Bicycles
- Thread starter Blownbyyou
- Start date
$500 cap is going to be hard for something of quality. Look for a hybrid, so not a full road cycle (think Tour de France), and not an upright (think old person). You'll need an XL frame or 22.5" (maaayyyyybe 25"). I'd also recommend one with at least 32-35mm tires.
For example I have a 2015 Trek 7.3 FX that was about $550 brand new. 27 speed, wrist/palm relief grips, chain guard on front crank, weighs about 16-18lbs (which is light). It came with 30mm (700x30) road tires with almost no tread. Great for paved surfaces, sucked for anything else. Went to "slightly" treaded 700x32 and was able to do things like the Prairie Path without much issue. I've gotten in to more rough areas while looking for new paths so I spooned on some 700x38's. They're a bit excessive and 35's would be okay. I bring up the tire width because of your weight. It'll help distribute the load across the contact patch and give a better ride, and less likely to puncture. They typically run 50-70 or 60-80psi.
Oh, and if you can swing it for the price, get cable actuated disc brakes. Yes, they make hydraulic discs brakes for bicycles and they're expensive! I have rim brakes (the old rubber kind) and wish I had discs. Discs stop much better, usually last longer, and if they get wet you barely lose braking force.
I picked up a Trek 810 for my dad which is a mountain bike. Has front suspension (non-adjustable) and is like 24 speed. It was right about $500. He likes it and it came with good enough tires (like 40 or 50mm) that he can do pavement, crushed limestone (Prairie Path, Great Western Trail, etc), grass, packed dirt, and some gravel. The only thing he doesn't like is that the front gear doesn't have an oversized tooth cover, so it's really easy for your pant's leg to get caught up in the front gear/chain.
For example I have a 2015 Trek 7.3 FX that was about $550 brand new. 27 speed, wrist/palm relief grips, chain guard on front crank, weighs about 16-18lbs (which is light). It came with 30mm (700x30) road tires with almost no tread. Great for paved surfaces, sucked for anything else. Went to "slightly" treaded 700x32 and was able to do things like the Prairie Path without much issue. I've gotten in to more rough areas while looking for new paths so I spooned on some 700x38's. They're a bit excessive and 35's would be okay. I bring up the tire width because of your weight. It'll help distribute the load across the contact patch and give a better ride, and less likely to puncture. They typically run 50-70 or 60-80psi.
Oh, and if you can swing it for the price, get cable actuated disc brakes. Yes, they make hydraulic discs brakes for bicycles and they're expensive! I have rim brakes (the old rubber kind) and wish I had discs. Discs stop much better, usually last longer, and if they get wet you barely lose braking force.
I picked up a Trek 810 for my dad which is a mountain bike. Has front suspension (non-adjustable) and is like 24 speed. It was right about $500. He likes it and it came with good enough tires (like 40 or 50mm) that he can do pavement, crushed limestone (Prairie Path, Great Western Trail, etc), grass, packed dirt, and some gravel. The only thing he doesn't like is that the front gear doesn't have an oversized tooth cover, so it's really easy for your pant's leg to get caught up in the front gear/chain.
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