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Emmi
I decided to get a bike to commute to work. I live very close now (less than 2 miles) and would like to bike instead of walk. Doing some research leads me to believe that I have to spend about 300 to 400 dollars on a bike.
Any thoughts on that?
I would like a bike with some gears, but nothing fancy.
Thanks for the input.
Answer
Just like $150 basketball shoes don't make you able to slam dunk; a $1000 bike will not make you Lance Armstrong. There is a happy medium of bike quality and price. Walmart and Target don't have anyone that is skilled in bike assembly, just a high school kid that can kinda follow directions when he feels like it, when he's not too pissed off at his girlfriend. Try Performance bike, its a chain bike store that has qualified mechanics that put your bike together, they have much better bikes overall and yes you will spend more on a bike you will have something that will stay in adjustment. Remember you are trusting your life to the bike, brakes, steering etc are critical components, especially if you are going to bike to work a few days a week. Performance has lifetime tuneups on their bikes so you get the long term value compared to the discount store.
Just like $150 basketball shoes don't make you able to slam dunk; a $1000 bike will not make you Lance Armstrong. There is a happy medium of bike quality and price. Walmart and Target don't have anyone that is skilled in bike assembly, just a high school kid that can kinda follow directions when he feels like it, when he's not too pissed off at his girlfriend. Try Performance bike, its a chain bike store that has qualified mechanics that put your bike together, they have much better bikes overall and yes you will spend more on a bike you will have something that will stay in adjustment. Remember you are trusting your life to the bike, brakes, steering etc are critical components, especially if you are going to bike to work a few days a week. Performance has lifetime tuneups on their bikes so you get the long term value compared to the discount store.
How do I know what the best bike for me is?
southernbe
I am looking to get a bike to give me a cardio alternative to walking or running. I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid, so I am trying to figure out what kind of bike to get -- mountain bike, road bike etc. How do I make sure that I get the right bike for me --- kind and size?
Answer
Start by reading "Bicycles: How to Choose"
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bicycle.html
It's all based on "where & how" you will be riding. Road bikes will be your fastest choice but for the streets & smooth roads ONLY. Mountain bikes or all-terrain bikes basically suck on the streets because of the knobby off road tires & suspension parts zapping your energy. Knobby tires slow you down. And with every turn of the pedals, part of your energy is absorbed or soaked up by suspension parts. All-terrain bikes are OK on the streets ONLY if they have a smoother "street friendly" tread design & "lock-out" front forks. This (in essence) turns the suspension fork into a rigid fork with the simple twist of a switch.
Hybrids are a good "all around" type bike. They are great at nothing - but still good at many things. They can be ridden on the streets or light (man-made) groomed off-road trails of finely crushed stone.
"How do I make sure that I get the right bike for me --- kind and size?" Nine very, very simple words... See your authorized, independent, knowledgeable, friendly, local BICYCLE shop! Not K-Mart, Wally World or Target. At a REAL bicycle shop you can TRY B4 you BUY! You can test ride as many bikes as your little heart desires before the sale!
Other advantages are...
1) Professional sales - not some minimum wage "associate".
2) Professional assembly of the bike by a certified mechanic - again, not some minimum wage associate.
3) FREE service after the sale. ALL new bikes require a tune-up as shift & brake cables stretch a bit during the break-in process. Some shops do this only once. Some for a year. A bike shop near me does this for LIFE!
http://bigshark.com/about/policies-and-shipping-pg11.htm
4) Vastly better quality. Wally World lists bicycles on their website in the TOY Dept.! Does that give you a clue? A quality bike from a REAL bicycle shop - taken care of properly - can last a lifetime. Those from discount stores are "disposable bikes", meant to be ridden a year or so - then into a dumpster.
See link below. This is my "pride & joy" - a 2011 Raleigh Sojourn touring road bike. Time spent in the shop for repairs? ZERO. Money spent after the sale? A bottle of chain oil (about $8.00) and a set of new tires when the original ones wore out. And I replaced them with the SAME tires. Flat tires to date? ZERO - none - nada. Sure - you'll need to do routine maintenance & cleaning on any type of bike. But getting a quality bike from the start cost LESS in the long run.
Start by reading "Bicycles: How to Choose"
http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bicycle.html
It's all based on "where & how" you will be riding. Road bikes will be your fastest choice but for the streets & smooth roads ONLY. Mountain bikes or all-terrain bikes basically suck on the streets because of the knobby off road tires & suspension parts zapping your energy. Knobby tires slow you down. And with every turn of the pedals, part of your energy is absorbed or soaked up by suspension parts. All-terrain bikes are OK on the streets ONLY if they have a smoother "street friendly" tread design & "lock-out" front forks. This (in essence) turns the suspension fork into a rigid fork with the simple twist of a switch.
Hybrids are a good "all around" type bike. They are great at nothing - but still good at many things. They can be ridden on the streets or light (man-made) groomed off-road trails of finely crushed stone.
"How do I make sure that I get the right bike for me --- kind and size?" Nine very, very simple words... See your authorized, independent, knowledgeable, friendly, local BICYCLE shop! Not K-Mart, Wally World or Target. At a REAL bicycle shop you can TRY B4 you BUY! You can test ride as many bikes as your little heart desires before the sale!
Other advantages are...
1) Professional sales - not some minimum wage "associate".
2) Professional assembly of the bike by a certified mechanic - again, not some minimum wage associate.
3) FREE service after the sale. ALL new bikes require a tune-up as shift & brake cables stretch a bit during the break-in process. Some shops do this only once. Some for a year. A bike shop near me does this for LIFE!
http://bigshark.com/about/policies-and-shipping-pg11.htm
4) Vastly better quality. Wally World lists bicycles on their website in the TOY Dept.! Does that give you a clue? A quality bike from a REAL bicycle shop - taken care of properly - can last a lifetime. Those from discount stores are "disposable bikes", meant to be ridden a year or so - then into a dumpster.
See link below. This is my "pride & joy" - a 2011 Raleigh Sojourn touring road bike. Time spent in the shop for repairs? ZERO. Money spent after the sale? A bottle of chain oil (about $8.00) and a set of new tires when the original ones wore out. And I replaced them with the SAME tires. Flat tires to date? ZERO - none - nada. Sure - you'll need to do routine maintenance & cleaning on any type of bike. But getting a quality bike from the start cost LESS in the long run.
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Title Post: Do I really have to spend that kind of money on a bike?
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Rating: 94% based on 932 ratings. 4,1 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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