Newbie.........advice

Another P.S. I'm about 5'8 and approximately 190 lbs. If that makes a difference on how big a bike
to get.......

Thanks, Scott

EA Pissant said:

I have been lurking here for a few weeks now. I used to be in excellent shape.......but after a
series of injuries forced me to stop lifting ........I am looking for something i can do several
days a week to help me get back in to "reasonable" shape. (whatever that is LOL)

I have been wanting to get a bike and do some riding and figured I could check this NG out for a
few tips. I am looking for something very basic, to do a fair amount of street riding, with some
occaisional trips on some local trails. Unfortunately, the only place I can see anything I might
be remotely interested in buying is my local Wal-Mart. Now I know thats going to stir up some
attacks on their bikes, but I am only wanting something to kind of "break into" this with. If I
find I want to ride more and do more serious "trail or mountain" riding then I would get
something more expensive in the next few months. But for now, I am not looking to spend a ton on
a decent bike. Anyone here have any suggestions......?
P.S. I know there are some bike shops around here in Richmond VA. and if i wanted to, I could
spend a small fortune on a bike. Thats not what I'm really looking for now though. Any
help is appreciated...... Scott

You'd probably be better off getting a used bike from your LBS than going to Wal-Mart. I had one of
those bikes and of course it worked but it wasn't exactl fun to ride. The next bike I bought was a
decent Gary Fisher hybrid. This is when it dawned upon me how much fun it was to ride a bike. All of
a sudden my 8 km commute started turning into 50 k rides and now I've bought two more bikes. A
roadbike and an MTB.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

Check for Bike Swaps in your area. I used to work around Richmond and there are serveral good LBS
that run bike swaps a few times during the year. You could ultimately get a fantastic deal on a
decent bike. You could also try eBay. I bought a used GT iDrive 3.0 in fairly decent condition for
$350 once upon a time.

"EA Pissant" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been lurking here for a few weeks now. I used to be in excellent shape.......but after a
series of injuries

forced

Quoted message said:

me to stop lifting ........I am looking for something i can do several

days a

Quoted message said:

week to help me get back in to "reasonable" shape. (whatever that is

LOL)

Quoted message said:

I have been wanting to get a bike and do some riding and figured I could check this NG out for a
few tips. I am looking for something very basic, to do a fair amount of street

riding,

Quoted message said:

with some occaisional trips on some local trails. Unfortunately, the only place I can see anything
I might be remotely interested in buying is my local Wal-Mart. Now I know thats going to stir up
some attacks on their bikes, but I am

only

Quoted message said:

wanting something to kind of "break into" this with. If I find I want to ride more and do more
serious "trail or mountain"

riding

Quoted message said:

then I would get something more expensive in the next few months. But for now, I am not looking to
spend a ton on a decent bike. Anyone here have any suggestions......?
P.S. I know there are some bike shops around here in Richmond VA. and

if i

Quoted message said:

wanted to, I could spend a small fortune on a bike. Thats not what I'm really looking for now
though. Any help is appreciated...... Scott

"EA Pissant" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have been lurking here for a few weeks now. I used to be in excellent shape.......but after a
series of injuries

forced

Quoted message said:

me to stop lifting ........I am looking for something i can do several

days a

Quoted message said:

week to help me get back in to "reasonable" shape. (whatever that is

LOL)

Quoted message said:

I have been wanting to get a bike and do some riding and figured I could check this NG out for a
few tips. I am looking for something very basic, to do a fair amount of street

riding,

Quoted message said:

with some occaisional trips on some local trails. Unfortunately, the only place I can see anything
I might be remotely interested in buying is my local Wal-Mart. Now I know thats going to stir up
some attacks on their bikes, but I am

only

Quoted message said:

wanting something to kind of "break into" this with. If I find I want to ride more and do more
serious "trail or mountain"

riding

Quoted message said:

then I would get something more expensive in the next few months. But for now, I am not looking to
spend a ton on a decent bike. Anyone here have any suggestions......?
P.S. I know there are some bike shops around here in Richmond VA. and

if i

Quoted message said:

wanted to, I could spend a small fortune on a bike. Thats not what I'm really looking for now
though. Any help is appreciated...... Scott

Hey, I live in Richmond VA too and sad to say most of the bike shops in Richmond aren't too far from
Walmart's level. (My friends and I call it 'mountain bike hell'😉 But if you know what you're looking
for some good deals can be had at Goodly or Agee's which would give you a better bike than what you
would get at Walmart (at least set up better). I understand you wanting to get a 'break in' bike, I
started on a $250 Costco Motiv, but there are some very fun trails in the CVA area and you will get
hooked. The Motiv would've been $250 (plus repairs) towards a better bike. Drop me an email if you
want to go bike shopping.

Mike

[email hidden] (EA Pissant) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have been lurking here for a few weeks now. I used to be in excellent shape.......but after a
series of injuries forced me to stop lifting ........I am looking for something i can do several
days a week to help me get back in to "reasonable" shape. (whatever that is LOL)

I have been wanting to get a bike and do some riding and figured I could check this NG out for a
few tips. I am looking for something very basic, to do a fair amount of street riding, with some
occaisional trips on some local trails. Unfortunately, the only place I can see anything I might
be remotely interested in buying is my local Wal-Mart. Now I know thats going to stir up some
attacks on their bikes, but I am only wanting something to kind of "break into" this with.

You did use the correct word: "break."

As the former owner of a POS department store bike, my advice to you is to stay away from those
bikes, if for no other reason than your personal safety.

A used bike from an LBS is the best way to go. Don't buy one of those shiny bike-shaped toys. If
you're going to rade up in a couple of months anyway, might as well save that money instead of
throwing it down the toilet on a piece of [censored] bike. [pun intended]

Good luck.

Spider

Quoted message said:

Another P.S. I'm about 5'8 and approximately 190 lbs. If that makes a difference on how big a
bike to get.......

Thanks, Scott

The Schwinn Sidewinder is on sale right now at Walmart online. Give it a go.

oh, I'd take it to your LBS and have them check it over before you ride it, though. Walmart has
their bikes assembled by monkeys.

-John Morgan
--
"I tried lube, careful prying, careful digging and even not so careful digging. Little chunks of
rubber." --Sad Bob

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately, the only place I can see anything I might be remotely interested in buying is my
local Wal-Mart.

You are kidding, aren't you? 🙂

"EA Pissant" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am looking for something very basic, to do a fair amount of street

riding,

Quoted message said:

with some occaisional trips on some local trails. Unfortunately, the only place I can see anything
I might be remotely interested in buying is my local Wal-Mart.

I live a couple hours from you in Lynchburg and work part time at the local bike shop. You can
get on a bike for a couple dollars more than the Wallyworld stuff that won't explode on you out
on the trail. In fact send me an email, I may be able to get you a deal from one of the mechanics
at my shop.

Gary in VA