How do I shop for a bike?

[WolfpackWife]

DH turns 30 next month and I want to get him something special. He's awful about specifying something he wants, probably because he really doesn't want a lot so...I guess I'm thankful that he doesn't have a persistent case of the "gimmies." Anyway - other than a set of NCSU personalized corn hole boards, the only thing he's mentioned is perhaps getting a road bike so he can start riding and take that up has his new exercise endeavor.

How do I go about this? I know nothing about bikes and honestly, he doesn't either, but if it's something he'd like to embark on and is good for him health/stress wise...more power to him. Why not get the dude a bike?

What do I need to be looking for/be mindful of? Can I buy them used? Is there a good brand for those just starting out in getting into biking? He'd most certainly use a road bike loads more than a mountain bike, judging by where we live and where we're likely to live for the next few years so I think he wants to go that route.

TIA!

[MAPPLEBUM]

Here's a pretty good article

http://www.davescheapbikes.com/cheap...for-beginners/

The switch to drop handle bars can take a little while but if he starts training / competing he'll definitely need them. I would probably suggest he start with cage pedals and then if he really gets into it can upgrade to some clip ins. Honestly if you can afford it I'd suggest sticking to around ~$1k. That's about what the Trek entry levels run at, with at least part of the bike being carbon fiber. Anything less is way heavier.

Great idea!

[SoonerTexan]

I bet @SpottyDog's DH can weigh in. Mine can too--I'll ask him.

Be prepared...it can get expensive quickly. We have a bike that is (was?) worth $5k sitting in our garage...

[spotty_dog]

In addition to MB's good advice, I'd find your local independent bike shop and talk to them. I wouldn't go used if neither of you knows bikes, but if he really gets into it he can learn enough to be ready to get a screamin' deal for his second bike (DH only shops on eBay.)

I don't think weight has to be a factor though. I had years of hilly commuting, joined a competitive group ride, and had my first races on my steel bike. Good quality components and a well-made frame are more key IMO.

Don't forget the helmet!

[SoonerTexan]

The only thing I would add personally (need to talk to DH still) is be somewhat wary of buying a carbon fiber frame used if you cannot see it in person and don't know what you are looking for. One bad enough nick can destroy the integrity of the whole frame.

[HouseofWool]

Have him try out a couple of frame styles to see what fits.

I like my townie style Trek bike, and ride all.the.time. when I don't have my kids, but I think the frame is not quite right for me. The seat isn't pushed back as far as I would like. And it makes a big difference in stroke efficiency and comfort.

And don't be surprised if the bikes start multiplying like rabbits. I think there are at least 9 in my garage... And there are just 3 of us. And sadly, I'd really like to get my hands on a carbon fiber frame for longer rides.

[WolfpackWife]

This is super helpful!! I expected for it to be pricey, but we've been planning for a couple expenses, and I want to do something special for his 30th. I wanted to try to pull it off on my own, but I'm thinking that it's probably smarter to have him go, figure out what he wants, what works for him, etc. I don't know if I could guess well enough to nail it, even going in person. I've researched a lot of local bike shops and intend to make the rounds during the next couple weeks, but now I'm realizing it's probably better for him to come with. I'm hoping to keep it around $900 - $1k, which from what I've seen is pretty standard for those "starting out" right? I don't see a reason to drop major $$ on something (yet), but I'm fine with it becoming a serious interest for him and figure more expenses would be coming down the pike especially in the form of a second/better bike if he does get serious. I'm also happy spending the money now because the timing is pretty good - in addition to it being a milestone birthday for him, after OBGYN things really open up for him and this is something I know he'd really enjoy with the caveat of having the time to dedicate to it initially - which he will during the fall and into the spring, save for the elective rotations and interviews.

I'm trying to figure out what exactly I would need to get him started per se, other than the bike itself and a helmet. Some review talk about getting pedals that are different from the ones the bikes come with - is that standard? I'm assuming a lot of this is going to come down to personal preference which is sort of a bummer because I had this fantasy of having something researched and picked out and surprising him with it buuuuut...that may end up being a slippery slope if I guess wrong on some things.

Thank you so much!

[rufflesanddots]

Nothing to add, except DH imagined himself a "bike guy" in med school. We picked up a cheapie from WalMart for commuting purposes and that damn bike ended up costing us like $50 per ride of the handful of times DH actually used it. Sold it prior to our move. Not saying your DH will do the same at all, but the memory of mine still makes me laugh.

[WolfpackWife]

Nothing to add, except DH imagined himself a "bike guy" in med school. We picked up a cheapie from WalMart for commuting purposes and that damn bike ended up costing us like $50 per ride of the handful of times DH actually used it. Sold it prior to our move. Not saying your DH will do the same at all, but the memory of mine still makes me laugh.

The one thing I have to say about my husband is that when he decides he's going to "get into" something, he really does. In between undergrad and med school he decided to homebrew. He bought tons of equipment, built some of the pieces himself, created recipes, and brewed consistently for several years - I'm talking cases and cases of beer accumulating in our spare room. Well, now the "thing" he's gotten into has been med school which has payed off for him but it's really cut into hobbies (as in, he barely has any. He has enough time during breaks that he can sort of start to enjoy something - like flying the drone I bought him at xmas - before abandoning it completely for school again) but like I said above, I feel good about this timing because things are about to get easier (allegedly. I remain skeptical. Always). Also he is a former runner and we had great places to go on runs together in NC but here? Not so much. He dabbles in going on runs but honestly it sucks when we have to run essentially in traffic...and he hates tracks so I know he's in the market for an exercise endeavor that allows him to be outside. I figure if he gets super into it between now and when residency starts, that's at least a good start for the money.

[spotty_dog]

So, if your bike has just a flat pedal, you can only push down to propel yourself forward, and your leg is just along for the ride as the crank comes back around, right? So the next step of biking technology is toe clips or cages -- a metal thing to wedge your toe into, and a strap to hold your foot in place, so that you are attached to the pedal and can pull as well as push: small increase in effort, huge increase in power transfer efficiency! But several decades ago, technology improved even farther. Now instead of being attached semi-permanently to your bike (which is a horror story if you fall and a big annoyance when you have to stop at stop lights and stuff), you can simply have a cleat on your shoe, and a matching attachment on your pedal, that lock together when you press them. It's designed to release in an accident, and pops off easily if you swing your foot outward, but holds securely for that full efficient pedal stroke movement. That's called a "clipless" pedal system (because it doesn't have those pinchy toe clip things, see?)

If he gets at all serious he will probably need/want shoes and clipless pedals, but he can get started with just flat pedals.

I'll ask DH today what his stock advice is for a newb.

[WolfpackWife]

Thank you thank you!! I knew y'all would be way more helpful than the Googles!

[ballibeg]

If he really gets into cycling prepare to be poor!!!!!

[MAPPLEBUM]

Bahaha Ballibeg.

You should be able to get a good one for $900-1000 for sure. (And remember, you'll probably want your own. Long rides are sooo much fun)

Mine is an entry level WSM, the first time I'd used drop down handle bars and cages. The transition from flat pedal to cage took some times. Maybe I'm just slow to learn. Used the cages for over a year, the trainer at home during winter. Last summer I switched to clip in (clipless?). The kind I got have the clip attachment on one side and a flat 'normal' pedal on the other. It's pretty handy. Unfortunately the second time I went out with the new pedals I had a pretty scary fall. Luck of the draw I guess. I haven't clipped in much since then (that was over a year ago)

Maybe you could go to a store and get a brochure for a bike to give on his birthday, as his big gift (or a gift card? If you're sure which store you want to buy from). Then you can shop after?

[spotty_dog]

Seriously, we have a rider on our insurance for bikes but when the agent asked about jewelry I basically laughed at them. I think we're all aware that if DH has a midlife crisis it will involve a bicycle bought new for five figures. He actually almost spent his car budget (we were saving up for a couple of years to replace his 22 year old Toyota) on a super fancy bicycle instead.

MB, can you get your pedals adjusted so they pop out SUPER easy? That gave me a ton of reassurance when I was getting used to mine. Nothing wrong with toe clips or flat pedals, but clipless is really a whole new world of pedaling efficiency with the bonus of being so safe to use (there's a learning curve for sure, but a few slow laps around a parking lot with lots of stops and starts should give you the muscle memory to always swing your heel when you're going to stop or fall, and after that you're golden!)

[MarissaNicole]

Do you live near an REI? They have great customer service and will take returns within the first year. We recently got my Dad a bike (we picked it out). Unfortunately after trying it, he didn't like it. They took it back no questions asked, and gave us a full refund.

Wife of a PGY-6