needaride

Hello all.
I am trying to get any information about what kind of bike
I need. I'm not tall I'm 5'3 i presently
Weigh too much (242) and I'm looking for a short but comfortable
Bike one that a basket can be attached to the frontons one
That can be rode on regular streets. I have recently
Got a job four miles from my home
And riding a bike is my only option.
So any advice I can get on where to start. Thanks

ColaJacket

Most bikes can be ridden on the road. It's just a matter of what you feel comfortable riding.

So the best suggestion would be for you to go to several LBS's in your area, and test ride several types of bikes. You may end up having to test ride a WSD (Woman Specific Design) bike, as they tend to make those in smaller sizes. But each brand measures their sizes differently so a 52cm bike for one brand won't necessarily fit like a 52cm bike in another brand does. Also different people fit on bikes differently depending upon leg length, arm length, and torso length. So not everyone who is the same height will ride the same size bike.

You could ride a Mountain bike (MTB), but if you do make sure to get one that either doesn't have a front shock or you can lockout the front shock. You may also need to change the tires to get a more comfortable ride on the road.

A hybrid may be a good choice for you, as it is a cross between a MTB and a road bike. If you're primarily riding on the road, you want to make sure that you don't have knobby tires, but you may have to buy slicks and have them put on.

You could even go for a road bike (with the drop down bars). I started at 255# and 5'5", and I went with a road bike (Fuji Sportif 49cm). I did choose an endurance bike, because the geometry is a little more relaxed than a race geometry (with an aero geometry being the most aggressive).

There are also comfort/cruiser bikes, but I'll let others talk about them. Still, if you go to the LBS for a test ride, it might not hurt to test ride those bikes, also. They just tend to be heavier with a more upright position than any of the other bikes.

But I went to several shops in my area, and test rode at least 1 bike at each shop. Sometimes 2-3. I narrowed down my choices to the bikes that fit the best, and then narrowed down based on features and price. A bike that doesn't fit you is not a bargain no matter the price. Luckily, one of the bikes that fit the best was a Fuji from Performance Bikes. I did have to order the bike that I wanted due to price/features, but the frame was the same as the one that I did a test ride on.

Also, a back rack with Panniers may be better than a front rack/basket. Unless there is some huge reason why you need a front rack/basket, check out all your options for carrying gear.

Good Luck on finding a bike that fits you correctly.

GH