New to biking-please help!

[CCrew]

@acc 5098 wrote:

There are so many fun names associated with the Wild West.
BULL – HOSS- CURLY- COLT- MISS KITTY- THE DUKE- TWO BITS

That’s just so wrong in more ways than I can count….

[eminva]

@anj611 5036 wrote:

Hello, my name is Annie and I am very new to biking. I just took a job in downtown dc and live in Bethesda and am planning on taking the capital crest trail, but have no idea what type of bike I should buy. I believe I would like a hybrid with an extra small frame and something that can take a few rocks and bumps while not falling. I have to bike to union station and am planning on sticking to all trails. If anyone can point me in the right direction, that would be so so helpful! Thanks and I hope to see some of you on the trails soon!

Okay, getting back to the OP’s request —

Annie, welcome aboard. I looked at Google Maps and from “Bethesda” (no specific address) to Union Station it looks like about 12 miles each way. While any bike would get you there, for that kind of distance, comfort and speed enter into the equation. If you are on pavement the whole way, you could get a bike with smoother tires, thus less rolling resistance, thus easier to pedal 24 miles round trip. But you mentioned rocks and bumps so I guess you want to take it on unpaved trails, too. A hybrid, as you surmised, is an obvious choice, but I would suggest you go to several local bike shops and tell them exactly how you want to use the bike, budget as well as any wish list items (fenders? specific style of saddle? etc.) and see what they recommend. The more specific you are about how you wish to use the bike, the better they will be able to match the right bike to your needs.

As for a specific bike shop, I would just google bike shops in your area and try out two or three. They are all good and at least far superior to buying a bike at Wal-Mart, Sports Authority or other department store. Make sure it is convenient because you will be going back there for service, extra bike-related goodies and so on.

Best wishes on your commute! It is fun and 150% better than metro or car commuting.

Liz
Owner of four bikes, only one of which inexplicably has a name

[jrenaut]

@anj611 5036 wrote:

I believe I would like a hybrid with an extra small frame and something that can take a few rocks and bumps while not falling

Make extra extra sure to ride the bike before you buy it. I was totally set to buy a Scott bike until I rode one and found that the geometry just didn’t agree with me. Now I’m very, very happy with my Giant road bike.

Also remember that, when buying a bike, you are essentially buying the bike shop, too. Not that you can’t get a bike serviced at another shop, but you’ll often get deals where you bought it, and they’re also more likely to be experienced in servicing the brand you buy.

[SerialCarpins]

Just a quick add-on…

I make an almost identical commute (I go from Bethesda to right next to The Capitol) and I have a Trek hybrid. Good comfort, solid build, fairly inexpensive.

Also, someone mentioned trying the trail out on the weekends, which is a good idea, but keep in mind that the trail in MontCo is PACKED on the weekends with all manner or cyclists, joggers, people with strollers, roller bladers, little kids on bikes and on foot, and pretty much anyone else you can imagine. Not to say that’s a bad thing, I love to see the trail getting a lot of use, but it might give you a skewed idea of how long the trip might take during the week.

Good luck! Hope to see you out there. I guarantee you’ll be passing me before long. Safe travels!

[StopMeansStop]

As I said before, go cheap with bike #1. I predict the following:

You get a hybrid.
You end up hating bike commuting. Story ends here – Or you love bike commuting and you discover that a hybrid just doesn’t cut the mustard.
You end up buying a road bike.

So how to choose the hybrid? Getting a used one would be the cheapest, but since more of a pain in the neck as you have to find it. Go cheap, but get a good quality bike. Someone else suggested Giant, and I think that’s a great brand for the price.

Papillon Cycles on Columbia Pike carries them and the owner is old school.

[brendan]

@StopMeansStop 5117 wrote:

As I said before, go cheap with bike #1. I predict the following:

You get a hybrid.
You end up hating bike commuting. Story ends here – Or you love bike commuting and you discover that a hybrid just doesn’t cut the mustard.
You end up buying a road bike.

So how to choose the hybrid? Getting a used one would be the cheapest, but since more of a pain in the neck as you have to find it. Go cheap, but get a good quality bike. Someone else suggested Giant, and I think that’s a great brand for the price.

Papillon Cycles on Columbia Pike carries them and the owner is old school.

SMS – Or maybe a hybrid is just fine for bike commuting? I did my first several centuries on a 2008 Gary Fisher Kaitai and the only two important changes I made were swapping out the hybrid tires for 28mm slicks and installing ergon grips – both of which I’d recommend for commuting with that bike as well. I’ve been told by multiple bike shops that lineage of kaitai is a surprisingly comfortable ride for both short and long rides, and it definitely “just goes!”, so perhaps it’s an outlier in hybrid expectations?

I’ve heard similar good recommendations about Giant bikes as well (solid, reliable and generally priced lower for the same level of frame & components as other brands).

Bailey is most definitely a lover of bikes. And John H is a walking encyclopedia of bike knowledge. Good folks at Papillon.

Brendan

[DismalScientist]

Another alternative is to skip the hybrid completely. If you would be comfortable with drop bars, buy an old steel road bike and have it equipped with high-pressure 28 mm tires.

[Joe Chapline]

Annie, that looks like about a 12-mile commute, mostly on the trail. That’s a good distance, so you will value speed and efficiency in your bike. I would pick a bike shop, tell them what you plan to use the bike for, ride a few, and see what you like. I think you will want a bike with 700c wheels, either a hybrid or road bike, no mountain bikes. I agree that you shouldn’t go overboard spending on your first bike. In new bikes, I would be looking around the $500-$600 price point. You might ask if the shop sells used bikes and also about their return/trade-in policy.

Although I suggest buying from a shop, it’s very helpful to do research online. Each bike shop sells a few brands. You can research those brands online, check out the exact differences between models, and decide what models you would like to look at. You don’t have to choose from what happens to be in the store on the day you go in — the bike shop should be willing and able to get in the model(s) you want to see. (They did for me.)

[KLizotte]

Hi there and welcome to the group.

Are you by any chance a new employee at Amtrak HQ? Just curious since I used to work in the Strategy division there.

Anyway, I bought a Trek 5200 WSD in Jan of this year and love it even if it’s not entirely cool. It’s a hybrid with front and back suspension, upright riding posture, trigger shifters, 24 speed, super comfy saddle, etc. The major downside is the weight and upright position when it’s really windy. It’s also not super speedy by any means but if you are going to be on trails and crowded sidewalks/lanes in DC then you shouldn’t be going faster than 15 miles per hour anyways. Thus far, the longest trip I’ve done at one time is 40 miles (a super hilly charity ride) and was comfortable the entire way. I’m only 5’2″ so I got the smallest one they had available and I can easily put my foot down at stops (not easily done on most bikes at my height, including the CaBi bikes). I bike commute on the Mt Vernon Trail and Independence Ave. It’s only 5.5 miles one way but during the good weather I take the long way round by adding many more miles as I see fit along the various trails. I added a Topeak rack so I can easily pop off various panniers and my commuter basket. I have about 1,300 miles on it and have had only one flat.

My best advice is to check out bike manufacturer’s websites first before heading to the bike shops to get an idea of what is available, including prices. Also, check out at least 3-4 brands since you will be surprised how differently they all feel. Also, any good bike shop will throw in a year’s worth of free service when you purchase a new bike. If you don’t like the vibe of the bike shop, go elsewhere.

My LBS is Spokes on Quaker Lane in Alexandria. I highly recommend them for a great service dept (there is also a good residential area next to them for trying out bikes). Some of their sales people are well meaning but kind of useless with the exception of Mark who is FABULOUS! He is very patient and really wants customers to find the bike that is right for them and he’s really cool with the ladies. Oddly enough, he seems to divide his time between the service dept and sales. If you were willing to travel to Alexandria, I’d give Spokes a call and ask if Mark is in before you get there. If I end up buying another week, he’ll be the first person I go to.

Also, BicycleSpace in DC allows you to try out their bikes during guided group rides which is a great way to try out a bike for an extended period. You can also rent a few different kinds of bikes for a day since there are now lots of rental outlets in the area.

Once you get fit and used to biking along your commute you will surely start exploring the other trails/roads; it’s remarkably easy to get around here by bike. I’d advise getting a 24 speed and not a 3 speed since we do have hills (and the CCT does have a slight grade all the way to Bethesda from DC).

Kathy

[KLizotte]

*Augh* on Papillon Cycles in terms of scope of bikes avail for sale and overall salesperson helpfulness. PC was the first LBS I visited when I decided I wanted to buy a bike since I live down the street from them and they get good reviews for their repair serviced. The owner was downright rude and uninterested in selling me a bike. I ended up trying out three bikes and one of the bikes completely broke down a few blocks from the store since it had been assembled incorrectly. I was told they have a high school kid working for them that puts their new bikes together. The other two were so badly assembled and rode so rough that I almost gave up my idea of moving up the bike food chain from CaBi.

What a difference when I started trying out the Treks at Spokes! It was like going from a Yugo to a Mercedes. Papillon was selling Giant but I attribute the poor bike performance to assembly issues. Even if I had loved their bikes I was so turned off by the owner’s demeanor that I don’t think I’ll ever step across his threshold again unless I’m really, really desperate.

[Author]

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