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Last year we moved. Now I'm ridiculously close to the Banks Vernonia Trail. I've enjoyed riding bikes as a form of exercise for the last two to three years now.

I've got an old workhorse Costco special that is heavy to say the least. I've also been towing my son along in his Burley tow along.

Right now I average about 10-15 miles every other day or third day. Depending mostly on the toddlers behavior at any given moment.

I'm looking to get a bit more serious and upgrade to a nicer lighter bike that will make things smoother and allow me to go further more efficiently and more comfortably;)

Thing is I haven't a clue to what I need and the options are a lot more than I expected.

So based on that information. Should I go straight to a road bike? Would it still be a good option for towing the kid?

What about hybrids?

Or another mountain bike type?

I've done some looking at what's available. I think I like the idea of the hybrid type bikes. As I don't know if i really want to go with a road bike. Though I may get more serious and it may become something I take up as a viable hobby too.

This Specialized is checking all the boxes.

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My current workhorse... View attachment 704699

Before you buy any bike, go to the bike shop and ride it as far as they will let you to make sure it fits right. Like you, I thought hybrids sounded good, so I got one and it is OK, but my back prefers my Trek mountain bike.

If you think that Specialized bike will work for you, if it fits right, and if it's in your price range, I'd get it and try it out. Specialized used to be an excellent brand, and I'd assume it still is. I thought most Specialized bikes would be more expensive than your budget, but if not go for it. If you plan to put fenders on it, make sure there is room between the wheel and frame - on my hybrid the fenders were a tight fit, so when the front wheel picked up a piece of metal, it locked up and over the bars I went, fortunately going very slowly.

Lance Armstrong rides Trek. I'll bet you can get a decent Trek bike in your price range. I have a 10+ year old Series 3 (cheap models) Trek mountain bike, that I ride quite a bit every year - it is excellent - well worth the $400-500 I paid for it new during a 4th of July sale.

If you want lower rolling resistance from your mountain bike and ride mostly pavement, put some Serfas tires on it and blow them up to 60+ psi (they are good for 80 psi):

Trek bikes:
 
I used to do a lot of riding. Long story short, my truck got totaled when I was in college and I found a stellar deal on a Specialized Allez Elite, so I jumped on that. Then proceeded to log at least 30miles a day roundtrip between home, work, and college. (Yep, in Phoenix, in summer. Y'all are pansies up here when it comes to heat :D)

Things I learned about road biking:
- Those tires are fragile. Seriously. Road wheels and tires are thin, light, grippy...but god forbid you ever accidentally go off a curb or hit a small pothole and you're blowing a hole in the tube, every.effing.time.
- They have more gears than you need unless you are tackling some major hills.
- If you need to stop quickly, get disks. No matter how good the brakes, they're still "bike brakes" unless you get disks.
- Learning to fit the bike to your body frame is critical for long term comfort (or pay to have it done / find a bakeshop with knowledgable riders who will do this for you). Find a saddle that puts the big supportive part right below your butt-bones or else live in pain. When I bought that Allez, the shop had me ride it for a few weeks and then come back so I could report pain points, hotspots, etc. Then I spent an hour or two riding it on a trainer for the shop owner to go through and adjust everything to fit (seat height, stem lengths, handlebar angle, etc. etc.)
- If you have any chaffing, get yourself some body glide or similar

What I ride today originally came from State's Core Line (Core-Line : Single Speed and Fixed Gear (Fixie) Street Bikes). Just like a 10/22, I've added some things...

Shimano 105 brake set:
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Thomson stem:
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I forget where I picked up the bullhorn bars but added those and SRAM brake levers:
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Brooks saddle and some monster Race Face Atlas BMX pedals:
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It's not a lightweight bike, being a steel frame. And it's also a single speed. But, where I'm at here in Beaverton/Hillsboro, there aren't any real big hills to worry about and, even if there were, I've adopted the single speed mountain biker mantra: just get bigger thighs.

Why I changed what I changed:
- Brake Replacement: the stock brakes absolutely sucked. Shimano 105's with Swiss Stop pads were a dramatic improvement
- Saddle: You don't have to go Brooks but you can definitely find one more comfy than stock
- Pedals: These are prettier. And grippier on one side (they use little pieces of metal sticking up to dig into your shoe) and perfectly flat on the other (because I sometimes ride without shoes...)
- Stem: I am 5'7" tall with a 5'11" wingspan. I lengthened the stem to push the handlebars out to help stretch out my torso when riding.
- Bullhorn Bars: More aggressive than traditional risers without going into a full drop. They're a happy medium for me.
- SRAM brakes: I spend most of my time on the ends of the bullhorns so I wanted brakes over there, not traditional ones back on the crossbar.
- A light, front and rear: Safety First
- A bell: daughter loves it. Blring blring!

I would ask yourself what you plan on doing with the bike, how many miles you'll ride, and what the terrain is like. Even if you decide that a more dedicated road bike is for you (light, gears, great brakes, etc), if you're going to joyride with it on anything other than perfect tar, get some wheels that'll give you some wiggle room to mess up.

Don't forget to bring spare tubes, patch kit, and either a hand pump or some CO2 shots in case you pop a tube farther from home.
 
I would go for a high end used bike that has been very well maintained. Maintenance is key. Can't speak to road bikes but I see high end used mountain bikes on Craigslist for well less than $600. Not Talking about stolen ones sold by homeless either. Good components and good tires make a big difference. I disagree with "don't worry about weight" personally. Weight affects everything, especially rolling weight. Weight of wheels and tires for example makes a huge difference in the amount of effort required. U don't have to go crazy and have space age materials on everything but a high end bike will already be lightweight, have high end components, and likely strong but light wheels etc.2 cents...
 
Most bike shops will trade you a bike to test ride for your license. When I worked and commuted downtown, I rode a couple bikes home from the shop and back. You'll get a lot better feel for a bike by riding it where you'll actually be using it, as opposed to doing figure-8s in the parking lot or standing in a shop squeezing brake levers and listening to talk.

Yes, you can spend a few grand on some bikes, just like (for instance) guns, cameras and guitars. You can also find some really solid deals for a LOT less than that - stuff you'll possibly never outgrow. If at all possible, do your shopping with a knowledgeable friend who can point out the pros and cons of a particular "grupo," (basically the group/set of shifters, brakes, derailleurs and hubs that come at widely divergent price-points) compared to the next model up and the next model down. Same with frames, and wheels.

A good friend of mine is doing local biathlons and triathlons on a sweet road bike with decent Shimano gear he bought new for $500-600. Could he have spent $1000 more on a bike that weighs a pound less? Absolutely! He's totally satisfied with the bike and controls, puts a lot of miles on it and he can sleep at night without waking up screaming.

Whatever you do, take your time and do the research. I can almost guarantee that rushing into a decision will leave you wondering if you spent too much, or too little.
 
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I have Felt Carbon 29" wheel hardtail. I think I like the carbon over my previous alum and steel framed bikes. Also the 29" wheels roll better over bumps and is more responsive than a full suspension setup IMO
Yeah, I'm not into suspended bikes at all. I've a Kona with a front suspension and I hate it. I'm an old fooker and I like the old ways. Lol!!
 
I took my Trek Soho 3 for a test ride by trading my driver's license to take for a test ride. It had standard pedals on it and I road it around the block a few times. Once I decided to buy it was done I added a bike rack. Later on as summer wore on I ordered my long pants and a rain jacket that the hood goes over my helmet before the rainy season started. I ordered most of lights, inner tubes, tools, bike clothes etc. from the now closed Performance Bike shop. Shipping was free to a retail store and then I would pick it once I got an email.
 
I've been riding bikes for upwards of three decades now, and comfort is king (just like firearms!) Size and fit are paramount, second would be aftermarket support. For the kind of riding you do currently, any entry to medium level hard tail mountain bike fitted with commuter tires would work great. If you're considering stretching your rides out past the 15-20 mile mark, you might consider a cyclocross or full on road bike (although neither will pull your trailer very well.) I would strongly recommend steering clear of older bikes and high end brands that use proprietary parts, as finding parts can be very difficult. If buying used, check the value on BicycleBlueBook before buying. Whatever you get, be sure to have fun on it; if you're not smiling while on your bike you're doing something wrong.
 
I think REI, I know communist shop blah blah blah, might actually be reopening here soon. I'm going to see about going in and testing out a handful of bikes there. They have brands I've never heard of, but their pricing is reasonable.

If that's a no go, I'll definitely look to go east to some of the bigger shops dedicated to all things bicycle.
 
Speaking of suspension here is my oldie but goody Cannondale from 1992. It was their first full suspension bike as I recall. But that's when suspension was limited to about 2" of travel but for road and minor bumps it's great. Plus u can set stiffness of front suspension as you ride. With road tires this is a plush cruiser. Grease guard hubs and crank means no more bearing tear downs. Just shoot new grease in there periodically (or if crossing deep streams etc). Even though it's old and I've used the heck out of it it's every bit as good as the day I bought it in 92 (other than paint scuffs). This kind of bike is around $200 used now or less than 1/10 original cost but just as good as when new if they have been maintained (Klein etc is similar). There were no disk brakes back then though.
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It depends on your usage. If you are spending a lot of time riding, then get a bike you will enjoy. If not, then any old walmart special should be good enough, although you might want to upgrade some components so as not to be stranded somewhere. Keep in mind that bikes are big targets of theft.
 
So, apparently bikes are being bought in masses just like guns are. There aren't any to be had. Anywhere...
 
So, apparently bikes are being bought in masses just like guns are. There aren't any to be had. Anywhere...
I heard about that, could go the used route or delivery from the manufacturer, specialized, cannondale, trek, etc. And check out the bike channels on youtube, I like gcn, but they focus on road bikes, but many of their videos are helpful for all bike types and issues.
 
Thanks to those here that recommended the Bike Gallery. Due to those recommendations and a member here offering a slightly used but horribly priced Trek FX2 he has purchased from the Bike Gallery. I figured I check them out. Went there today and purchased a Trek FX3. Very very nice bike, and a huge upgrade from my Costco bike.
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While there I chatted up the sales folks a bunch. They are selling bikes like no tomorrow, and they are NOT expecting more to come in any time soon. Apparently most bikes are made in China (shocker I know) and Covid killed the supply chain. So what's in the states, is in the states, that's about it for a few months if not longer. They are also virtually out of intertubes, saddles, peddles, most tires, and other various components.
 
Thanks to those here that recommended the Bike Gallery. Due to those recommendations and a member here offering a slightly used but horribly priced Trek FX2 he has purchased from the Bike Gallery. I figured I check them out. Went there today and purchased a Trek FX3. Very very nice bike, and a huge upgrade from my Costco bike.
View attachment 706241
While there I chatted up the sales folks a bunch. They are selling bikes like no tomorrow, and they are NOT expecting more to come in any time soon. Apparently most bikes are made in China (shocker I know) and Covid killed the supply chain. So what's in the states, is in the states, that's about it for a few months if not longer. They are also virtually out of intertubes, saddles, peddles, most tires, and other various components.
Congrats! looks like a nice one!
 
Was planning on selling my ole faithful Costco special.

Figured I need a project, so I started tearing it apart. I'm gonna slowly build it into a nicer bike. Thing is in pretty decent shape surprisingly. Frame itself is fairly light. Just need to watch about s million YouTube videos in bikes and get going.
 
Was planning on selling my ole faithful Costco special.

Figured I need a project, so I started tearing it apart. I'm gonna slowly build it into a nicer bike. Thing is in pretty decent shape surprisingly. Frame itself is fairly light. Just need to watch about s million YouTube videos in bikes and get going.
Uh oh... welcome to the world of titanium (and kevlar tires)...:p;)
 
It's amazing how a good bike can change things. Did 15 miles today and I felt like I could have gone much much further. Kiddo was pretty much done so I turned around at Buxton. I'm looking to push out to 20-25 miles now! So long as the kiddo lets me!

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