What type of bike should I be looking for?

Too long of a question. But a short answer. Buy whatever type of bicycle suits your needs the best. If you feel more comfortable on a hybrid - buy a hybrid. But, you'll get waxed in any type of competitive race on one.

If you want a bike for both casual riding & competitive riding - buy a good road bike. But remember, that road bike can't take trails of packed earth & finely crushed gravel. The hybrid can.

There are advantages & disadvantages to either choice.

My standard answer anytime someone has a limited budget is to go for the 5 or 6 year old used bike. There are many high quality used bikes from major manufacturers available in the $300 price range. The advantages of buying used are many but the single biggest factor is the ability to get higher quality components at a lower price. The component group is the most important part of any bike since it the means of transferring your effort into actual forward motion.

Any new bike priced anywhere near $300 will be equipped with entry level components and in most cases be quite heavy due to a steel frame and lower quality wheels. The same $300 can buy you a used bike from one of the quality manufacturers like Trek, Specialized, Cannondale etc., with an aluminum frame, lighter wheels and a far better component group. Sure its used, but a quality bike that has been maintained is built for thousands of miles, yet many have been ridden only a fraction of miles its designed for. You'll always get a better bike by buying used instead of new in that price range.

As far as style of bike to look for, base that on what kind of riding you'll do the most of. That triathlon you're talking about is a one time effort, the riding to school is a bit more regular so I'd opt for a bike that is more suited for the everyday ride. Since you aren't expecting to be too competitive in the tri, the bike you're on won't make too much difference will it?

To put things in perspective as far as the recommendations that you need a road bike because of that tri, consider this... virtually all bike shop employees are avid cyclists. Because they are, they see cycling a bit different than someone like yourself. They would never consider showing up at a triathlon with a hybrid mainly because many of the other entrants would look down on them as novices. When you are a novice that doesn't seem so bad but when you consider yourself an accomplished cyclist its to be avoided at all costs.

Find a good used bike in your price range that you're comfortable on, ride it to school and use it in the tri and don't worry about whether someone says its too heavy or its not the right model.

The

You can ride anything you want in a tri. What you give up is speed. You lose two or more mph in every gear on a hybrid vs a 'racer'. Translate that over 112 miles, that is going to be an extra hour OR more in the saddle at 16 vs 14 mph average!

There is nothing wrong with a good used bike on Crag's List or Ebay or the classifieds. I bought both my current road bike and my tri bike on ebay..... for pennies on the original retail value. Most tri riders do not ride tri bikes, but standard road bikes with aero bars attached. You will get much more bike for the money!

Happy Holidays!

Soccerref

Bicycles don't seem to be not like vehicles in that they're modes of transportation. If you wish the offroad potential of a jeep and the potency and simplicity of a honda civic you ought to get each as none of the ones crossover thingies are very well at both. Same is going for bicycles. Ruggedness=gigantic. "hybrid" motorcycles suck for whatever rather than grocery-getting or commuting not up to 5 miles an afternoon. Just get a avenue motorcycle and a couple of well mountain climbing boots or a mountain motorcycle and a bus cross. If your trip is not up to 5 miles an afternoon, the mountain motorcycle shall be high-quality. It is well to grasp that you're sensible approximately the rate of a nontoxic bicycle, although. Best wants.

Get the weight on all of the bikes you are interested in. The lightest will be the fastest. Other then that it is personal preference. We have one old english gentleman here that has won many races on an antique 3 spd. Raleigh. Many of us old guys prefer a solid hub to a derailleur.

I wouldn't buy a used bike I hadn't examined unless the buyer has a return policy.

You are in the market for a used bike, one place, other than the ones you mentioned is http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/list/?region=3&cat...

ill recomend you to buy a road bike, that gmc looks retty well, the schiwinn its acepptable .

but better go to a mountain bike with not suspension or hardtail

This one is the best bike for u............

Eastern Bikes 2010 Shock BMX Bike

Product Features

* Eastern designed 18.5" toptube frame with lowered standover height and Eastern Promise.

* 25/9 Micro-drive gearing

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* Eastern Shaft 3 pc. cranks with sealed mid bottom bracket

* Forged alloy u-brakes