The best thing to do is go to your local bicycle shop to see what they have and be properly fitted. This is the most important thing to make sure you, that is if you want to stay on a bicycle, are fitted properly and after a certain period refitted.
Test driving a number of bicycles is also very important and NOT just in the parking lot of the shop.
In the small town I live in I have a Trek dealer owned by a husband and wife. If they didn't give the best customer service in town they would be out of biz.
I am a roadie BUT thought I would need a fat-bike for the winters in PA. Not my kind of thing. It is a Trek 820 and if you are near me we could do some trade (I need some things done around the house, caulking, small repairs like that). Paid $365 a couple years ago and only took it out of the garage a couple of times.
Many people are surprised that Trek has bicycles at some lower price points. Lifetime guarantees etc.
The only thing I don't like about the above bike is the front shocks. On cheaper shocks there is no control and you lose a lot of energy. Not sure if now a days if $600 will get you good shocks with controls. Most riders think shocks are great but end up hating them.
www.performancebike.com is another option as a big box which has a great warranty on bikes... and if you are very near one great service especially if you plan on joining the club they have and get serious about getting all the benefits.
purchased from them and years later am in the system. can bring in my fuji for a basic tune up even a decade later... as long as they are in business. some advantages over small l.b.s. - I still prefer the one I have in my small town.
Excellent choice!
The best thing to do is go to your local bicycle shop to see what they have and be properly fitted. This is the most important thing to make sure you, that is if you want to stay on a bicycle, are fitted properly and after a certain period refitted.
Test driving a number of bicycles is also very important and NOT just in the parking lot of the shop.
In the small town I live in I have a Trek dealer owned by a husband and wife. If they didn't give the best customer service in town they would be out of biz.
I am a roadie BUT thought I would need a fat-bike for the winters in PA. Not my kind of thing. It is a Trek 820 and if you are near me we could do some trade (I need some things done around the house, caulking, small repairs like that). Paid $365 a couple years ago and only took it out of the garage a couple of times.
Many people are surprised that Trek has bicycles at some lower price points. Lifetime guarantees etc.
The only thing I don't like about the above bike is the front shocks. On cheaper shocks there is no control and you lose a lot of energy. Not sure if now a days if $600 will get you good shocks with controls. Most riders think shocks are great but end up hating them.
Thanks for the info! I just vetted two shops near me and will check them out this weekend! I am in CA or else I might entertain the trade
www.performancebike.com is another option as a big box which has a great warranty on bikes... and if you are very near one great service especially if you plan on joining the club they have and get serious about getting all the benefits.
purchased from them and years later am in the system. can bring in my fuji for a basic tune up even a decade later... as long as they are in business. some advantages over small l.b.s. - I still prefer the one I have in my small town.