Dear Internet: I want to buy a bike to replace much of the use of my car. Please help.
bikes
I like!
No thanks!
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19 commentsReplies
extemporaneous said, (118 days ago)
I have no idea about anything: what kind to buy, what brand is good, what is a normal price.
El Indio said, (118 days ago)
um...you want a road bike, i assume.
do you want flat bars or road bars? singlespeed or gears?
brands that are pretty bulletproof:
Specialized, Trek
(also kinda boring)
Bianchi has the Milano, but, not so great for actual commuting. i own a bianchi, btw. love the brand, but...
you gotta get what's appropriate
what you probably want is now called "urban" or some shit like that
road frame, flat bars, 700 wheels, road slicks
hold on a sec...
El Indio said, (118 days ago)
http://www.fisherbikes.com/bike/model/triton/bigimage
oh damn that's pretty
extemporaneous said, (118 days ago)
It needs to be light so I can easily carry it up the stairs to my apartment, and onto the BART platforms.
extemporaneous said, (118 days ago)
Ugh...this is hard. I probably need someone to actually go into a bike store with me. I am clueless.
Jesse said, (118 days ago)
Jesse says:
Road bike,
brand doesn't matter much, but get a STEEL one.
Get some gears.
buy used.
First step: go to a bike shop and get "sized" for a bike (also know your real in-seam). find out what size frame you need. Then hit up craigslist for that bike, or a few shops have used bikes they've built up... (pedal revolution and box dog, both in sf)
Don't pay more than $500 for something awesome. $300 is what you should shoot for, used? depends how picky you are, but don't go over $300 from craigs, since you'll prolly need to get work on the bike when you get it.
mountain bikes and hybrids are heavy and lame. If you can't comfortably life your bike, don't buy it.
soulcamp said, (118 days ago)
I agree, buying used will get you a better bike for much less. But, you REALLY need someone who knows a lot about bikes to check it over for you, or you could wind up having to put out a lot more money to fix it up. And don't get a used bike that's much over 5 years old - you'll likely have to start replacing things fairly quickly, and that can get expensive.
Definitely go to a bike shop and find out what size you should get, and what style you like. And be prepared to spend a lot on clothing and other accessories.
soulcamp said, (118 days ago)
@Jesse - Not all mountain bikes are heavy, but they do get awfully expensive for the ultralight ones.
soulcamp said, (118 days ago)
BTW, as far as style goes, I don't think you can beat these bikes:
That's the kind of bike Spencer has. :-) But, probably not appropriate for your situation.
soulcamp said, (118 days ago)
If you don't have a lot of hills to traverse (or aren't opposed to building up your leg strength and endurance), you might want to consider a fixed-gear bike.
extemporaneous said, (117 days ago)
I'm really only going to be riding around locally, I assume. I go from Oakland to Berkeley for work.
Jesse, what is a good bike shop in the East Bay?
Jesse said, (117 days ago)
go to cycle sports on Grand Ave. Ask for Peter, if he's not too busy he'll help you. He's ornery like a proper bike mechanic should be. Make sure you tell him you know me! Then he'll probably make fun of me. Awesome!
anyway, if he's not there, it's cool, they are all nice and they have neat measuring rooms. Then ask them for info on used in the east bay.
more details, please