Calling all bike enthusiasts

DH and I are in the market for new bikes. We are looking to upgrade our bikes because our Target special Schwinns just aren't cutting it for us anymore.

I know we have several bike enthusiasts on this board and I would love to get some recommendations. We ride about 6-8 miles each evening around our somewhat hilly neghborhood. We also have a lake by us with an unpaved bike path so we may ride there once Andrew gets a little older (I'm a little paranoid with him in the front mounted seat, so I prefer paved paths for now.) We don't plan on doing any serious riding so we definitely don't need the best, most expensive bike out there...just something better than our $80 Schwinns.

We're also thinking about buying used bikes so any suggestions on what to look out for when buying used would be appreciated.

Do you have a Craig's List for your area? I know some people who found nice bikes that way.

I'll bet Alison will have lots of great ideas for you!

[spotty_dog]

Heh.

As road enthusiasts, our first advice is usually -- go with a road bike. It can be altered to fit your needs, making the position more upright or putting treaded tires on for rougher roads, but eventually almost everybody who gets "into" cycling feels that need for speed, gets frustrated at being the last up the hill or at spinning out their highest gears. My first road bike was a fabulous commuter that, with upgraded parts and fancy wheels, was a perfectly serviceable first race bike!

Buying used can be tough. You want to be sure the bike will fit you and you want to know something about the parts it comes with. If you're going to buy and ship sight-unseen, you need somebody really knowledgeable to evaluate the deal and the bike will come partially disassembled so you need to be able to put it back together (or pay a bike shop to do it).

Maybe start by wandering through a well-equipped bike shop (nothing but bikes, lots of big name brands like Trek/Cannondale/Specialized/Giant plus some more exotic Felt/Pinarello/Cervelo is the kind of thing I look for) and get some in-person advice about sizes and equipment. Maybe take a couple of test rides. Then armed with that you could check out Craigslist and such or you might find that there's something available new in your price range...

Thanks for the suggestions! We do have Craig's List in our area....well, sort of. The nearest location is about 45 minutes away. I've been keeping an eye on the listings over the last couple of weeks and there are a ton. Not knowing anything about bikes just makes it that much more difficult to sift through all of them.

Alison, we were thinking of getting road bikes. There is a beast of a hill on the 2nd part of our ride and with our current bikes, I just can't make it up the hill while carrying ds. Heck, I can barely make it to the top when I'm not carrying him.