some pretty scary hills, and I can remember more than a few times when my brakes started smoking and became useless on a long and steep straight. Frightening times that i'd like to avoid.

Shifters: whatever's cheap: grip shifters, triggers... unless you have a preference, they all work. Depending on what you're riding (lots of offroad hills or paved flat), your sprocket gearing may be fine-tuned to match, but you'll be just fine with a 'stock' cassette.

Wheels: If you'll be on pavement the whole time, get some very narrow, hard road wheels (but avoid ones with Presta valves if possible, for pump compatibility). If you'll be on packed trails, some cross tires (say, 26"x1.5") with a solid line of tread down the center of the tire will work nicely.

Frame: You may not be getting a bike with rear suspension for the price range you're looking at (unless you take the Wal Mart option). Front suspension is almost compulsory on bikes nowadays unless you get a road bike. Again, unless you're riding off road on relatively aggressive terrain, suspension can be skipped. Hardtails also lend themselves to better rear bike racks, if you'll be using them.

I'd prefer to at least have a front suspension system. I recall a few times where i'd be riding my bike to the beach with one hand on the controls and another gripping a board, and baby buggying with only one hand is NOT fun. Not to mention, the roads I expect to be riding on are REALLY shitty. I also enjoy a degree of versatility in my purchases. Of course, I won't need anything fancy, I just don't know what i'm looking for.

Handlebars: if you're not racing or otherwise doing aggressive riding, see about having your handlebars raised a little. The shop where I got my bike switched out my handlebar stem for a raised one for free, and I bought new handlebars with ~2" lift. The norm is to have your seat level with or higher than your handlebars, which I find incredibly uncomfortable (but will give you an edge in a race).

Seat: The bike will probably come with a seat that's pretty good, but I personally can't stand tiny, hard seats. They're certainly lighter, but the price your ass pays (in my opinion) isn't worth it.

Pedals/shoes: Start with platforms. If you get into long distance rides, then consider clipless pedals with shoes (so you can 'spin' instead of 'pedal'). I use Crank Bros. Eggbeater pedals because they're light, deal with mud/snow well, and are a snap to get in, but have a set of platforms that I'll switch to if I know I'm going to be doing downhill only. They do make hybrids, but I haven't used them myself.

edit - Vegeta, what's your take on disc brakes? I'm not sold myself, but maybe you have some good insight?

I would actually REALLY prefer discs. I've got quite a few horror stories involving my crappy old V brake bikes, and wouldn't mind having a system i'm familiar with, so I can work on them myself (already know my way around a hydraulic brake system fairly well. No idea if bike brakes are pulley though).

 

[Ennui]

I would honestly recommend just going to a bike shop and telling the guy what you're looking for, they know a lot more about bikes than 99.99% of this site. That's how I picked out my current bike and it's wonderful.

One recommendation: get a Specialized brand bike, they kick ass.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I just started riding my old one. I say go mountain if you plan to go off pavement.

 

[Vegeta897]

I would actually REALLY prefer discs. I've got quite a few horror stories involving my crappy old V brake bikes, and wouldn't mind having a system i'm familiar with, so I can work on them myself (already know my way around a hydraulic brake system fairly well. No idea if bike brakes are pulley though).

My brother's $1000 bike has hydraulic disc brakes.

I don't know any brands off hand sorry.

 

[sinkoman]

These look pleasing:

http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/zebrano

http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/artemis

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32576

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=33079

This also looks pleasing, but expensive:

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34059

Although I still have no idea what i'm looking for D: