Buying first bike

[blenly]

Hello guys, I'm considering buying my first bike. I would mainly be using the bike to commute but possibly at the weekends as well. I have never bought a bike before and I'm really not sure what I need to consider when buying my first bike. I will mostly be riding the bike on cycle paths and maybe occasionally along the riverside.

 

[BikeBikeBikeBike]

Go to your local bike shop.
NOT Waltons Mart or a big box chain type of joint but a real locally owned bike shop.
Yes you are going to pay more money, but they will help you find the exact ride that fits your needs and is the right size for you. Ask what extra's you get with your purchase. A few free tune ups , some extra tubes stuff like that goes along way. A good bike will last decades if maintained right.

What's your budget?

 

[blenly]

I think I'd be willing to stretch up to 1000 for my first bike but from what I have seen on some threads; a lot of people recommend a higher budget than that. What I am really worried about is buying an expensive bike and it ends up being stolen within a few weeks or months.

 

[BikeBikeBikeBike]

You can find a great bike for under a grand easy. Don't worry about what people recommend you spend, it's your cash you worked for it spend what you are comfortable with.
Have you googled a list of LBS's in your area yet?
That's step one.
Step two is to go to each of them tell them you have say 5-7 hundred to spend and test out a few rides. See what feels good to you.
You are probably going to want to go towards an XC MTB, or a hybrid or a straight road bike.
Write down the makes and models you like from the LBS's and bring those names back to this thread.
Does not hurt to google them when you get home either.
Happy hunting!

 

[Froze]

I think I'd be willing to stretch up to 1000 for my first bike but from what I have seen on some threads; a lot of people recommend a higher budget than that. What I am really worried about is buying an expensive bike and it ends up being stolen within a few weeks or months.

Is this your first foray into any physical activity? Did you run nearly every day before looking into a bike? If this is your first foray into any physical activity then I WOULD NOT recommend that you spend $1,000 on your first bike, why you scream? Because about 78% of people that start any type of physical program (including joining gyms) will quit after an average of 3 months, thus if this happens to you you'll have a $1,000 piece of garage art sitting collecting dust for the next 30 or so years. If this is the case with you I would suggest you get on Craigslist and find a decent condition used bike for around $250, then if after 2 years or so you're still riding and are loving it then go get a $1,800 or so bike (yes I upgraded the price because you have 2 years to save more money for a better bike). If you buy a $1,000 bike and stick with it the sport you'll find out in about 3 to 5 years you needed a better bike, so why spend $1,000 now only in a short time be upgrading when you can spend $250 or so now and upgrade later like you would have to do anyways?

Also if all you're going to do is ride a short trail and along a river and never really get into long distance riding , your just doing it for recreational purposes then a $1,000 bike is an overkill, again a $250 bike would be better suited for that purpose. There are a lot of great condition bikes being sold by people who thought they were going to ride a lot and didn't and now are clearing out their garage, bikes that may have cost $800 and more for just around $250 (the older the bike the better the deal, but old doesn't mean you won't find parts nor means it will break like crazy as long as you know what to look for in a bike and it's components).

 

[neednoexcuse]

I would recommend you to buy the bike online because they offer huge discounts on bikes and they also offer worldwide shipping service. If you want, you can go to the local store and ask the price of a specific bike and then you should check the price of the same bike online and I bet you will know the difference and you will understand the benefits of buying the bike online.

 

[neednoexcuse]

I have a collection of almost 20 bikes and I have bought them online. I was lucky to have a friend as the dealer of the bike shop. That is why I got the bike for a very less price. I don't know why people hesitate to buy the bikes online but I think that it's the best option. Well, you can compare the price of almost every bike online. The only benefit of buying the bikes from the local store is that you can easily negotiate the price.

 

[Froze]

I have a collection of almost 20 bikes and I have bought them online. I was lucky to have a friend as the dealer of the bike shop. That is why I got the bike for a very less price. I don't know why people hesitate to buy the bikes online but I think that it's the best option. Well, you can compare the price of almost every bike online. The only benefit of buying the bikes from the local store is that you can easily negotiate the price.

I tend to agree with you on this. Bike stores carry only carry the big 5 brands, Trek (gag me), Specialized, and Giant, these 3 control the market, then these two are carried too: Cannondale, and Scott. And unlike cars where you have many brands and models when you go to dealers, bike dealers on the other hand it's rare to find anything outside the big 5. Almost 99% of all custom bikes are done online, people looking for something different like Orbea or Colnago etc almost all have to buy online, almost all titanium bikes are purchased online. Bike stores are just too narrow in their bike presentations, it's like those big 5 companies have a monopoly on bike stores.

 

[divinemaredi]

I have a collection of almost 20 bikes and I have bought them online. I was lucky to have a friend as the dealer of the bike shop. That is why I got the bike for a very less price. I don't know why people hesitate to buy the bikes online but I think that it's the best option. Well, you can compare the price of almost every bike online. The only benefit of buying the bikes from the local store is that you can easily negotiate the price.

Wow, 20 bikes? That's impressive, guess I should consider buying things online from now...