Looking for bike advice from mostly the ladies but gents are welcome too
04-29-10, 10:03 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Looking for bike advice from mostly the ladies but gents are welcome too
I was out to dinner with my girlfriend's dad this week and we got to talking about how much I have been riding and losing weight since I got my bike and how she wanted to ride with me but does not have a bike. Now her birthday is coming up pretty soon so her dad told her if she wanted a bike it could be her birthday present.
So we got to talking about prices and whatnot so when we got to the part about prices and I said a good bike would be around $1000 he kinda freaked a little. Reason why he freaked was because this is a man who bought his last bike over 20 years ago and because of it considers a $400 Schwinn a high-end bike.
I began to explain to him that those bikes that you get at the large sporting goods stores are no good because they do not last and that fit is going to be very important with my girlfriend because she wants a road bike.
The reason why fit is going to be very important is because she is how you say pretty well endowed in the chest area and because of it her back hurts sometimes. She does want a road bike though because she wants to strengthen her back muscles and wants something that will last if she ends up really getting into it which I think she will. Which is why she wants to start out with a road bike with pretty relaxed geometry. She is also a tall woman at 5'11" so she will have her pick from either WSD or regular bikes.
The thing I am worried about is if it would be too much of a strain on her back to start out with a road bike right away? Also all of the bikes in our price range are Tiagra so I don't know much about the longevity of the group in the long run. She did tell me that she would prefer a triple because it can get pretty hilly on some of the roads where we live. She also does not want clipless pedals right away because she has seen me fall a couple times because of my shoes not unclipping so I figured we could get one of those hybrid pedals that are flat on one side and clipless on the other. We figured ~$1000 max on bike because after getting pedals, clothes, cages, etc it will a couple more hundred.
We are going to go to some shops on Sat and Sun so I just want to know if there are any specific questions I should be asking or things I should be watching out for in regards to fit or her specific needs. I know I will be getting some people saying that bike won't matter and they can fit her no matter what but I want to have my bases covered. I also know that a test ride in her case is going to be absolutely worthless because she won't know how her back will be coping in the long run. Sorry for the long post but I am pretty excited that she wants to ride with me and I want to make sure that she feels absolutely comfortable on the bike.
So we got to talking about prices and whatnot so when we got to the part about prices and I said a good bike would be around $1000 he kinda freaked a little. Reason why he freaked was because this is a man who bought his last bike over 20 years ago and because of it considers a $400 Schwinn a high-end bike.
I began to explain to him that those bikes that you get at the large sporting goods stores are no good because they do not last and that fit is going to be very important with my girlfriend because she wants a road bike.
The reason why fit is going to be very important is because she is how you say pretty well endowed in the chest area and because of it her back hurts sometimes. She does want a road bike though because she wants to strengthen her back muscles and wants something that will last if she ends up really getting into it which I think she will. Which is why she wants to start out with a road bike with pretty relaxed geometry. She is also a tall woman at 5'11" so she will have her pick from either WSD or regular bikes.
The thing I am worried about is if it would be too much of a strain on her back to start out with a road bike right away? Also all of the bikes in our price range are Tiagra so I don't know much about the longevity of the group in the long run. She did tell me that she would prefer a triple because it can get pretty hilly on some of the roads where we live. She also does not want clipless pedals right away because she has seen me fall a couple times because of my shoes not unclipping so I figured we could get one of those hybrid pedals that are flat on one side and clipless on the other. We figured ~$1000 max on bike because after getting pedals, clothes, cages, etc it will a couple more hundred.
We are going to go to some shops on Sat and Sun so I just want to know if there are any specific questions I should be asking or things I should be watching out for in regards to fit or her specific needs. I know I will be getting some people saying that bike won't matter and they can fit her no matter what but I want to have my bases covered. I also know that a test ride in her case is going to be absolutely worthless because she won't know how her back will be coping in the long run. Sorry for the long post but I am pretty excited that she wants to ride with me and I want to make sure that she feels absolutely comfortable on the bike.
Last edited by gus6464; 04-29-10 at 10:18 PM.
04-29-10, 10:26 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I just don't know what to say if the shop says that she can be fitted to any bike and that she should test ride some when I know the test ride around the parking lot is going to be absolutely worthless in her case. Are there any red flags I should be looking for at the shops?
04-29-10, 10:44 PM
#4
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Location: In the middle of horse country, in The Garden State
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If the bike shop says she can be fitted to any bike, then yes, I would see that as a red flag. One thing you could do would be to get a fitting from an independent place. Many cycling coaches who do vo2max or blood lactate testing will also do professional fitting sessions. These aren't cheap, sometimes $100-150, but that way you get the fit data from someone who isn't also trying to sell you a bike. This may set your mind at ease somewhat. You can take the fit recommendations with you to a bike shop who can then look them over and suggest bikes that align with whatever was recommended in the pro fitting session.
I also agree that parking lot test rides are useless. You may want to check around to see whether any shops in your area have demo bikes that you can take out on the road. Some of the shops in my area let you take a bike out for a real ride or even rent one for a day for a minimal charge to see how you like it. That will give your girlfriend a pretty good idea whether a particular bike is comfortable.
I don't see anything wrong with getting a road bike right away. There may be things you can do to increase comfort like getting a stem with an angle that lets her sit more upright at first - then later once she has built up more strength she can switch to a different stem.
I would also recommend that you have her try out as many bikes as possible. That's what I did when I was looking for a road bike. After trying a ton of bikes, when I finally found the one I ride now (Ruby Pro), I knew right away that it was the right bike. I've been really happy with it.
When you do test ride bikes, I would either bring your own pump, or ask the bike shop to pump up the tires to a specific pressure. Some less reputable shops will not pump up the tires all the way, making the ride seem cushier than it really is.
I also agree that parking lot test rides are useless. You may want to check around to see whether any shops in your area have demo bikes that you can take out on the road. Some of the shops in my area let you take a bike out for a real ride or even rent one for a day for a minimal charge to see how you like it. That will give your girlfriend a pretty good idea whether a particular bike is comfortable.
I don't see anything wrong with getting a road bike right away. There may be things you can do to increase comfort like getting a stem with an angle that lets her sit more upright at first - then later once she has built up more strength she can switch to a different stem.
I would also recommend that you have her try out as many bikes as possible. That's what I did when I was looking for a road bike. After trying a ton of bikes, when I finally found the one I ride now (Ruby Pro), I knew right away that it was the right bike. I've been really happy with it.
When you do test ride bikes, I would either bring your own pump, or ask the bike shop to pump up the tires to a specific pressure. Some less reputable shops will not pump up the tires all the way, making the ride seem cushier than it really is.
04-29-10, 10:47 PM
#5
Senior Member
My wife rides with me and is just as much into riding as I am. Some advice that I can give you from personal experience:
1) This is the most important: Go with a LBS that is going to spend time fitting the bike for your wife. There was a thread a few days about a person went to a cpl of shops. One stated it would take about 15mins to fit the bike. Another said 1-2hrs. The shop that said 15mins: All they will do is raise the seat height while they process your credit card and tell you to have a nice day.
The shop that is taking 2 hours is going to adjust the handlebar width, stem length/angle..seat position, clips, etc.
The more comfortable the ride is for her..the more she will want to ride.
2) Buy a bike with better components. If you bump your price up a few hundred dollars you are now dealing with 105's in stead of Sora. A bike that doesnt shift easily, has mechanical issues is just going to lead to frustration on your wife's part. I bought my wife's bike the same time my best friend bought his wife a Specialized Dolce..I think it has shimano 2300 or something like that. The trek my wife has is equipped with ultegra. I cant tell you how many times we were out with them..and the friends wife was upset because it wasnt shifting correctly. Needless to say..she is no longer riding and my wife bought a roof rack for her car so she can go riding anytime she wants and not have to wait on me.
A hassle free bike leads to fun times for your wife. ..the more fun she has..the more she will want to ride.
I was in our local shop yesterday and trek 2.1 compacts were selling for $1200. Save your money on the hybrid pedals. She doesnt want clipless, so i would waste money until she is ready to try clipless.
1) This is the most important: Go with a LBS that is going to spend time fitting the bike for your wife. There was a thread a few days about a person went to a cpl of shops. One stated it would take about 15mins to fit the bike. Another said 1-2hrs. The shop that said 15mins: All they will do is raise the seat height while they process your credit card and tell you to have a nice day.
The shop that is taking 2 hours is going to adjust the handlebar width, stem length/angle..seat position, clips, etc.
The more comfortable the ride is for her..the more she will want to ride.
2) Buy a bike with better components. If you bump your price up a few hundred dollars you are now dealing with 105's in stead of Sora. A bike that doesnt shift easily, has mechanical issues is just going to lead to frustration on your wife's part. I bought my wife's bike the same time my best friend bought his wife a Specialized Dolce..I think it has shimano 2300 or something like that. The trek my wife has is equipped with ultegra. I cant tell you how many times we were out with them..and the friends wife was upset because it wasnt shifting correctly. Needless to say..she is no longer riding and my wife bought a roof rack for her car so she can go riding anytime she wants and not have to wait on me.
A hassle free bike leads to fun times for your wife. ..the more fun she has..the more she will want to ride.
I was in our local shop yesterday and trek 2.1 compacts were selling for $1200. Save your money on the hybrid pedals. She doesnt want clipless, so i would waste money until she is ready to try clipless.
04-29-10, 10:49 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
If the bike shop says she can be fitted to any bike, then yes, I would see that as a red flag. One thing you could do would be to get a fitting from an independent place. Many cycling coaches who do vo2max or blood lactate testing will also do professional fitting sessions. These aren't cheap, sometimes $100-150, but that way you get the fit data from someone who isn't also trying to sell you a bike. This may set your mind at ease somewhat. You can take the fit recommendations with you to a bike shop who can then look them over and suggest bikes that align with whatever was recommended in the pro fitting session.
I also agree that parking lot test rides are useless. You may want to check around to see whether any shops in your area have demo bikes that you can take out on the road. Some of the shops in my area let you take a bike out for a real ride or even rent one for a day for a minimal charge to see how you like it. That will give your girlfriend a pretty good idea whether a particular bike is comfortable.
I don't see anything wrong with getting a road bike right away. There may be things you can do to increase comfort like getting a stem with an angle that lets her sit more upright at first - then later once she has built up more strength she can switch to a different stem.
I would also recommend that you have her try out as many bikes as possible. That's what I did when I was looking for a road bike. After trying a ton of bikes, when I finally found the one I ride now (Ruby Pro), I knew right away that it was the right bike. I've been really happy with it.
When you do test ride bikes, I would either bring your own pump, or ask the bike shop to pump up the tires to a specific pressure. Some less reputable shops will not pump up the tires all the way, making the ride seem cushier than it really is.
I also agree that parking lot test rides are useless. You may want to check around to see whether any shops in your area have demo bikes that you can take out on the road. Some of the shops in my area let you take a bike out for a real ride or even rent one for a day for a minimal charge to see how you like it. That will give your girlfriend a pretty good idea whether a particular bike is comfortable.
I don't see anything wrong with getting a road bike right away. There may be things you can do to increase comfort like getting a stem with an angle that lets her sit more upright at first - then later once she has built up more strength she can switch to a different stem.
I would also recommend that you have her try out as many bikes as possible. That's what I did when I was looking for a road bike. After trying a ton of bikes, when I finally found the one I ride now (Ruby Pro), I knew right away that it was the right bike. I've been really happy with it.
When you do test ride bikes, I would either bring your own pump, or ask the bike shop to pump up the tires to a specific pressure. Some less reputable shops will not pump up the tires all the way, making the ride seem cushier than it really is.
