Bike recommendations - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

07-11-2004, 02:18 PM

I suspect this post will be met with varying opinions but I'd like to hear
everyone's advice and maybe I can sort it out.

I need to know which bike to buy. Here's the story.

I am 60 and have been a runner for past 30 years, logging 40-50 miles per
week, have run three marathons and countless 10K, half-marathon, etc. For
the past five years, I have backed off on the mileage to the point that now
I am running under 20 miles a week -- 4-5 days a week, 3-5 miles a day.

I have backed off on running for a couple of reasons:
-- Concerns about the beating that my maturing (not aging, yet) joints are
taking from running.
-- Running is no longer fun, it's boring.

I lift weights at my gym three days a week and I tried both aerobic exercise
and the stationary bike. I simply do not like aerobic exercise -- I'm not
into spandex and a room full of 20-something blondes. The stationary bike
is boring and there's no place to spit.

I'm thinking that a bicycle is my best bet for continued aerobic exercising
with a little fun and change of scenery built in. Maybe this info will
help.

-- I'm 6-1, weigh 200 pounds, most of the weight in my chest, shoulders, and
back.
-- I will use the bike as follows:
*** Ride for conditioning instead of running; plan to ride at the same time
I run -- between 0430 and 0530 in the morning; on a local road -- wide road,
broad shoulders, almost no traffic, excellent surface, moderate hills. I
need something that will make me work to get my breathing and heart rate
pumping and keep it there.
*** Occasionally ride on a smooth trail -- some of you may be familiar with
the Virginia Creeper Trail outside of Damascus, VA.
*** When the weather is mild, commute 3 miles one-way to/from work.

Our 38th wedding anniversary is coming up and my wife has said she will buy
a bike for me, limit $500.00.

So, what do you suggest?

Thanks.

--

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Joe S.