Any cyclist here?

PPLd

PPLd

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I haven't been riding a bicycle since 1997 when I moved into city...
Last Sunday I rent a bicycle and went on a bicycle barbecue trip with my colleagues.

Took me half an hour to get back the feeling behind the wheels...
Still cannot control the steering very well but um... at least I didn't fall...

After the 4 hours trip, I got some PITA due to the saddle...
Really want to buy a fine bicycle and put a comfortable saddle to it...
Searched in Amazon and found the Sunlite Cloud-9 Suspension Gel Saddle.
Review seem to be good.
Any other recommendations?

Read 1 review about the Cloud-9 saddle doesnt fit his bicycle..
That makes me worried because I would like to order the bicycle with the saddle in the same order but afraid the saddle wont fit the bike.
Can the saddles be adapted or are they usually universal fit?

Last but not least, I would like to keep the bicycle clean.
Anyone detail bicycles here!?
Can you actually wash a bicycle like we do with a car? is it ok for soapy water to get on the gears and bearings?

Sorry lots of questions for a newbie to bicycle...
Bicycle really makes me feel like back to the good old times!
Im the MAN
 
I've been an avid cyclist for years and had my "old" bike tuned up this spring which included a new saddle. I can' remember which one I have the bike shop install but it's very comfortable. I'll take a couple of shots and post them a bit later for you...:props:

PPLd said:
Last but not least, I would like to keep the bicycle clean.

Anyone detail bicycles here!?

Can you actually wash a bicycle like we do with a car? is it ok for soapy water to get on the gears and bearings?
Click to expand...

Through the years I've washed mine countless times using the garden hose along with soap and water. Gears, chains, frame and the like get a thorough scrubbing then blow dry with compressed air. I use synthetic grease for the head and crankset. I like a spray on dry lube for the chain and gears...
 
Look into Brooks saddles....they're pricey but well-worth it if you want something comfortable. Gel saddles aren't going to do a whole lot for you in the long run. You should learn how to use your "sit" bones - you'll be much happier you did later on. Bike shorts also make a HUGE difference and are absolutely mandatory for any ride longer than 45-60 minutes, in my opinion.

I usually use some DP Waterless Wash on my bikes...mountain bikes definitely need a strong stream of water, but for my road and hybrid bikes, waterless wash or ONR is fine. I don't like taking a direct stream of water to the chain/sprockets unless I plan to oil them afterwards.

What kind of bike are you riding / what kind of riding are you planning on getting into?
 
Sorry guys,
I should have made myself clear..
First off, budget.
I may spend up to $500 dollars on the bicycle and everything related. It is not mandatory to wear helmet or protection when you ride a bicycle here so unless a lot of you highly recommended it, I guess I will keep that in my future purchases.

Second, I am not so sure about the difference between mountain bike, road bike, or hybrid bike. Please help me understand it. Your kind help is much appreciated.

I would like to ride the bicycle for maybe 30-60 minutes each time, around my home.
Wouldnt be too fast.. just relax myself..
:D
 
I use to ride my hardtail bike to work for years from Aug through November but two years ago someone purposefully tried to run me off the road and I have essentially stopped riding to work.
 
The best advice is to get measured and have a professional match the bike dimensions to your measurements. This includes measuring your rear end. Saddles come in a variety of widths, lengths and stiffnesses. What works for BobbyG may not work for you. Measuring your rear end (sit bones) is as simple as sitting down on something that will keep its shape after you stand up. Some people use a plastic bag filled with flour and place it on a flat surface. The impressions of your sit bones are measured center to center from the points of deepest impression. Handle bar width (affects breathing), top tube length (affects lean angle), stem length, seat tube length, crank length, and gearing are some of the other items to consider. Regardless of what you spend on the bike, the most important thing is the fit.
 
I am an avid cyclist. I ride road and mountain. This is funny because I just finished airing up my mtn bike tires to leave for a ride in a few min.
 
Once you get back into riding, the saddle will not be an issue unless you have some specific needs. In fact the seats that seem to be very soft are worse in the long run. Check out some quality riding shorts ($75+) and spend more time in the saddle. I usually do a few centuries a year as well as some endurance MTB racing, I'm fine with whatever seat.
 
I've been a mechanic and salesman at a bike shop for 6 years now. I'd be happy to help with any questions.

My first bit of advice would be to go to an actual bike shop. Departments store bikes are just scary, they are set up with speed rather than rider comfort and safety.

A mountain bike and a road bike are made with performance in mind. They have an aggressive seating position (leaned over towards handlebars) that can cause pressure or pain on the wrists, hands, neck, back, etc.

A hybrid bike or a comfort bike are both made with comfort in mind. They put you in a straight up seating position that has little pressure points and allows for a better view of the surroundings. Hybrid/Comfort bikes generally have adjustable handlebars to help make the bike fit correctly. The difference between a Hybrid and a comfort bike is the tire size. The hybrid has a slightly narrower, taller tire for less rolling resistance (more speed) while the comfort bike tire is a wider, more stable platform (good for gravel).

From the sounds of it, a hybrid or comfort bike sounds like what your looking for.

Seats are interchangeable, using a universal rail system. There are two types of seat clamps, but both use the same universal rail. Just make sure the seat is for a bicycle, not an exercise bike.
My shop sells a seat brand called Serfas. Serfas offers a 90 day money back comfort guarantee and many of our customers are very happy.
As others have said Brooks saddles are very nice. They are a leather seat that conforms to your body, however, they generally take a few hundred to a thousand miles before they are "broken in"

As for washing the bike, I wouldn't spray directly into the bearings. Other than that, make sure to lube the chain/gears afterwards. And WD-40 doesn't count as lube... Make sure to use a bike specific lube. The proper way to apply lube to a bike chain is to put a drip on each link, then at the end wipe off the excess lube. You want to lubricate the inside of the rollers on the chain. Excess lube on the chain will just pick up dirt/debris and splatter it all over the bike.


 
I've been cycling for years and I strongly recommend a helmet right from the start. Even a minor crash can result in your head hitting the pavement. Not a good thing at all. You can get a good quality helmet (Bell, Giro, Specialized,...) for $50; your head and brain have to be worth more than that! You don't need the latest and greatest and most expensive to get good protection.
 
PPLd said:
I haven't been riding a bicycle since 1997 when I moved into city...
Last Sunday I rent a bicycle and went on a bicycle barbecue trip with my colleagues.

Took me half an hour to get back the feeling behind the wheels...
Still cannot control the steering very well but um... at least I didn't fall...

After the 4 hours trip, I got some PITA due to the saddle...
Really want to buy a fine bicycle and put a comfortable saddle to it...
Searched in Amazon and found the Sunlite Cloud-9 Suspension Gel Saddle.
Review seem to be good.
Any other recommendations?

Read 1 review about the Cloud-9 saddle doesn't fit his bicycle..
That makes me worried because I would like to order the bicycle with the saddle in the same order but afraid the saddle wont fit the bike.
Can the saddles be adapted or are they usually universal fit?
Click to expand...

Here's the saddle I put on my old road bike this spring.

Specialized Expert

Seat-02.JPG


Seat-01.JPG


Seat-03.JPG
 
lots of suggestions and comments here~
thanks guys~!
I will consider what you said carefully and will go to a bicycle shop after work today :)
 
The Hobson saddle is the most comfortable I have ever ridden. It has a very unconventional design, but no other upright saddle compares IMO. The only disadvantage is that there isn't really a horn to help control the bike, especially riding no hands, but it can be done. The Easyseat is the second most comfortable, but I slide around too much on it. Too little control. To most comfortable seat of all is on a recumbent bike, like an Easy Racer, or a Lightning P-38. Those bikes are the most comfortable, and safer. Most recumbents are over $1000, though, if not $3000 or more.
You need a helmet. I've ridden over 40,000 miles in my life, and I feel naked without a helmet. As Marre said, you don't need to spend a lot to get a helmet that offers good protection. The more expensive ones usually are just much lighter or cool better or are more aerodynamic.


When it comes to washing, I treat my bike just like I do my car. I just try not to spray water in the bearings. If it is really dirty, I do a regular wash , with a wash mitt, ect. I even foam it with a foam gun. If it's just dusty, like the road bike I keep inside the house when I'm not riding it, I'll use a waterless wash.
I prefer a dry lube for the chain, so that it doesn't attract dirt.
I've been using Clean Ride, but I prefer Chain Wax, although I haven't found any in a while.
 
Bicycle helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent.

-Statistic from my EMT book
 
First things first, up the price range. you buy cheap you buy twice. even if your a weekend warrior and you cycle 10-20miles a week, you will want to cycle in comfort and not dread cycling. get 105 compoents all around or shram rival. I would highly recomend rival. Tiagra has gotten pretty good in recent years, but thats the lowest level compent I would get. the name of the frame doesn't manner really. get some aluminum frame that is double butted and a carbon fiber fork, even cheap forks are worth it. I wouldn't spend money on aero wheels unless you plan on riding 25-30mph all the time and get some Continental gators 25c(you can go up to 28c its more comfortable).


get a saddle bag, keep a spare tube, repair kit, co2 cartriage, manual pump for rated for 120 psi, keep a 20 bucks, photo ID, house key and or cell phone in it when cycling.

spend at 1000 dollars, and you gotta spend money on safety and proper cycling clothes. buy a helmet and wear it always. buy lights front and rear. planet bike 1 watt rear is amazing value for money. try dealexteme.com for a p7 front light and mounts. Often times you go out riding and end up riding till dusk. safety will keep you alive!!!
Amazon.com: Planet Bike Superflash Turbo Rear Light: Sports & Outdoors

chamois padded bibs are a must!!! hammer bibs are the really comfertable and won't break the bank. Hammer also sales bergamo which cost a bit more, some people find them more comfertable. Bibs will let you ride in comfort for 30mins to 8 hours. buy some leg arms, a buff, and arm warmers too. A wind breaker vest is really nice too for fall weather. wear gloves always. road rash sucks, even falls at stops lights kill your hands and leaves them hurting for weeks, gloves help sooooo much.
Men's Cycling Shorts & Bibs - Voler Quality | Hammer Nutrition

the secret to winter cycling is wool and fenders. dress in layers and wool.

if you plan on cycling on the road at all buy a road bike. if you plan on only going off road them a mt bike. don't buy a mt bike if you plan on cycling on the road. its heavy, slow, lots of road resistance, and inefficient gears.

buy a compact crank. 50/34 with a 12/25 in the rear. This is turely the best gearing ratio for most cycling and newbie as well. You can spin up 20 degree gradients you can go 35mph on flats when sprinting. or go 13/27 if you plan on climbing alot of hills.

There was a website that has cheap chinese frames with good compents. I forget the name. bike depot. something like that, it had a yellow background and you could get an insaltly good and light weight bike for 900-1100 bucks. way better than any bike store.

learn to pedal in circles, not just pushing down/mashing. learn to pull up on the up strokes as well. it doubles your efficiently you will need toe clips or clipless pedals.

once you got your bike get a bike fit and buy cycling shoes/petals. Do this professional at a bike store. its a +100 bucks but will save you so much soreness. cycling is repetion. you pedal in circles a million times, you needs to be 100% comfortable.

Saddles, again you need to wear bibs. They look dorky but they will save you so much pain. you must wear bibs. go to a bike store and ask to test out bike seats. put them on the spin bike and cycling for 15mins, wear your bibs. try different ones. find a bike store that allows you to return bike seats. bike seats and comfort differ from person to person. generlly gel is bad, thick pading is bad cause it will bunch up and cause hot spots and sores. thin gel is good. some people have large prostates and need the slit/hole in the middle. expect it to take a couple of different saddles to find the right one. It may take years. saddles do wear out, expect to spend 70-150 dollars.

brooks b-17 is pricey and popular and heavy.
Selle Italia SLR TT Saddle is pricy and popular. good shape
Fizik Arione saddle
Selle Italia Max Flite Gel Flow Saddle
Fizik Arione Wing Flex Saddle


Washing bikes. newer bikes have sealed bearings. they are made to be ridden in rain/water. you will need to wash it. dish soap is fine. for chain you will need APC or a degreaser. be sure to clean chain ever 100-500 miles and lube up. buy proper chain lube form the cycling store. Triflow is ok, more for bearings, Finish line works better. wipe chain dry afterwards to avoid chain rash.(lube will be thrown on your calf when cycling.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=067JWJVT2CYSK95P5HW0
 
thx for the comments guys
i will look for the safety equipment.
 
weavers said:
There was a website that has cheap chinese frames with good compents. I forget the name. bike depot. something like that, it had a yellow background and you could get an insaltly good and light weight bike for 900-1100 bucks. way better than any bike store.
Click to expand...


I think bikesdirect.com is the place you're referring to :props:
 
Bike saddles are never going to be completely comfortable ... and if you went from zero to a 4 hour ride, I bet you arse was sore for a few days, and it should have been.

Comfortable cycling has a component of finding the right saddle & bike shorts (padded); however a lot of it is just breaking in your body and getting used to sitting on the saddle for long periods of time. I would suggest working up gradually, with several 1 hour rides, then a few 2 hour rides; once you can get through a 3 hour ride you can pretty much go as long as you care to.

The most important thing you need to do (IMO) is get a proper bike fit. Especially if you are going to be riding upwards of 4 hours, you can really injure yourself if you do not have the correct riding position on the bike. From my experience a 1/2'' can be the difference between major injury and perfect fit. I lost 5 weeks of training due to a bad fit once ... :(

As for cleaning, I use ONR and UWW+ to clean my road bike. My mountain bike frequently needs the hose treatment, and I dry them off with the Master Blaster.

Keep a stockpile of old t-shirts to clean out the chain & gears. Do this every few rides - get some citrus chain cleaner and use a t-shirt with cleaner & run the chain through it. Repeat on clean sections until it is not leaving much dirt behind. I have found a can of compressed air at the end really helps to get out the last bits of junk, then LIGHTLY lube with a Teflon 'dry' lube and wipe off the excess.
 
[email protected] said:
I think bikesdirect.com is the place you're referring to :props:
Click to expand...

Yes that is the website I was referring too. I have two bikes already I can't be buying any more. The only problem with bikesdirect is that they sale crap wheels, they are always bouncing out of true. So shop around you may get a better deal at a local bike store. typically for wheels you want 20spokes up front and 28 in the back with a 22-30mm deep rims cause they are stronger than typical box rims. you want rims that will last 20,000 miles without needing to be trued.

neuvation has good wheels
Wheels
bike wheel warehouse has some good deals too cause you can custom build wheels.
Bicycle Wheel Warehouse

koolstop brake pads are a must get the red ones. btw only use the front brake, it has twice the stoping power as the rear and you won't flip over the handle bars unless your an idiot.

chains need to be replaced every 2000 miles or so. google chain stretch. pbk.com use to have super cheap chains and free shipping
 
LegacyGT said:
Bike saddles are never going to be completely comfortable ... and if you went from zero to a 4 hour ride, I bet you arse was sore for a few days, and it should have been.
Click to expand...

It's all about conforming and generally your butt ends up doing most of it. :laughing:
 
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