So I used to love biking, but haven't owned a bike in years. I do a lot of hiking and trail running in the mountain preserve up the road and I always see lots of bikers there and think "I want to do that too!" So I figured a new bike would be an excellent reward for hitting ONEderland.

I don't have a lot of money but I was on craigslist last night and found TONS of used bikes for sale. So now I just need to know what to look for. I know I want a mountain bike so I can go on trails too but that's about all I know. I saw 7 speed bikes, 10 speed, even 21 speed! I was originally looking for a women's bike but I guess it doesn't really matter where the middle bar is. I'm also unsure about sizes, what average size would fit a 5'5" woman like myself with a 30" inseam from crotch to floor?

Any bike advice would be great!!

This is funny - I am buying one this weekend. Found a womens 26" at WalMart for $ 70. Not a top of the line but if I get a year out of it I'll be happy. I do the treadmill daily but miss riding also - haven't done it in 20 years and I figured it's something I can do with my son. I talked to some really nice guys at a bike store and they said 26" is right for me - I'm 5'4". I'm getting a more comfortable seat for it though because the "thong" seats don't make me happy - lol ! Good luck finding one ! Try in your local papers classified section too.

hmm....I've been doing some searching online on how to measure oneself for a bike and I found 2 calculators that both told me about a 21" bike....that's a lot smaller than yours and it just doesn't sound right. I do have real short legs though....maybe that has something to do with it? I found a basic method that said to measure your crotch to the ground and 2/3 of that is a good size (20" for me) then I found a complicated calculator where you measure your inseam, elbow to knuckles, shoulder to knuckles, torso and from the ground to your collar bone....all added up it told me 21". I know I'm going to need to try the bike out but since I'm buying used I don't want to set up a time to go look at a bike that's nowhere NEAR my size, I'd just like a basic idea.

I'm also not sure how many gears I need, there's such a wide range!

Are you comparing apples to oranges? My mountain bike has a 19" frame size (perfect for me, I'm 5' 6") and 26" wheels (which are standard on mountain bikes and some hybrids). Kids bikes are sized by wheel sizes. My road bike has a larger frame (mens M - can't remember what that translates to in inches) and bigger wheels, because it's for road riding.

The only way to really know what fits you is to go to a bike store and try the bikes they have in the type you want. You don't have to buy from them, although I know the bike stores here have used bikes also, once you know what you want then you can look online. I'd go for more gears if you plan to use it in hilly areas - both mine are 21-speed and although it sounds a lot I tend to use all the ranges.

I agree with the saddle issue witchyonadiet mentioned - especially if you buy a men's bike. I have women's saddles on both my bikes and they are wider and waaaaaay better for me!

Have fun!
Jax

I just bought a 26" 7 speed cruiser from Schwinn for $99 at Target about a week and a half ago... love it!!

Aaaaaaaaah - that must be it ! On the one I am buying - 26" must be the wheel size !!