Bicycle advice plz

[Xaqtly]

Okay. Due to a number of factors including my diabetes and neuropathy, my cholesterol levels, my relatively short commute to work (7 miles), gas prices and my doctor telling me I need to exercise more, I'm seriously thinking of buying a bike to commute to work. I'm out of shape but my vitals are all very good. My blood sugar is where it's supposed to be and my blood pressure is great.

I used to bike all the time when I was a kid, and I loved it. I think I can handle a 7 mile bike ride twice a day, once I get used to it. It will probably be real tough at first because I'm so out of shape. But I know nothing about serious biking and I was hoping to get some advice. I would need a road bike, but I was also thinking a sort of hybrid mountain/road bike would be good too. There's a lot of construction near my area, it's still being built up. Sometimes there's dirt, sand, rocks etc. on the roads I have to go on.

And then of course I live in the desert so it's stupidly hot most of the time. At 7:30 AM it's already 90 degrees at this time of year. So if you have any advice about the type of gear I would need to wear, I could use that too. What do you normally wear when you're biking on major roads with a lot of cars? Reflective vest? Any helmet advice?

[Mugge]

No need to blow the bank when buying a bike for commuting. Just make sure you take it for a test ride to ensure that it's not too hard to push forward, comfortable and has a durable fell to it. Standard parts are also a plus, so repairs wont be unnecessarily expensive.

And get a big ass lock for it.

:)

[tomoe]

If it's that hot, just make sure the helmet is ventilated, and considered getting a CamelBak for water while riding. If it's not too much, maybe get a separate "comfortable" biking outfit (e.g. shorts, a lightweight t-shirt, shoes--supposedly wool is v. good) & carry your work clothes separately on a luggage rack or in a backpack. 7 miles should be plenty easy. That's roughly what I do each way from Queens to Manhattan, almost every; it takes about ~30 minutes, give or take a few minutes depending on traffic.

[Xaqtly]

Thanks. Any bike brand recommendations? I'm pretty clueless about it, any specific models you might recommend that might serve for a cheap commuter bike? I've been looking around at various bike websites but I have no idea which models are decent.

[tomoe]

What is your price range? Any preference regarding bike type? E.g. mountain, road bike, townie, touring?

[Xaqtly]

Price range is "cheap" and probably a road bike. Just something for riding to work and back, all on public streets.

[Dave]

Price range is "cheap" and probably a road bike. Just something for riding to work and back, all on public streets.

A straight road bike would probably be best if clean paved roads are all you'll ever ride on. If I was going to pick just one bike and I was planning on riding it to work, I'd go for a hybrid model myself. Most of the benefits of a road bike in a somewhat more rugged package that allows for limited off-road activity.

[tomoe]

You're talking about a cyclo-cross bike, right Dave?

[Dave]

You're talking about a cyclo-cross bike, right Dave?

Ehhh... maybe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_bicycle)?

Edit: Found them (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclo-cross_bicycle). Yeah, that looks like it'd fit what I'd want in a sole bike. The goal, for me at least, is to get a bike that works well for paved areas, but can take a smidgen of abuse as well.

[Xaqtly]

Your mechano-hybrid two-wheeled cycle intrigues me sir! Can you link any examples of a hybrid like that? Or examples of decent straight road bikes?

[Dave]

I looked on Schwinn's website (nothing special about them, just the first company I thought of), and while I didn't see them mention anything specifically about "hybrid" bike's I did find their commuter (http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/bikes_category.php?id=126) series.

[tomoe]

I have an Iro (www.irocycle.com) Mark V singlespeed. It's not a road bike per se, but for city commuting it does an awesome job--fast, rugged, simple, and holds up to abuse.

I kind of wish I had a cyclo-cross, because I miss trail riding and can't do it with my current bike.

From an older post: 80s Japanese road bike from any of these manufacturers are cheap & high quality: Fuji, Univega, Miyata, Nishiki, Raleigh. There are others, but I can't think of any off the top of my head. You should be able to find them easily on craigslist or ebay for ~$100. Old Schwinns are also nice, but they tend to cost a bit more. Here (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/japan.html) is also a recycled link of cheap road bikes.

If you can find it for the right price, you might also consider a Touring (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touring_bicycle) bike. Looks & rides more or less like a road bike, but have more braze-ons than road bikes--these are useful for attaching fenders, front & rear racks.

Performance bike (http://www.performancebike.com/) and Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/) often have really good closeout deals on complete bikes, and most all their bikes will be decent enough quality for a commuter (just make sure to take care of and maintain the bike--that's key). To gush over expensive (but really fucking nice) road bikes, peruse Rivendell bikes' (http://www.rivbike.com/) website.

[confidenceb]

Well I suggested you to have a look at the Huffy 26" Men's Cranbrook Cruiser Bike, that bike has weather-resistant alloy rims, and looks pretty nice normally priced around $70. As for the Helmet, Aero Blue Adult Helmet is a good choice with 21 vents keep the rider cool, a dial-retention fit system customizes rider comfort, and a unique "in-molding" process bonds the helmet's hard shell to its EPS foam layer. I bought one for my brother half a year ago, he like it very much. I got it for $25 but a recent deal on it is only $17 (http://www.dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=113419&ru=282), you can get it.