I purchased mine (Giant OCR3 road bike) at bike world, and they took good care of me. Have recently been looking for a bike for my wife, and every place we have gone have been quite helpful. Even if you decide to order online to find a better price, take advantage of the knowledge of the workers at the local shop, they will find a bike that they think may fit you, and then let you take it for a spin. Make sure to try a couple different brands before making the purchase, but since it sounds like you do a fair amount of riding, that may not be required.
I LIEK CHOCOLATE MILK - The Partisan Bat
Originally Posted by ChrisMWilliams
Hmmm...I'm not a huge "weiner"
Originally Posted by Angie
"Yeah, Chris' weiner is a way bigger get than mine."
My $.02 ... ride a couple of cyclo-cross bikes to see if you like them. My wife and I have 12 bikes hanging in our garage and our cross bikes are easily our favorites. You can ride them on the road and gravel trails, lighter weight than a hybrid, and a little more aggressive geometry. So they are comfy but a little better performance if you get into long rides or decide you want to go on RAGBRAI, etc.
I just won a Trek 3500 disc in a raffle and I love it. I've always been a runner and haven't biked much at all since I was 15, but after a few weeks biking I really feel like I've been missing out. The 3500 is an entry level Trek, worth between $400-$500 depending on whether you opt for disc brakes or not. Sufficient chops for the trails in my area, light, efficient and easy to ride on the paved roads between my home and work.
I would also second the idea of checking out a local bike shop and getting fitted for frame size. I'm using the Android app so I can't see where you're from, but I highly recommend Kyle's Bikes in Ankeny. Great shop, great staff.
Is that the one with the green and black paint? If so, that is pretty sweet looking!
Bike shops are great and I would recommend that route if you want a brand new bike. With that said. Don't forget to look on ebay or even craigslist. There are a ton of people that buy brand new bikes and sell them after putting less then 100 miles on them. My brother bought a Trek Madone on ebay for $1,500 under book value on it. And the local Trek dealer still serviced it and took care of it as if he bought it there. They will never turn down the business.
Another two places are bikedirect.com and even nashbar.com. You can get a cheaper priced bike with shimano shifters and brakes and come out way ahead on the money. I've been thinking about buying the carbon fiber bike on there but personally can't bring myself to riding anything other then a Trek.
Like others said, you want a hybrid bike. The wider tires will help you on non paved surfaces. And I might be biased but you can never go wrong with Trek. Like I said, I can't bring myself to riding anything other then one. They are extremely well built and priced right.
Bike shops are great and I would recommend that route if you want a brand new bike. With that said. Don't forget to look on ebay or even craigslist. There are a ton of people that buy brand new bikes and sell them after putting less then 100 miles on them. My brother bought a Trek Madone on ebay for $1,500 under book value on it. And the local Trek dealer still serviced it and took care of it as if he bought it there. They will never turn down the business.
Another two places are bikedirect.com and even nashbar.com. You can get a cheaper priced bike with shimano shifters and brakes and come out way ahead on the money. I've been thinking about buying the carbon fiber bike on there but personally can't bring myself to riding anything other then a Trek.
Like others said, you want a hybrid bike. The wider tires will help you on non paved surfaces. And I might be biased but you can never go wrong with Trek. Like I said, I can't bring myself to riding anything other then one. They are extremely well built and priced right.
Couldn't agree more if you know what you are looking for. I knew that I wanted a 5200 and kept my eyes on ebay. Got mine for $1200 shipped with quite a few accessories.
Just be careful and make sure you look it over a ton. Especially with carbon frames, you want to make sure they aren't cracked at all.
Some good advice in here. I would also recommend the hybrid style bikes for what you have in mind. A good bike shop will sell you the bike you need, not the one they want you to buy.
I mainly ride road bikes so I will just echo my experience with Bike World in WDM has been nothing but good things. Even if you dont buy from them have them talk with you and find something that fits your needs.
The one set back to most bike shops is that they sell a specific brand or maybe 2. They will only have these brands of new bikes to look at so dont be afraid to go to multiple stores that carry different brands.
It sounds like you are experienced so this may not be an issue but I would reccomend buying the best bike you can to fit your budget. What I mean is dont skimp on components trying to save a 100-200 bucks because if you go to upgrade in a few years you will be forced to sell your used bike at a substaintially lower price than new even if its only a few years old.
Im speaking from experience here because I bought a road bike a few years ago with entry level components because I didnt know how much I would ride and didnt want to spend a bunch of extra money. Turns out I love to bike and now I want to trade, looking to get 60-70% of the purchase price after only a few years is less than ideal.
Moral of the story is bite the bullet pay a little extra to get the bike you want vs trying to save now, it will save you $$ in the long run.
“It’s beyond pride. It’s a restored trust. There’s a confidence again, a passion that teeters on swagger. More than anything, (Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads) has restored the Iowa State “it” factor, the steadfast belief that it is great to be a Cyclone...the man’s enthusiasm is genuine to the core...” – columnist Sean Keeler, Des Moines Register
Got to put a plug in for the small bike shop guys. Yeah, you can get cheaper from Bike World or online but isn't it nice to have small locally owned bike shops. These guys scrape by but are great for the sport and really need the support. They will treat you very well and often know more about bikes than the guys at the bigger stores (scheels, etc). Skunk River in Ames is great and there are many others in Iowa.
If anyone is interested. The GDCC is doing a ride on saturday from Yankee Clipper in Ankeny to Slater/Trestle bridge. I am planning on going, along with another CF'er. Anyone else up for it? I think they are starting like 11.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin 1775
Just did this exact same thing last Saturday. My wife and I went with Trek's from Bike World in West Des Moines. Their service was awesome. Honestly, it was one of the most pleasant experiences I've ever had with a big purchase in my life. Love the bike too. Have used it a lot this week.
I just got a note that the DM Cyclone Club is doing a ride... We should have a Fanatics Ride sometime too. Get Scott Olsen (Flat Tire Lounge) involved in that.
A note on the weeks ride...
Hey there is a Des Moines Cyclone Club ride on Saturday on High Trestle. You should ride with us... Ride is only 46 miles but a few of us area going 60 plus
My thoughts are bikes are similar to computers... there are a few brands that have various options... the shifters, gears & wheels make a lot of difference (like the processor speed, RAM, harddrive space).
You dont want the entry level probably...
Although you could come to the DM Bicycle Collective across from the Ruan Bldg downtown and pick up a 10 speed for $100. This makes the entry & learning curve much less expensive..
Bike riding is fun, its also more fun in a group setting so get a ride that allows you to keep up with who you are riding with. So if you wife/gf is riding with you, get her a faster bike so they you can ride a similar speed. Or have her friends ride with her & you can ride with your buddies.
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