Your First Three Years ~ Part 2:

New Bike ~ The First Ride(s)

A Guide for Beginner (and Experienced!) Cyclists, to the Art and Practice of Cycling.  Becoming Proficient, Fit, and Happy on your bike.

This series began with the post on Tuesday, 19 June 2012.  It is intended to continue for three years.  Each week, we will discuss exercises, skills, practices, and activities designed to bring the new (or “experienced”) rider a high level of cycling competence.  We’ll address common problems, and (always) stress safe practice.

You’re about to purchase that all-important “bike-of-all-dreams.”  You’ve made the decision, and the bike is ready for you.  Take a moment right here and do a few things.  (NOTE:  It’s never too late!  If you are already past some, or all, of the following, go back and do this.  It won’t hurt you to take the time, and you may just learn something useful.)

Initial Familiarization:

Have the controls of the bike explained to you, and demonstrated.  Then, immediately repeat the demonstartion with your hands on the controls.  Learn which shifter does what, and in which direction.  Which lever is the front brake, and which is the rear.  Where are the quick releases for the brakes, and how are they operated?  How does one remove a wheel from this particular bicycle?  How does one inflate these tires?  Do you have the correct kind of pump to do so?  Do you need an adapter of some sort?  What tire pressure should you maintain?  How often should you check the tire pressure?

Big Hint:  In the excitement of receiving your bike and making the final purchase, you are likely to forget some of the above advice.  Make out a written checklist.  Take it with you.  Refer to it.  (As a shop pro I recommend this.  I rarely see it done.  I’m usually delighted when a customer does it.)

Safety: 

If your helmet is more than three years old…  REPLACE IT!  Do this when you take delivery of your new bike.  Wear it every time you get on the bike!

A word about falling.  When you fall (and you will) keep your hands on the handlbar.  Hang on with a death grip, and go ahead and shout as you go down.  Holding on to the bar will prevent you from throwing a hand out to break your fall.  You want to do it this way.  That instinctive hand out leads to three possible bad injuries.  Rotator cuff injuries, tears, separations, fractures, and dislocations are all painful, and possibly expensive and debilitating.  Hyper-extension injuries of the elbow are no fun.  Crushing injuries to the wrist are not a joy either.  KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE BAR!  And that shouting?  An open airway makes your thorax more resillient.  You will absorb the impact more easily.

Your very first ride…  ALONE:

So now that you have your new bike at home, it’s time for that important first ride.  This should be a short ride, and it should be solo.  Just as important, it should be away from distractions and traffic.

Let’s prepare a bit.  First off get into some comfortable clothing to ride in.  It’s okay if you don’t have all the “professional” kit, but do put on a pair of shorts. (We don’t want pants cuffs getting caught in your chain, do we?)  Some appropriate shoes would be good.  If your shoes have laces, tuck them into the shoe so they won’t flop around.  (Again, we don’t want this ride brought short by anything getting tangled.)  Put your helmet on.

Now let’s prepare the bike.  Sure you just got it from the store.  But inspect it anyway.  Check the tire pressure.  Make certain that all quick releases are tightly closed, and that the wheels are secure in the bike.  Lift each end of the bike and spin the wheel.  Does it move freely?  Good!  Now get the bike into a good “take-off gear.”  Do this my experimenting with each shifter.  Pick the rear of the bike up enough to get the wheel off of the ground.   Click one shifter at a time, one shift, and push the pedal.  Watch to see where the chain goes.  Your goal here is to get the Chain into an easy gear to start with.

If your bike has a “triple”…  meaning it has three gears at the front, push the pedal and the left shifter until the chain is on the middle gear.  Keep experimenting until you accomplish this.  Now…

Work on the rear gears with the right hand shifter…  until you get the chain onto the inside gear, that is the one that is physically larger than the others.  This combination is a very easy gear, good for starting and climbing hills.

One last thing before you mount up…  Check the brakes.  Squeeze one brake and push the bike forward.  Does one of the wheels lock?  Good.  Now repeat with the other brakes.  Does the other wheel lock?  Great!  You’re ready to go for that ride.

What are our goals for this first ride?

Well…  We’d like to get back in one piece

Get a feel for brakes and shifting

See how this thing feels and handles

Maybe open it up a little?

Hey!  That sounds like a plan.

Start with brakes.  On the overwhelming majority of bikes the left hand brake lever controls the front brake, and the right hand lever controls the rear brake.  So let’s start a gentle ride, at very low speed, just up and down the neighborhood street.  And as we ride, let’s just, ever so ge-e-e-e-ntly squeeze the right hand lever.  We’re going to bring the bike to a stop, so be ready to get a foot on the ground.

Now repeat that exercise again, this time with the left brake.

Now you know that the brakes work, and can be controlled, if you apply them at low speeds, and make gradual applications.  Good enough.  So start riding around a little more.  Try some slow and gentle turns.  Repeat your low speed braking stops.  (Don’t bother with the gear shifting yet.  There will be time for that later.)  As you become more familiar and comfortable with your braking, increase your bike’s speed a bit.  Again, make gentle controlled stops.

Brake a little harder now.  Go back to very low speed, but this time make a fairly hard stop, using only the rear brake.  Then repeat using only the front brake.  If things start to get out of hand, just let go of the brake.  You don’t want to skid, and you definitely don’t want to pitch over the front of the bike.  The purpose of these exercises is to get familiar with the performance of each of your brakes, and to learn how to control them.

Now let’s try some shifting.  To begin with, we’ll work with only the right hand shifter.  It’s the one that controls the rear derailler.  It is the one you will use the most too.  The most basic thing you need to know about shifting is that the chain should be moving.  That means you need to be turning the pedals while you shift.  And here comes the tricky part.  When we say you need to be pedalling we mean just that.  But we don’t mean that you should be stomping away and putting power into the pedals.  The shifters and deraillers will respond best if you are sort of coasting along, and just turning the pedals gently.

About your shifters.  One button, or lever will cause the bike to change into a higher gear.  The other will cause the bike to change into a lower gear.  Higher gears are harder to pedal, but they make the bike go faster.  Lower gears are easier, but slower.  Experiment.  In a very short while, you will find that this shifting stuff isn’t hard.  It will start to feel intuitive very quickly.

It’s time to put it all together.  By now you’ve been riding around for about a half hour.  Now just cruise the neighborhood, shift when you feel like it.  Make some stops and starts.  Most of all, take time to enjoy your new bike.  You’ll be repeating this ride for the next week.  This is your introduction period.  Don’t rush it.  Go out and ride your bike every chance you get, and take time to get well acquainted with it.  Repeat the exercises above on every ride.  You aren’t going anywhere with these trips.  Instead, you are just riding, and getting in sync with your new bike.  Have FUN!

Next week: Basic Bike Handling, Safety, and Health

~//~

A Note on Timing:  This series uses Mid-June as the starting point of the “Cyclists Year.”  We do this because this is the time that most folks decide to start riding.  If you are following this guide, you can “adjust” the timing to fit your personal “first three years.”  Do note that some of the posts will concern weather and seasonal changes.  When that starts to happen, just swap the “months” around to fit your personal timeline.

Ride Report: Solstice Celebration

It was still broad daylight when we all gathered at “The Fred” to begin our Annual Summer Solstice Celebration Night Ride.  That might have something to do with several folks not being completely prepared for the ride.

You see, the longer days sort of sneak up on us.  The segment of our community who ride year round have graaaadually put away the winter clothes, and have had to charge lights less, worry about carrying lights less.  Frankly, it’s been a while since most of us have actually managed to ride in the dark.

Even though folks read my discussion and description of these rides, they read from a more relaxed position.  (In some cases, so relaxed as to be indistinguishable from sleep.)  Instead of thinking,  “Right.  Night Ride.  Full darkness discipline applies.  Check!”  The thought is more like,  “Uh huh, Solstice ride.  It will get dark.  Better find the lights…  Hmm.”

Considering that, several people had to scramble around and borrow to come up with a complete set of equipment.  More, a few of the group went completely without reflective ankle bands.  Gang, this isn’t trivial.  Those anklebands make a cyclist much more visible at night.  I invite any and all of you to perform a little experiment.  (This can be done in a neighborhood.)  Sit in a car, about 100 yards from an intersection.  Turn the headlights on.  Then have a friend ride through the intersection, crossing your line of sight.  Have them use lights, but no ankle bands.  Then have them return, while wearing ankle bands.  The results will be…  Shall we say, illuminating?

Okay.  Enough admonishment.

We had a fairly large group.  There were, by count, 12 of us.  We moved out on time, and in good order.  There was a surprising amount of traffic in Peachtree City as we started.  This is a bit odd for a Monday evening.  I guess we can chalk that up to the coming of Summer.  By the time we reached the notorious Rockaway Road climbs, things had thinned a bit, and once we were out on Stallings Road, traffic was close to scarce.  (It would pick up again.  More on that later.)

The sun sank gently to our right as we left Senoia behind us.  The evening advanced.  Our group rode at a pleasantly brisk pace.  The temperature and humidity were as close to ideal as we could have asked for, and the mostly clear sky made for a scenic sunset.

Things were still pleasant, and relaxed when we made our turn onto GA-54.  Down here, in Sharpsburg, where McIntosh Trail intersects GA-54, the traffic is usually pretty light.  The road is moderately un-hilly (as opposed to flat), and undulates pleasantly.  It’s a good place to make good time.  Of course, as we approached the Fischer Road split, things do get a bit more lively.  We had a minor bobble as we negotiated the left hander onto Fischer Road.  There was following traffic, and the motorists weren’t sure how to behave.  We recovered nicely, splitting the group, letting traffic pass, and rejoining afterwards.

We negotiated the evil intersection at GA34 with aplomb.  And then we proceeded up Fischer Road.

I have been leading this ride, on this route for four years now.  I’ll restructure it before we do it again.  There is a stretch of five miles, between GA-34 and the turn onto Major Road.  Four four years, this stretch has been where the “wheels come off.”  I’m speaking figuratively, of course.  But it seems that we always have some sort of challenge, or problem along here.  I can take a hint.

This year, the traffic along Fischer was fairly heavy, fast, and intolerant.  Add to that, one rider had an equipment malf, and another rider fell over.  Then the group got split, and it took a while to get everyone rejoined.  All the while it was growing dark.  We won’t use that bit of routing again.

Eventually we managed to get off of Fischer Road, and then made the climb(s) up to Tyrone.  That meant we were largely out of traffic, and the adrenaline level dropped slowly back toward a tolerable level.  We stopped in Tyrone, just long enough to put a foot down, catch our breath, change bottles, and do a mental re-group for the last leg of the ride.  (Apparently no one else noticed that our stop point was right under the original Starship Enterprise!)

The last leg of the trip was mostly uneventful.  We rode from Tyrone, crossed GA-74, and went the length of Dogwood Rd.  From there we used a tiny bit of Tyrone Road, then turned onto Flat Creek Trail, and out onto GA-54.  A quick jink onto Ebenezer, and then back into PTC.

I’d like to mention, I was largely impressed by the group’s traffic discipline, and by the teamwork exhibited.  The night was characterized by a great combination of good spirits mixed with good judgement.  When we had to make unexpected stops, we did so, in good order, and got off the road.  Even the “jink” that I use to make the left turn off of GA-54 didn’t seem to phase anyone.  Thank you all, Bob, Judy, Bill, Phil, Deb, Amanda, Jan, Jim, Mike, Scott, and Chris, and somebody whose name I didn’t get.  It was a very good and satisfying ride, and I’d go out with any one of you again!  Bravo!

STILL AHEAD:

Pedal for Pets

Yes!  Southside Cycling Club is putting on their first annual organized ride.  The venue will be in Senoia, GA, and it will go on 14 July.  There will be three distance options, 35 miles, 65 miles, and 100 miles.

I’m particularly excited about this one.  I’ve been working hard to develop the courses, and I must say these are some of the nicest, sweetest roads I’ve been on.

For more info, and to register, click Here http://www.southsidecycling.com/p4p/index.php

August (date to be determined)

Trip to the mountains.  We’ll be going up to ride the famous “South Triple Gap Loop.”  We’ll be using the “original” route, with the start and finish points in the center of Dahlonega.  53 miles, over 5,000 feet of gain.  Who’s in?

Be sure to check out tomorrow’s post.  It’s the next in new three year long series on developing as a cyclist.

Friday Follies ~~ The Deal too Good to be True

I once bought one of those near mythical “fantastic used bikes that sold for a mere fraction of their worth.”  Here’s how it worked.

I was made aware of the deal by an acquaintance of a friend of a friend.  Seems this nice elderly lady had been recently widowed.  She was getting rid of a lot of stuff that her dear departed husband had accumulated.  She was selling his “nice” road bike, and she only wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate it.  She didn’t want much for it.  It was reputed to be an extremely nice bike.

Since the lady was nearby, living in a condo, and it was fairly convenient, I agreed to go take a look at it.  I had the time available.

The bike was amazing!  To begin with, it was my size.  It looked shiny.  The wheels showed a good bit of use on the brake surfaces.  The tires were middling quality and somewhat worn.  But the bike was incredibly clean.  The frame was an all carbon model, produced by a very noteworthy Italian company.  It was equipped with the, then fairly new, Campagnolo Record 10 speed group.

I inspected it.  Twisted things.  Lifted the rear and shifted it through it’s range by kicking the pedals around while I worked the shifters.  I pulled the brakes.  All seemed very functional.

The lady didn’t rightly know how much to ask for the bike.  Would $500 be too much?  Like an idiot, I actually bargained her up!  I did not want to take undue advantage of a widow, and this thing was then going for around $5000, new.  She just couldn’t take more than $1200 for it.  We agreed on that price, and I walked out with the bike.

I propped the bike in my home shop and went on about my business.  It wasn’t until two days later that I put the bike in a stand to pull the wheels and replace the tires.  While it was sitting in the stand, I noticed a bit of something liquid around the bottom bracket.  Nasty, reddish brown liquid.  I wiped it off and continued.  As I removed the rear wheel, I heard a bit of a slosh.  Slosh?

I shook the bike in the stand.  Definitely.  Sloshing.

I got out my Campy tools and pulled the crank.  It was extremely hard to remove.  As soon as I got the crank off, I could see why.  The bottom bracket was a Shimano pattern.  (For the uninitiated, Shimano bottom brakets are not compatible with Campagnolo anythings.)  On closer examination, the chainring bolts on the crank were badly buggered up, and the chainrings were not Campy.

After a bit of struggle, I managed to get the bottom bracket out.  It was a Shimano, and the very lowest end of their line.  As I took the thing out, something like two cups of water poured out of the frame.  Worse, as I applied torque to remove the bottom bracket, a crack appeared in the frame paint.  That crack widened and shot up the frame’s downtube.  Not good.

Total to that point.  Campy crank, ruined.  Crappy chainrings.  Lousy bottom bracket.  Frame, broken and not repairable.

In the next few days, I had the Campy shifters off of the “bike too good to be true.”  They mostly disintegrated as I inspected them on the bench.  The rear brake seized up, due to the pivot bolts being overtightened.  That had obviously been done to conceal that fact that the bushings were completely worn out.  The headset was rusted to the point of uselessness.  The handlebars had a bad crack under the bar tape.  One wheel collapsed when I tried to true it.

I tried to contact the nice lady.  It wasn’t easy.  When I did get in touch with her, she was adamant about not refunding any of my money.  I pressed the issue, saying I would be over to see her that afternoon.

It turned out that the “nice old lady” (whose last name ended in a vowel) had a “nice young son,” and two “nice young nephews.”  These three gentlemen each weighed in around 250, and were employed by a large multinational corporation headquartered in Sicily.  Their job title was “corporate relations and policy enforcement.”  I had plans that involved keeping my knee caps intact, so I gave up on that front.  I’d been taken.  That bike had been “rigged,” and done so in an expert fashion.  And I’d been played like a brook trout.

I’m often reminded of some wisdom my father imparted years ago.  “A con requires two things of the mark, a bit of dishonesty and a bit of greed.”  I fell for it.

Thursday Thoughts: Dreaming

What would a cyclist’s ideal world look like?

Imagine big, open, well paved limited access highways.  You know the type, like the Interstate Highways.  But in this case, imagine that these highways were restricted to the exclusive use of cyclists and pedestrians.  No cars allowed.  Picture the “down-town connector” here in Atlanta, with no cars on it.  Picture it.  It’s 7:30 A.M.  You are looking at the infamous “Grady Curve.”  Instead of cars, imagine you are seeing a volume of 1,000 bicycles per hour here.  The road looks oddly empty, and it’s a lot quieter!

How about a world where motorists actually paid attention to their task?  Wouldn’t it be nice if they weren’t yapping on their phones, or texting, or reading the paper, but rather were actually looking where they were going?

While we’re talking about motorists, imagine a world where vehicle operators (both cycling and motoring) actually understood and followed the laws.  I, for one, would truly enjoy it, if I could approach a four way stop knowing that the other folks there would actually get it done, in accordance with the simple rules governing such an intersection.

Imagine a world where all the operators on the road simply granted each other courtesy and respect.

Imagine a place where the following could happen:

The errand:  You are at home, attending to your day, when you realize that you simply must go to store for some small necessary item.  No problem.  You walk out the door and hop on your bicycle.  The store is only two miles away.  You ride through your neighborhood, waving and calling greetings to your neighbors, who are out working on their gardens or walking about.  After a leisurely ten-minute ride, you arrive at the store.  On the way you have been calm and happy.  No one has assaulted you with a three ton SUV.  You have not been “buzzed,” or screamed at, or honked at.  Instead you had a peaceful, trouble-free ride, looking at the sights and enjoying the day.  There is no trouble parking at the store, plenty of space in the nearly car-free lot, and lots of bike-racks to assist your temporary storage of your bike.  One half hour after leaving, you have returned, somewhat refreshed, mission accomplished.

The Family trip:

It’s a Saturday afternoon.  The family has been planning this one for most of the week.  The latest super-wonderful blockbuster, all-time smash movie is playing at the Cineplex.  It’s a trip of four miles to get there.  It’s time to go.  You and your partner have rounded up Junior and little Sis.  Everyone has their helmets, and their tires are all pumped up.  The group saddles up and begins.  After a pleasant half hour, the family arrives at the theater, parks and locks their bikes.  Of course Junior had to race ahead, but it’s not a problem, bike traffic is light today.  The lanes are not crowded, and there is plenty of room for the young rascal to burn off some excess energy.

The Big Race:

It’s an important day.  Little Sis is going to be representing!  She is one of the starters on the School Velo Team.  You and your partner have it all planned.  You’ll be there to support her.  You leave the office early, and ride to the station.  You lock your “city bike” at the station, take the early train south, and arrive at the local station in plenty of time.  There you unlock your trusty “do-everything-bike” and mount up.  You have plenty of time.  The school velodrome is only about five miles away.  It’s still over an hour until the meet begins.  You can even stop and get a sandwich along the way.

At the track you meet your partner.  The two of you lock your bikes and make your way into the bleachers to cheer Little Sis on to glory as she races against her school’s arch-rivals.

NOTE:  In the scenario above, you used two bikes.  You had to replace both bikes this year, the old ones being pretty well worn out.  Both bikes, together cost you a total of $900 dollars.  Maintenance on them amounts to about $200 a year.  Add in a year’s train fares, for another $600.  Your year’s work travel expenses amount to $1700.  Gosh!  You used to spend that much  on just three car payments!

Does this appeal to you?  What do we do to make something like this world happen?

First Bike Buy: Or Don’t “Under-bike” Yourself!

Case 1:  “Used and cheap”

$400 internet bike.  Doesn’t fit, isn’t comfortable, doesn’t work

$300 repairs (still doesn’t fit, or work right)

Shipping (both ways) $200

Sold in six months

Sell for $300

Cost = $600

Replaced with…

$600 used bike (local purchase)  Doesn’t fit, isn’t comfortable, needs work and tires.

$150 repairs (Still doesn’t fit, and the shifting is never right)

After five months has major mechanical

$300 repairs

Sold in one year

Sell for $500

Cost = $550

Replaced with…

$2000 used bike (local purchase.  “Bike was $5000 new, but I got a deal because this racing team was replacing their bikes.”)  Doesn’t fit, and the shifting isn’t right.

$400 in repairs (still doesn’t fit, and feels funny when ridden)

After three months rear wheel goes out of violently out of true.

$800 for new wheelset

Two weeks later the rear derailler jumps into the new rear wheel and destroys it.  Bad crash ensues.

$1500 Med bills

$450 wheel

$150 derailler

Sell for $1200

Quit riding

Cost = $4100

Total cost of not becoming a rider = $5250!!!!

Case 2:  The “Work your way up” plan

$450 hybrid.  Inadequate to purpose in 6 months.

            $100 in repairs (necessitated by using the bike in ways for which it was never intended!)

            $200 in “upgrades”

            Brings $250 as a trade in on the next bike.

            Cost = $400

Replaced with…

$700 entry level road bike.  ($450 after trade-in.)

“Outgrown” in one year.  Components worn, tires shot.

            $150 in repairs

            $300 in “upgrades

Brings $350 as a trade in.

Cost = $600

Replaced with…

$1000 low mid-level road bike

            Outgrown in one year.  Components worn, tires worn.

                        $150 in repairs

                        $200 in “upgrades

            Brings $550 as a trade in.

            Cost = $450

Replaced with…

$1500 mid level road bike.  Happy riding for the next three years.

            $300 Maintenance

            Cost = $1250

Total cost of riding for five and a half years = $2700

Case 3:  “Get it right the first time” plan

$1500 mid-level road bike.  Happy riding for six years.

            $520 maintenance

Total cost of riding for Six Years = $2020

The moral here is obvious.  Buy the right bike.  Buy enough bike.  There are no “short cuts.”

I know I know.  You know about some guy who was related to the sister of someone your wife used to work with; who bought a perfect $8000 bike; online; only paying $17.92 for it; and the seller paid the packing and shipping; and the local shop unpacked it, re-assembled it, and tuned it for only $2.16; and it’s always worked perfectly; and he’s had it for just years.  I believe it.  I do.  I also believe in the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy.

The whole “used bike gold strike” thing is something I treat with a lot of skepticism.  I will grant that it can happen, but I tend to play the actual odds.  Hey!  We all know someone who goes to Vegas to gamble a couple of times a year.  I know one of these guys.  He never boasts about “breaking the bank.”  But, to hear him talk, every time he goes, he wins enough money to pay for the entire trip, airfare included and to put an extra $5,000.00 in the bank when he gets back.

Okay, it’s just barely possible that someone could do that.  Once.  It’s not likely.  The people who run the casinos are not in the business of handing out large amounts of cash to random strangers.  They stay in business by taking cash, in large amounts from everyone who goes there.  Fine mathematicians have calculated the odds of pulling off a “streak” like the one my acquaintance boasts of.  Those odds are something like 1/300,000,000.  Since more than three hundred million people have gone to Las Vegas, it’s close to a certainty that at least one of them has had a run like that.

But my acquaintance goes twice a year, on average.  And, according to him, the same thing has happened every time he’s been there.  The odds of this happening twice to the same person are 9,000 trillion to one.  Since fewer than 12 billion humans have ever lived on the planet, and most of them have not been to Las Vegas, this is extremely unlikely.

Look!  I got taken in by a used bike once.  A “deal too good to be true.”  For the full story on that, please see this coming Friday’s post.

Your First Three Years ~ Part 1:

Beginning ~ The Essentials

A Guide for Beginner (and Experienced!) Cyclists, to the Art and Practice of Cycling.  Becoming Proficient, Fit, and Happy on your bike.

So you’ve decided that you want to “get into” cycling.  There are a lot of reasons for this.  You may be looking for a healthy recreation, and you’re remembering how much fun it was to ride your bike when you were a kid.  You may be a runner with aging knees.  You like the benefits of good sound cardio activity, but you aren’t willing to accept the impact of running.  Your doctor may have told you that you have to get some exercise and lose some weight.  Whatever the reason, you’ve made the descision, and here you are in the bike shop, looking at a bike.

The first thing that happens is you find that there are a bewildering array of bikes, with a huge range of differences in controls, rider position, and features.  How do you address that?

Think about what you want from the bicycle!  If you haven’t given this any thought yet, leave the shop immediately and go and sit down and do some thinking!

What do you want to do with your bike?  Be honest and reasonable with this one.  Sure, you’d like to do a triathlon, and go ride trails, and do grocery shopping, and get fit, and be fast, and have fun, and ride to work, and go touring, and see the world, and get away from it all, and ride with the kids, and save money, and lose weight, and do some adventure racing, and ride casually in the neighborhood, and take it with you on camping trips, and…

Most bikes will do a lot of those things, but some bikes are extremely specialized and not well suited to some activities.  Every design is a compromise.  Think about it like this.  You can have a submarine, or a battleship, or an aircraft carrier, but you can’t have a submarinebattleshipaircraftcarrier!  Think about the things that you really want to do on a bike.  Think about your budget.  These things will determine just what you should get.

New or Used?

There are good reasons to go in either direction.  Let’s do a quick inventory.

Are you:

            New to the game?  (or maybe returning after a long absence?)

            Mechanically savvy and equipped with a good set of tools?

            Knowledgeable about fit and equipment?

            Prepared to spend time and money on necessary repairs?  (used bikes always come with some baggage)

            Willing to be quite patient in order to find the right bike?

If the answer to most of the above is “yes,” then you may be in the market for a previously owned bike.

On the other hand, new bikes come with warrantees, and shop support.  They can be expected to work well on delivery, and to keep working well for a reasonable time.  You can get qualified professional assistance in determining suitability to purpose, fit, and function.

Pricing:

            Entry level road bike:  Approximately $700

            Very nice “mid-level” road bike:  Approximaely $1500

            Entry level mountain bike:  $400

            Mid-level mountain bike  $1500

            Entry level “Flat bar” or “fitness” road bike:  $600

            Upper level “Flat Bar” road bike:  $1500

            Entry “Sport Hybrid”:  $430

            Upper level “Sport Hybrid”:  $600

            Entry “Commuter” or “City” bike:  $450

            Upper level “Commuter or City”  $1500 to $2000

            Entry level “Tri” bike:  $1300

                       

Budget for Necessary accessories

                        Helmet:  $40 to $100

                        Cycling Shorts:  $50 to $100 per pair

                        Cycling Jersey (optional, but highly recommended):  $50 to $100

                        Cycling Shoes (optional):  $100 to $250

                        Bottle Cages:  $10 each

                        Water Bottles:  $5 each

                        Spare tubes:  $7 each

                        Tire levers:  usually around $5 to $7 for a set of three

                        Tire pump (Yes you do need it!):

                                    Floor pump:  $45

                                    Portable (frame) pump:  $30 to $40

                        Multi-tool:  $20 to $45

The Gears Question:

Many prospective new (or returning) adults are leary of the whole idea of gears and shifting.  Some have never ridden a bike with multiple gears.  Others remember bad experiences with multi-geared (ten-speeds) of the past.  Often this fear is further complicated by the thought that a geared bike will be more expensive and less reliable.  Please relax and take a deep breath.  Modern multi-geared bikes have come a long long way.  Today’s shifting systems ae easy to use, and highly reliable.  They add a lot of value and make a lot of sense.  More, often multi0geared bikes cost less than that heavier single-speed “cruisers.”

Why have Gears?:

Because you are going to want to ride up hills, and at different speeds, in wind, in calm air, and going down hills.  If the world were perfectly round everyone would ride a bike!  It isn’t.  Gears help smooth out the world’s “imperfections.”

The Whole Pedals Question:

Quite possibly you’ve heard it said that you should (or even must) get your bike equipped with a “clipless” pedal system.  These are the type of pedal that lock your foot onto the pedal.  They require special shoes.  They also require a bit of learning and training on the part of the rider.  Our take on the issue is that the new cyslist probably should not get into any kind of complicated pedal.  Start out with “flats.”  That is the kind of pedal you can just step on.  Avoid the “toe-cage” type with the straps.  Avoid the fancy “clipless” ones that require shoes.  First learn the bike.  What with new controls, learning to shift, learning to ride, and recovering fitness, you will have enough to deal with.  The “pedal question” is worth getting into, but it’s not necessary to deal with it at the outset.

Bike Fit:

We’ve saved the most important part of this post for last.  It is of paramount importance that the bike fit you well.  It should not be too small, nor too big.  Your reach to the controls should not be cramped, or over-extended.  Now comes some necessary brutal honesty.  If you are not a cycling professional, and/or if you have not spent a lot of time around bikes and cycling in the last ten years, you are completely unqualified to assess your fit.  We are going to include some pictures to assist you, but nothing is as good as the assisatance of a professional here.  This is not intended as a guide to fit you on your bicycles, but rather as a bit of sound advice, to prepare you.  

Also, please note:  It doesn't matter how cool the goodies on it are, or what a "great deal" it is...  If it doesn't fit you don't want it!

Leg Extension:

Good!  Note, sole of foot parallel with ground, and approximately a 30 degree bend at the knee.

Same position, but at the top of the crank.  Note that knee is bent only a bit more than 90 degrees

BAD!  Too much knee bend at the bottom of the crank stroke.  Bike is too small!

Same bike as above.  Note the extreme knee bend at the top of the crankstroke.  A larger bike would be a good idea.

Upper Body Position:

Not bad!  Relaxed arms, not a long extension and not cramped either.

This bike is too small!

NEXT WEEK: Beginner Skills

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This series began with the post on Tuesday, 19 June 2012.  It is intended to continue for three years.  Each week, we will discuss exercises, skills, practices, and activities designed to bring the new (or “experienced”) rider a high level of cycling competence.  We’ll address common problems, and (always) stress safe practice.

~//~

A Note on Timing:  This series uses Mid-June as the starting point of the “Cyclists Year.”  We do this because this is the time that most folks decide to start riding.  If you are following this guide, you can “adjust” the timing to fit your personal “first three years.”  Do note that some of the posts will concern weather and seasonal changes.  When that starts to happen, just swap the “months” around to fit your personal timeline.

Summer Beckons

The Summer Solstice is this week.  We officially enter the Summer season on June 21.  Of course, we’ll be riding to celebrate the coming season tonight, as this is the Monday closest to the actual date.

It’s been a long and unusually temperate Spring, and now comes the Summer.  It’s time to get out and enjoy the road and trails in the good warm weather.

I’m wondering, just how many of you are contemplating a “staycation” this year?  Would anyone be interested in a bit of touring.  It’s economical and it’s fun.  We don’t have to commit to a long time of riding.  The occasional weekend, or even a well planned over-nighter might just be nice.

Here’s what’s on the plate for the near future.

Tonight!

Summer Solstice Seasonal Night Ride!

Where:  Fredrick Brown Amphitheater

When:  18 June 2012, starts at 7:30 P.M. (promptly!)

Distance:  Approx 45 miles

Duration/Pace:  About three hours to four hours, roughly 13 to 15 mph rolling average

Requirements:  Helmets (of course), Good strong lights that will last for 3 to 4 hours, strong tail light, reflective vest, reflective ankle bands, dress for weather.

This is the “original.”  We’ll go out and “beat the bounds.”  That means we’ll ride around the edges of our town’s “field” or “territory.  This was done in primitive times as a means of marking the bounds of the place where the “people” lived.  We do it as fun, and because we can.

We’ll be starting in the daylight, but it will get dark long before we get back.  It’s fun, and, while this is not strictly speaking, a “No Drop” ride, we promise, we won’t abandon anyone.

Pedal for Pets

Yes!  Southside Cycling Club is putting on their first annual organized ride.  The venue will be in Senoia, GA, and it will go on 14 July.  There will be three distance options, 35 miles, 65 miles, and 100 miles.

I’m particularly excited about this one.  I’ve been working hard to develop the courses, and I must say these are some of the nicest, sweetest roads I’ve been on.

For more info, and to register, click Here

August (date to be determined)

Trip to the mountains.  We’ll be going up to ride the famous “South Triple Gap Loop.”  We’ll be using the “original” route, with the start and finish points in the center of Dahlonega.  53 miles, over 5,000 feet of gain.  Who’s in?

Be sure to check out tomorrow’s post.  It’s the next in new three year long series on developing as a cyclist.

Ride Report coming.  There will be a ride report on tonight’s Solstice Celebration Night Ride.  Look for it here, most likely next week.