Me and the wife just picked up a couple of bikes last month. So, I might be able to offer a few notes...
- Trek, Specialized, and Giant are big names but there's a lot more out there. Giants are generally cheaper (200-300) while a Specialized will run you closer to 500. I personally liked the Giant's I tried out, but ended up with a Specialized Crosstrail due to it's gear shifting.
- From what I've read, about 500-600 is the sweet spot for bikes. Anything more expensive is just adding more features to the rig
- Hit every bike shop near you and test ride everything. seriously. I spend a month's worth of weekends driving to every one in the area and taking one out for a test ride. Ask them to write down the prices and models so you'll have that to refer to when you go back home
- Expect a number of additional purchases right off the bat, including car carrier, helmet, saddle, inter-tube, pump, tire patches, lube, and all of the crap you need to care and feed a baby bike. Bike shops will normally give you x% off if you pick them all up whenever you get a bike.
Eh, sort of a braindump. Hope some of that helps you. Don't hesitate to hit me up if you have any questions!
Hey,
Me and the wife just picked up a couple of bikes last month. So, I might be able to offer a few notes...
- Trek, Specialized, and Giant are big names but there's a lot more out there. Giants are generally cheaper (200-300) while a Specialized will run you closer to 500. I personally liked the Giant's I tried out, but ended up with a Specialized Crosstrail due to it's gear shifting.
- From what I've read, about 500-600 is the sweet spot for bikes. Anything more expensive is just adding more features to the rig
- Hit every bike shop near you and test ride everything. seriously. I spend a month's worth of weekends driving to every one in the area and taking one out for a test ride. Ask them to write down the prices and models so you'll have that to refer to when you go back home
- Expect a number of additional purchases right off the bat, including car carrier, helmet, saddle, inter-tube, pump, tire patches, lube, and all of the crap you need to care and feed a baby bike. Bike shops will normally give you x% off if you pick them all up whenever you get a bike.
Eh, sort of a braindump. Hope some of that helps you. Don't hesitate to hit me up if you have any questions!