Advice needed on purchasing a bike

[FreshTressa]

I'm a noob bike rider and need a new bike.

I would like to do the seattle to portland race this year and then a triathlon later in the year.

I have no idea what brands, how cheap I can go etc.

Any advice for me??

TIA

 

[HonestAbe]

Schwinn makes some nice entry level bikes available for very reasonable prices. An accessory you might seriously consider being a newbie cyclist is something called "training wheels." It will save you significant skin as you learn to ride.

 

[xterratri]

You probably want a road bike as opposed to a hybrid/mtn/triathlon/track(you get the idea). A couple of brands that make reasonably priced-relatively speaking for road bikes- are Trek, Specialized, Fuji, Giant, Felt. They all have road bikes starting in the 500-600 range. If you can afford to go a little more to the around 1000-1200 range you get tons more bike for the money. If you know what size you need and what you are looking for Ebay can be a good option and you might also see if your local bike clubs have classified sections and maybe get something gently used. Cyclists had a tendency to be gearheads that really like nice shiny new things so what's being sold used can actually be in very good shape. Good luck with your goals and feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

 

[Ranatra]

I suggest you go to your local bike shop and get some help. They're really knowledgeable and were a lot of help to me when I was shopping around. After riding a trail bike for about 4 years,(I was doing a lot of trails at the time) I decided I wanted to go to road.
I purchased a Trek 2000 Women's Specific Design a couple years ago, I think it was around $1,200 or $1,300.

 

[FreshTressa]

Thanks!

I did go to some shops today...I got pretty mixed messages, so we shall see.