Help with some bike advice please

[Cubist]

whatever.


I'm going to wait until the Op tells where they live. Then we can have an informed debate. (I may not want to join in, as I have a 30 speed bike already, and don't intend to swap it because you ride a ss)

 

[smutchin]

Horses for courses. If 30 gears suits you, fine. But for a beginner, I strongly believe that 30 gears will probably be too many, regardless of where the OP lives.

How often do you see inexperienced cyclists on bikes with upwards of 18 gears trundling along in the wrong gear, either mashing a high gear on a hill or spinning a tiny gear on the flat? I see it all the time. My wife found 21 gears on her hybrid too confusing when she was trying to get back into cycling, and got on much better when I swapped her triple chainset for a single. YMMV.

d.

 

[Cubist]

I haven't recommended any gears at all yet. My "3x10 is the way forward" post was ironic, in response your and rancid's singlespeed advice, which is potentially ill-informed and unhelpful. You're the one banging on about gears! If their reply warrants a 3 speed sturmey Archer based shopping bike, then I'll recommend one. Until them I'll keep my prejudices to myself.

 

[GrasB]

hi everyone, i am looking for a bike to try get a bit fitter but really dont know what it is i am after, i am 27 and the last time i rode a bike was when i was 15 or 16, so could really use some advice

Let's start at the beginning.
What's your budget? I'd recommend not spending much over £400 on a first bike so if you get it wrong you'll not have wasted to much money.
What sort of riding are you expecting to be doing? Leisure riding, utility riding, commuting, sports riding?
Where are you going to be riding? On road/cycle paths or unfinished bridle paths, trails, etc?
Do you see your self as competitive or not. Be honest with you self are you likely to be doing say a semi-competitive ride this summer or the year after?

Seriously, you don't need 30 gears to cycle over that terrain. Five gears would be more than enough as long as they were the right gears.

Actually it's 7-9 depending on exactly powerful you are in a range of around 500%.

 

[roadrash]

theres nothing quite like making new member feel at ease is there

 

[Soltydog]

You need to think about when & where you are going to be riding & then go to a few local shops, tell them what your need is & your budget & see what they come up with & see which you like the best.
When I got back into cycling a few years ago, I didnt seek any advice, I was like a teenager again & I just wanted a 'racer' so I splashed out a 'road bike' not ideal for the cycle tracks round here & commuting to work. So then I went out & bought a hybrid with mudguards & a rack which wasnt as much fun to ride, but much more practical HTH

 

[lulubel]

But for a beginner, I strongly believe that 30 gears will probably be too many, regardless of where the OP lives.

Is 30 hugely different to 27, then? I started out with 3x9 as a beginner, and didn't have any trouble figuring it out. Small ring for up steep hills, big ring for going fast, middle ring for everything else. Use other control to make fine adjustments. It's not rocket science.

 

[smutchin]

Sigh. Anyone would think I'd said you're only a real cyclist if you ride fixed.

d.

 

[Shaun]

Erm, let's not pick at each other eh!! Offer your advice and give the OP chance to absorb it and ask any questions that might come up as a result.

Besides we're all "real" cyclists - even us lapsed ones who don't get as many miles in as they'd like to ...

 

[Cubist]

The OP's chosen the sprockets already anyway, so all gear debate is futile.

 

[Pedal pusher]

I haven't recommended any gears at all yet. My "3x10 is the way forward" post was ironic, in response your and rancid's singlespeed advice, which is potentially ill-informed and unhelpful. You're the one banging on about gears! If their reply warrants a 3 speed sturmey Archer based shopping bike, then I'll recommend one. Until them I'll keep my prejudices to myself.

Girls Girls Girls play nice