Hey, I bought a bicycle

[Gary Whitta]

I decided cycling might be a good way to get some general exercise. I haven't ridden in more than ten years but always enjoyed it immensely when I used to, so I decided to get back into it.

I had no idea what I was doing when I walked into the bike store but I talked to the guys in there, told them what I was basically looking for (hybrid bike that's easy to ride, good for a novice, for general exercise, not crazy-expensive) and this is what I wound up with:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/road/fx/72fx/

Took it for a test ride before buying and liked it a lot. It was weird being on a bicycle again after so many years. I was so wobbly at first I wondered if the old maxim about never forgetting how to ride a bike was actually true, but it came back to me within about two minutes and I was riding around fairly confidently (although still a bit shaky and only at pretty slow speed until I get more confident.)

Anyway, just wondering if cycling QT3ers had any basic tips. I live in a very bike-friendly neighborhood (Presidio of SF) which has dedicated bike lanes and very litle motor traffic, so I think I can find some good routes around here.

My main question right now is about finding the right gears for the right purpose. Last time I rode bikes had nothing like the number of gears this one has (I think more than 20?) so still trying to figure out what's what in that regard. Any other tips appreciated too.

[pg]

Basically try to find a gear where you pedal 80-120 RPM(aka cadence). You can really just go by feel, if you don't have a bike computer. Don't try grinding at low RPMs in high gears, it isn't very effective. I own a Trek 1000 2006 model(few thousand miles on it), which seems to no longer be in production but it'd be very similar to the 1.2. I wouldn't want to ride a road bike without drop handle bars myself.

I don't know how much you plan to ride or what you already own, but if it is going to be fairly serious(10+ miles) I'd recommend some other gear like spare tubes, and a tire lever to change tires(it is easy). Also you usually need a bike saddle bag to carry a few things. Of course a pump is nice too, etc...

[tromik]

I haven't pick up my bike in three or four years. It's a Giant Yukon I bought in '95, still in great condition, although behind the times now; no front or rear suspension, and no gripshifts.

So if they make a mountain bike and stick road tires on it they call it a hybrid? I figured a hybrid would have a lower seat and higher steering - you're steering wouldn't be as accurate, but it's not so bad on your back over long periods of time, although it can be sore on your arms I guess.

As for shifting, try not to cross the chain from the outside to the inside, and don't sudden drop a gear while peddling hard, it's probably bad on the chain and the sprockets, but it also causes you to fall out of your seat and land on the bar - painful.

[Alistair]

You bought your own bike? It is Christmas you know.

[TimElhajj]

I love riding, but hate breaking down and reparing. Not that it's hard to fix a flat, but it's a pain in the ass if you are in a hurry, using the bike for commuting, etc. I suggest investing in kelvar tires/tubes. It's a little expensive (for tires) and adds a little drag, but it keeps you in the saddle.

[Jakub]

*golf clap*

[Gary Whitta]

*golf clap*

I don't know what I feel worse about, the time I wasted reading this or the time you wasted posting it.

[Jakub]

I don't know what I feel worse about, the time I wasted reading this or the time you wasted posting it.

The former would be self-pity, and incorrect. The latter would be pity, and definitely incorrect.

Mostly, I just want to see videos of you going down a mountain on this.

[Gary Whitta]

The former would be self-pity, and incorrect. The latter would be pity, and definitely incorrect.

Mostly, I just want to see videos of you going down a mountain on this.

Not a mountain bike, so little chance of that. But if I fall off and hurt myself I'll be sure to post about it so you can enjoy.

[Jakub]

My mistake.

Looked like a girl's mountain bike.

[Gary Whitta]

Okay, Jakub's on ignore now. Normal thread service resumed!

[tromik]

He's such a nice guy in person, though! What has the Internet done to him!?

[Jakub]

He's such a nice guy in person, though! What has the Internet done to him!?

Indeed.

I blame alcohol. And lack of attention.

I'm not feeding my inner attention whore enough.



Apologize to Whitta for me, will ya?

[madkevin]

The missus and I bought bikes this last summer. We decided to go the ridiculously impractical route and get cruisers, based on the theory that if I think the bike looks cool I'll ride it more often. Turns out that's right.

I bought a Norco Sekine Men's Cruiser:



The picture doesn't quite do it justice, because it has this incredible deep burgundy paint job that, in the sunlight, is the colour of a pint of Rickard's Red. This one is slightly practical in that it has three whole gears, so I can huff my way up hills, but it has coaster brakes which take a while to get used to. They're utterly useless for any sort of serious urban riding, but luckily Kitchener-Waterloo has a pretty decent bike path and trail system, so we can get to lots of places without having to ride down major city streets.

I totally, utterly love this bike. It rides like a dream and, more importantly, it's just plain fun to ride.

My wife bought a Manhattan Cruiser:



It's a men's bike but she doesn't care, because it looks like something Pee-Wee Herman would have ridden to the Playhouse, which is all she really wanted. When we ride together we look like the world's least-threatening gang.

[Athryn]

I actually have the same style of schwinn that peewee herman used, unfortunately I live in a 3rd story apartment with a lot of steep stairs, so it doesn't get out much :\

[wumpus]

Why not go foldable? Lighter, easier to move around, and more practical.

http://www.dahon.com/08/brizad3.htm

[Enduro_Man]

My main question right now is about finding the right gears for the right purpose. Last time I rode bikes had nothing like the number of gears this one has (I think more than 20?) so still trying to figure out what's what in that regard. Any other tips appreciated too.

After a couple of rides, you should be able to know instinctively when to be shifting up or down. A long time ago, I remember someone describing it as: "If you feel the burn in your legs, shift down. If you feel it in your lungs, shift up." Basically, if it feels like you're spinning too fast and getting little velocity in return, upshift. If you hit a hill, downshift.

Most guys with a triple chainring (I'm referring to the gears around your pedals here) should be able to get around town using just the middle ring. Use the small one for climbing, and the big one for long flats or going downhill. Certain combinations of chainring and cog (the gears on your rear wheel) will overlap. This isn't a big problem, but do avoid combos like small chainring/small cog or big chainring/big cog, as you don't want to stress the chain too much.

Pace pq, a comfortable cadence can vary a lot from person to person. 80-120RPM may be more efficient, but it can be very mentally tiring to keep those pedals spinning, especially if you're not an experienced cyclist. There are times when grinding away at a "too-big" gear at 60RPM or so will feel better.

Final tip: Do learn some basic bike maintenance, or at least be able to replace a flat. Of course, if you'll be riding mostly around San Francisco, you shouldn't be far from a bike shop at any given time, but it's still good to know.

[Ryan A]

I'm glad you got a bike, Gary... they're great for fitness and good for the soul. Here's all you need to know to get started.

1. Wear a helmet. Have the folks at the bike shop help you with the fit and adjustment. Even the most skilled riders can crash due to things outside their control and helmets save lives.

2. Don't worry yourself too much about your cadence or speed. Just have fun. Just find a gear that you can pedal quickly in. If you start to feel like your feet are spinning out of control, shift into a harder gear.

bonus tips

3. Avoid cross-chaining. Basically, when your chain is on the small ring in front, keep it on the large rings in back. When it's on the large ring in front, keep it on the small rings in back.

4. Learn how to change a flat and *always* carry a spare tube, small pump, and plastic tire levers. If you're prepared, the bicycle gods will smile upon you and you'll never get a flat.

[Kalle]

What, no pic of Gary holding a bike up to his head? I am sorely disappointed.

[Lunch of Kong]

Get the bike shoes that have the recessed cleats in them that attach to the pedal. That way you can get power on your upstrokes as well as your down strokes.

You learn rather quickly to unclip as you prepare to stop.

I bought a bicycle pump and inflate my tires to 100psi before going out. I've never had a flat. My bike is this one: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/...road/76/22439/

[Alistair]

How exactly do you hold the handlebars on that?

[Ryan A]

Get the bike shoes that have the recessed cleats in them that attach to the pedal. That way you can get power on your upstrokes as well as your down strokes.

I love clipless pedals (I use Speedplay on the road bike, Crank Brothers on the mountain bike) but never recommend them for casual riders. While I agree they're not all that hard to learn, it only takes one tip-over at a stop light to discourage many people from getting on the bike. Also, the more specialized gear they have, the less likely new riders are to actually get out and ride.

[Lunch of Kong]

If you want to stuff your bike into the back of a car or something, you'll probably need to take the front wheel off.

1. Put the front brake caliper into the loose position. I can't tell what brake caliper you have on the front, but there's probably a little lever on the front caliper that opens the brakes enough for the wheel to slip out. On some brakes, you actually have to disengage the brake cable from the caliper entirely. If you squeeze the caliper by hand, you can slip the cable out easily enough.

2. Flip the quick release lever at the center of your wheel to the open position, and unscrew it a bit until the bolt is loose enough for the wheel to come off. (Don't undo it all the way or else the whole thing will come apart and you'll have to put washers and springs and the bolt back together.)

To put the wheel back on:
1. Put the wheel back onto the bike.
2. Flip the quick release lever into the closed position, and tighten the nut on the opposite side.
3. Flip the release lever into the open position, and twist the nut another 1/4 to 1/2 turn.
4. Flip the release lever back into the closed position. You should get some resistance now when you try to do this.
5. Flip the lever on the brake caliper back to the closed position.

Ride away!

[Lunch of Kong]

$10 for the first guy or gal to get us pics of Whitta in speedos.

[espressojim]

Why not go foldable? Lighter, easier to move around, and more practical.

http://www.dahon.com/08/brizad3.htm

Thanks for posting that link. My wife is interested in a bike, but she wants a commuter bike that isn't too heavy/difficult to deal with. That bike is perfect - I like the video of the woman in the business suit riding it to mass transit, then from the station to work.

Foldable bikes have come a long way in the last 10 years. Wow.

[Houngan]

All good advice, as a person of increasing years, I would recommend getting a gel cover for the seat, it makes it softer and bigger for our expanding and non-tight derrieres. (Actually, my butt's not too bad, and it still gives out before my legs)

Gears, here's the quick and dirty: Leave the front shifter (your left hand) on the middle chainring 90% of the time. That will suit you, just stay in a gear that feels like you are pedaling too fast. That's the sweet spot of efficiency, around 90rpm, but it feels fast for some reason.

Otherwise, let me recommend a cable lock over a hard lock, they're cheaper and easier to stow. Also, you're sitting too low on the bike (probably) the seat has to be set pretty darn high, you want your leg just short of locked at the bottom of the stroke. Last, a frame bag with an allen wrench set, spare tube, patch kit, multitool, and if you start getting froggy jumping curbs, a spoke wrench.

H.

[wumpus]

We have two Dahon Vitesse bikes-- they have Aluminum frames and great quality component sets. After folding, two of them fit in a compact car trunk.

$399 including shipping and tax.

[madkevin]

How exactly do you hold the handlebars on that?

With your hands? It's a cruiser, so it's not like you're all hunched over like you're on the third day of the Tour De France. You basically ride them with your back straight.

[Hans Lauring]

If you want to stuff your bike into the back of a car or something, you'll probably need to take the front wheel off.

My ugly car is big enough to have a bike standing up inside - but I do need to take out a seat. So we have one of these instead:


It also holds a tram or baby carriage and folds away in the trunk when not in use.

My bike is a nice 21 gear Nishiki touringbike - while we don't have anywhere near the hills of San Francisco the many gears do come in handy when I'm pulling this with my two kids:


When just riding alone, I mainly use the five gears on the middle ring.

[jellyfish]

I had one and then it was stolen.
Now I don't have one.