Newbie Question

[Andy in Sig]

I would suggest to any beginner who, like Jim, is looking for a general purpose bike and who has a decent budget, that they should go for a light tourer/audax bike as they can do just about everything except serious cross country and superfast racing. In other words they're fine for everything from woodland tracks to tarmac and the pannier fittings mean they're OK for quick trips to the shops and obviously touring. IMO there is no better general bike.

 

[Over The Hill]

I don't know which sort of bike will suit my needs.

I want to take up cycling again for excercise and will be riding on cyclepaths and bridalways mostly. want something light but robust so can easily carr/transport on roof of car. It is also quite hilly where I live if that makes a difference.

Gearing on a road designed bike may not be so good for you on hills. I started (on roads) with a mountain bike with road tyres and found I really needed the gearing of the mountain bike to make the hills bearable.

If you get a road bike you may find the hills too much of a problem until you get much fitter. So I would avoid anything too much set up for road. Hybrid maybe, but see what the gearing is like.

I do not think the bike you need now will be the same bike you need in 6 months time so in your position I would get a cheapish starter and then see how your riding develops.

 

[Tynan]

road bikes can't do hills?

 

[bonj2]

I would suggest to any beginner who, like Jim, is looking for a general purpose bike and who has a decent budget, that they should go for a light tourer/audax bike as they can do just about everything except serious cross country and superfast racing. In other words they're fine for everything from woodland tracks to tarmac and the pannier fittings mean they're OK for quick trips to the shops and obviously touring. IMO there is no better general bike.

there isn't anything you 'can't' do on a light racer that you can do on a clunky great 'tourer' with heavy unnecessary mudguards.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Or join a group ride on damp roads without pissing people off.

 

[Andy in Sig]

there isn't anything you 'can't' do on a light racer that you can do on a clunky great 'tourer' with heavy unnecessary mudguards.

Not true. I was out on the Danube bike path the other week and three visiting roadies tried to follow me down a gravelly bit which was also a bit muddy because of the weather. After about fifty yards they had to turn round, cross the river and go on the road on the other side.