[xmlwave]

The Insight handles very well. At least compared to my old bike. This morning was drizzling a bit, but I still went out East on W&OD trail for few miles. However, this afternoon the weather was great and I was able to check out W&OD West of here. Looks like commuting to DC on this bike should be fairly easy! This week I will try to get biking gloves and few other accessories to make the commute easier/ more fun.

I noticed some noise from the bike (esp. at higher speeds), but couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. I will probably go back to the store for them to check out the alignment, etc. I am really glad that I got it from a local store vs. ordering it online and having to assemble it myself.

Here is a pic of the bike from this afternoon. [ATTACH=CONFIG]1392[/ATTACH]

[xmlwave]

Alright… I got it. I was gravitating towards the Fuji Absolute 3.0, but at the end, I got the Diamondback Insight (Performance Exclusive). At the end of the day, I am still a newb when it comes to bikes, so I decided to start small and eventually build up to a more serious bike. Getting $600 bike would have been an overkill for my needs right now, even though I was sooo tempted (and had the budget). The guys at Performance Bicycle were exceptional, and I would not hesitate to recommend them (Vienna/Tyson’s location) to anyone who is new to biking.

Thanks for all the support here on this forum! Now that I have a bike, I plan to visit this forum for more insight and suggestion on how best to explore the trails around Arlington. There are also more accessories and gear to get, but all this in its own time.

Can’t wait to go out on the trails tomorrow when the rain stops. See you all there!

[xmlwave]

On the way home I stopped by Hudson Trail Outfitters per KLizotte’s suggestion, and indeed — there were quite a few bikes in my price range. I didn’t even know the store existed and it is quite close to my work. (ty KLizotte!)

I tried couple of bikes and really liked the feel of 2011 Scott Sub 40. I hadn’t heard of this brand before, but for $380 (+/-) the bike was quite nice. It appears that both Hudson Trail Outfitters (with this Scott) and Performance Bicycle (with the Fuji Absolute 3.0) offer lifetime adjustment service. Both bikes are about the same price, and both feel comfortable to ride. I looked up their specs at bikepedia.com per TwoWheelsDC suggestion, but it is hard for me to decypher which one has better components. Here are some examples:

2011 Fuji Absolute 3.0

Brakeset: Tektro Mini-V brakes, Promax alloy levers
Shift Levers: Shimano Acera
Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-M191
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Altus
Crankset: Fuji alloy, 28/38/48 teeth
Rear Cogs: 8-speed, 11 – 32 teeth
Seatpost: Fuji Micro Adjust, 27.2mm diameter
Hubs: Fuji alloy road
Rims: Jalco DT-21 double wall, 32-hole
Tires: 700 x 28c Kenda K-176

2011 Scott Sub 40

Brakeset: Scott Comp V-Brake brakes, Shimano ST-EF51 alloy levers
Shift Levers: Shimano ST-EF51
Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-M191, clamp on
Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-M360
Crankset: Shimano FC-M171, 48/38/28t teeth
Rear Cogs: 11 – 32 teeth
Seatpost: Scott Alloy, 31.6mm diameter
Hubs: Front: Scott CO-31, Rear: Shimano FH-RM30
Rims: Rigida DP 2000, 32-hole
Tires: 700 x 37c Continental Sport Contact

So… Same price. Good fit. Which one is better (spec-wise)? Hudson Trail Outfitters vs. Performance Bicycle?

[xmlwave]

@TwoWheelsDC 25933 wrote:

…it seems the 2.0 has the better component here.

You are right — 2.0 is more advanced and expensive model compared to 3.0. The salesman from the store indicated that 2.0 is worth more than the $200 premium over 3.0.

[xmlwave]

Thanks for all the advice!

vvill — you bring an interesting point about the steel bike. Up until yesterday I was under the impression that steel bikes are much heavier than aluminum; however, when I checked the Charge bike yesterday, I was surprised to discover that this is not [entirely] true. I will try to go for a spin on that one and see how it feels.
KLizotte — I found Hudson Trail Outfitters location not too far from work, so I will check them out today. Unfortunately, Spokes is not anywhere close to me, but I may check them out on the weekend. And you are right about the accessories — I may need to get some of them.
ShawnoftheDread — I will do some online research to compare the Fuji 2.0 vs 3.0. The guy from Performance Bicycle indicated that the upgrade in performance was well worth the premium.

One more thing — is it acceptable to try and negotiate on the price? I imagine this is absolute no-no in some stores, but I expect that others may be flexible about this.

[xmlwave]

Wealth of info in this thread! I couldn’t wait till the weekend, so I visited three local shops:

– Performance Bicycle at Bailey’s Crossroads
– REI at Bailey’s Crossroads
– Bike Club on Washington St (Lee Highway) in Falls Church

The friendliest place with the biggest selection was Performance Bicycle. But more about that in a moment.

On the opposite spectrum was Bike Club. The guy there effectively dismissed me for my audacity to look for $500 bike. He even told me that other shops will outright kick me out. Ouch. I guess I am not the right demographic for them, but I was expecting friendlier interaction. At REI the guys were friendly and offered some options, but the prices were outside my range.

So, back to Performance Bicycle. They have some decent prices for hybrids, and now I am contemplating five rather distinct options.

1. Diamondback Insight Fitness Bike for $350
2. 2011 Fuji Absolute 3.0 for $400
3. 2011 Fuji Absolute 2.0 for $600
4. 2012 GT Tachyon 3.0 Fitness Bike for $550 (I think, but not 100% certain)
5. 2012 Charge Tap Fitness Bike for $550

I test drove Fuji Absolute 3.0 and 2012 GT Tachyon 3.0 Fitness Bike; didn’t have time for more. The GT didn’t feel right. Not sure why, but I was expecting more from such pricey bike.

They didn’t have Diamondback Insight in my size, so I couldn’t test drive it, but I really liked the feel of 2011 Fuji Absolute 3.0. Fuji Absolute 2.0 should be the same and the guy there recommended it for the upgraded components.

In light of the price/perfomance ratio of the above bikes, which one would you recommend for cruising on the Arlington trails and occasionally commuting to work (in DC) for about 10miles each way.

I am thinking of buying the bike this weekend.

[xmlwave]

When I was younger, there weren’t many choices for my budget — Walmart, K-Mart, Target, etc. had the same type of bike for about $100. In the $500 range, the choices become more daunting. I cannot even imagine how one chooses a $1,000 bike.

This weekend I have mapped several bike shops to visit. Thank you all for the suggestions! And I agree that I should find something close to home, so that it will be easy to go back for service. (I am next to the East Falls Church metro station)

rcannon100 — you have summed up what I would like to get in a bike — “city bike that can take a beating”. I don’t go on dirt roads, but I do envision going up/down sidewalks. I will most likely check out the Cannondale Badboy at REI. It is somewhat outside my price range, but the reviews look good and it has some cool features, such as disc brakes. I will certainly take dasgeh’s advice and inquire about touring bikes or “dutch bikes”.

[xmlwave]

Thank you for the suggestions! Yep, I know $500 is not much for a nice bike, but it will be a major upgrade for me. It’s like going from Inspiron to XPS; eventually, I may get Alienware.

I am very hesitant to get used bike, so I will try to stick to an entry-level new one. The Diamondback Insight Fitness Bike (Performance Exclusive) looks very attractive at $350 (on sale), but I plan to check some of the other stores above for alternatives. Other bikes I have considered are: 2011 GT Traffic 2.0 Commuter Bike for $450 and even the 2011 Fuji Absolute 2.0 (Performance Exclusive) for $600. I just can’t tell if the extra $ is justified and you get better experience. I will try to visit several of these stores and look for advice. The bike trails here in Arlington are so nice, and I really would like to get a decent bike to explore them.

[Author]

Posts