I took advantage of the unseasonably
warm weather this past weekend and went for a bike ride with Karen Z and Beth
#1. Of course we were chatting as we rode and the subject drifted to shopping
for a new bike. It seems we all knew someone who is going to be looking for a
new bike over the next few months. Selecting the right bike is a critical
decision that can have a major impact on your health, your peace of mind, and
your wallet. This is especially true if you are new to cycling. If you make a
bad bike decision early in your cycling experience, it can kill your enthusiasm
and knock you out of the saddle for good.
So what’s my advice for finding the
dream machine that will help you improve your fitness, increase your mental
focus, and awaken your mind-body connection?
You Gotta Love Your Bike!
You have to love how it looks. You
have to love how it meshes with your cycling goals. You have to love how it
feels. You have to love what it costs. You gotta love everything about that
bike because if you don’t, you won’t ride it with joy. If you don’t ride your
bike, you won’t experience any of the benefits of riding. If you don’t ride
your bike, it won’t matter how it looks or what it cost because you will have
wasted your time and your money.
The first big decision you face is
where to buy your bike. You can pay around $100 and get a bike from a discount
box store or you can go to a friendly bike shop and pay $500-$1,000 to get
started. If you plan to feel better about your fitness level because you own a
bike but truly don’t intend to ride it, I recommend you visit the box store and
get any bike there that suits your fancy. The cheaper the better because you’re
just going to hang it in your garage so don’t plunck down any more cash than
you have to. However, if you are committed to honoring yourself through fitness
and really making a life-changing difference for yourself, then go to a bike
shop and spend some money. Five hundred to a thousand dollars isn’t really that
much money when you consider the value of your health and your body. How much
money would you pay to avoid diabetes? What price would you put on amazing
friendships? How much does it cost you to be sick? Hmmm….that bike doesn’t seem
so expensive afterall, does it?
No matter where you live, chances are
there are at least three bike shops within a 25 mile radius of your home. I
recommend that you visit several shops in your area before you make your
purchase decision. Talk to the people in the shop, walk around, ask questions,
see what kind of a vibe you get. You are going to have a longterm relationship
with your bike and a good relationship with a great bike shop can really
enhance that experience.
Here are some questions to ask the
bike shop:
Do you provide a free tune up for
bikes you sell? (Any shop worth their salt is going to give you a free initial
tune up)
How many miles do you typically ride
a season and what kind of riding do you do? (You don’t want to buy a bike from
someone who doesn’t routinely ride)
What was your best day ever on a
bike? (Look for the twinkle in their eye as they answer this. If there isn’t a
twinkle, move on to a different shop or at least a different salesperson.)
Does your shop offer any group rides
or classes?
The next step is to choose a bike
that meshes with your cycling goals. You need to match the kind of cycling you
plan to do with the bicycle designed for that purpose. There are many different
brands of bicycles (Trek, Giant, Cannondale, Specialized) just like there are
different brands of cars (Ford, Chevy, Toyota). Many cyclists have a favorite
brand and are willing to tell you at length why their preferred brand is better
than the others. The truth is that all brands are relatively similar,
especially at the entry level of their product lines. It’s more important to
buy the correct type of bicycle from a friendly and knowledgable shop than it
is to buy a specific brand.
Let’s presume that you want to buy a
bicycle because you want to improve your health and well-being and see what this
cycling thing is all about. To experience the commaradity of the cycling
community and participate in cycling events (rides, not races!), you will need
to work up to riding at least 20-30 miles comfortably. I promise you, THIS IS
NOT AS HARD AS IT MAY SEEM. You can do this and you will be astonished at the
world that opens up to you. There are two different styles of bicycles that can
help you achieve this goal; a flat-bar road bike or a road bike.
A flat bar road bike (sometimes
called a fitness bike) has the frame geometry of a road bike but flat
handlebars. The flat handlebars make the bike easier to steer and put your body
in a more upright position. The upright postion makes the bike easier to
balance and is more comfortable if you have any low back issues or muscle
tightness. The downside of the upright position is that you have no where to
hide if you are pedalling into a headwind. The flat handlebars also provide
less hand positions to help prevent fatigue and nerve issues but this isn’t as
noticeable if you are using the bike for rides in the 30-60 mile range. I also
like a fitness bike for commuting around town. (I save over $20 a month by
running just one errand per week in town using my bike!) You can easily cruise
at speeds of 12mph-16mph on a fitness bike with aerobic bursts at higher
speeds. To cruise faster than that or go longer distances, you will want a road
bike.
My friend
Lindsay’s fitness bike “Dash”
A road bike is designed for speed and
distance. If you are just starting, you don’t need a carbon fiber bike with
race lite wheels, etc. An entry level aluminum bike is a great way to get
started. A road bike has a slightly more aggressive frame geometry (for speed
and climbing hills) than a fitness bike and it has the drop (bullhorn)handlebars.
The drop handlebars allow you to tuck down for less wind resistance and provide
a variety of possible hand positions. They also make the bike a little
squirrely to control. Road bikes typically have a thinner tire than fitness
bikes and this makes the ride faster but also a bit more bumpy. You can easily
cruise at speeds of 14mph-18mph on a road bike and you’ll find climbing hills
and riding against the wind easier than on a fitness bike. Remember though, a
road bike is more ‘twitchy’ to ride than a fitness bike so if you aren’t
comfortable with your balance or have limted experience on a bike, I would go
with the fitness bike to get started.
My first
road bike “Sprocket”
If you look at the fitness bikes and
the road bikes in the shop and you think “Those seats are way too small”, I can
promise you that your butt is way too big. When you first start to ride a
quality bike, your butt may be sore for a while. This too shall pass. The more
you ride the less your butt will hurt. A bigger seat will impede the movement
of your legs and may actually rub a sore in your bumm. Get over the seat and
get on your bike and ride!
You’ve made your choice between a
fitness bike or a road bike and the friendly salesperson shows you three
different bikes that will fit your needs. Now how do you choose? Let’s talk
about narrowing down those choices and selecting the perfect bike for you
tomorrow in Part II.
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