I am looking into buying a hybrid bicycle. Any advice on what I should look for, good brands, models, stores, etc?
213640
The advantage of a hybrid is its combination of versatility and durability. Its pretty good on the road and in the city. Its comfortable to ride and probably a little faster than a mountain bike on roads. But its broad tyres, greater weight and upright stance mean it is not as fast or fun as a dedicated road bike.\n\nUnlike a road bike however, the hybrid can be used off-road. Its tough and it'll take it. It isn't as good as a mountain bike in the rough but it'll serve you well on a long multi-terain ride. A hybrid is also good for touring and will happily take panniers. \n\nSo its a bit a Jack-of-all-Trades - it does most things well, but it excels at none. A good all-rounder.\n\nI owned a Cannondale H600 Hybrid some time ago. It was a great bike and served me well. I gave it to a friend about 3 years ago and although its about 12 years old now, its still going strong.\n\nA hybrid is a good choice if you want only one versatile bike. Go for a good make though, the best you can afford and always look for good componentry - I recommend Cannondale, Trek or Specialised.\n\nHappy riding!
401930
at that price ramge u can get a lot of good bikes. but the main thing that u have to look for is the brand and the parts. 4 1grand u should consider getting companys like haro,kona,norco,specialized,trek,cannondale,fox,yamaha(rare),giant and gt. start with kona, specialized and giant they make good bikes and they are cheap for bikes within the same range. for kona look for stuff, lavadom or scrap\nnorco:shore series\nharo:v series\nspecialized:any thing they are all good and cheap\nironhorse:make almost unbreakable bikes but they are heavy\nbanshee:morphine series\n\n\nbefore buying the bike make sure that the dimonds of the frame should be small and points upwards  the tyres should be wide and with lots of rubber studs. the fork should have atleast 100mm of travel better if beond 130mm. the suspention brand that you should look for is marzochii or rock shock they are the most common ones. if you dont like the suspention then you might consider spending an other 500$ on bomber shocks they are good qualityed stuff.  i recomand a hard tail because they are easier to ride up hill and gives lots of air. and is cheaper and lighter. you should look for disk breaks  but if the bike dont come with them v breaks are good too exept over time they dig into your rim and shorten the rim's life.\n\nhope this helps.
142791
Cycling is a fantastic sport. It keeps you fit without overstressing any part of your body, it gives you a cheap and effective form of transport and its a companionable way of seeing the World with your friends.\n\nSO: Don't be put off right at the beginning by making the wrong choice of bike!!!\n\nAlways buy the best bike you can afford. Go for a well known make - Cannondale, Trek, Specialised, Bianchi, Giant, Raleigh, Dawes etc.\n\nGo to a good bike shop and take their advice. They'll also fit the bike to you and give you the chance to try several different types until you find the one for you.\n\nAlso, go for good componentry (gears, pedals, saddle etc) - these make all the difference between a great riding experience and an irritating one that will put you off cycling forever.\n\nThink carefully about what you want - are you going to be cycling mainly on road or hurtling down forest tracks? Is it for town or for country, communting or long distance?\n\nYou should discuss your requirements with a good dealer.\n\nIn short: Don't buy online - find the best local dealer and buy from there.
51836
because trek makes a newer better one each year. one of the bikes he was using wasn't great for some types of road riding. if you haven't already, check into the other carbon fiber bikes, and read the reviews! make sure it's going to be the best bike for YOU. especially if you're spending that kind of money!
365752
The difference in bikes sold at K-Mart, Walmart, Toys R Us, etc and brand name bikes sold at bike shops are price, reliability, quality and durability.  You get what you pay for...that being said...the frame and components will be better quality if you go for a name brand bike. You will get a better bike if you pay more. You need to weight out your options...are you willing to pay 2 to 3 time more for a bike that will last a lot longer and will require little to no maintenance. Or do you want to pay a small amount for a bike that will not last as long, will require more maintenance or even a new replacement bike in the next few years (depending on how much you ride it.) They may look the same; however, they really aren't at all.\n\nA good story that will relate to your question: My fiance and his buddies all pulled together about $100 bucks to get a mountain bike from a Kmart type store. He broke the bike with in the hour of riding it like he rides his name brand bikes. Granted you will not be hauling down mountain trials but it just shows the poor quality of the cheap bikes.\n\nGo to your local bike shop and do some comparison shopping before purchasing the $99 bike. \n\nGood luck!
358796
Ok, suspension I can understand at this price but to be totally honest with you if you go for a complete bike at $600 with discs everything else component (and possibly frame) wise is going to be seriously downgraded to get them on there.\n\nMost 'good' (read reliable, reasonable weight and powerfull) brakes and hubs would set you back in the region of $300 - $400 anyway, take that off your budget for the bike and you start to see what you're getting. Yes, they look good and it makes the bike look more expensive but a decent set of V style brakes will be so much more powerful & useful in the long run.\n\nGetting down to it Trek make some excellent bikes for under $600. The frames are going to last and last, the kit on it will be good quality and reliable, the weight will be reasonable and it'll ride really well.\n\nFor approx. $450 you can get the Trek 4300 with (reasonable) discs, ok forks and a good mix of components OR you can spend $10 more and get the 4500 without discs but a much better fork. \n\nYou can't go wrong with a Specialized Hardrock or Rockhopper and they do a number of models based around those frames within your budget.\n\nKona also do some excellent models at around the $600 mark but they are going to ride differently to the Trek, it's going to come down to where you are & what kind of riding there is in your area as to which one works well.\n\nWhatever you decide on you must PLEASE leave enough to buy yourself a good helmet, at least 1 pair of cycling shorts and some gloves. Trust me.
99069
It depends on what you want to spend.  Cyclists are known for upgrading equipment often.  You might want to find a used mountain bike.  I would recommend one without rear suspension.  A decent two-year old used bike goes for about half the price of a new one.\n\nTo convert the mountain bike to a commuter bike, you need to add three things:  urban tires (slicks), fenders, and a rack.  You might also need a light, front and rear.  You can get the new tires for about $30, fenders for $40, and a rack for $20.\n\nIf money is not an object and you want a true commuter bike, you might want to look at the commuter bikes by Breezer. http://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes.cfm  These bikes have racks, fenders, lights, and an internal 7- or 8-speed hub (like the old English 3-speeds).\n\nGood luck and happy trails.
512400
u should consider getting companys like haro,kona,norco,specialized,tr... and gt. start with kona, specialized and giant they make good bikes and they are cheap for bikes within the same range. for kona look for stuff, lavadom or scrap\nnorco:shore series\nharo:v series\nspecialized:any thing they are all good and cheap\nironhorse:make almost unbreakable bikes but they are heavy\nbanshee:morphine series\n\n\nbefore buying the bike make sure that the dimonds of the frame should be small and points upwards the tyres should be wide and with lots of rubber studs. the fork should have atleast 100mm of travel better if beond 130mm. the suspention brand that you should look for is marzochii or rock shock they are the most common ones. if you dont like the suspention then you might consider spending an other 500$ on bomber shocks they are good qualityed stuff. i recomand a hard tail because they are easier to ride up hill and gives lots of air. and is cheaper and lighter. you should look for disk breaks but if the bike dont come with them v breaks are good too exept over time they dig into your rim and shorten the rim's life.\n\nor you can consider hybrids they are meant for road rideing and is more comfortable than moutain.\n\nroadbikes can also work they are a bit expensive and cant take much damage. but they go very fast!\n\nbut if you want to look cool and fell comfortable get a westcost chopper!! they look pimped out with huge hind wheel and a motor bike like look!! they even have leather seats!!\nhope this helps.
644957
Well, you'll want a bicycle. I don't know your money situation, but you can easily spend thousands. I don't recommend that till you know more. But don't get a bike at Wal-Mart or any other "general" store. To really enjoy it, you want a bike that is well-made and fits you properly, and the only place to get that is at a bike shop. \n\nLook for a shop that carries used bikes, along with a big selection of new bikes. \n\nTell them what kind of riding you think you'd like to try, and how much you can spend. They'll show you the options and help you out.  You won't find high pressure sales at a bike shop, these folks are also enthusiasts who just want more people to enjoy the sport.
260128
The Schwinn hardtail mountain bike from Wal-Mart is very inexpensive, has good quality shifting, good components, and is one of the few very inexpensive bikes that I could possibly praise in this way.  It does have front suspension that is suitable for mild trails and a cushy ride in the city.  This represens a well done $139 product.    \n\nHowever, a trip to the bike shop might be more educational and much more fun.  There's something special about a real bike-store-bike.  ;)  \n\nLast time, I bought an all-alloy 7 speed crusier, and it turned out to be a tad faster than my road bike.  I was so very surprised!    \n\nRevo-shift/grip shift isn't bad, and it is nicer than the SIS lever shift.\n\nIf you're looking in the "inexpensive" market, DO read the brand name from the rear derailer to make sure that it says "Shimano" or "SRAM" and never "Falcon".  That will save you a lot of money despite the tiny additional price.
605492
I have just bought a Trek hybrid. I know it is not a mountain bike, but Trek is a very good make and I love the bike. My mate has a GT mountain bike with quick fire and disk brakes - it was £320 I think. This was recommended by a mountain bike magazine from 4 others around the same price. One point is that disk brakes wear out VERY quickly. My mates needed changing afte 1 1/2 hours hard riding.\n\nP.S. you can get an entry level hardtail trek for around £270.00 - http://www.trekbike.co.uk/2007/bikes.php?sec=overview&MainCatID=2&SubCatID=8&RangeID=0&ID=210#
96724
i would reccoment low impact cardiovascular exercise such as bike riding\n\nresearch HYBRID style bicycles\n-hybrids have an upright seating position, this helps in taking off stress from leaning over like on mountain bikes. Hybrids also have a suspension seatpost which reduces impact on your back from bumps in the road. Bicycling involves smooth pedal motions which wont hurt your knee's as bad as walking. With the amount of gears available on bikes now-a-days, your sure to find one that is comfortable for your body. Try this, I work in a bike shop and get people with knee and back injurys all the time. This is highly reccomended
48336
you'll probably want a low-end mountain bike. go to your local bike shop, tell them what you'll be doing and they should be helpful. you should not feel pressured at all, otherwise find a different bike shop. Specialized hardrock (cheapest model is $360, bike shop's lowest price should be the same or less) would be good. the specialized Crossroads (cheapest model is $330, bike shop should be the same) also looks good. Trek is another great brand. schwinn and giant are not as good as they used to be, so i would not reccomend them, there are better bikes at similar prices. by all means, these are not the only good brands, there are many others out there! there are also some bike/ cycling forums on the internet that are very helpful when researching a specific bike, and peoples expirences with that particular bike. good luck!
254383
Both are rubbish.\n\nSave up a little longer and buy a quality bike that you'll enjoy long term. \n\nMost important of all, buy your bike from a good bike shop. It makes a BIG difference, because they'll help you choose the best for your budget and for your intended use of the bike. They'll also give you good advice and they'll look after you into the future (you won't get any of this from Wal-Mart etc).
655384
Ok, so "ardi_95" says he's got experience with bikes... although I'm at odds with his ego, I am in his corner here.\n\nPersonanlly I *like* the older bikes and enjoy fixing them up. I wouldn't worry about adding more gears just because that's the trend. If you plan to be a racer, *then* I would worry about more gears and in which case, just buy a new bike. But if you're not a racer, don't worry about what's the latest fad. The important thing is do *you* really like the Nishiki? That is the most important piece -- if the frame fits you, you're comfortable on it and it does what you want, keep it.\n\nIf you decide to sell it, call me first!\n\nAnd since you've asked for qualifications, I will just give a run down of my bike shed...Road Bikes: Trek 400 (mid 80's) Miyata 110 (late 80's), Trek 2300 (late 90's carbon fiber), Bianchi Campione D'Italia (late '80's), Takara (late '70's). Mountain Bikes: Giant ...crap, don't remember (2004), GT LTS Team Issue (2000): Recumbents: BikeE CT (2004), Linear LWB folder (mid 90's). Various BMX, cruiser and other bikes. Anything else feel free to contact me off the list.
178270
www.qbike.com \n\nI always check there b/4 purchasing any bike part.
621228
here is the directory for chicago bike shops, call afew and see what the best deal they can give you is. then compare prices. I woul dsay you rlooking at spending around $40.00-50.00 or so but they may have some old stock somewhere they want to get rid of for cheaper.\nhttp://www.chicagobikeshops.info/bikeShopList.php