FIRST BIKE, NEW TO CYCLING

gareth2608

Hi all

im new to cycling and thinking about getting a new bike. ive chatted with a friend of mine who has cycled for 20+ yrs so have picked his brains a bit.

i am considering the trek 2.5 compact 2011

i have stood across a few bikes and all the shops i went in suggested a 52cm bike frame.

im getting confused with the trek info, i see H2 after some bikes but the trek 2011 just says compact (is that the gears as its not a triple)? but what frame is the trek 2011 2.5 H2 or not, i cant see on the web of what frame it is, is this an ideal bike for a beginer who plans to use it to get fit and do some charity bike rides, so is the trek 2.5 a more sportive bike rather than a racer

also can i raise the handlebars up from what the pictures show.

ive bought some pedals, and a decent pump, looking at bike shoes, ive also got helmet and decent cycling shorts - anything else i need?

any help would be appreciated

harrydaisy

Sorry cant offer too much advice on the Trek, but from a kit point of view the best advice I can give is a decent rain jacket, multiple pairs of good padded cycling shorts and without a shadow of doubt chamois cream for your rear end. You will need it at some point

Enjoy

pinno

http://www.competitivecyclist.com

Click on fit calculator - top right corner. You'll need an assistant. As you will see, there are 3 fits: Competitive Fit, The Eddy Fit (Eddy Merckx) and the French fit.
It depends on what you want to do, your physiology and your flexibility (and this can change).

French fit is great for climbing. The competitive fit is difficult as not all of us can get the body flat enough and still be mechanically efficient. Eddy fit is best for randonees/sportives and start-up.

Start with an Eddy fit and go from there. Buy a frame size conducive to moving towards either fit. The fit calculator will give you stem height (handlebar height) seat height for each type of fit. The more you cycle, the more you will get a good idea of what you want from your bike and if you get hooked, you will spend a longtime tinkering until everything is exactly as you want it (and a lifetime 'upgrading', so don't go silly with your first purchase).
Join a club and get the 'gen' on everything.

navrig

harrydaisy wrote:

and without a shadow of doubt chamois cream for your rear end. You will need it at some point

Enjoy

I beg to differ..........

So far I have not had to use any form of cream on my sensitive bits. Perhaps the razor blade saddle on my Vindec racer as a teenager killed all the nerves. I've never suffered from a sorre backside due the saddles on my bikes.

Try with just padded shorts (or even better, bib-shorts) before you start slapping stuff on your bum.

ShutUpLegs

Navrig wrote:

I beg to differ..........

So far I have not had to use any form of cream on my sensitive bits. Perhaps the razor blade saddle on my Vindec racer as a teenager killed all the nerves. I've never suffered from a sorre backside due the saddles on my bikes.

Try with just padded shorts (or even better, bib-shorts) before you start slapping stuff on your bum.

Agreed, no need to use it unless doing many hours in the saddle

Hoopdriver

ShutUpLegs wrote:

Navrig wrote:

I beg to differ..........

So far I have not had to use any form of cream on my sensitive bits. Perhaps the razor blade saddle on my Vindec racer as a teenager killed all the nerves. I've never suffered from a sorre backside due the saddles on my bikes.

Try with just padded shorts (or even better, bib-shorts) before you start slapping stuff on your bum.

Agreed, no need to use it unless doing many hours in the saddle

Same here. Never needed it in 48 years of cycling...

mog1404

the trek will do you fine for a first bike and there will be a stack of spacers to raise or lower the bars to start with most pics just show the bike with no spacers as for kit bib shorts,pump,spare tubes,leavers x2,multi tool with chain splitter,helmet,glasses,jersey with back pockets and gloves and your good to go

gareth2608

thanks for all the replies, on the right path then, just got to get a few more bits.