Need a little help on Bikes!

OK I'm really looking at getting a bike.  We have a bike shop here in town stopped in and looked around he sells Cannondale, Haro, Del Sol, Fuji.  He was trying to sell me a Haro kinda a cross between a street bike and a mountain bike?  Here's what I'm looking for. Around home I live out in the country with rolling hills, I also want to take it on the road with me. So I would be in different terrain.  I'm 5'6" just starting out. Also looked at Wal-Mart they had Mongoose and Schwinn sure the quality not as good. So What do you guys suggest? Thx Bob

Hey there Bob .

I started out on a Wal-Mart bike .I told myself that I can find out if I like biking on a hundred bike just as easyly as a six hundred bike .  Now three years later I have three bikes. I have a  cannondale road bike , an Iron horse hard tail mountain for commuting to work on , and another Iron horse mountain bike strictly for the trail.  You can spend A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY ON BIKES , but if you are just starting off I wouldent just yet . Btw , All my bikes are made in america . Nick

So would you recommend starting with a "walmart" bike or perhaps a used bike at a bike shop?

Hey Bob, 

Lots of factors in buying a bike but Nick is right in that you don't want to drop a lot of coin on one and have it end up hanging in the garage. When I started biking again a month or so after WLS, I fixed up my 25 year old steel UniVega bike which had been in the garage for last 20 years. I weighed over 400 pounds so I knew I needed a strong bike plus I wanted to make sure I could regain the passion I had for biking that I had when I was in college before I spent a lot of money on one.

That said, I don't think you need to worry about the weight issue so you could get a nice aluminum mountain bike. Forget about the hybrids as they are an overpriced niche bike for people who think a mountain bike won't work for them. I've got a Fuji mountain bike which I ride around town and also on some mild mountain trails. I replaced the knobby tires with some some street/trail combo tires and it works great. I have a rack on the back and attach bags (panniers) to haul my groceries and such. I got a screaming deal on it new and paid $500 for it although it listed for $1300. 

My buddy back in Iowa just got into biking so I bought him a Specialized rockhopper mountain bike off ebay. It only had a few miles on it and it's perfect for his needs which are the same as yours (a little off road but mainly some street action). I paid $600 for it and he drove to KC to pick it up. He loves it. 

Garage sales are a great place to pick up a bike since, as I said, people buy them but never use them. Police auctions have screaming deals as well. Anywho --- No hybrid, stick with a hardtail (no rear shock) mountain bike for the best deal and flexibility. 

Boner

This Haro was a combination bike a little mountain mostly street, could get it for $325.00, also could pop the wheels, seat off easily for transportation. The Wal-Mart Mongoose or Schwinn for about $125.00?  So which one do you think I agree I don't want it to be a garage ornament, but comfort of ride and shifting might make it more pleasurable or do they all shift and ride about the same?  Also is fitting the bike as important 5'6" 220lbs? OK what about a helmet yea or nae?  Thxs Guys

Always wear a helmet and your noggin will thank you the first time you hit the bricks so to speak. Forget about the Walmart bikes.....shifing on lower end bikes will be similar but your ass will thank you if you get a nice, Selle saddle ($50 on sale).

I don't think fit would be much of a problem for your height. I'm 6' 3" and I bought a bike at Walmart, a 15 speed dual suspension. As soon as I began riding it, I realized the frame was really too short for my height.  Also, the seats on most "off the rack" bikes suck for comfort. RNY patients tend to have comfort problems with their butt when sitting, and this will also happen with a bike. You may have to replace the seat with one with heavier springs, wider saddle, or a shock mount on the seat too. These helped on the bike I had.  But it was so uncomfortable because of my height, I gave it to a neighbor. But it was less than $200 too.  As long as your not large (over 300 pounds) almost any bike will be satisfactory. If you were "up there" (300 pounds plus), I'd recommend a heavier rated bike. Worksman Cycles out of NY makes commercially rated bikes and trikes, designed to carry the rider and and extra 200-300 pounds in cargo--so those should hold up for the bigger guys who want to start biking. Those $79 specials on bikes will not do for bigger folks.

Hey Bob, I wouldn't recommend the cheapest thing you can find because that might influence how much you end up liking it and your motivation.  I like Trek bikes ... but I think going to your local bike shop is a good idea.  A bit more expensive, but the advice and expertise might be worth it.  You might also be able to deal with them - get them to throw in a helmut or some extras... CB

Avoid the department store bikes like they were plague infested. Cheap is more expensive. Cannondale and Fuji are the brands I recognized, BTW, and they're good. The bike you described is slangily refered to as a hybrid, because it is part street, part mountain. They're built for mostly road work, with an occasional stray onto unpaved improved trails. Think of it as the equivalent of pickup truck. Pure road bikes are more like a sports car; pure mountain bikes are, well, mountain bikes. A hybrid is built with the rider's comfort having a priority over performance, either speed for a road bike, or shock and reliabilty of a mountain bike. That said, I have one and love it. It was bought for urban commuting, and it was great for that. I say was because I now live in the boonies 50 miles from the office, but I still have the bike. I can't ride it fast since it's too heavy, but also I have gearing on it that will let me climb a near vertical grade, too. I have plans to use the same bike for a long cross country trip in the near future. FWIW, mine is a 7 year old Raleigh C30. I got it new for $250; I think they can be had for about $300 now. You did right by going to a shop. A good one is indispensible.

Hey Bob ol' buddy, Schwinn makes a really super nice trike. I just bought one for my granddaughter for $65. Here's a pic of it.         BwaHahahahahaha!!!      J/K Seriously though,  WEAR A HELMET!  I have friend who didn't and when he was run off the side of the road by an azzhole in a car.  He ended up with a cracked noggin (skull fracture) - now he ALWAYS wears his helmet.