college girl looking for the perfect bike. mountain/hybrid?!

[thepreciousegg]

hey everyone,
i'm looking for the perfect bike to be my companion, but i'm having trouble deciding what would be best... a mountain bike or a hybrid? today i was told at my LBS that you have to be careful riding on gravel or on trails with a hybrid. i'm 5'7" tall and weigh 125 lbs. i'm looking for a quick, comfortable ride on the street but a durable, strong bike for the trails and occasional off-roading. i've decided on the trek brand, but i'm lost as to what type of bike i should buy. i like the light weight and speed of the hybrids, but i 'm nervous about gravel and such things obstructing my ride. pahlease help me!

 

[eric_the_red]

There's not really a perfect bike that will do all you want, you're going to have to buy two, or three . Bikes don't like to be home alone, they should always have other bikes for company.

To be more serious a hybrid would definitely be better on the road. Less effort and faster. As for the trails, a hybrid should be able to handle most gravel roads, as long as the gravel isn't too loose and deep. If you're getting into anything more technical then a mountain bike would be better. It just depends how much trails you'll be doing.

You could always get a mountain bike and buy some narrow slick tires for use on the road. That would mean changing tires when you went trail riding though.

 

[pm7771]

hi college girl-

I was looking at hybrids & comfort bikes late spring, but all my cycler friends said I'd do better on something with a narrower seat; mountain or road. And I definitely wanted to go off-roading. Plus when I was recommended the basic Trek 820 steel mountain bike, I liked the $219 price.

Well let me tell you I have had fun and more exercise than I ever imagined! And did I say fun? I'm today up over 1100 mi since May, riding mostly bike paths & back roads of southeastern Mass. I started with 5 mi trips, now averaging 25, and Sunday did longest of 41. My upgrades have been to clipless pedals and slick tires, which are wonderful for my riding.

Good luck & have fun!

 

[thepreciousegg]

thank you, both of you!

i'm super excited about getting a bike! and i really appreciate your responses.

i've been researching on the internet like crazy so i'm well informed when i'm (hopefully) test driving some bikes this weekend.

after much speculation, i think i'm leaning towards a mountain bike. i think i would feel more comfortable on one. my LBS has some trek WSD's that i definitely want to check out. however, due to my slight height, a men's mountain bike might be better.

also - i will need a sturdy mountain bike to handle an upcoming illinois winter that i plan on riding around in. oh, the excitement !

---------------------------------

i have another question.

i've been reading about the "fit kit" and am wondering what your opinions are on that. one LBS that is very close to me has the "fit kit" at their store, but little selection and sub-par service. if i were to get "fit-kitted" at this store, but buy a bike from another store that has greater selection and service...would the information from the fit kit be applicable to the latter store that doesn't have fit kits? fiiiiiittt kittt.

in other words...is it possible to get fitted at one store, and use that information to buy a bike from another?

or should i just scrap the whole "fit kit" idea altogether?

blah blah.

i just want to make sure the bike fits me just right so i can maximize my full riding potential.

i don't want to spend money on a bike that is too small or too big in some way. help!

 

[eric_the_red]

I've never tried the fit kit, but the measurements should apply to all bikes. There's a few internet sites where you can plug in some body measurements and get the recommended bike size, like this one
http://www.wrenchscience.com/WS1/Secure/Fitting/Height.asp

The most important thing is to try a few different makes and models. And don't just ride around the parking lot at the store. If they won't let you go for a 30 minute test ride then take your money elsewhere.

 

[madisongrrl]

You can never go wrong with buying a mountain bike....you can take it on any type of terrain. You can even buy slicks or a second wheel set with slicks...then its almost as if you have two bikes! One for the road and one for the trail.

If you are intersted in getting fitted (especially if you have to pay for it) you might want to go though a FIST or Serotta certified fitter. If that bike shop seems sub-par, then I would guess that their fit-kit skills might be sub-par also. Ask who does the fittings and ask for a list of their qualifications.

Here is a resume from one of the best bike fitters around (IMO)...just to give you an idea. http://bikesportmichigan.com/wheels/bio.shtml

A fit-kit allows the bike fitter to determine your specs....frame size, saddle height, crank length, stem length etc. They order your bike with all the need size specific parts. Next, they put you on the trainer with your new bike then continue the fitting session from there. Many fits are not as extensive as this, but it depends on the bike shop, fitter experience, and $$ that you are spending. Many times fitters give a discount or will do a free fitting if you buy the bike from their shop.
I

 

[thepreciousegg]

thank you for your advice.

i am seriously looking at the trek 6500 mtb...any opinions?

 

[inrharmony]

thank you for your advice.

i am seriously looking at the trek 6500 mtb...any opinions?

That's a nice bike. One word of caution...I saw you mention riding in the snow at some point...you might want to make sure you have a bike with disc brakes if that's the case...ice buildup on rims is a freaky thing, so I hear from my sister's boyfriend...he was coming down a snowy mountain road a couple years back....when he started applying the brakes, nothing...he thought he was going to have to choose between hitting a rock face or going airborne off the side of the mountain. The brakes finally took hold, though...but not before he scared himself half to death!!!

I just saw the MSRP of that 6500...and for that price you should be able to get something with far better components than the 6500....a bike that retails for $700+ ought to have at least LX throughout....and maybe even XT here and there.

Good luck!!!

 

[NYYTEX22]

I had the same prob. But I bought a Trek 4300, bought road tires that fit the rim. But if I am going to ride on dirt and so on.. I kept my treaded tires. Bontrager has tires for the street that will fit the wheels on your bike.

 

[darkhelmet]

I had the same prob. But I bought a Trek 4300, bought road tires that fit the rim. But if I am going to ride on dirt and so on.. I kept my treaded tires. Bontrager has tires for the street that will fit the wheels on your bike.

NYYTEX22 has a good suggestion. I own a pair of Bontrager Comfort bike tires made for the street (26X1.95). They work very well on the street, MUP path or trail . I use this particular bike on paths and my son uses it on trails. The tires perform surprizingly well unless you try some really hard technical stuff or uphill in mud. I would definetly recommend the mountain bike route for two reasons. 1) It's easier to convert a mountain bike to the street, but the reverse is difficult to impossible. 2) If you don't like the mountain bike you can recover a large portion of your costs on resale. Have you ever tried to sell a hybrid? Good luck making your decision.

 

[NYYTEX22]

NYYTEX22 has a good suggestion. I own a pair of Bontrager Comfort bike tires made for the street (26X1.95). They work very well on the street, MUP path or trail . I use this particular bike on paths and my son uses it on trails. The tires perform surprizingly well unless you try some really hard technical stuff or uphill in mud. I would definetly recommend the mountain bike route for two reasons. 1) It's easier to convert a mountain bike to the street, but the reverse is difficult to impossible. 2) If you don't like the mountain bike you can recover a large portion of your costs on resale. Have you ever tried to sell a hybrid? Good luck making your decision.

what can i say.....these things just come to me in my sleep!

 

[fury4]

Trek is a good brand. If you are worried about the hybrid, go for the MTB and if price is an issue, stick to your price range. If you are planning on getting into off roading in the future, I would spend a little more. You can always upgrade down the road. Hope this helps.