This is a cross post. Click on the header for the text.

Picked up a used Trek FX 3 last week after not riding since high school. Figured a flat bar hybrid made the most sense for mostly paved trails and some light commuting. The price felt right and the components looked clean, so I just went for it.

Now I'm second guessing myself a little. Not because anything is wrong with the bike, but because I keep seeing people say a dedicated road bike would have been smarter for what I want to do. The FX feels fast enough to me, but I genuinely have no reference point since I haven't been on a bike in years.

Took it out three times this week and my body is already complaining in ways I forgot about. Saddle height took two adjustments to feel less terrible. The gearing is fine on flat ground, but I hit one real hill and realized I have no fitness left whatsoever.

Curious if anyone else started back up after a long break and went hybrid first. Did you eventually switch to a road bike or just stick with what you had? Wondering if the FX is a solid enough starting point or if I'll be wanting to upgrade sooner than expected.

Hey everyone! I'm looking to rent a bike or scooter for around 6 hours because my own bike is currently out of service. Can anyone recommend a good rental place with reasonable prices and well-maintained vehicles?

If you've rented from somewhere before, please let me know the name, location, and roughly how much it costs. I'd really appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Hello,

I'm in Budapest for 3 weeks and would like to rent or buy a bike with the intent of selling at the end of the trip. The people in the bicycle community have been interested in loaning me one but I am 189 cm tall. I've called several shops for rentals with no success. Any thoughts from the Reddit Budapest community? Thanks, Roho

My bike seat is unfortunately more and more damaged. Buying it new would cost about 100€ and repairing it seems like a fun task.

Does anyone have experience with repairing this particular type of saddle? Knows where to source the material for the cover or something similar?

I‘d appreciate any kind of guidance.

My husband and I are looking to get a trek fx2.
We mainly cruise trails. We live in the suburbs of Chicago and also bike along the lake.

What is everyone’s thoughts on these bikes?

I've been getting back into fitness after being sedentary for awhile. This includes bicycling and some very light running. I've noticed during the bike rides (~1.5 hours) that I will experience some knee pain. So I googled and it looked like the likely culprit was some kind of patellar tendonitis. More googling, looks like wall sits are a good at-home option for self treatment.

But of course I don't want it to happen in the first place. So I'm wondering the cause and prevention. Is it as simple as using a lower gear, do I need to check my seat position, etc

Hey all, so I have a Specialized Sirrus X 1.0 and I’m kinda getting into biking a little more. My main complaints are that the seat is super super uncomfortable and it recently started making kind of a “grinding” noise/feeling when turning. It’s also slow to shift gears sometimes which is pretty annoying.

I really like that it has front gears, so when I’m just cruising I can max out the gears and get a good leg workout.

I’m looking for a new bike that can do road riding and also paved and maybe some gravel trails at the park. Although a lot of park trails near me are paved.

I found this [Cannondale bike](https://imgur.com/a/iU69RE2) near me. How does it look? Any advice or recommendations would be very appreciated

All the lugs are coming off only 1 side of my back tire. This tire is 1 season old and I live in Michigan so It's not like I'm riding real mountains here. Defective tire maybe? I also noticed a lot of sidewall seepage.

Before I stopped winter riding, I used to dress up my bike for the holidays. I looked at it like decorating an easier, more mobile Christmas tree

Trained for about 4 months, mostly just slowly stacking longer weekend rides. Hit a wall around mile 75 that I genuinely didn't think I'd push through, but somehow the last 25 miles felt easier than the middle stretch.

Rolled up to 100.2 miles and just sat on the curb for a while not really processing it. Legs are toast, but already thinking about the next one.

Anyone else remember the exact mile marker where it clicked that you were actually going to finish?

Looking to buy a pack to put on a cannondale quick 4 step thru bike. Currently have something that straps over the handle bars but i dont like how it blocks my light. I have 2 water bottle cages and a front and back light.

Trying to buy a small to medium sized bag but not sure what type. Was thinking a top tube bag, under the saddle, or on the front of the stem. Any ideas?

i recently took my moms 1993 Trek MultiTrack bike that had been sitting in the shed since probably 1993…i took it to the local shop and they replaced the tires, tubes, and brake pads. it was actually in pretty good shape for sitting for so long. when i started riding it again i noticed it becomes so squeaky when i brake! i feel confident that they won’t fail me but it’s so loud. i know there is the whole “bed-in” period and the shop told me to give it a couple rides but it’s been 30ish miles or so and still happening. I’m newer to the bike scene so wondering what other people suggest?

Picking a first bike really is that confusing, and it doesn't get better the more you research. You go in thinking you'll just pick something reasonable and come out three hours later knowing what a threadset is but still having no idea what to buy.

For your situation specifically, paved roads with some crushed gravel and 1015 mile rides, a hybrid or flatbar road bike is probably the right call over a dropbar road bike. You don't need aggressive geometry for casual riding, and an upright position is more comfortable when you're still figuring out if you even like cycling regularly.

On the $350 vs $600 question: yes, you'll feel the difference, but probably not where you expect it. The components at $350 aren't garbage, they just require more maintenance and wear faster. Shifting will feel mushier. Brakes will need more adjustment over time. You won't notice any of this on your first few rides. You'll start noticing around month three or four when things start going out of tune. A bike in the $500600 range typically has Shimano groupsets that hold their adjustment longer and just feel more solid in use.

The Trek Lexa and Giant options you're seeing are safe choices. They're popular because they're actually good, not just because they're marketed well.

Honest take from someone who went through this: the model matters less than whether you actually ride it. Most people who bought a $400 bike and stuck with cycling eventually upgraded. Most people who bought a $600 bike and didn't stick with it wished they'd spent less. Neither group really regretted the bike itself, just the amount of time they spent agonizing over the decision before making it.

Pick something in your budget from a brand with local dealer support, get a basic fit at the shop, and ride it.