Newbie Questions

02-26-2005, 06:19 AM

Hello to all;

Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring. I have a Specialized
Hard Rock Sport that I use for errands around town and light trail riding
and I love this bike. I also have an older model church yard-sale Matsuishi
10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a week
for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.

I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not into
racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.

Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
going to want to upgrade again.

New to this group, so please point me in the right direction if there is a
bette place to post or a web site where I could find some useful info in
making my decision.

thanks

02-26-2005, 07:27 AM

"eagleeye1200" wrote:
> Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring.

> I also have an older model church yard-sale Matsuishi
> 10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
> upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a
> week
> for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.
>
> I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
> recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
> that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not
> into
> racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.
>
> Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
> going to want to upgrade again.

I'm a little confused by your wording. Do you want to upgrade or replace the
"Matsuishi?" Upgrade generally means making changes to an existing bike.

If you're already doing 10-15 mile rides on that bike, I don't see why you
can't do 20-25 miles. What specifically don't you like about the bike? What
do you want from a new bike that this one can't deliver? There may be good
reasons for switching to a different bike, but you have to give us more
info.

See:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Art Harris

02-26-2005, 07:27 AM

"eagleeye1200" wrote:
> Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring.

> I also have an older model church yard-sale Matsuishi
> 10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
> upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a
> week
> for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.
>
> I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
> recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
> that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not
> into
> racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.
>
> Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
> going to want to upgrade again.

I'm a little confused by your wording. Do you want to upgrade or replace the
"Matsuishi?" Upgrade generally means making changes to an existing bike.

If you're already doing 10-15 mile rides on that bike, I don't see why you
can't do 20-25 miles. What specifically don't you like about the bike? What
do you want from a new bike that this one can't deliver? There may be good
reasons for switching to a different bike, but you have to give us more
info.

See:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Art Harris

02-26-2005, 11:29 AM

"eagleeye1200" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:gs0Ud.65284$8a6.50887@trndny09:
> I also have an older model church
> yard-sale Matsuishi 10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is
> the bike I want to upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides
> a couple times a week for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.

Really hard to recommend upgrades without seeing the current bike. I would
start by upgrading parts that affect your fit and comfort on the bike
(saddle, stem, etc.). Next would be tires and brake pads.

02-26-2005, 11:29 AM

"eagleeye1200" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:gs0Ud.65284$8a6.50887@trndny09:
> I also have an older model church
> yard-sale Matsuishi 10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is
> the bike I want to upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides
> a couple times a week for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.

Really hard to recommend upgrades without seeing the current bike. I would
start by upgrading parts that affect your fit and comfort on the bike
(saddle, stem, etc.). Next would be tires and brake pads.

02-26-2005, 12:14 PM

In article <gs0Ud.65284$8a6.50887@trndny09>, eagleeye1200
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Hello to all;
>
> Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring. I have a Specialized
> Hard Rock Sport that I use for errands around town and light trail riding
> and I love this bike. I also have an older model church yard-sale Matsuishi
> 10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
> upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a week
> for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.
>
> I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
> recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
> that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not into
> racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.
>
> Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
> going to want to upgrade again.
>
> New to this group, so please point me in the right direction if there is a
> bette place to post or a web site where I could find some useful info in
> making my decision.
>
>
> thanks

What you are probably looking at is a better fitting bike than what
you've got now? Usually, 20-25miles isn't undoable if you've done
10-15 miles, except if both of your bikes are giving you pain and you
can't ride further than 15 miles. If that's the case, let us know what
kind of discomfort you're experiencing.
Or go to a good bike shop for some good bike fitting advise..

Remember, expensive bikes don't make good bikes if they don't fit you
right and brand name is irrelevant since different maker have different
sizing requirements.

David.

02-26-2005, 12:14 PM

In article <gs0Ud.65284$8a6.50887@trndny09>, eagleeye1200
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> Hello to all;
>
> Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring. I have a Specialized
> Hard Rock Sport that I use for errands around town and light trail riding
> and I love this bike. I also have an older model church yard-sale Matsuishi
> 10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
> upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a week
> for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.
>
> I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
> recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
> that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not into
> racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.
>
> Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am not
> going to want to upgrade again.
>
> New to this group, so please point me in the right direction if there is a
> bette place to post or a web site where I could find some useful info in
> making my decision.
>
>
> thanks

What you are probably looking at is a better fitting bike than what
you've got now? Usually, 20-25miles isn't undoable if you've done
10-15 miles, except if both of your bikes are giving you pain and you
can't ride further than 15 miles. If that's the case, let us know what
kind of discomfort you're experiencing.
Or go to a good bike shop for some good bike fitting advise..

Remember, expensive bikes don't make good bikes if they don't fit you
right and brand name is irrelevant since different maker have different
sizing requirements.

David.

02-26-2005, 01:27 PM

Arthur Harris wrote:
>
>
> See:
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Nice article, Art.

02-26-2005, 01:27 PM

Arthur Harris wrote:
>
>
> See:
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Nice article, Art.

02-26-2005, 03:51 PM

"Arthur Harris" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:Gw1Ud.29$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> "eagleeye1200" wrote:
> > Want to upgrade my riding and my bicycle this spring.
>
> > I also have an older model church yard-sale Matsuishi
> > 10 speed that I use for longer road rides. This is the bike I want to
> > upgrade. I usually use this bike for 10-15 mile rides a couple times a
> > week
> > for fun and exercise and want to upgrade.
> >
> > I hope to extend the road rides to 20-25 miles or so and would like some
> > recommendations on a bike. I am about 5'11 210 lbs, so I need something
> > that is strong enough and comfortable enough for someone my size. Not
> > into
> > racing, just riding to get a little sweat and have some fun.
> >
> > Would like to spend no more than $500-$600 and get something that I am
not
> > going to want to upgrade again.
>
> I'm a little confused by your wording. Do you want to upgrade or replace
the
> "Matsuishi?" Upgrade generally means making changes to an existing bike.
>
> If you're already doing 10-15 mile rides on that bike, I don't see why you
> can't do 20-25 miles. What specifically don't you like about the bike?
What
> do you want from a new bike that this one can't deliver? There may be good
> reasons for switching to a different bike, but you have to give us more
> info.
>
> See:
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
> Art Harris
>

Art;

thanks. My newbie is showing for sure. I said "upgrade", which I now
understand
means replacing components on an existing bike. What I had in mind was
purchasing
a new bike. I also mis-stated the type of bike. It is a Marushi Road Race
RX3. Anyone ever heard of this bike? Got it a church yard sale for $10 and
have made no changes except new tires, lube, adjust. Bike is fine,
but a bit tall for me as I have short legs for my height. Think I would
also like thumb shifters rather than the old style shift levers on the stem
like this one has.

thanks,

eagleeye1200