Thinking of Jumping into biking in a Giant way.

[javacontour]

I went for a 30 mile ride last weekend. How is that for a first time out? I do spinning at our local YMCA and they have periodic weekend rides and the instructor keeps asking if I want to go (while her husband is standing there, knock it off.) I've always said I don't have a bike and wasn't planning to buy anything until after the Italy trip.

I'm back from Italy, so I took her up on the offer to go with their group and we did a 30 mile round trip on some local bike trails.

She brought her husbands Giant FCR 1, IIRC. It was a flat bar bike with 23mm tires and an 8 gear cassette in back. I don't recall the hardware specifics. Let's just say I had a blast, especially when at the end of the ride, I reeled in her brother on his brand new Giant Defy and left him and others in my dust.

It seems the Giant Rapid series is comparable to that bike and they run about $1200 at the local bike shop.

I don't plan to ride trails, but this may be something I do two or three Saturdays each month and possibly sometimes with my wife, but probably not the same distances with her, etc.

What else should I be looking at that is comparable?

What are the pros and cons to this style bike?

What other questions should I be asking that I'm not even thinking about?

I've owned discount store bikes my whole life and what a shock to ride something that was engineered to be as slick as this several years old FCR 1.

But I don't necessarily want to jump on the first bike I've ridden and say giddy-up. What else should I be looking at?

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I've owned discount store bikes my whole life and what a shock to ride something that was engineered to be as slick as this several years old FCR 1.


I was that way too... until I rode the Specialized Allez Elite that I'm now trying to ride the wheels off of.

I never had any idea how slick (and addictive) that the Shimano 105 components (especially the shifters) could be!

 

[JOD]

You aren't gonna make me dig up that old thread where you're giving me a hard time about those @#$!# cyclists, are you??

Seriously, welcome to the dark side. It's funny, once you ride 5 miles, you can ride 50. I came from a sport where we used to run 400's for "endurance", so endurance cycling was really weird to me at first, but once it's starts to click you'll find that you can ride pretty far pretty quickly.

I understand the reticence to look around at different bikes, but honestly that's probably the ideal bike. Flat bar road bikes make a lot of sense, particularly for someone pretty new to the sport. It'll give you a little more control and confidence than a drop-bar bike, and if you ever decided you wanted to put drop bars on it, you could easily do it. Drop bars give you a few more hand positions and give you the opportunity to stretch out a bit more. That's good because you're pushing less wind and when if you start doing longer stuff (over 2 hours), it ends up being a bit more comfortable by taking some weight off your behind and distributing it a little more evenly. For just starting out though, the flat-bar road bike is a great choice.

As far as Giant vs. the other brands, there's not a ton of difference. Giant is the biggest bike manufacturer though, and generally offers really good value. They build good stuff.

It may be worth looking at a similar-priced sport road bike just for a comparison, but I'd say you're on the right track.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: JOD
You aren't gonna make me dig up that old thread where you're giving me a hard time about those @#$!# cyclists, are you??


I probably said something about SOME of the ones that ride the road near our subdivision and how they want the rules of the road to apply to cars, but fail to heed those same rules themselves.

IIRC, I mentioned that someday, one of them will roll through the four-way stop and end up a hood ornament because some driver stopped and went because it was his turn.
Originally Posted By: JOD


Seriously, welcome to the dark side. It's funny, once you ride 5 miles, you can ride 50. I came from a sport where we used to run 400's for "endurance", so endurance cycling was really weird to me at first, but once it's starts to click you'll find that you can ride pretty far pretty quickly.


Yeah, we did stuff like that as a kid. Every year there was a fund raiser, the "Bike-a-thon" and I took my bargain store 10 speed bike 50-60 miles around town to raise money.

I don't think our group is much on endurance. There is a pretty good network of paved bike paths around here, and that is where I plan to ride. We took off from one trail head, road 6 miles where some others from the class joined us, rode another 9 miles and stopped at a coffee shop in a local college town. Then we rode back. Afterwards, break out the cooler as we had mimosas.

I get the impression most of the rides are along these lines.

Originally Posted By: JOD


I understand the reticence to look around at different bikes, but honestly that's probably the ideal bike. Flat bar road bikes make a lot of sense, particularly for someone pretty new to the sport. It'll give you a little more control and confidence than a drop-bar bike, and if you ever decided you wanted to put drop bars on it, you could easily do it. Drop bars give you a few more hand positions and give you the opportunity to stretch out a bit more. That's good because you're pushing less wind and when if you start doing longer stuff (over 2 hours), it ends up being a bit more comfortable by taking some weight off your behind and distributing it a little more evenly. For just starting out though, the flat-bar road bike is a great choice.



I will still try some drop bars. How different can drop bar bikes be from the drop bar bikes I road 30 years ago? Other than the quality of engineering and components of course?

I would imagine converting to drops also involves new shifters and brake levers as it seems much of that stuff is integrated.
Originally Posted By: JOD


As far as Giant vs. the other brands, there's not a ton of difference. Giant is the biggest bike manufacturer though, and generally offers really good value. They build good stuff.

It may be worth looking at a similar-priced sport road bike just for a comparison, but I'd say you're on the right track.


I appreciate your feedback. Thanks!

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: JOD
You aren't gonna make me dig up that old thread where you're giving me a hard time about those @#$!# cyclists, are you??


Since I have far fewer posts regarding cyclists, it was rather easy for me to find my posts.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2320300#Post2320300

I still think my views are consistent. The problem is NOT the chosen mode of transport, it's the entitlement mentality of folks involved. Folks includes those in cars AND those on bikes.

Knuckleheads abound, regardless the mode of transport they choose.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: javacontour

I will still try some drop bars. How different can drop bar bikes be from the drop bar bikes I road 30 years ago? Other than the quality of engineering and components of course?

I would imagine converting to drops also involves new shifters and brake levers as it seems much of that stuff is integrated.


They're pretty different than the old "10 speeds", in that they're a lot more user-friendly. The shifters are integrated in the brake levers vs. on the down tube or stem, which is a lot more convenient. Also, most 10 speed-type bikes were basically designed as cheap "race" bikes, so the position and gearing were different. A sport-type road bike will have a higher handlebar setup, shorter top tube and will have much lower gearing than the 10-speeds of yore. So, if you have some experience riding around on that type of bike, it would probably be worth checking out a sport road bike as well, something like a Giant Avail.

As far as converting a flat bar road bike, you'd need the brake lever/shifters and handlebar. Needless to say, it would be cheaper to buy upfront what you want, but I'm just throwing that out there as an option if you go the flat bar route and change your mind down the road.

 

[javacontour]

I was thinking different in handling, since the big plus for the flat bar bikes is better control.

So is the handling of drop bar bikes much different than the old school 10 speed iron I rode as a teen?

Perhaps the best way to answer that is to ride some bikes.

 

[javacontour]

I rode this today

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/secteur/secteurelitecompact#specs

I rode one with SRAM components as well, but I don't see that in the current line up, so I wonder if they were added, or it was a previous year model.

I preferred the Shimano system.

 

[dja4260]

I think you can get alot more bike if you purchase from bikesdirect.com.

I'd have a look at Surly brand bikes as well.

Check out CAMBR.org for bikes for sale. Its the Chicago area biking forum. Nice helpful people as well.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: dja4260
I think you can get alot more bike if you purchase from bikesdirect.com.

I'd have a look at Surly brand bikes as well.


Possibly. For something like this, I think having a LBS may be worth some premium.


Quote:

Check out CAMBR.org for bikes for sale. Its the Chicago area biking forum. Nice helpful people as well.


I live in the RED part of IL

Downstate with all the corn and soybeans, Cardinals fans, and taxpayers, LOL.

However, I may check it out anyway.

Thanks

 

[javacontour]

I think I'm picking up a new 2012 Giant Defy 2 today. oilBabe picked out a step through womens hybrid bike (can't remember the model) because it's a nice shade of green she likes and has a comfy seat.

We had them set them back and we are returning today to make sure we still want them, etc.

 

[javacontour]

Picked it up yesterday. oilBabe chose a Giant Cypress in mint green. We went for an 8 mile ride yesterday

 

[The_Eric]

Congratulations!

I know that while my wife and I are very similar fundamentally, we are typically very different in our pastimes. Bicycling however is common ground we share and it has brought us many hours and many miles of togetherness and enjoyment. My hope is that the bikes bring you two as much enjoyment and together time as ours have!