Help for an uneducated newbie!

Iago

Hi Guys,

Being blunt I have no idea what makes a good bike or what I should be looking for. After a couple of injuries from impact sports and because I'm trying to keep my weight down I'm looking to start cycling to and from work and get out a couple of nights a week cycling in the summer.

I was hoping that someone might be able to recommend me a bike that would be suitable for this. I know height probably matters so I'm 5'7", mainly looking to cycle to and from work on a main road and looking to do some general road and hill work then in the evenings and weekends.

I don't have a budget as such, but I would rather spend <€500 on this bike until I get myself up to speed and really find out what I need.

Any help, direction on what kind of material, what make of bike etc would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

godfather69er

Iago wrote:

Hi Guys,

Being blunt I have no idea what makes a good bike or what I should be looking for. After a couple of injuries from impact sports and because I'm trying to keep my weight down I'm looking to start cycling to and from work and get out a couple of nights a week cycling in the summer.

I was hoping that someone might be able to recommend me a bike that would be suitable for this. I know height probably matters so I'm 5'7", mainly looking to cycle to and from work on a main road and looking to do some general road and hill work then in the evenings and weekends.

I don't have a budget as such, but I would rather spend <€500 on this bike until I get myself up to speed and really find out what I need.

Any help, direction on what kind of material, what make of bike etc would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

if you are trying to lose weight i would not recomend cycling. Running or swimming will burn alot more calories. but if you have injuries from a impact sport as you put it id reccomend you take up swimming.

if you really want to cycle and do hill work heres my advice,
frame size 18" or 19"
anything between 18 and 28 gears on a mountain bike(better ratios than on a racer so will be easier to cycle up a hill)
try to go for a aluminium frame as it is lighter.
id strongly reccomend you either (i) get a decent new cheap bike around e150 - e200 so if you dont like it you dont have an expensive heap lying in the shed wasting away. (ii)get a good second hand bike but as with everything second hand your most likley buying sombody elses problem.

start off cheap and if you really like it move up in the ranges. a raleigh Freeride 18" is what id reccomend it is a hardtail(not dual us) v.light frame and decent gears for around e200

roadmanmad

Cycling has advantages if your knees are still in good nick. Be careful too much will damage exacerbate current injuries. See a sports injury specialist, it will save a fortune.

Agree with above. Foregt weight loss when Cycling.

But you can do the following. Raise your Metabolic rate.

1) Always eat a breakfast. Nothing huge.
2) Cycle to work. This increases body performance when burning calories.
3) Depending on your job every 40 minutes- walk/stretch for 30 seconds.
4) No snacking.
5) Eat a nutricious small meal at regular intervals.
6) Eat main meal in the middle of the day - if you can.
7) No alcohol late.

all of these will help.

wahlrab

Is cycling really that bad on your knees

leeroybrown

wahlrab wrote:

Is cycling really that bad on your knees

I wouldn't say that cycling is 'bad' for your knees but of all the body parts they are the most stressed when cycling. It has the potential to place extra pressure on your knees due to bad riding positions, overly large increase in ride lengths and also to stress existing knee problems.

Civilian_Target

Yeah - cycling's bad for your knees, when you fall off thats what you'll land on.

And if you start cycling long-term, a fall is inevitable...

I'd suggest picking up a hybrid, something as light as you can (Ridgeback, Giant and Specialised are all good names, but don't get hung up on the brand), and remember to leave at least €100 slack for your gear, because:
Lock: €30
Lights: €20
Helmet: €50

and you'll probably need gloves, waterproofs (Pennys are good for this if you need it cheap) and ideally a reflective jacket.

Here's 3 I like the look of (after 2 mins searching)

Quick, nimble, no-frills: good for flying around on but not ideal for commuting, http://www.mcconveycycles.com/products.php?plid=m1b0s18p1746

Reliable town commuting bike, fairly light and solid, rear panniers for your stuff and chainguards for your convenience: http://www.mcconveycycles.com/products.php?plid=m1b0s18p2100

Strong and reasonably comfy workhorse for long commutes or a few hours in the country: http://www.bikes2udirect.com/B1143.html

Alkers

Like the look of the first bike linked to there, I'd tend to steer away from the kind of "old man" commuter/hybrid bikes, I find the riding position far too upright. It would be a good idea to go get measured up etc. by a shop and then keep an eye out for something second hand that suits your dimensions. €500 should get you something decent enough not to put you off cycling alltogether but do remember that if you don't already have a certain level of fitness, it's not going to be any fun at all for the first while. I do recomend you stick with it though, even if it's not going to be a major influence on your weight loss, it certainly won't do any harm. I love commuting, you are so much more awake and ready for the day after a cycle than after a trip on public transport or a drive. You will also find yourself needing to eat in the mornings and more healthly tired at night. Give us an idea as to how long your commute is and how fit you are at the moment. You also should be familiar enough with your bike and the roads before you start commuting, it can be hairy enough, especially in the city centre at peak times.
Good luck!