Newbie looking for casual/comfort bike

[BBLouis]

Hi All,

Looking for some advice here. I am looking to buy a bike, and my top two concerns are comfort and budget. It's been a while since I have ridden a bike consistently, essentially since I got my license, and looking to start both for some exercise and for fun. Not looking to go on any long distance rides or to set any speed records. Looking for a casual ride that will be comfortable (so I will continue to ride it) on a tight budget. I have visited a couple local bike shops and they have been very hopeful. I now have a handful of bikes that I need to decide between, and hope people here can help me, since I have had a hard time finding customer reviews/consumer reports online.

Here are the bikes I have been told would work best for me:

- Louis Garneau Urbania SC4 - $449

- Cannondale Quick 6 - $599

- Cannondale Quick 8 - $519

- Trek Verve 2 - $529

- Specialized Expedition - $499

Any thoughts on these bikes? First thought would be cheaper is better, but is another one more bang for the buck or better suited for what I am looking for?

Thanks everyone for you help.

 

[CyclingJunkies]

Within that price range and those models I'd suggest you simply test ride them all and decide which you feel is the best fit for you right now. You can always upgrade later if the bug bites and you find yourself getting fitter and faster and wanting a more challenging ride.

Any decent shop should be prepared to set it up for you and let you have a good test ride (not just sit on it in the shop). That should give you a general feel for overall riding position, hand comfort (brakes / gear change / grips), steering twitchiness, rolling resistence, etc.

That should help you narrow down the selection, and then it's just a matter of kit / spec and which offers the best value.

 

[BBLouis]

Thanks, I will try that.

 

[Emily Witwer]

I agree with CyclingJunkies, the best is to try. As for me I had a big problem while choosing a bicycle. It took me a hour to get to the job, so I decided to choose a light, stylish and comfortable bike to use in good weather. So after reading lots of articles, I’ve decided to buy Dutch-style city bike. I saw the picture of it here http://bestadviser.net/urban-bikes/8-top-city-bikes-for-men-and-women/ and decided it would be the best choice. Also that chain guard turned to be very usefull.

 

[BBLouis]

Thanks for your help guys. Went with the Specialized Expedition, got it on a Black Friday sale regular $549 on sale for 20% off. Enjoyed the ride home in the rain.