gonna buy a bike, would appreciate some advice.

[simon482]

i been exercising and shit lately and i like the effect it is having on the shape of my body and losing weight. i fight the weights are good but some cardio would be good as well for helping take more weight off. figure i will spend about 2-300$. i don't need anything incredibly fancy. i was looking on canadian tire website and they seemed to have some decent stuff for that price range. both suspension bikes and plain mountian bikes.

what kind of limits are on the suspension bikes if any, what do i need to look for on them ?. do i need to think about weight for the suspension bike or is that already in the specs for it ? what is a good straight mountain bike and would i be better off skipping the suspension altogether ?.

 

[afterhours]

Why do you need a mountain bike? Do you live in the mountains?

 

[simon482]

Why do you need a mountain bike? Do you live in the mountains?

i spend a lot of time in the country on dirt roads and such. riding in the fields as well.

 

[destillat]

Do yourself a favour and spend a bit more than $300.
For $300 at CT you're going to get a heavy steel frame and shitty components. Your shifters will last a week before they start jumping all over the place.
Go to a bike store where you can get properly fitted for a frame and spend $700+.

 

[simon482]

Do yourself a favour and spend a bit more than $300.
For $300 at CT you're going to get a heavy steel frame and shitty components. Your shifters will last a week before they start jumping all over the place.
Go to a bike store where you can get properly fitted for a frame and spend $700+.

yeah i kinda don't want to spend that much on something that i will probably only get to ride 2 or 3 times a month at the most.

 

[simon482]

you can get a decent hybrid for under 500...but I wouldn't go with a mountain bike for the following reasons....

weight of frame... too heavy for what you need on back roads and dirt roads, hybrid frame is lighter, and don't forget you're pushing this thing
rim size .... too small a rim on a mountain bike ... bigger rims means you go further for each pedal... hybrid rims are as big as a road bike
suspension ... on my hybrid I can switch suspension on or off... so if I need speed I turn it off and if I'm hitting bumps I turn it on
comfort ... hybrid is designed to sit on for longer, a mountain bike is often ridden out of the saddle, it's not designed for long seated rides

hybrid bikes are the best of both worlds, you can get tires that are smooth or knobby depending on your terrain. Smooth tires (like I have) are currently a bitch cause of all the sand on the roads, climbing hills is a chore and I spin sometimes.

thanks. had no idea there was such a thing as a hybrid bike but i will look into it.

 

[Ridgeman08]

Buy a decent quality bike from a reputable bike shop. Tell them what type of riding you will be doing/ and the price range you want to spend and they will hook you up accordingly.

Walmart/ Sportmart/ Canadian Tire bikes are meant for leisure riders... lots of aluminum and plastic parts... they loosen up and wear out quickly if you are putting any kind of kms on them. They may "look" just like the more expensive bikes that are sold at bike shops, but under careful scrutinization, they are just that; cheaper/ lower quality and won't sustain the rigors of longer/ more often fitness riding.

 

[simon482]

Buy a decent quality bike from a reputable bike shop. Tell them what type of riding you will be doing/ and the price range you want to spend and they will hook you up accordingly.

Walmart/ Sportmart/ Canadian Tire bikes are meant for leisure riders... lots of aluminum and plastic parts... they loosen up and wear out quickly if you are putting any kind of kms on them. They may "look" just like the more expensive bikes that are sold at bike shops, but under careful scrutinization, they are just that; cheaper/ lower quality and won't sustain the rigors of longer/ more often fitness riding.

see i was looking at the CT site and it had ccm bikes. i have no idea about anything but i thought that would be a good name brand. i am probably wrong though.

 

[simon482]

the bonus about buying Canadian Tire is they take their shit back if it breaks. But that might be the only bonus. This is the best time of year Simon ... there are bike swaps and sales freaking everywhere... no need to buy new. Try the local bike shops, both in our town sell used bikes they have accepted as trade ins from customers looking to upgrade. That might be the place to start... get an awesome second hand bike.

A hybrid truly is the best of both road and trail IMO ... and you know what area I live in.

thank you again. i really have no clue what i'm doing when it comes to bikes so i appreciate all the advice i'm getting. i will search some bike shops and see what is out there. i started looking at this hybrid thing, i seriously had no idea. i tossed my bike in the garbage when i got a car. so my knowledge of bikes stops like 17 years ago, i am sure they have advanced a bit since then.

 

[afterhours]

thank you again. i really have no clue what i'm doing when it comes to bikes so i appreciate all the advice i'm getting. i will search some bike shops and see what is out there. i started looking at this hybrid thing, i seriously had no idea. i tossed my bike in the garbage when i got a car. so my knowledge of bikes stops like 17 years ago, i am sure they have advanced a bit since then.

It's not that they advanced. In Europe they always had hybrids since times immemorial.
http://www.etravelblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/amsterdan-bike.jpg
It's just that somehow the US embraced this fucked up idea of a mountain bike. It's unclear to me how this sheer and utter stupidity could have happened but it has happened and even our police rides mountain bikes with their small wheels and low handlebars.

 

[simon482]

another great reason to stay away from the sales people at CTC and talk to an expert. CTC is all about sales, not necessarily matching you to the right bike. Also, the bike assembly is half-assed at CTC, they are not professionals. Last thing you need is it falling apart on you.

had that happen when i was like 8 or something. i was riding down a huge hill on my brand new bmx (that my brother put together) hit a bump the front tire came off and i slid down the hill on my forehead lol.

 

[afterhours]

I find this endlessly amusing they look kinda ridiculous don't they?

It's so fucking stupid, I don't know where to start. That said, at least they might be in a situation where they need to pursue someone through the park with grass, hills etc. Civvies who chose mountain bikes to bike in a city are even more dumb.
For the record, in order to ride a bike in a city you don't have to bend as if you are trying to be flicked in the ass.
http://www.etravelblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Copenhagen-Bicycle.png

 

[afterhours]

I guess that might happen... but it doesn't explain why the cops INSIDE the Metrotown mall were riding mountain bikes last time I was out west. I was cracking up

Borat should have picked up on that. It's one of the most unexplainable examples of North American idiocy.

 

[yamaha r6]

1 - Shop on Pinkbike.com for a nice bike fitted with good components like Sram. 2 - shop on kijiji. 3 - build your bike frame up which I did and saved a lot of money while enjoying the process

 

[highpark]

Or check out craigslist toronto. There r great bikes there. When j find the Nike u love at craigslist Icahn take it to a quality Nike shop and have it tuned up or customized any way u like and it'll be better than any Canadian tire bike.

 

[Rockslinger]

Get a woman's bike so you don't smash your testicles on that bar that goes from the seat to the handle bar.

 

[Terminator2000]

i been exercising and shit lately and i like the effect it is having on the shape of my body and losing weight. i fight the weights are good but some cardio would be good as well for helping take more weight off. figure i will spend about 2-300$. i don't need anything incredibly fancy. i was looking on canadian tire website and they seemed to have some decent stuff for that price range. both suspension bikes and plain mountian bikes.

what kind of limits are on the suspension bikes if any, what do i need to look for on them ?. do i need to think about weight for the suspension bike or is that already in the specs for it ? what is a good straight mountain bike and would i be better off skipping the suspension altogether ?.

translation: i need an incredibly fancy bike.

 

[simon482]

translation: i need an incredibly fancy bike.

you are a horrible translator.

 

[checks]

1 - Shop on Pinkbike.com for a nice bike fitted with good components like Sram. 2 - shop on kijiji. 3 - build your bike frame up which I did and saved a lot of money while enjoying the process

This is the worst advice I've ever heard for someone who knows nothing about bikes. He should go to a bike shop.

 

[checks]

I'd suggest not getting a hybrid bike. Contrary to what Jessica said, a hybrid bike is the worst of a mountain bike and the worst of a road bike mixed into one. Shitty mushy, heavy suspension fork, crappy suspension seatpost, heavy ass rims, fat tires.

What you need is a flat bar road bike or cyclocross bike, which will have generous geometry and clearance, and usable on both dirt trails and the road. Unless you plan on doing any kind of serious mountain biking, you do not need suspension ANYTHING on your bike. A decent cross bike can be found for easily under 700 bucks. Look on a site called bikesdirect.com, you can get a nice motobecane cross bike for 500 bucks. If you'll be in the states, i'd suggest buying it there as well. We get totally screwed here on bike prices. Please don't buy a suspension hybrid - you'll hate it.