Buying a beautiful new trek, need advice please!!?

Question

ive done my homework and decided on the affordable Trek 7100 for women.

i dont want to waste my money or get conned by the bike shop guys, so what else do i need for the bike? what questions do i ask, etc?

this is a big purchase, so i appreciate input, thank you!!!

Answer 1

Helmet.

Riding glasses with polycarbonate lens (No seriously I was riding near some road works 2 weeks ago and got hit by a stone that was flung out by a passing motorist. It got my cheek, but would have taken out my eye if I wasn't wearing good glasses.)

You can get a little seat bag with basic tools like tyre levers and puncture repair patches.

a spare tube.

chain lube and a bag of rags (you should lube your chain every 100kms (60mi)) Why pay the bike shop for something you can easily do yourself???

a good pump with a holder that mounts on your frame. Make sure that they set it up for the type of valves that are on your tubes (Presta or Schrader)

Lights

One of the best things in which I invested was a cheap speedo. It's great for keeping track of the k's you've ridden so you can schedule maintenance etc.

Ask the bike shop if they'll do free service after 6 weeks. It's important as new brake and gear cables stretch a lot in their early life. Also ask if they'll fit any accessories before you pick up the bike.

Have a great time riding!

Nearly forgot... Bike pants with a gel underneath and gloves.

Answer 2

if it's your first bike, you'll want a couple of extra intertubes and maybe a portable pump, maybe a compact one that uses c02 cartridges for quick, on the go fill up.  A bike multi-tool is always good to have to, for emergencies.

Other than that, it's a bike...pretty straight forward.

Answer 3

A small bag that attaches under the saddle. In the bag, you should have a set of tire levers and a spare tube. I also carry a glue-less patch kit just in case I get more than one flat per ride. Get a small air pump. Water bottle cages and a water bottle per cage. A helmet. Never put your butt on the saddle without your helmet on your head. Cycling shorts.

That will get you started and riding effectively for quite a while. That's until gadget mania sets in, that is....

HTH

Answer 4

Bare Essentials:

Helmet.

A nice floor pump.

Tire levers.

Replacement tubes (not tires, just tubes)

Seat bag to carry extra tube and tire levers

Shrader valve adapter (if you have presta).

Rear light in case you get caught riding at night

Front light for being seen

Water bottles/cages

Nice things to have:

Decent sport sunglasses

Cycling apparel (Jerseys, padded shorts.  I'd almost consider this essential depending on the length of time you expect to ride)

Frame pump/CO2 inflater

Decent front light in order to see at night

More serious purchases:

clipless pedals and shoes

cliff bars/power bars

Cyclocomputer

Heart Rate Monitor

As for what to ask and what to look for, there's always something else you can buy that will be "better" and more expensive.  Generally it just means lighter weight, which for a non-racing bike really isn't too much of a concern.  Durability and quality does matter though, but as long as the components on there are name brands like Shimano, Tektro, Cane Creek, or Bontrager, you're probably alright.  The biggest thing really is just to give the bike a ride and try it out.  Make sure it fits, there is more to bike fitting than just raising or lowering the seat.  If the frame is too small or too big then the bike will never be quite comfortable.  Easy check is to stand over the top tube and see how much room there is between you and the frame.  If there's a big gap, then it's too small.  If it's touching, then it's too big.

Explain to the bike shop what you're looking for in a bike and how you plan to use it and they should be able to help you out.  Most bike shops aren't out there to "con" you into buying something you don't need, you don't get repeat customers by breaking their trust.