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Forum Home: Bike Cafe: Beginner's Corner:
Suggestions needed for new bike purchase

 



ba_paul
New User

Apr 7, 2005, 2:37 PM

Post #1 of 3 (9674 views)
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Suggestions needed for new bike purchase Quote | Reply

:|: My Stats :|:

Age- 36

Height- 6ft

Weight- 185

Sex- Male

Experience- confident

Budget- something reasonable; not ostentatious nor trifled

Usage- Need a bike to get me back & forth from work. From my house to work is about 2miles. My ride would be on a paved flat surface the whole time (95% to be exact).

Special Needs- I need to carry along a computer case for my laptop (I was thinking about a bike rack).

Thoughts- I was thinking about getting a Hybrid bike, I have no particular reason why. Only that my logic was a Road bike was much to delicate for my recreational needs (have family & kids). And a Mountain bike was just to aggressive for my needs, as I don't plan on riding over a cliff.

Question: how do I measure what size bike I should be looking for and what type of bikes do you recommend I start looking at?



TIA,

Paul


tin
Enthusiast

Apr 11, 2005, 9:03 PM

Post #2 of 3 (9647 views)
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Re: [ba_paul] Suggestions needed for new bike purchase [In reply to] Quote | Reply

Hello Paul,

To answer your last question first, the best way to get started finding the
right size bike for you is to measure your inseam from the floor up, then, to
find the ideal standover height, subtract one inch, or 2-3 centimeters from
your inseam measurement.

Based on the stats you provided, I would say something like the Raleigh C-30,
or the Fuji Crosstown would be close to what you're looking for, but the
higher-end Raleigh C-500 or Fuji Absolute might be better suited for
commuting than a hybrid. Better still, would be soemthing like the Breezer
Town models. Those bikes are designed around the idea that bicycles can be
more utilitarian. They include internal gearing (think an updated version of
the classic raleigh 3-speed), a nice generator-powered lighting system, and a
decent rear rack for carrying anything you may need to carry with you. They
even have a full line of accessories to go with the bikes, which include
panniers, handlebar bags, and a computer case that mounts to the rack like a
standard pannier.

You shouldn't rule out a road bike, however, bceause many people commute on
them daily, myself included, and I have never had a mechanical problem that
was related to the equipment normally found on a road bike. They can be very
dependable bicycles and possibly better suited to commuting than a hybrid
would be, simply because they offer a wider range of body positions (which
really helps make longer commutes more comfortable).

You can see the full lines of the bikes we carry on the Raleigh, Fuji, and
Breezer (http://www.breezerbikes.com) websites. The Breezer website is
also a good resource for information about commuting and safe cycling.
Of course, if you have any further questions, you can always give us a call
at (510)763-2453. Our mechanics and sales staff are very knowledgable
and friendly and can answer just about any question you might have.

Good luck in your search, and we'll always be here if you need us.

-Justin (the warehouse guy)

***Bay Area Bikes***
1050 W. Grand Ave
Oakland, CA
"Friendly Affordable Cycling"



(This post was edited by tin on Apr 11, 2005, 9:06 PM)


ba_paul
New User

Apr 13, 2005, 2:18 PM

Post #3 of 3 (9620 views)
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Re: [tin] Suggestions needed for new bike purchase [In reply to] Quote | Reply

Thanks Justin, that was exactly the type of information i was looking for.


Paul

 
 


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