r/Biking

Hey everyone, long time lurker here. I finally pulled the trigger and picked up a used entry level road bike last week. I'm 28 and honestly haven't ridden regularly since I was a kid messing around in the neighborhood. The whole process of choosing a bike was kind of overwhelming and I ended up just going with something in my budget that felt comfortable at the local shop.

Now that I have it, I'm realizing there is a whole world of stuff I had no idea about. Proper saddle height, gear shifting habits, how to not absolutely destroy your legs on the first few rides, tire pressure, basic maintenance. The list goes on. YouTube has been helpful but there is so much conflicting information out there.

I know this community has a lot of people who have been riding for years and I would love to hear what you wish somebody had told you when you were just starting out. Whether it's gear advice, riding technique, common beginner mistakes, or just general mindset stuff, I'm all ears.

What's the one piece of advice you would go back and give yourself as a new rider? Really appreciate any input from people who have been through that beginner learning curve.

I'm planning to buy my first bike which i can use for daily commute and also for long rides. Budget is around 3 lakh in banglore suggest me some good options.

Hey everyone, I recently decided to get more serious about biking after years of just casually riding here and there. I want to start commuting a couple days a week and maybe do some weekend trail rides, but I am honestly overwhelmed by all the options out there.

I went to a local bike shop and the guy kept throwing terms at me like endurance geometry, gravel ready, and 1x drivetrain and I just nodded along pretending I knew what any of it meant. I ended up leaving without buying anything because I did not want to make an expensive mistake.

My budget is somewhere around $400 to $600. I am not a total beginner since I can ride fine, but I have never owned a quality bike as an adult. I mostly see Trek and Giant recommended online but I genuinely do not know if that is just brand loyalty talking or if they are actually the best starting point in this price range.

How did you figure out what kind of bike actually fit your riding style when you were just starting out? Did you test ride a bunch before deciding or just pull the trigger on something that seemed reasonable? Also curious if anyone regrets their first pick and why. Would love to hear real experiences rather than just spec sheet comparisons.

Hi I don’t know much about bikes at ALL, but I’m looking into getting one to go on bike rides around my area (in a city) and commute. I really love the BMX look in terms of the handle bars and stuff, but not the size of them. Anyone know any bikes that could work for me?

Biked across the sland to get to Sea Pines to go to a booked parasailing reservation. Parasailing I paid for. Guess what? Bikes aren't allowed if you are not staying there. Im actually ok with that, maybe just gotta pay. Nope.... You can only get through in a car. Mind you, plenty of bike paths. Safe for bikes. I said I would pay for two full car passes, for our two bikes. Nope. Cars only (yes there are bike paths along the road). No where on the parasailing website does it say this. I'm not upset about that, im upset about the stupid rule. Even paying a car fee for two bikes is not allowed. Ridiculous. Honestly it's so stupid im never coming back to this island.

Edit: we were on regular bikes, not electric.

Hello I am interested in possibly becoming a bike enthusiast. I have gotten into climbing and my gym did a cool Tour de France deal in which we would all drive to each gym do challenges etc. I was unable to do it because of other obligations but I also don’t have a bike. My buddy from where I’m from is a bit of an enthusiast and I asked him for advice on getting into the realm of single speeds, commuters, and even fixed gears.

I see an old Trek like dual sport bike sitting outside near me abandoned for some time. I am asking you guys today if it is worth spending money on parts and maybe labor to convert it to a fixed gear/and or single speed. I have watched some YouTube videos and feel confident I can do it within a budget friendly manner, my friend has told me it would be better to find a good used well taken care of like popular brand bike (State,Aventon,Mercier TT etc.).

I would just like some feedback to my idea if it is feasible and maybe recommended or if I should listen to my buddies’ advice and just purchase and learn the basic maintenance first before doing a build project.

I am in between two used bikes. I am looking for a reliable commuting bike in a walkable city. I am between

A Liotto road bike, tailored to someone one inch taller than me. It has not been ridden and would need to be maintained and tuned and possibly have the tires replaced for around 100 bucks.

Or a Raleigh Grand Prix bike recently tuned, new tape and brakes and chain. Ready to ride for 150

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I had a unique situation today. Was driving my car down a steep, winding road from a trailhead on a mountain that is popular for both mtb and road bikes. The speed limit is 20 the whole way down except for a few 10mph sharp turns. I was going exactly the speed limit for the entire drive, which is only about 5 miles, because there were so many blind turns that any faster felt unsafe. There was a cyclist following me very closely for that entire time. I know that 1) they could have gone faster, 2) technically they are supposed to follow the speed limit as well, and 3) it can really kill the energy on a long ride to be stuck behind a car.

There were a few scenic pull-outs along the way, but I had no real reason to stop. Was I supposed to pull over for the biker to pass? I don’t road bike very often, so I usually stay wayyyyy farther back than this cyclist, and I couldn’t tell if that was an effort at signaling that I was in their way. This person was close enough to my car that they could have slammed into me if I stopped quickly for a deer or something.

[edit: no bike lanes or dashed middle lane for a pass on the left]