Bicycle people in here. Newbie questions.

[Tyrone Biggums]

Looking at getting bikes for the wife and I and have no idea where to start. Don't really plan on arduous trail riding or anything like that, but also something that won't lose a wheel or bend a fork if it actually makes it off the pavement once or twice. Mainly something comfortable that we can take to the park and ride around with our toddler on the back or front or whatever child contraptions they have these days, so we can give him a change of scenery and get some exercise in the process. Cost is certainly an issue as I don't have a lot to spend.
I know one can kind of go full retard if not careful.

Any particular brands or retailers to look in to or stay away from? What do I look for to make sure the bike fits each person properly? Any cool kid carrying devices you've seen or used that I should look in to?

TIA

[BlueCoupeRedVert]

I bought the best mountain bike Target had 7 years ago. They are holding up well. Shwinn DX40 and DX25 I think.

[Rreemo]

Jimmy, I did this for Carrie and I a few years ago...went to Academy and bought a couple Schwinn street/mountain bike hybrids, they were only a couple hundred bucks each and have worked out great...we've put a lot of miles on them out here by our place and also hauled them to the beach with us a couple times. Not any kind of big dollar bikes, but we aren't serious riders either....they've worked out great to fill the casual need we use them for. Almost identical....

[Tyrone Biggums]

Jimmy, I did this for Carrie and I a few years ago...went to Academy and bought a couple Schwinn street/mountain bike hybrids, they were only a couple hundred bucks each and have worked out great...we've put a lot of miles on them out here by our place and also hauled them to the beach with us a couple times. Not any kind of big dollar bikes, but we aren't serious riders either....they've worked out great to fill the casual need we use them for. Almost identical....

See, something like that is what I had in mind. I'll have to make an Academy run at lunch one day and look around.

[Rick Modena]

Whatever you do don't spend any large amount of money on one. I bought my wife a nice ass $500.00 bike and its been ridden like two times and its hanging in the garage on flats from non-use.

[GrayStangGT]

I would try and find a used quality bike on craigslist before buying a new chain store type of bike. A friend of mine has a schwinn very similar to the one posted and ended up buying a trek within 6 months of starting to ride and all he rides is around town for exercise. I would stick with brands like Specialized, Trek, Giant, Jamis, Scott, etc. I'm sure you can find some nice cruisers for a few hundred each if you search. Personally I have 2 specialized mountain bikes.

[GrayStangGT]

Here is a few I saw just glancing through the Dallas craigslist

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3217839919.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3212080952.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3198609835.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/bik/3190894718.html

Academy used to carry these a few years ago, I rode one and it wasn't too bad.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/bik/3217754625.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/bik/3200125560.html

A little higher end

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/bik/3156508230.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3217418491.html

[Tyrone Biggums]

Here is a few I saw just glancing through the Dallas craigslist

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3217839919.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3212080952.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3198609835.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/bik/3190894718.html

Academy used to carry these a few years ago, I rode one and it wasn't too bad.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/bik/3217754625.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/bik/3200125560.html

A little higher end

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/bik/3156508230.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/3217418491.html

Cool. Thanks for throwing those up. It appears I need to dig around on craigslist. That women's Trek and the pair of Columbia's raise an eyebrow.

[chuckacosta]

I would try and find a used quality bike on craigslist before buying a new chain store type of bike. A friend of mine has a schwinn very similar to the one posted and ended up buying a trek within 6 months of starting to ride and all he rides is around town for exercise. I would stick with brands like Specialized, Trek, Giant, Jamis, Scott, etc. I'm sure you can find some nice cruisers for a few hundred each if you search. Personally I have 2 specialized mountain bikes.

I couldn't agree more. I actually like the bikes at Sports Authority and Dicks if you're gonna go with something outside of a bike shop. Academy and especially Walmart bikes are shit. STAY AWAY FROM WALMART!!!

[Rreemo]

Each to their own...around ~$500 for 2 brand new bikes wasn't a bad deal at all for me. I didn't want to spend a whole bunch of money when I wasn't sure if we'd actually use them much. I figured we could always upgrade if we got more serious....we didn't become serious riders, but we do still use them quite a bit 3-years later with ZERO problems out of either one...if that's "shit" than I guess I just have different standards. Maybe that's why I have money in the bank too, though.

[jakesford]

I agree with the buying a nice used bike over any of the big box store choices.

1. You are going to be starting off with much better components that will be much more reliable.

2. If something does break, getting a part for a trek or specialized is easy compared to some random Chinese made bike.

3. If you don't end up using them, you can turn around and sell them for what you paid without much trouble.

[FreightTrain]

Each to their own...around ~$500 for 2 brand new bikes wasn't a bad deal at all for me. I didn't want to spend a whole bunch of money when I wasn't sure if we'd actually use them much. I figured we could always upgrade if we got more serious....we didn't become serious riders, but we do still use them quite a bit 3-years later with ZERO problems out of either one...if that's "shit" than I guess I just have different standards. Maybe that's why I have money in the bank too, though.

^^^^^I like your style.

[Rick Modena]

I agree with the buying a nice used bike over any of the big box store choices.

1. You are going to be starting off with much better components that will be much more reliable.

2. If something does break, getting a part for a trek or specialized

Funny we have both of those hanging in the garage.

Almost 1k in bikes, my son used his, but once he got his car it was forgotten about. Now my wife, its a nice powder blue with maybe 5 miles on it.

[GrayStangGT]

Now my wife, its a nice powder blue with maybe 5 miles on it.

I put more than 5 miles on mine after work today lol. I don't think I ever get on it without putting 5+ miles on it.