New Bike?

[NVR2L8]

Trying to get back into cycling (after an attitude asjustment from the main dude). My flexibilty and condition are near zero at this point I don't think I have the core strength or flexibility for a drop bar road bike at this point. Was looking at used hybrids, but haven't found anything just right.

I happened to see a new unsold 2021 Felt Versa Speed 40 (700c) on LBS clearance with 3x9 Altus and Hyd Disc for $400 in my size. What are people's opinion of it for around town commuter, casual bike trails and general old man puttering?

 

[vickster]

Trying to get back into cycling (after an attitude asjustment from the main dude). My flexibilty and condition are near zero at this point I don't think I have the core strength or flexibility for a drop bar road bike at this point. Was looking at used hybrids, but haven't found anything just right.

I happened to see a new unsold 2021 Felt Versa Speed 40 (700c) on LBS clearance with 1x9 Altus and Hyd Disc for $400 in my size. What are people's opinion of it for around town commuter, casual bike trails and general old man puttering?

Without a link, hard to be sure, but sounds perfect for your uses. If wanting for utility riding, I'd check it can take proper mudguards (fenders) and a pannier rack

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Have you considered a drop bar non-racing style gravel bike, plenty to choose from. They offer comfort, low gears, robust tyres, and many will accommodate mudguards and rack.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

This Felt Versa does look like a good buy. It's tyres on the wider side for some comfort and a triple chainset will mean good gear range.

The only thing I would say is that it's geometery is not the most relaxed available. Neither is it the most aggressive, but it is a fitness bike so assuming you are all in proportion, you will be leaning forward a bit.

That's probably okay, if you start out with a couple of very short trips and slowly build your mileage up.

A bike with more relaxed geometry - so a more upright seating position - will probably be more comfortable for you in the short-term but it might hold you back a little bit as you get back some core strength and flexibility. Reducing the handle bar stem length might help shortern the reach but at the expense of making the steering a bit livelier which might be something you don't want. It also wouldn't address the position of the pedals relative to the saddle (seat tube angle) and there might be a limit on how far you can rotate your hips. That said, if the shorter stem helps you enough in the short-term, you would always be able to flip it back to the original step once you get used to being on a bike again.

You really need to try a bike like this and one with more relaxed geometry (shorter effective reach) and see which you think will suit you best. It is very hard to say, without seeing what your flexibility is like, whether or not the Felt Versa will suit you. It will be fine for most riders though and so long as you take it easy it will probably be okay for you.

Edit: I don't know whether there is a staggered (low sloping top tube) flavour of this bike, or whether the one you are considering has the low sloping top tube, but if your flexibility is that poor, you might be better of with either a staggered or an open frame that's easier to get your leg over.

Again, I really encourage you, if at all possible, to try the bike. If you are comfortable on it, in terms of reach and position, go for it.

 

[NVR2L8]

Trek FX3
SH 72.5
ST 73.0
TTL - 587
Stack - 618
Reach - 398
Stem - 17/110
Bars - 15 mm rise

Felt Versa Speed 40
SH 70.0
ST 74.0
TTL - 600
Stack - 631
Reach - 419
Stem - 17/90
Bars - 9* Sweep

Fit:
I thought the Felt's 20 mm shorter stem and 13 mm more stack would mostly make up for the 21 mm longer reach and the 15 mm less bar rise. The steep ST and slack HT making the real world bar position slightly less aggressive than an FX3? Like you said, stop procrastinating and go get on it. That's what their trainer is for.


Flexibility:
When I first started recovery with knees locked 35 cm was as close as I could reach to the floor. I've cut that to 10 cm, but still can't touch the floor with knees locked.

Old Man's Rambling:
A friend's son told me I should borrow his bike to try. I told him I didn't think me on his '19 56 cm Specialized Allez Sprint Comp was exactly a good idea.

Closing:
I appreciate anyone's thoughts on anything I should be aware of on Felt or that particular model I may have missed.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I was drawing comparisons between the Trek District bikes and the Felt Versa, the district being more relaxed too.
The Trek Verve is also, I believe, more relaxed geometry-wise. Seat tube angle and effective reach are just as important because that can tip you further forwards and shift more weight onto your hands.

My sit and reach or reaching the floor with knees locked has always been terrible - even as a youth. It did improve when I was exercising and stretching 3-5 times a week but even then it was never good, let alone fantastic. I do stretch a couple times a week and with that I maintain about 10cm.

I think the Felt will be fine, so long as you start with a couple of miles or 3-4 km and gradually build up your distance. Stretching whilst your muscles are still warm after you get back from a ride will probably be beneficial.

When I got back on the bike, during the first 20 km ride my kneck was aching and afterthat ride I had aching arms and elbows for a couple of days. I let myself recover and now I'm up to 80 km a day on that bike without issue.

It's probably good to be conscious of what your core is doing as you slowly build up your distance and try not to take the full weight of your torso on your hands so you can keep the upper body relaxed as much as possible.

I did get a cross (gravel/road) bike earlier in the year and I did 32 km on that for the first ride. By the end of it, I had some mild discomfort but no lasting effects. I'm gradually increasing ride length on that as I get used to it.

 

[rydabent]

One thing to remember is brand names dont mean much. Most bike frames are made by huge bike companies in the Orient. They make up a big batch of frames, and then paint the bike company name on them according to who ordered them. Bents and trikes tend to be different, but they too are welded up in the Orient.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

One thing to remember is brand names dont mean much. Most bike frames are made by huge bike companies in the Orient. They make up a big batch of frames, and then paint the bike company name on them according to who ordered them. Bents and trikes tend to be different, but they too are welded up in the Orient.

I don't think that's necessarily true.

Taiwanese and Chinese factories are capable of turning out frames by the bucket load, certainly. And they cycle brands can get whatever quality they want out of these factories - ranging from very poor to top notch.

Sometimes there's not a lot to pick between different brands - but on the bright side Trek do offer a lifetime warranty with their frames. I don't think any other brand has quite the range of products when it comes to hybrid bikes; but I'm happy to be corrected on that.

 

[NVR2L8]

I don't think that's necessarily true.

Taiwanese and Chinese factories are capable of turning out frames by the bucket load, certainly. And they cycle brands can get whatever quality they want out of these factories - ranging from very poor to top notch.

Sometimes there's not a lot to pick between different brands - but on the bright side Trek do offer a lifetime warranty with their frames. I don't think any other brand has quite the range of products when it comes to hybrid bikes; but I'm happy to be corrected on that.

Cardinal's Detroit still makes US Frames and by the end of 2024 they should be able to do their TIME CF Frames from raw fiber up so complete production will be in Landrum SC. Supposed to be capable of 10,000 Frames a shift. Hope they can manage to match the quality the Slavs have.

Of course in the world TIME plays in isn't poor man level.