There's a new bike boom happening

Last one was in the 1970s.

From NYC to Paris to Sydney and prob further, bike shops are out of bikes, or running out of bikes to sell.

Cities across europe are adding bike lanes and building bike parking areas.

In big cities, the top danger is crowded enclosed spaces, like buses or the subway. A bike lets you bypass all that, and you get some exercise in the bargain. Another reason is most sports have come to a screeching halt. But you can always jump on your bike and get some fresh air and sunshine with hardly any risk.

Even better, bikes are just plain better than they used to be.

Way back in the 1970s, Consumer Reports wrote a review of bicycles. They said that below a certain price, bikes weren't fun, and would stay in the garage. Above that bikes were a pleasure to ride, and you would make up excuses to go out and ride. That's still true.

$1K is a rough minimum, $2K is a lot better. You can go a little under $1K if you have to. But a bike company can do a lot better job of building a bike if you can go over $1K. I know that's a lot, I used to feel the same way. Then bikes made my life a lot better, and now I'd skimp on a car before buying a bike that wasn't excellent. My favorite bike is the Gunnar Sport. It's very expensive, and worth every penny. The one thing I'd change if I had it do over is to get disc brakes instead of the 57mm long reach brakes that are on it now. This bike gave me a much better life.
http://gunnarbikes.com/site/bikes/sport/

If you're going to buy a bike, there are things that help to know. The first thing you want to do is use the best bike shop in your area. A good shop will work with you, they will have rides for beginners. You may have ridden before, but it's been a while, and you will need to learn how to ride in traffic.

A lot of adults buy their first bike, as an adult, a size too small. A couple weeks later, they want to lean forward and they can't. Yeah, I know. That's where advice from a good bike shop can be invaluable.

When you sit on the bike, if 90 is bolt upright, and 0 degrees is lying flat, you want 50-70 degrees. You want some forward lean, but not a lot.

You don't want a racing bike, for a bunch of reasons. You want relaxed geometry. That can get complicated. Pretty much you want a bike made for fun, that isn't slow. In America, there are way too many racing bikes, and even more that are dog slow. You also want to avoid touring bikes. They are for loaded touring, tents, food, stove, it adds a lot of weight. Without that weight, the bike feels stiff. You don't want a bike for one week a year. So a recreational bike that is lively. Every bike shop will have at least one do it all bike. Usually more, gravel bikes, sport bikes, the better commuting bikes, it depends on what interests you and where you live. You will have to try a few, you want one that feels right. I know, how do you tell. Ideally, there should be a smile on your face, but that may not happen at these prices. What you can do is ride for 20 or 30 minutes, make sharp turns, hit a pothole on purpose, get going fast and see how it feels.


A bike with relaxed geometry will be stable most of the time. A racing bike will want to turn even if you don't. You want little holes where you can attach racks. Small packs called panniers will eventually go on your racks. They can hold your clothes on vacation, or groceries any old day. We used to go to yard sales on our bikes.

You want a bike that can take 28c tires and fenders on a 700c wheel. If you are under 5'6" you will want a bike that has 26" or 650b wheels. If you put someone 5'2" like my wife on a bike with 700c wheels, the geometry will be all messed up.

You are going to make mistakes, like leaning your bike against a boulder, or dropping it. Get steel or aluminium, for your first time.

The American lifestyle is a trap. It will give you heart disease and heart attacks and diabetes and a hundred other ills the flesh is heir to. You can avoid most of that with a bicycle. The price suddenly sounds more reasonable, doesn't it.

 

I bought one a few weeks ago. I decided this quarantine was a good opportunity to get in shape.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...s-now-great-time-start-cycling-lockdown-eases

 

What did you get?

 

Schwinn Copeland from Walmart. It's been a good bike so far and only cost $150.

 

Because it's new, cables will stretch, and things can get out of adjustment. Sometime in June, take it to a bike shop to get things adjusted. That would also be a good time to start looking at saddles.

Even really expensive bikes usually come with crap saddles.

 

bikes are fine if you live in a big city when you only have to go a block or two to get what you need
but the majority of America that dont live on top of each other we are talking about miles to get where you need to go
My home the closest grocery store is 5 miles away and how am i going to carry a weeks worth of groceries on a bike?
a bike just isnt practical for the majority of Americans

 

There is no lower form of life then people who ride their bikes on busy roads and highways for exercise.

 

I like my bike.

 

As long as it's not on a busy road or highway, I like it too

 

It can be done.

One option is to get an ebike and a bike trailer. That will carry a lot of kids or groceries or some of both.

The other option is Radpower. There are lots of other cargo bikes, but they are very expensive. Radpower has a good rep, but this one won't be available until Sept. Looks like a killer deal for the money.



https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/radwagon-electric-cargo-bike

 

Love motorcycles, but what I need is a bike.

 

Except you will probably hold me up instead of the other way around.

 

I've been trying to get a 26" BMX frameset lately and there is a big demand for bikes right now. It's a little frustrating. :/

I have a Titus RacerX for my full boinger MTB bike, spec'd out with a Fox Talas R fork, DT Swiss 340 hubs/EX 5.10 rims, Easton Monkeylite XC carbon bars, Hayes 10th anniversary hydro disc brakes with chrome calipers and carbon levers, SRAM X-9 shifter pods, Thompson stem and post, Raceface rings, Hussefelt cranks, and TIME HP ATAC clipless pedals. Oh yeah and a Terry "Buzz off" saddle. Bombproof, but comfortable.

My hardtail is a Gary Fisher Montare, pre-Genesis, LX shifter pods, XT/XTR V-brakes w/kool stop pads, Real rings, Raceface stem, XT/XTR der's, XTR hubs laced to Bontrager wheels, and Raceface cranks. Is an old bike but one of the coolest things about it is the neck is 1.25" as it is an Evolution frame. I bought a Chris King Devolution headset so I could use 1 1/8" forks, which is currently a Manitou SX-R, seals are blown and it needs replacing though. Unfortunately the saddle is some freebie door prize I won years ago at a bike party.

If I can score this BMX frameset, I'll be a happy camper. I'm 53 years old and still love bikes.

You sound as though you know a thing or two, what you got?

 

1500 for a bicycle
i can have groceries delivered for a year for 1500

 

If that's what you want.

 

To those that get it, nothing needs to be said, to those that don't, nothing can be said.

Just sayin'.

 

It probably should be about more than just getting groceries... ?

 

I fabricate cargo bikes and recumbents. I own a plethora of bikes. Used to love mountain biking (still do) but I ride my recumbent, most often. I can carry all sorts of cargo. (Just bungeed a frame and fork on the back rack this morning and pedaled a few miles home) It will donate the rear triangle to my next cargo bike build, currently underway. The orange striped one is my wife and I's. The recumbent seat is woven paracord and can quickly be removed with a couple bolts, to haul cargo. Here is a thread on my first build. http://www.politicalforum.com/index.php?threads/building-a-tandem-trike-for-the-handicapped.569193/

Part of what inspired me to fabricate was spending tons on high end bikes and components and a word I have grown to loath..."proprietary". To hell with riding what they want me to ride. Cargo bikes are very expensive, I should charge more but what the hell?

 

Always wanted a good 26 dirt jump, hardtail.

 

I like your bikes, it'd be cool if you shot a video of them being ridden. Way cool.

As for me, I like shiny bits on my bikes, but I like having pieces that have an element of uniqueness or rarity. Something not everyone else has.

 

Dude, lots of guys our age out cruising on these things. Not sure I'll do much more than bust some manuals, but catching air I dunno, I like suspension for that these days. ( Pic is not me )

 

I can straight carry the mail on the recumbent, have 12 V light system on it. It's a bit heavy compared to a regular bike but once it gets up to speed, it wants to roll. It has a RaceFace crank with the outboard bearings and the front brake is an Avid BB7 with the oversized rotor. Gotta respect it's power. Used to have Avid Elixer hydraulics but I love the BB7, both pads are adjustable and plenty strong. Asides from the rear triangles, I do most fabrications with 3/4 emt tubing. For steel, it's pretty light and strong. They build ultralight aircraft from it. I use a manual tubing bender. My name is getting out there and people always love the cargo trike. I was at the park with the wife on it and that's how I met the client I'm doing the current build for.

 

I used to wheely all over town, did it for more than a mile once. Catching air on a rigid bike, better land just so!

 

Need pics of build process man, would dig that.

BB7's have been the best mech's on the market for decade or more, used to have a Kona Stinky that had those, love love love them.

Any pics or video of the current build?