Recommendations on "comfort" bike

[volan]

I haven't owned a bike in almost 20 years but I'd like to get back into it. I've decided that I want a comfort bike and I've taken a few out for a spin. I was wondering if the people on this board would be so kind as to make a recommendation for me from the list of bikes below that I've seen:

Cannondale Comfort 4
Norco Citadel
Trek Navigator 2.0
Trek Navigator 3.0
Giant Sedona
Specialized Expedition Sport

All of the above bikes are around the $500 mark.

I like the feel of the Specialized handles, they're more flatter than round (will that hinder me when I want accessories like a rearview mirror?). The Norco has 24 speeds as opposed to 21 (not sure if that's a big deal).

Any advice or suggestions for things to look for will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Oni-kun]

I don't think I'm really qualified to give advice about what you should get as I know nothing about those bikes and not too much about bike parts in general but I do know that handle bars can be changed. So if the only thing holding you back from a bike or the only thing making you lean towards one bike is the handle bar I'd personally get the bike with the frame and other components that I want and just change the handle bar.

I hear some comfort bikes aren't designed with performance in mind so maybe read some reviews and see which may be better?

You could also try asking on the bikeforum on craigslists, they're fairly active

[volan]

I hear some comfort bikes aren't designed with performance in mind so maybe read some reviews and see which may be better?

You could also try asking on the bikeforum on craigslists, they're fairly active

Thank you.

I've read whatever reviews I can get hold of and it seems that whoever has purchased a bike from my list (no matter which one) really likes it. But then, when you read reviews from places like crappy tire you see that people who bought there really like their bikes too, so I think that reviews aren't that useful.

But thanks for the tip on Craigslist. I'll check it out.

[wushudrew]

at the price point you're in, most bikes will have the same component specifications, with little variance. the most important thing is how you feel when youre riding it, which you seem to already have down pat.

more speeds doesn't necessarily mean you can go faster (depends on the relative sizes of the rings and cogs), but it definitely does mean that there will be more 'in between' speeds for you to choose from for comfort.

i'm not sure what you mean by flatter handles - do you mean the grips where you place your hands? you may want to take it up with the shop youre at.

all the companies youve listed are reputable, and stand behind their bicycles. let your deciding factor be frame warranty, shop service, and most of all, comfort.

[volan]

more speeds doesn't necessarily mean you can go faster (depends on the relative sizes of the rings and cogs), but it definitely does mean that there will be more 'in between' speeds for you to choose from for comfort.
Actually I was thinking about slower for uphill riding

all the companies youve listed are reputable, and stand behind their bicycles. let your deciding factor be frame warranty, shop service, and most of all, comfort.I didn't even know that frame warranty could be an issue. Thanks for the tips.

I test rode the Norco Citadel today and the Trek Navigator 2.0. To be honest all the bikes I've tested feel about the same. But they each have their own "gimmick". The trek 3.0 has a front fork lockout, the Norco has extra speeds, the Specialized has flatter hand grips (supposedly ergonomically friendly), etc.

[wushudrew]

if you want easier uphill riding, then most cassettes are made equally, with either 32 or 34 teeth on the largest cog. ask the shop which bike has the cassette with more teeth on the large cog. the more teeth on the cog (in the back), the easier it is to pedal. to be honest, though, you wont feel a difference and probably wont even use it unless youre hitting some 30 degree inclines.

i know specialized has a lifetime frame warranty on mtbs, but im not sure about the other manufacturers. specialized may have a different warranty for their non-mountain frames, so inquire about it. also ask about the shop's service term, which can be useful if you dont have the time to maintain the bike yourself.

if each bike has its own gimmicks, then you can try to gauge which would be the most indispensible or hardest to replace. a lockout fork is useful if you want ultimate efficiency (at the expense of some comfort), and is pretty expensive to buy if you want to stick it on a bike. putting extra gears on a bike requires a change of the rear drivetrain if the cassette needs changing. handgrips can be bought and replaced very easily.

[volan]

Thanks again for your input and information, it's really appreciated.

I'm heading off right now to ride a Giant Sedona.

The really unfortunate thing is that most bike shops only carry a couple of brands so to try all the bikes on my list I have to go to 3 or 4 different bike shops. Oh well.

[wushudrew]

shopping at different shops makes each place's service term that much more important. also, it depends how close to your place they are. taking your bike down the street for a tuneup is alot easier than going across town.

[Rx-87]

If you're getting this at a bike shop, make sure to have them throw in "life time tune ups" or something along those lines.

As well, gearing is important too EVEN if you aren't into climbing up hills or going fast down slopes. You just have more practicality on hand.

21-speed is really old stuff. 24 is alright, but 27 gears is where its at and even now 10-speed (in the rear) are out.

[volan]

I didn't realise you could negotiate things like lifetime tune-ups. I'll give it a shot.

I took the Giant Sedona for a spin today, but the seat didn't go down far enough for me. In fact I had to use the curb to get on and I couldn't touch the ground. They're going to build up one with a smaller frame, but the tech said that the bike I tried was the right size for me and it's just the design of the seatpost that didn't allow it to come down far enough.

Are there any issues with riding a bike whos frame is too small for you? Or can you simply make the seat and handlebars higher and you're OK?

[Oni-kun]

Most places give you 2 years tune ups.

[Rx-87]

The proper frame size should be one where when you "straddle" your bicycle.. so when your legs are directly over the "top tube".. that you can have your feet planted on the ground and have an adequate amount of clearance over your "inseam" to the bike itself.

Seat post wise.. if it wont' go down all the way, ask the bike shop to provide you one then. Since you're buying something well into the $hundreds$.. they should be more than willing to accommodate something like that. They should have plenty lying around in their Mech shop, just takes a bit to ask them if they could exchange it.

If not, then they might ask you to buy one if so. . . you don't really need anything fancy. Something between the lines of $20 - 50 TOPS. Anything more and they're just out to get your money unless its branded by "Thompson" or some well known brand. "WTB" does not count =P

[wushudrew]

very few bike shops give lifetime service nowadays. the only one i know of is Gears. their rationale is a good one, too - customers bringing their bike in over the lifetime of the bike are much more likely to buy something than if theyre sitting at home.

Are there any issues with riding a bike whos frame is too small for you? Or can you simply make the seat and handlebars higher and you're OK?

a frame that is too small for you can cause you to ride in a very cramped position, as the top tube of the frame will be too short for your upper body to stretch itself out adequately. your arms wont feel comfortable at all, and youll likely get back/shoulder pain.

on the flip side, a frame thats too large will stretch you far out and force you to extend your arms past your comfort level.

personal preference is paramount here, as racers like a more stretched out position and comfort riders like a more upright one.

[volan]

You guys are awesome. Thank you for all your advice and help.

The guy at the bikeshop where I tried the Giant said that I could buy a seat that didn't have integrated suspension (which would make it lower), but that didn't appealed to me, especially because he was making me pay extra to buy a seat for a fault in the bike. If he would have told me he would give me a comfortable saddle and that he'd do it at no charge I may have been more interested.

The gimmick of the day - The Giant has disc brakes, 24 speeds and the tires have some kind of slime in them (don't know what that's about).

I was going to try a Cannondale and a Specialized today but it's raining :-(

[wushudrew]

common sense would dictate that a seatpost with more parts and features would be more expensive than a run-of-the-mill metal tube. however, you do have to consider that the shop has to find something to do with the stock parts they swap off of bikes - theyve already been installed, and are therefore no longer in 'as new' condition. resale value is lower, and they arent guaranteed to sell it once its taken off either. you see lots of 'take off' parts on ebay selling for far less than they would as new, simply because theyve been installed once.

low end disc brakes are not necessarily the best things to have. i imagine the discs on the giant are mechanical (cable pulled as opposed to fluid actuated) and are made by hayes, shimano, or tektro. i would steer clear of any mech. discs not made by avid - their BB5 and BB7 calipers are great.

the reason low-end discs (especially mechanical ones) arent too hot are because their mechanisms are of low quality and they dont have much stopping power. also, they are reasonably difficult to adjust, making self-tuning difficult. i would go with a nice pair of cantilever or v brakes over a cheap pair of discs.

as for the slime in the tires, if it is what i think it is, it is for flat prevention. the slime sits around inside the inner tube of the tire and seals any holes made by rocks, roots, thorns, etc. think about blood platelets clotting a cut. slime makes your wheels significantly heavier, which makes your bike less efficient. rotating weight is one of the first things to reduce when people upgrade their bikes. on the plus side, however, you get good flat protection. still, a 'slimed' tube can only get punctured so many times before it has to be replaced.

what i believe to be a better system of protection are protected tires as opposed to tubes. they usually feature special materials along the inside of the tire that toughen the tread against punctures and pinch flats. better tires (in addition to contact surface protection) will have good sidewall protection as well. better protected tires are more expensive though.

[volan]

Even though it was raining I decided to go to the bikeshop and look at the Specialized and Cannondale bikes. It was slow there so I had a couple of sales people on me immediately (usually that bike store doesn't have that kind of service).

Anyway the guy told me the Specialized is their top selling comfort bike because most of the parts are made by Specialized (not sure why that is a good thing) but the tires are puncture resistant. The main selling point was that the crank sits a little more forward than most other mountain or comfort bikes (but not as much as a cruiser) so it's a more comfortable upright position...And if you're looking for a comfort bike (like me) that is something to consider.

Can't wait for the weather to improve so I can give the bike a spin. Looks like that'll be next week. We have a Snowfall warning in effect right now. Up to 25cm of snow expected. :-(