i want to ride my bicycle

[na§tee]

i want to ride my biiiike.

<BIKE and ADVICE THREAD>
give me your advice and talk about your own bikes and, like, bike stuff. i dunno. crazy bike people!

okay. i am buying a bike through the government's cycle to work scheme. i save from 30-50% on the whole hog - the bike, accessories, safety equipment, etc, and only pay it back in monthly installments. score! bristol is england's first 'cycle city' which means a whole lot of boring things to you probably but great for cyclists here. there are loads. i am in the minority when it comes to my colleagues/friends who all cycle to work/around the place. one of the projectionists at work got arrested once for drunk cycling. aaaahhaha. anyhiz.

i need your advice because i know shit all about bikes and i want to make a sensible decision that isn't just based on availability/looks. the first time i rode a bike since i was 13 was last month. i am tired of riding the stupid fucking over priced bus. i want a bike that will last a long time, be a good investment. budget-wise i would prefer something around the £300-430 range but could go up to £500 if absolutely essential. can i get a decent bike for that amount? again, i know nothing.

types of journeys - i don't want a bike that will allow me to race shirtless through mountain terrains an' that. i want to get to and from work (4 miles each way)/other little trips - luckily i have a bike lane running most of the way there. it's not extremely hilly, it varies. i would like to go up SOME hills of course and not have to push it the entire way, geez. but at the end of the day i am not going to be having an amazing full-body-sweat workout on this bike. i just want to breeze along, man. the bus puts me in such a bad mood. arrgghh.

i like the dutch style of bikes. mainly because i prefer the high vantage point for seeing traffic. it just looks more graceful and i know they are very pleasant to ride, and above all, hardy - they last decades. most of the brands. the geometry is gorgeous.

i was considering the electra amsterdam (http://www.ridelow.co.uk/electra-amsterdam-classic-3sp-ladies-black-p-468.html) but then i read that electra recalled the first bunch of these because the chain guard was causing the chains to detach (!!). i also read this long debate (http://www.curbside.on.ca/blog/?p=97) and was sort of put off. electra make some gorgeous bikes but i figure if i go dutch i should go DUUUUTTTCH.

so. that means i am considering the batavus old dutch (http://www.comptoncycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b132s131p3990) or the batavus cambridge deluxe (http://www.comptoncycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b132s131p4679) right now. more possibilities will probably come through but i've read a lot and these seem reliable. oh or the dutch azor oma (http://www.dutchbikeseattle.com/html/bikes/oma.html).

i have some no doubt stupid sounding questions. how many gears should i realistically go for? heck, how many do i NEED? i'm about five foot ten/eleven - these bikes come in 50cm and 56cm frame sizes. what differences do they make? coaster brakes? huh? shimano gears or no shimano gears? who cares?! will i kill myself with rear brakes? oh i don't want it to RUST. so stainless steel. how the crap do you look after a bike? take it to get serviced once a year? will that do? weight - does that matter an enormous amount? (the bike, not me, assholes) god i need a helmet too. and safety gear. and a lock. i think i can manage that on my own though.

yay for bikes. sorry for rambling. i have a lot of questions and it's the credit crunch, man.

[kaiser soze]

Jesus those bikes are pricey as fuck!

If this is the route you're going (cruiser style) why don't you make one from parts, paint it all crazy - animate it.

I have a 2003 HARO V3 (http://www.mtbr.com/cat/bikes/xc-hardtail/haro/v3/PRD_363441_1527crx.aspx) mountain bike and it's held up like a champ. It's a hard tail but has handled the trails and some crashes very nicely. The only thing I have done for it is a tune up and new brake pads. I'm a little bored with it - wish I had a full suspension bike but I'll live for now.

I once wanted a cruiser, but am more interested in versatility and sport - a tricked out chopper would be fun though

check out this quack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0KSqT13-Wo&feature=related

[NoFenders]

Never had a bike before??

[na§tee]

kaiser - the sites i linked to are the ones with the specs.. you can get them waaaay cheaper on other sites. i dont want to be spending more than £500 on a bike if it's just for scootin' aboot in, no matter how many decades i'll have it for. i'm not chris hoy. have you SEEN his thighs? oh jesus. i'm not even going to ask about the difference between a mountain and a suspension bike. i have nooo idea.

that video scares me. now that's a high vantage point.

nofenders - no, i've never had a bike before as an adult. where my needs, and not to mention the cost, are significantly different. and i don't think i am alone. and?

[Caribou]

Dutch bikes are indeed a good choice. I know many people who own bikes that are over 20 years old and still work perfectly.

As for gears: I have 3 on mine and that's about as much as you need. My last bike had 16 gears, but I never used them anyway. If you're not planning to go uphill an awfull lot 3 is just fine.

And btw, 500 pounds sounds like an awful lot of money. Here you can get a brand new bike for under 200 euros.
The one I have now is a 2nd hand one and cost 85 euros. (y)

[jabumbo]

here's a crummy photo of my bike (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/jabumbo/a26b86d3.jpg)

its a trek hybrid 7.2 FX. its nice and light weight, gears shift seamlessly to ease my ride, and it works well both on light trails and the roadway. the only downside is my tubes seem to blow out on me a good bit (although i heard if you don't use em for a while, thats the case)

i just picked mine up from the parents place this past weekend, thinking i would ride it back home. well the back tire was completely blown, and the front was in bad need of some air, so my ride was a bit rough....



avoid coaster brakes if you're gonna spend the money. and as far as size goes, just check it out and adjust your seat so you're not banging your knees all the time

[kaiser soze]

oh, ok. Those prices are a bit silly

There is no difference between a mountain bike and suspension bike - in fact there is no such thing as a suspension bike.

The suspension is like shocks on a car. Some bikes have them in the front and other bikes have them in the front and back. It can help with stresses on the rider and bike frame when landing jumps or going over rough terrain.

jabumbo - nice Trek, put some shox forks on that baby!

[NoFenders]

Well, just buy something that feels good to ride. Not too heavy, not too big, and has gears. You want gears. You'll want to go fast at times, and you wont want a serious work out every time you have to go up hill.

Get something that wont break the budget, but also is nice to look at.

I have a few bikes. One for the neighborhood (GT cruiser), one for the trails (GF Sugar3), one for the city (Yeti) and few other junk arounds.

My favorite of all is the Sugar. It's a mountain bike. It goes anywhere and everywhere. I change the tires depending on what I'm riding that day.

Main thing is to be comfortable and satisfied with your ride.

Good luck, and buy a light.

(y)

[jackrock]

Pink tassels. Forget everything else. Pink tassels will take care of it.

[na§tee]

As for gears: I have 3 on mine and that's about as much as you need. My last bike had 16 gears, but I never used them anyway. If you're not planning to go uphill an awfull lot 3 is just fine.

And btw, 500 pounds sounds like an awful lot of money. Here you can get a brand new bike for under 200 euros.
The one I have now is a 2nd hand one and cost 85 euros. (y)
i'm thinking 3 is the way forward too - those bikes all have three gears apart from the cambridge - that has 7.

yes, 500 is a lot of money but with the savings i'd spend about 350 or less in reality. i guess you get what you pay for. i wonder how much the bratavus is in holland? i know you can get cheaper dutch style bikes (dutchie.co.uk do a great one for under £300) but you sacrifice some features i would like included. a 'normal' bike here will cost you about £300. again, it's not really about money per se.. more about durability blah blah.

oh! i'm 90% sure i am going to amsterdam in july for my birthday. are you there/abouts?

[HEIRESS]

I know nothing about bikes, but this thing is gorgeous
http://www.skeppshultbikes.com/LADNATVAN800.jpg
http://www.skeppshultbikes.com/Van%20Nat%20photocredit.jpg

[synch]

I have a Batavus Old Dutch.

A matt black one.

I heart it.

I took the one without gears. Gears are a hassle in the long run because it means a lot of extra parts that are liable to break.

edit: Read your post properly and if the hills are pretty steep then yes, gears are nice.

Mine was 300 euro. I got some insurance with it for 130 that covers theft and damage for three years.

About maintenance: I'm seeing signs of rust on some of the parts but it's all superficial. I keep it outside and it rains quite a bit here so it's pretty much inevitable. It was less than perfect because it took quite a few knocks and they have been rebuilding the road in front of my office so it got sand in the chain etc.

It got serviced today and it's like new again.

If you can wait until july then I can let you ride it so you can make up your mind :D

[yeahwho]

I have a nice 21 speed mountain bike that I put slick tires on and it weighs 26 lbs (11.82 Kgs). Living in Seattle which is basically giant hills coming out of the water, I ride everywhere. Gears are cool, the lower gears are easier than walking up a hill.

Bikes rock.. I just started to ride mine again this year after an extremely cold icy winter. My butt is sore and the legs are burning but by May I'll be in peak form peddling everywhere.

Get going it's a blast.

[MC Moot]

I want to ride my bicycle more than anyone here…I’ll bet… ( http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x265/mcmoot/Bicycle.jpg ):(:mad::(

[NoFenders]

I know nothing about bikes, but this thing is gorgeous
http://www.skeppshultbikes.com/LADNATVAN800.jpg
http://www.skeppshultbikes.com/Van%20Nat%20photocredit.jpg

Would you go around stealing little girl's dogs too??

[Dorothy Wood]

I ride on this thing (http://images04.olx.pt/ui/1/16/81/15471581_1.jpg)

mine's matte black though. it's a single speed road bike. the scattante americano. :cool: I've never changed gears when riding, not even when I was a kid, so I figured they were useless to me and decided to get a sleek no frills single speed.

those cruiser dealies are pretty and stuff, but they ain't for me. I like to go fast.

clur, I think you have a pretty good idea of what you want and think you should go for one of the dutch bikes. 3-speed. 56cm. (my bike is 54cm, and I'm 5'5", but long-limbed.) and I would do regular hand-brakes, rather than back pedal brakes.



sidenote: no offense, but some of y'all have some real suburban-dad-type taste in bikes. eeesh.

[na§tee]

yeah k, i should probably just get on one or two on my shortlist and give it a test. they'll have to be sent to my a local dealer for a small fee but it's worth it, i guess. the ones i posted weren't cruisers but sort of the same (apart from the amsterdam) i have no idea how fast you can go on a 3 speed. haha maybe i should ask them that. HOW FAST DOES IT GOOO? ooh oooh did you do a bike helmet thread? i remember you did! imma look that up!

synch - i'm pencilling you in for a pint/whisky/your tipple NOW. 7-12ish of july. DO IT! so pleased you have a bratavus! A REAL LIFE DUTCH PERSON!

i'll definitely invest in a 'good' lock. i know loads of people who have had theirs stolen. my boss once accidentally knocked another person's bike into the river outside work once. OOPS.

[Drederick Tatum]

if you get a bike and it has one of those leather Brooks seats, take care of it as much as the actual bike. if a thief knows what to look for she/he'll have it.

[synch]

synch - i'm pencilling you in for a pint/whisky/your tipple NOW. 7-12ish of july. DO IT! so pleased you have a bratavus! A REAL LIFE DUTCH PERSON!*cough* Italian from Amsterdam, but I'll forgive you ;)

i'll definitely invest in a 'good' lock. i know loads of people who have had theirs stolen. my boss once accidentally knocked another person's bike into the river outside work once. OOPS.A decent lock costs as much as a second hand bike. I've looked at the locks they use in Italy in amazement, they look like they would snap under a particularly nasty stare.

[ScarySquirrel]

I just bought a bicycle today. They're assembling it and putting all my "accessories" (a better seat and water bottle mount) on it right now... I'll pick it up tomorrow morning.

It's a Trek 7.3 FX (http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/fx/73fx/). I took a bunch of bikes for a test ride and saw that it was something I could really get into even though I basically know nothing right now. So, I picked that model because it was the best model I could get that would actually be worthwhile upgrading parts later.

I'm super excited to be a cyclist. You can't even understand...

[TurdBerglar]

there's too much shit in here to read


sorry

[na§tee]

that's okay, if i wanted it to be understandable to people who can only digest bitesize bits of information i'd twitter the thing instead of writing it on a message board or something. that is a shame though because you probably know a lot more about bikes than a lot of people here.

i think i know what i'm going to get anyway, i was just looking for verification and some of you helpful peeps answered my questions so thanks for that.

[TurdBerglar]

i don't come here to read paragraghs


fuck paragraghs!

[na§tee]

yeah.. and fuck spelling!

oh i josh, i josh. to each their own. thanks for taking the precious seconds to click, turd. you come here for the less than 20 syllables then, i guess.

bike thread in 20 syllables: want. dutch. gears. bratavus. electra. weight. thieves. money. traffic. amsterdam. OH-KAY!

[nodanaonlyzuul]

this is my bike thus far: wee (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3439517319_bd7cbf165e_b.jpg)!

I got lucky and a friend of a friend loves bikes, puts them together from old parts, and is charging me nothing but the cost of the parts. I told him that I need it to go to and from work (about 3 miles one way) and that there aren't really any hills and would be all on roads.

It has a fat seat for my fat ass.

(y)

[Helvete]

It's a Trek 7.3 FX (http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/fx/73fx/). I took a bunch of bikes for a test ride and saw that it was something I could really get into even though I basically know nothing right now. So, I picked that model because it was the best model I could get that would actually be worthwhile upgrading parts later.

I have this bike. It's a good bike. At least I think it's the 7.3, I'm not going to check but it's either that or the 7.5. Same shit. Too bad BMW beats bike now.

[ScarySquirrel]

I have this bike. It's a good bike. At least I think it's the 7.3, I'm not going to check but it's either that or the 7.5. Same shit. Too bad BMW beats bike now.
Eh, the 7.5 has a few other features that make it slightly more expensive/impressive. Like carbon fiber forks, a different frame, lighter wheels, and some other kind of gears... I think.

[funk63]

Mein Chrom scheint wie ein icycle
Fahrt in der Stadt in meinem lowrider bicycle

[Helvete]

Eh, the 7.5 has a few other features that make it slightly more expensive/impressive. Like carbon fiber forks, a different frame, lighter wheels, and some other kind of gears... I think.

Probably the 7.3 then.

[Miho]

I bought a bike last summer, but hardly rode it. No reason really. I'll get to it this summer, hopefully. It's one of those standard riding bikes, not a mountain bike, just, you know, standard. Yeah. I know my bikes, eh.

[jabumbo]

female style bikes look like they would fold under any hard stopping with the front brakes

[Dorothy Wood]

just for fun:
impossibly awesome custom bikes made for mostly women

www.sweetpeabicycles.com

[Jollop]

I don't know much about bikes even though i ride to work every-day.

Best advice i have, is to buy yourself some decent tyres. I think that mine are lined with a kevlar(?) strip. This really helps prevent getting punctures.
Before I got these, I'd get 2 - 3 punctures a year, now, after 2 years I've had none!

I think thay cost me about £35 for 2

[faz]

I recently dugg my y-frame bike out the shed. Hadn't been on it, I guess, 6-7 years.

Cycling is pretty fun (y)

[Audio.]

I thought this was reference to the song Queens made with all those naked chick riding bikes making bell melodies.

[na§tee]

it is, audio. i cleverly worked that into the title, what with the bike theme an' all. did you see what i did there? :rolleyes:

[Audio.]

yeah. hmm... should I be proud or something? :confused:


duuuude I'm bored. I got a bike in the backyard will take a picture of it if I remember. I dont want it (to tall for me), no one rides it, ummm its just there. Thinking of selling it. The frame is more valuable. Its either a road bike or umm... forgot the other name of it.

[Caribou]

oh! i'm 90% sure i am going to amsterdam in july for my birthday. are you there/abouts?

I live in Leiden, which is only half an hour to Amsterdam by train.
If I'm not on holiday myself I'll come and say hi. :)

btw, this is my 'beauty':
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l170/Caribooo/Foto0025.jpg

If you're wondering why it looks so crap: it has to. Pretty bikes get stolen. I've learned that from experience. :mad:
But it's green and has glitters, so that's good looking enough for me.