Diet/Exercise/Health/Wellness Support Thread

Parent Cafe
2821

<p>OK, sabaray. Finally, something I know about-- buying bikes.</p>

<p>First, if you actually plan to ride the bike more than, say, ten times, don’t buy a bike at Target. Department store bikes get unrideable fairly quickly; they go out of adjustment in ways that can’t be fixed, and the wheels are terrible. Either get a good used bike (have a knowledgeable friend with you to evaluate it), or buy a new bike from a bike shop.</p>

<p>Would you want your bike for tooling around the neighborhood, going on five mile rides on bike paths, and zipping down to the store for a quart of milk? If so, you might like something like these, all in your price range:
[Novara</a> Jaunt XX Women’s Bike - 2010 at REI.com](<a href=“http://www.rei.com/product/788091]Novara”>http://www.rei.com/product/788091)
[Milano</a> Parco | Bianchi USA](<a href=“http://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/milano/milano-parco/]Milano”>http://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/milano/milano-parco/)
[Trek</a> Bikes | Bikes | Cruiser | Cruiser Classic Steel 3 Women’s](<a href=“http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/cruiser/classic/classicsteel3wmn/]Trek”>http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/cruiser/classic/classicsteel3wmn/)</p>

<p>I’m particularly fond of the Bianchi Milano. Great bike.</p>

<p>When you go to a bike shop, you can test ride bikes. Ride a few, and see what you like.</p>

2822

<p>CF…indeed, you are the expert here. But my Target purchased bike has MANY miles on it over two years and his holding up great. A couple of tune ups. Wheels and tires are fine. Gears are fine. Very comfortable. My H is a bike snob (his primary bike cost over a thousand) and is surprised. The reviews were good online…and they turned out to be accurate (not for all models but for this one). Nothing wrong with a good old Schwinn bike. We ride in god’s country sometimes and we have actually heard praise from the locals on our “made in the USA” purchase. (although I’m guessing they’re now made somewhere in Asia!)</p>

<p>Just another viewpoint from someone who actually has the bike!</p>

2823

<p>Sometimes people say they don’t want dropped handlebars on their bikes, when actually they don’t want <em>low</em> handlebars. But you can have dropped bars, and have them up higher, or straight bars down low. Many riders prefer dropped bars for the variety of hand positions they offer; a lot of riders find their hands get numb on straight bars.</p>

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<p>??? Bike wheels generally come in two sizes: the road bike size (called 700c, but they’re a bit less than 27"), and 26 inch, the mountain bike size. For bikes for anyone over about 5’5", both sizes work fine. Usually mountain bikes have wider rims for wide tires, and road bikes have narrower rims for narrower tires, but wide road (29er) rims and narrow mountain rims also exist. Other wheel sizes exist also, but they are uncommon specialty items. The vast majority of American bikes have either 700c or 26 inch wheels.</p>

<p>I can’t think of a reason why a newer rider would want a wheel bigger than 700c-- and if they got such a wheel, where would they find tires for it? Sometimes taller mountain bike riders use 700c wheels with wide tires, but that has to do with rolling resistance rather than some notion of tall people needing big wheels.</p>

2824

<p>Schwinn went into bankruptcy in the 2001. The name is now owned by Dorel, a multinational, and the bikes made in Taiwan and China.</p>

2825

<p>The final four contestants on The Biggest Loser are in the process of running a marathon right now after 30 days to train?! I mean, I know that they’ve been working out hard for hours and hours every day for 18 weeks, but still, I don’t get it. A couple are run/walking, but the other two are still running at mile 13. </p>

<p>I’m just amazed. I hit the wall at 1.5 miles and somehow manage to survive to mile 3.0 and I feel like I’ve just accomplished some major feat. It’s almost depressing…</p>

2826

<p>Okay, Daris just finished his marathon in 4:02.12. Amazing. Just 5 months ago, he was a total slug, weighing in at 346 pounds.</p>

<p>It’s amazing what people can accomplish when they set their minds to it.</p>

2827

<p>[Ladies&#146</a>; Schwinn 700C Trail Way Hybrid Bike : Target](<a href=“http://www.target.com/Ladies’-Schwinn-700C-Trail-Hybrid/dp/B000KZ4MI6]Ladies’”>http://www.target.com/Ladies’-Schwinn-700C-Trail-Hybrid/dp/B000KZ4MI6)
CF…this is the bike. See the second review…references the 28" tires. As I said, I am quite tall and find this bike to be very comfortable. H and I brought it to a bike shop for a tune up and handle adjustment right after buying it. It has performed better than expected. Since we were buying TWO bikes, our budget was limited. I really didn’t think we would ride as much as we have…but we’re hooked. Next bike, we’ll spend more. But honestly, this has been a very good bike.</p>

2828

<p>Do you see the name of the bike? 700C? That’s the wheel size. I don’t know what the second reviewer is talking about with 28" tires; tires are normally sold by wheel size and tire width. For example a 700c by 32 mm would be a tire that is 32 millimeters wide and fits a 700c wheel. </p>

<p>I don’t know what she’s talking about when she says “the 28” tires allow for better leg extension and a more forward posture" either. That does not make sense. Some riders her size (5’5" and long-legged) prefer a shorter wheelbase bike, which can only be made with smaller wheels, to fit their shorter torso, but neither wheel size prevents a bike frame designer from making a bike longer.</p>

2829

<p>CF, was hoping you would weigh in. I seemed to recall you were an avid bicyclist. Think I’m planning on heading down the bike shop this weekend. They are very nice- I just need to find my person there who isn’t sending me off on a 140 mile daily jaunt. I’m definitely going to check out all the options.</p>

2830

<p>Well it’s clear that I don’t know much about bike specs. Sorry for wading in here. I just thought it might be helpful to share that I do just fine with the Target hybrid bike and have put lots of miles on it. And my H ( a longtime biker who should be the one posting here!) thinks they’re very good bikes as long as you have a bike shop tune them up. I’m a novice but still proud that I have worked up to biking briskly on very long and sometimes hilly rides. I don’t think it’s necessary for everyone who wants to participate to spend big dollars on equipment and clothes. If fact, I’m quite impressed when I see older folks giving biking a try, even if they’re going slow and wearing jeans (as long as they have helmets on!). It’s better than sitting on a couch! Anyway, I don’t like feeling stupid so I’ll stop posting biking tips! Good luck at the bike shop Sabaray!</p>

2831

<p>toneranger–I agree with you completely that you don’t need fancy equipment and an expensive bike. And I often bike in jeans (though I do manage to go fairly fast.) Actually, I get an impressive amount of exercise in without owning any “exercise” clothes. It’s the effort and the experience that matter, not so much the “stuff.” </p>

<p>Please don’t stop posting on your biking experiences–which are impressive and inspiring.</p>

2832

<p>NO toneranger, definitely don’t stop with the biking tips. I definitely plan on a visit to our local Target as well. I want to find the best bike for me - and I plan on looking everywhere I can. Here’s my dumb question of the day- what exactly does a bike shop do when they “tune them up”?</p>

2833

<p>I have to agree that hybrids are best for most riders. Mountain bikes are meant for sharper turns and have a different head angle - the angle of the front fork up through the handlebars - that shifts the weight and makes the bike track a little less easily in a straight line. (Not all mountain bikes; downhill bikes are set up differently but almost no one needs a downhill bike.)</p>

<p>I always tell people to get a lot of gears. When you’re not in the world’s best shape, you want a lot of gears at the low end so you can spin your way up hills. That means you shift into the smallest ring in back and sit on the seat and turn the pedals and you get there without straining. This moves the work to your lungs from your legs and that’s better for you in the long run. </p>

<p>I’ve never ridden one of those auto-shifting, etc. bikes. I like the look of retro bikes but they tend to be heavy. BTW, I’m a firm believer in not paying more for lighter, more expensive components. Unless you really ride a lot, you won’t notice the difference in response - though you should get a decent shifter and learn how to use it. My 2 cents.</p>

2834

<p>Lergnom, totally need the shifting tips. I think that’s what’s kept me from biking- not knowing the best gears to use for different situations. Almost anywhere I bike I will be encountering hills of some type. I’m going to have to check youtube for “biking for idiots” or “how to shift your bicycle” - something like that. </p>

<p>No one should worry that I won’t be using a helmet. At our house you can’t have a bike unless you also have and use a helmet. Rule for the kids- sure not going to exempt myself from it.</p>

2835

<p>A bike is shipped to the shop unassembled. The mechanics at the shop have to put it together before they sell it to you, a not uncomplicated procedure. If you buy your bike from Target, someone who doesn’t put many bikes together put yours together. That person might have made a mistake. </p>

<p>When you take a new department store bike to a bike shop for an initial tuneup, the mechanic will check the assembly, making sure the derailleurs and brakes are adjusted, the cables are tight, the handlebars are at the right height and the right attitude. He (bike mechanics are almost always male) will make sure the saddle height is right for you. A new bike’s wheels should be trued and tightened, something not done at department store assembly time, so the mechanic will take care of that too.</p>

<p>Now, suppose you have a bike you’ve been riding (or not riding), and you take it in for a tuneup. Bike chains, tires, cables and brake pads wear out; the mechanic will check those, replacing if necessary. He’ll oil the chain, grease the bearings if necessary, re-true the wheels if they’ve come out of true, check and adjust the shifting. A good mechanic will clean off the frame, too.</p>

<p>Toneranger’s bike has a front suspension. Sabaray, for you, I don’t recommend a front suspension. It adds weight and complexity without providing, for a road rider, any extra value. Suspensions are for mountain bike riders who ride gnarly singletrack trails, not for people who want to have a nice bike ride on a road, a bike path, or a gravel road. For your purposes, a nice cushy wide tire will provide all the shock-absorbing you need.</p>

<p>Sabaray, I don’t know how many bike shops are available in your area, but if possible, I recommend avoiding a bike shop that seems to be catering only to Lance wannabes. Shops that seem to also understand commuters, students and bike tourists would be more likely to sell you the right bike for you. Also, I suggest calling ahead to find a time when the shop is not busy. Ideally, you’d like the individual attention of an experienced salesperson for twenty minutes or more, which can be difficult midday on weekends.</p>

2836

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<p>I’m so with you, Lergnom. So many bike shops try to sell unwary riders high-end road bikes. But I don’t need, or want, the bike Lance Armstrong rode up the Ventoux. And come to think of it, I don’t need or want the kind of bike some hot-shot twenty-year old uses in a mountain bike race on trails so ridiculously difficult I wouldn’t even want to hike them. I just want a bike I can ride around on roads and fire roads, with looooow gears so I can go up hills. (Lance does not need low gears to climb the Ventoux, because Lance has enormous muscles. I need low low gears.)</p>

2837

<p>I am learning an awful lot. Thanks to all for the tips. </p>

<p>We have three local bike shops-I plan to visit all. I liked the last shop I was at with my son- of course he was all interested in what I would call a “racing” type bike- lightweight, over $1000; salesperson steered him to an affordable hybrid type more appropriate for what son would actually be doing and around $400. So they’ll probably be my first go-see. They also sell used bikes with a professional tuneup (we live in a university town). So that may be another option. </p>

<p>Again, thanks to everyone offering their perspectives.</p>

2838

<p>Sabaray, a used bike could be perfect for you. And right now, with the graduating seniors selling their bikes, is the perfect time to buy one.</p>

2839

<p>Yep, I’m a penny pincher when it comes right down to it. I figure I can buy a bike, ride to the farmer’s market, buy better produce at lower rates, then bike over to the meat market and bike home. I cancelled my gym membership because I wasn’t using it enough-no interest in fitness classes and I enjoyed walking with the dog quite a bit- so not only am I getting in better shape I am also saving money. I spend enough time in the car with my commute to and from work- rather be out exercising and getting things done at the same time.</p>

2840

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<p>Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that is backwards. The larger ring on the back wheel will be the easiest to pedal (more chain = less revolutions). Conversely, the smaller ring on the front will be the easiest to pedal.</p>

<p>Sabaray:</p>

<p>As a practical approach, think of the front gear as giving you two “ranges”. The large ring on the front will give you a range suitable for flat, or downhill – fast speed, high effort. The small ring on the front is your hill range – lower speed, easier pedalling, starting from a stop. Then, the back gears give you five or six options within each range. So, generally, you would just leave the bike in the easy pedaling range on the front and adjust the back as necessary. If you run out of options for a downhill stretch, switch to the other range on the front. This gives you a five or six speed easier pedalling setup (for hills, traffic, etc.) and a five or six speed harder pedalling setup (for flat higher speed sailing).</p>

<p>This description is not technically optimum. In reality, running through all 12 (or whatever) gears in sequence would require a sequence of shifting both the front and the back gears back and forth. However, in reality, that is too complicated to get right for the casual rider, who needs to be able to get to an easier hill climbing gear fast, without thinking. You can’t wait until you’ve ground to a halt climbing a hill to shift down to an easier gear.</p>