looking to start cycling

[jettafreak5768]

hey guys im wanting to start cycling, im 5'11, around 260, and just recently lost 20lbs. I live in the country ( 45-65 mph roads) so the distance i can ride is pretty big. so I'm looking for a bike, i've looked around and found out im looking for a hybrid or a moutain and a road bike or more towards a road bike because of the area im in. But im stuck on what to Choose unless i should build my own but i wouldn't know where to start there ether.... im looking for some help if anyone could help a newby out.

 

[RonSwanson]

The best type of bike will depend on your body. I found that taking supplements have helped a lot. I take Actigin for endurance and beast creature for creatine.

 

[Volnix]

Same thread? :

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t/500343/question-on-a-bikes/0_30

 

[jpr95]

Originally Posted by RonSwanson
The best type of bike will depend on your body. I found that taking supplements have helped a lot. I take Actigin for endurance and beast creature for creatine.

Wow, really? Someone asks for a recommendation on what type of bike they might need to start cycling and you recommend a bunch of chemical ****?

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by jpr95

Wow, really? Someone asks for a recommendation on what type of bike they might need to start cycling and you recommend a bunch of chemical ****?

I caught that too, the poster must have an invested interest in that **** because he mentioned it on other posts too.

Getting back to the real subject material.

Hybrid bikes I wouldn't bother with unless you have some sort of back issue where you can't ride a drop bar bike. Getting a hybrid will only make you get a drop bike about a year after you buy it! If you can ride a drop bar bike I would look into a cross bike, these bikes are built sturdier than a standard road bike which means it can handle your weight without a problem, most road bikes are designed up to about a 220 pound rider limit, the cross bike can take significantly more. Plus a cross bike is more flexible, you can use it for mild off road, you can use it for touring, you can use it for commuting, you can use it for a road bike, etc.

The questions I have for you is this: Are you new to cycling? If you cycled before did you do it a lot?

If you haven't cycled a lot ever I would recommend getting a low cost, perhaps used, bike under $500 so you don't end up with a $2,000 piece of garage art if you decide cycling is not for you. If you have cycled a lot before then consider these cross bikes IF mail order doesn't bother you: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/cross_bikes.htm The best deal on the page is the Fantom Cross Pro Titanium for $1700 (click on the picture not the words or you get taken to an aluminium version). For $1,700 to get a TI bike is an incredible deal, plus the Rival group is a very good group. If mail order bothers you then go to an LBS but try to stay away from the BIG brand bikes like Trek, Specialized, Cannondale because they cost more for what you get due to marketing expenses; instead try to find especially a Kona and KHS (these two are probably the best bang for the buck LBS bikes), and also look at Fuji, Felt, or Raleigh.

 

[Owboduz]

Originally Posted by Froze Hybrid bikes I wouldn't bother with unless you have some sort of back issue where you can't ride a drop bar bike. Getting a hybrid will only make you get a drop bike about a year after you buy it!

I can vouch for that. It's precisely what I did.

 

[Stikor1]

Hello guys!

Can someone please help me!

My bike was stolen and im in the market for a new one! Not spending a fortune as my last one cost a lot and im not going down that route again!

As my knowledge is very limited can someone please tell me which is better please(i.e. spec etc)?

http://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/carrera-gryphon-hybrid-bike-large-21#tab2

or

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Claud-Butler-Mercury-Gold-2012-Hybrid-Sports-Bike_52040.htm

I have no idea!

Thanks a mil!

 

[Froze]

I wouldn't bother with the Claud Butler because it's out of stock! Have you seen this one: http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Charge-Grater-1-2014-Hybrid-Classic-Bike_66141.htm It's on sale and seems to have slightly better components than either of the other two.

 

[Stikor1]

Hi, thanks for the mail, but the Claud is not out of stock! They told me they have 2 left today!

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by Stikor1
Hi, thanks for the mail, but the Claud is not out of stock! They told me they have 2 left today!

that's what the web site said at 7pm tonight EST. Either way the other bike I showed is still a tad better.

 

[ambal]

Originally Posted by RonSwanson
The best type of bike will depend on your body. I found that taking supplements have helped a lot. I take Actigin for endurance and beast creature for creatine.

Can you quantify "it helped a lot" ? Would be great to see some before and after power meter files. I reckon Actigin seems like a pretty dodgy product, it's lacking any useful research we can trust. I don't understand why a company would make bottles of sugar pills for $1.00 each and think they can get away with making enormous claims and selling them for 50 or 60 times the cost of production.

Surely law makers would ensure there has been adequate research to back up the outlandish claims and consumers aren't gullible enough to be suckered in by fancy graphics on cheap bottles of pills.... are they?

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by ambal

Surely law makers would ensure there has been adequate research to back up the outlandish claims and consumers aren't gullible enough to be suckered in by fancy graphics on cheap bottles of pills.... are they?

Actually people are suckers, that's why we have those supplement ads on TV...but wait act now and you'll get a second bottle absolutely free, you just pay for shipping and handling. Shipping and handling...there was one ad that was giving their supplements away for free, except shipping and handling was $95. Then these companies have these sites that do reviews, and they load up the sites with false positive remarks so you have to read about 10 dozen reviews before the negatives come up knowing that most people will only read the first page or two of reviews. There are even web places that you can pay to have all negative websites pushed far away from searching criteria.

 

[ambal]

Originally Posted by Froze
Actually people are suckers, that's why we have those supplement ads on TV...but wait act now and you'll get a second bottle absolutely free, you just pay for shipping and handling. Shipping and handling...there was one ad that was giving their supplements away for free, except shipping and handling was $95. Then these companies have these sites that do reviews, and they load up the sites with false positive remarks so you have to read about 10 dozen reviews before the negatives come up knowing that most people will only read the first page or two of reviews. There are even web places that you can pay to have all negative websites pushed far away from searching criteria.

I was being sarcastic, you probably figured that right? The sup industry is a real wild west, anything goes until it doesn't.

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by jettafreak5768
hey guys im wanting to start cycling, im 5'11, around 260, and just recently lost 20lbs. I live in the country ( 45-65 mph roads) so the distance i can ride is pretty big. so I'm looking for a bike, i've looked around and found out im looking for a hybrid or a moutain and a road bike or more towards a road bike because of the area im in. But im stuck on what to Choose unless i should build my own but i wouldn't know where to start there ether.... im looking for some help if anyone could help a newby out.

From the nature of your question it's clear you shouldn't be building your own bike. For riders with no experience riding or fixing their own bikes these turn into money pits.

Why not visit a bike shop, tell them what you need, and see what they recommend? Among the major brands, the bikes are pretty comparable given a price point and major category. Your weight indicates you will be hard on tires and wheels, though. Tell the people you need rugged more than anything else.

Regarding ordering something from BikesDirect.com, that's something I don't recommend for those who don't already know how a well set-up bike is supposed to work, and, like all price-point (i.e., highly discounted) dealers, the wheels is the first place they cut quality so they can load mediocre frames with nice component sets.

 

[Froze]

Originally Posted by ambal

I was being sarcastic, you probably figured that right? The sup industry is a real wild west, anything goes until it doesn't.

I figured that out, I was just going off on it more.

I've known people that spent $500 a month on supplements because all that stuff was lacking in our diets due to over farmed farm lands that aren't putting nutrients back into our food, we need antioxidants to fight of disease and cancers, and all sorts of mumbo jumbo, the problem is one person in particular that I knew died of cancer before she was 48 and she was health food vegan nut along with having all sorts of degrees in that realm, so I guess spending $500 a month didn't help her...unfortunately. I knew another vegan too that died of cancer at 53 that person spent about $200 a month on supplements but could have spent a lot more if income didn't prevent her. People always hope this stuff will somehow work, problem is people that get hung up on that **** are actually toxifying their bodies worse! And because there is no government regulation on this **** it gets marketed with all sorts of glorious claims, but much of it is nothing but snake oil. I don't take any supplements, maybe I'm too extreme the opposite way, but if you eat right you shouldn't have to take any supplements; even doctors will tell you that you never need anything more than a cheap generic one a day multivitamin.