Looking for a woman's bicycle for fitness (Houston, Howe: home, to buy)

[Be Happy 2]

Hi,

I would like to start riding a bike for exercise. I was told to get a Comfort/Nitro type of bike. I want to ride upright with a comfortable seat and must be 26". (Not a cruiser)

I don't have $300+ to pay for a bike at this time. I do understand that a good bike costs money but at this point and time I don't have that type of money to spend. I am a new rider so I don't want to spend alot of money on my first bike. If I enjoy it I will probably buy one that is a better quality down the road.

This weekend I went to SEVERAL sport stores, bike shops, Academy, Sports Authority, Target and Walmart. There are soooo many bikes that I'm not sure what to get.

I would like to spend under $200 for a bike. I saw a Schwinn at Academy that I really like for $169.99.

Can anyone recommend a bike that doesn't cost too much but of good quality? Again I do understand this might be a hard task but that is all I can afford to pay right now.

Thanks any insight and suggestions are appreciated!

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by Be Happy 2

Hi,

I would like to start riding a bike for exercise. I was told to get a Comfort/Nitro type of bike. I want to ride upright with a comfortable seat and must be 26". (Not a cruiser)

I don't have $300+ to pay for a bike at this time. I do understand that a good bike costs money but at this point and time I don't have that type of money to spend. I am a new rider so I don't want to spend alot of money on my first bike. If I enjoy it I will probably buy one that is a better quality down the road.

This weekend I went to SEVERAL sport stores, bike shops, Academy, Sports Authority, Target and Walmart. There are soooo many bikes that I'm not sure what to get.

I would like to spend under $200 for a bike. I saw a Schwinn at Academy that I really like for $169.99.

Can anyone recommend a bike that doesn't cost too much but of good quality? Again I do understand this might be a hard task but that is all I can afford to pay right now.

Thanks any insight and suggestions are appreciated!

I don't think you can go wrong with the Schwinn. Bikes with steel frames tend to last for a while. The only downside is that they're a little heavier than the more expensive bikes, which cost more because they're made of lighter and pricey (but not more durable) materials. The one thing you may want to do after your purchase is replace the standard bike seat with a gel seat (if the standard seat is not already a gel seat) - the seat makes a big difference in terms of rider comfort. These replacement gel seats are pretty generic and go for anything from $10 to $20.

[colorwheel]

Try a Giant SCR 2.0. They are reasonably priced but a bit on the heavy side.

[Be Happy 2]

Where do I find this type of bike (Giant SCR 2.0)?

[colorwheel]

They are based out of UK, but you can order online from most bike barns.

[hugepossum]

I would check out Houston Craigslist. There are always a ton of decent bikes for sase on there, and you can haggle to get below your $200 limit

houston bicycles classifieds - craigslist

From a store, all $200 is going to buy you is a piece of trash.

[Be Happy 2]

Thanks everyone for all your insight. Anyone with any other ideas?

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by hugepossum

I would check out Houston Craigslist. There are always a ton of decent bikes for sase on there, and you can haggle to get below your $200 limit

houston bicycles classifieds - craigslist

From a store, all $200 is going to buy you is a piece of trash.

From a racing perspective, it's nothing to write home about. However, this steel bike will probably outlast most racing bikes. Back in school, I used to have a Huffy bike on which I commuted six miles a day for two years, until someone stole it by cutting the cable lock. And the only maintenance I did was to spritz the chain with a little WD-40 from time to time (not the recommended chain lubricant, but cheap, available and works fine).

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by Be Happy 2

Thanks everyone for all your insight. Anyone with any other ideas?

If exercise is all you're after, I'd recommend a stationary bike or better still, a treadmill*. A basic bike with pre-programmed workouts will cost $300 whereas a basic treadmill will cost $500. The real benefit is that instead of vegging out in front of the TV every night, you can get a workout as well (assuming you place it in front of the TV). The time you save will pay for the bikes.

* Why a treadmill? I find that walking provides a much more invigorating workout.

[Be Happy 2]

Thanks Zhang Fei for all your insight!