Buying my husband a bike

[Ashab]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone can offer some help on entry level bike suggestions as I would like to buy my husband a bike

Nothing serious, it's main use would be used as an alternative exercise than running. He would probably want to ride on the road around our neighbourhood for around an hour couple times a week or on a few of the fire trails etc

He is around 6"4 / 6"5 , weighs around 85kgs (if that matters)

Looking for something entry level. No too expensive as I believe once he gets the started he would probably get really into it and want to upgrade after a year. And nothing too complicated. Etc

Thanks

[mitzikatzi]

It is really easy to buy the wrong "size". You need to take him to the shop with you.
Also what type of bike a road bike or a mountain bike for the "fire trails"

[ColinOldnCranky]

I'm a trifle jealous of Ashab's hubby. He seems to have the sort of woman the rest of us dream of.

[battler2]

It is really easy to buy the wrong "size". You need to take him to the shop with you.
Also what type of bike a road bike or a mountain bike for the "fire trails"

if he's 6"4 then its easy. just buy XL or XXL. usually XXL frames are race geometry equivalent of normal frames in XL.

guarantee you it won't be too small, and technically that height of a rider you can benefit from a custom bike fit but that's too expensive, just get the seatpost up with some setback.

you can buy online knowing that easily. later adjustments such as stem, handlebar width etc. you learn as you go along, and that's where wiggle comes in.

[nickobec]

+1 to what mitzikatzi said

Does he want/need a drop bar road bike to go fast, a flat bar road bike to smell the roses and still ride distances or a mountain bike to take to the dirt?

Plenty of choices, just depends on what, where and how fast he wants to ride.

Size at 6' 4" he is probably an XL, but then again I am 6' 1" and will be racing a SM (small to medium) bike tomorrow.

I assume it is an xmas present you want to surprise him with. If it was me, I would go to my local bike shop (LBS) and talk to the people there about a gift card or similar.So on the day he gets a helmet with a card attached saying pick you bicycle from this store on this day. Or if you are evil, get an empty bike box from the LBS, gift wrap it and put the card in the bottom of the box, with something like to fill this box, visit this store and redeem the voucher for one bicycle.

[Hugh Stone old]

+1 to what Nicobec said about the empty bike box. Gets the surprise, appreciates the thought but also gets to make the choice.
Buying a bike is a pretty personal thing.
Be aware though that when he goes to a bike shop he'll want to spend about 25% more than you'd planned.

[}SkOrPn--7]

Or if you are evil, get an empty bike box from the LBS, gift wrap it and put the card in the bottom of the box

Just make sure you get a really ugly picture of a bike on the box and make sure the image has a step through ladies bike on it

Ricky

[Ross]

Maybe a cyclocross bike is what's needed if he is planning to ride roads and fire trails?

[barefoot]

you can buy online knowing that easily. later adjustments such as stem, handlebar width etc. you learn as you go along, and that's where wiggle comes in.

That's all fine, assuming you are confident swapping parts and you know how a bike should fit.

Most of us haven't been a newbie for a very long time, so it's easy to forget how foreign it all is.

If the original poster is going to need expert assistance and advice to get a bike to fit, adjusted and working properly, don't buy the bike online. Work with a local shop. That's what they are there for. Sure, it will cost more, but you are paying for service, and you need service.

I'm probably the most vocal opponent when people start up with the "support your local bike shop" spiel. No. The local bike shop is not a charity, I don't owe them a living. I rarely go into a local shop; I shop online, do my own mechanical work, rely on my own advice, make my own mistakes, and deal with my own warranty issues. But for somebody new to the sport who needs these services, then it's unreasonable to do the shopping online and expect the support in-store.

It's a lovely thought to buy him a bike as a surprise, but I'd be quite apprehensive if somebody was going to buy me anything bike-related without my guidance. I know what I do and don't want, and there are a lot of ways for a well-meaning gift buyer to get it horribly wrong. Granted, I'm a horribly grumpy opinionated old bastard, and there's probably less chance of getting it horribly wrong for somebody who doesn't have as many opinions as I do... but you've got a much better chance of him loving the gift it he gets to be involved in choosing it.

I would never buy a set of guitar strings for a guitarist, because it's a very personal choice and I don't have the knowledge and information to get it right. Likewise, you need to be aware that cyclists are fickle, and can be difficult to please.

An empty bike box with a promise is a good option.

tim

[silentC]

I'd be quite apprehensive if somebody was going to buy me anything bike-related without my guidance ... An empty bike box with a promise is a good option.

+1

But I am only 6'2", my dearest

[MattyK]

Or if you are evil, get an empty bike box from K-mart...

fixed.

[FinancialWar]

wow, what a caring wife.

[Ashab]

Wow some excellent advice given here. Thanks

You gave me just enough to walk into the local bike store with a little confidence to have a chat and walk out with an empty box and a gift card

And yes the box is of a crappy Kmart bike that someone brought to get fixed but went home with an actual bike.

Thanks again !!!