Kona Asphalt bikes or similar?

[JohnnyCanuck]

My road bike is a triple too, but when I tested the Trek I did a climb with it and wasn't too bothered by the 10/2 setup. I may think differently after a couple of rides Yes ... it's the black one.

faston, good place to start looking is a good bike shop (even if you don't buy from them, the advice is invaluable). I don't know Burnaby shops, but North Van or Vancouver ... different story.

Brands I like generally are Rocky Mountain, Trek, Specialized, Kona, Cannondale, and Norco. All make mountain, road, and hybrid bikes. There are two things you need to decide: what type of bike and what brand of bike.

For type, you're obviously not looking at a road or mountain bike. You're looking at a hybrid. If most of your riding is road, and maybe some light gravel, you want more of a road descended hybrid (700c wheels/tires, longer top tube). You want to stay away from anything that ships with 26" tires (that's a mountain bike tire and would indicate a heavier/beefier bike which means more work to push the weight and less efficient at transferring your pedal power to the road).

The fit thing is really personal. It's all about what the geometry of the bike feels like. Proper fitting can alleviate some geometry issues, but there are bikes that just will never feel right to you. Test riding is the only way to tell.

If, at the end of the day, your search through bike stores doesn't convince you to spend more $$$, then it will leave you with a good idea on what brands and models will work best for you. Then I would suggest craigslist or kijiji to see what's out there that would let you enjoy a more expensive bike for the kind of money you want to spend.

Two other things: I can't see $350 for a new bike getting you anything better than a steel frame, mountain based, hybrid. That will be a heavy dog to push through any kind of climb and will not be efficient in terms of transferring your energy to the road. I would suggest either bump up your price range or go used. The second thing is ... if you do buy used, spend some money and have a good LBS fit you. They will adjust the on-bike components to specifically fit you and may make small suggestions for improvement (replacing the stem or seat at the top of the list).

[Jake]

Yes bikes have come a long way since we were teenagers. The categories are only approximate guidelines too. For what you need they might be called, city, asphalt, commuter, hybrid or comfort bikes. Comfort bikes are at the low end of the performance scale so you may want to skip those unless you have back issues. First thing you should do is sit on a bike that has been adjusted for you. That way you will know what feels normal (for a category). I see lots of guys out on the road with their knees coming up under their chin or their pelvis is rocking back and forth like they are doing the cha cha.

Good luck. I recommend used as well. For $350 you can pick up a nice "lightly used" brand name bike. Something like this.

Vancouver Kijiji
Devinci Liverpool Hybrid
Ad ID 392690949

If you do go used, a local bike shop (LBS) will do a basic tune-up and verification/fitment for about $30-40. Well worth the money.

[Tanta]

Jake, did you do your 500 km trip last summer? I road around Lac St Jean ('Véloroute des Bleuets') in June 2011; very highly recommended! There are only a couple of on-road sections left, about 12 km out of some 230 or so. The rest is paved bike paths. Most paved path sections are 'philantropic gifts' from the local aluminium and pulp and paper companies and municipalities. The fact that it is a loop is very practical; you can leave your car in protected parking lots, so no worries.

[Jake]

Hey Tanta thanks for the trip tip. I am actually planning another trip this summer and we were looking for options. One guy wants to bring his road bike so that seems to fit the bill.

Yes the trip down to New York went as planned. We did (some of us did) 100km per day. We were out on the bikes from about 10AM to 5PM. Lots of stops for picture taking and snacks.

[faston]

Thanks for your help guys. I have borrowed a bike from my brother for now just to see if it's something I might want to continue. I need to get a helmet and then I'll give it a go. I will probably follow your suggestion to get a bike shop to give it the once-over. I'll let you know how it goes since the last bike i rode was 3 speeds and had streamers on the handlebars

[Jake]

Sounds like Pee-Wee's bike.

[JohnnyCanuck]

Faston, just a warning ... it can addictive and expensive.

Personal inventory: 3 bikes, 2 helmets (one full-face for serious mountain biking the other for road), armour, many pairs of gloves, floor pump, shock pump, bike trays for my Thule roof rack, biking wear (chafing is nice to avoid in a certain sensitive area ... but no spandex for me), emergency tools/tubes, camelback for long mountain climbs, locks, pinheads (special keyed skewers to avoid wheel theft).

Probably spend close to as much on it as I do on tech ... but equally well worth it. There's something really special about a mountain descent and then looking up and going "hell yea!!!". Or, staring at four or five straight city blocks of climb and then looking back from the top. Be warned, your brother's bike could be the gateway drug I might be seeing on Ned's Atomic Dustbin as you blow by me ...

[Jake]

Sad news. My Kona MTB was stolen last week at work mid-afternoon. Thief walked right up to my bike removed some tools/cutters from a gym bag, cut the lock and rode off with it. I know this because it was all caught on a security camera. Which purposely overlook the bike racks.

Perhaps the most frustrating part is nothing is being done. Security won't let me see the video or give me a picture of the thief. They did give me a description of the thief. The police took down the information (via phone) but that is all. No checking of the footage. House insurance will replace the bike but with the deductible plus premium increases it means I will have to pay out close to a grand to get it replaced.

It seems that 1 u-lock and 1 cable lock is the best system. I just had a cable lock. I figured the highly visible area and foot traffic would have kept most bike thieves away. Live and learn I guess.

[JohnnyCanuck]

That sucks. Not much more to add ...

[57]

Sorry to hear. For that reason I always ride an inexpensive hybrid around town where I need to lock up (see the prophetic posts 2 & 18). That way there will almost always be another better bike nearby that a thief will want. Two (different type) locks help, but even that doesn't always work if the thief covets your bike.

I thought you were riding your hybrid to work, or did I miss a post again, or is it still shop-bound per post 26?

[Jake]

Actually I was riding my road bike but I had a flat that morning and my hybrid was torn apart in my garage awaiting parts. It was easier to grab the Kona and go. Plus I needed a good workout (48km). I am back on the hybrid now. At least until I get my nerve back up and bring my road bike back in. I have already found a more secure area to park. It means carrying my bike up and down two flights of stairs but I don't mind. I just need to be careful I don't slip.

[faston]

Well, I'm officially a bicycle commuter now. An hour of tough work each way, but I have survived 3 days. On the hills, I feel like a semi crawling uphill as the performance cars (other riders) whiz by. A guy going by me this morning told me I have the seat adjusted all wrong. It was too low and I couldn't extend my leg. He said that the power comes from full extension. I know it hadn't felt right as I wasn't able to rest my legs even going downhill as they were still bent too much. I'll raise it hopefully and it will be better. And the pain! Oh my god, my rear!! That's even worse that the exhaustion.

Now that I know I can do it, I'll start looking for my own bike (hopefully one with a more comfortable seat).

[Tanta]

Frame size and seat adjustment are critical to rider comfort on a diamondframe bike. If you find your rear is too sore, try a light weight recumbent at a riding center that allows you to 'try before you buy'. You need to put at least 20 km on a recumbent before purchasing it, as there are more variables to contend with; many of which are in the love/hate categories (seat comfort, peddle crank positioning, gearing ratios). On the up side, you get a lot more respect from motorists; when they see a recumbent approaching, they assume a crippled person is riding it! At 4-way stop intersections, no one moves until you have safely crossed the intersection...You never have to lock it, since no one would have the heart to steal from a handicapped person, and secondarily, most people assume they are hard to ride. So they would have trouble making a quick getaway.

[Jake]

Tanta that is funny but so true about the perception of a handicapped person riding a recumbent.

I hope you got some good cycling shorts. You don't need the $150 variety but MEC sells a reasonable pair for about $50. Careful because once you have a good experience on a bike it can be addictive.

Here are a few quick adjustments you can do at home with a few Allen keys.

Seat Height: Your knee should be just slightly bent (not locked) passing through the down stroke.
Seat Angle and position: You should not feel any pressure on your taint nor feel like you are sliding forward. This is when your arms are on the handlebars. Next slide the seat forward or back until your knee is over the ball of your foot (on the pedal). This will maximize your power.
Handlebars: Are more of a personal preference. If you are going for the comfort look then they will be higher than the seat. Most bike have the seat and handlebars at the same height.

That is about it. Some bikes have limited handlebar positions but if you get the seat right you will see a nice improvement in comfort and effort.

[Tanta]

Here is a link to the history of recumbents and why their development stalled for 50 years, after a UCI ruling in 1934.

http://www.helsinki.fi/~tlinden/winforb.html