Bicycle Help Needed

Fredonia Coldheart · February 12, 2004, 8:51 pm

I just hit 15 years with the company I work for and most of the service awards are lame. The only one I see myself possibly using is a bike but I know nothing about them. I only ride for fun around the neighborhood and don't do any mountain biking. Would the following be suitable for this. My current bike I bought about 14 years ago and it is nothing special.

This is the only desciption I have:

Trek Mountain Bike, 26" 21 Speed Unisex

The Trek butted Cro-Moly mainframe creates a combination of lightness and strength, plus a lively shock absorbing ride

The alloy rims and mixed tread tires ride well on dirt, trails and pavement

The SYNC 63mm fork smoothes out bumpy riding surfaces

Shimano Altus crank and Altus/Acera provide 21 speeds

Thanks for any help.

noel · Post by **noel** » February 12, 2004, 9:04 pm

It would be perfect for what you want to do. That's actually a very nice consumer grade bike, and Trek makes quality products. I would imagine you'll be very happy with it.

The only real question is sizing. I'm not really familiar with sizing for mountain bikes as opposed to road bikes. If possible, go to a local bike shop and find out what size they recommend for you for a similar bike. Generally speaking, for casual usage, sizing isn't as important, and you can make adjustments to seat and bar height, but if you're planning on doing a lot of riding it would be in your best interest to make sure it's the right size for you.

I hope that was helpful.

Edit: This is probably the bike, or perhaps last year's version of this.

Keverian FireCry · Post by **Keverian FireCry** » February 12, 2004, 9:40 pm

My dad got a frickin $30 pocketknife for his 25 years at his work

.

Fredonia Coldheart · February 12, 2004, 10:05 pm

Thanks for the info. The web site didn't list any models but here it is http://www.selectawards.com/keane/k155.cfm My current bike is only a 10 speed and I hardly shift gears, I don't know what I would do with 21 gears!

I started out working for a smallish consulting firm that hit paydirt in the 80s. Two years ago they were bought out by Keane and the whole service awards available to us were downgraded.

The original company gave you $1500 to spend on your leisure when you hit 15 years. I sure do wish they had lasted another couple years!

noel · Post by **noel** » February 12, 2004, 10:18 pm

Nice looking bike. I'd still recommend checking the sizing.

As far as gearing goes, some general advice for novice cyclists...

Don't make the mistake of feeling like you have to constantly be pushing hard when you're cycling. You'll get a better aerobic workout (i.e. burn more calories) if you constantly try to keep yourself in a gear where pedaling is relatively easy. As an example, you want your cadence (speed at which you're turning the pedals) to be between 80-100 RPMs during the course of your rides. If you have to go up steep hills, adjust the gearing to compensate, or lower your cadence to a rate that's comfortable for you. The key is to stay aerobic. 80-100 might sound difficult, but it's really not and the shifters on the newer bikes are far easier to use than they were in the past.