I don't know anything about riding or buying a bike. Help!

May 19, 2008 11:26 AM

Had my tricycle stolen this weekend. Thinking it's time to bite the bullet and learn to ride a bike. Questions inside.

So some jerk decided to steal my adult tricycle (a Worksman Port-o-Trike) while I slept and now I'm pretty much stranded. Thank goodness for that tax rebate coming soon, huh?

I have no idea what to do next though. I have only ridden a tricycle so I need to learn how to ride. But I don't know if I should get a good bike first? I liked the looks and features of the Electra bikes-- the Townies and the Amsterdams. I'm a girl, 5'10", and I want to be able to ride around town, run errands, etc-- currently I only rode 2-5mi. at a clip but I'd like to go farther, across town if need be. But I'm doubtful I'd do a long tour. I live in Arizona currently and hope to move to Portland, OR, so I'd like a bike that can still work well there. Should I just get a cheap bike off craigslist? I get the feeling that a good bike will make all the difference between me loving the experience or hating it.

I know people suggest testing a bike out at a bike shop, but since I don't have any bike practice, I don't see how that'll work. I figure if all else fails I'll visit my cycle shop and ask them to help me out-- explain I'm clueless about riding and maybe they'll provide some solutions. Unless somehow riding the trike helped-- somehow I doubt that though.

Should I be looking for anything in particular? Can I get away with a 3-speed bike or should I get more speeds? Are there any other beginner friendly bikes? Preferably under $600.

Thanks so much, you're helping me get over a big fear!

posted by actionpact to travel & transportation (18 comments total)

More speeds = better ability to climb hills and find the right cadence for a comfortable riding experience. Make sure that the switches for changing gears work easily for you, so you don't have to think about it a lot, espeically since you will be concentrating on learning to ride. You should be able to find something that will work really well for your price point. I have a Gary Fisher Wingra and I have been very happy with it in a moderately hilly city.

I have no advice about learning to ride as an adult, other than my suspicion that having trike experience may work against you rather than for you. Dealing with turns may go against your instincts at first. The way you lean in a turn on a bike would probably tip you over on a trike and vice versa.

Your feeling is correct that getting the right bike makes all the difference in the world. Once you learn to ride, a trip on a lightweight, well-made bike, will probably feel like flying compared to your trike.

Other people will be along to give more and better advice than me. Good luck!
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 11:54 AM on May 19, 2008

I think for a learner, a one-speed is fine. You don't need any distractions. Probably a cruiser (essentially a boy's bike for adults). A used bike would be fine.

Of course, a good bike to learn on isn't necessarily a good bike for everyday riding.

There have been discussions on AskMe (1, 2, 3, 4) before about learning to ride a bike as an adult.
posted by adamrice at 12:02 PM on May 19, 2008

Here are two previous questions and another site on learning how to ride a bike as an adult.
You should definitely go to a bike store and ask as well. The people that work at bike stores are pretty knowledgeable about what they do. Don't go to a general sporting goods store, though -- a dedicated bike store is what you need.
posted by k8lin at 12:09 PM on May 19, 2008

As I said in the first thread linked by k8lin, I didn't learn how to ride a bike until I was almost 30, and the Townie rocked my world. As in, I sat down, started pedaling, and boom! I was riding a bike! (I still had a lot to learn, but I wasn't terrified anymore.)

Take a friend who bikes, if you can; my bike-nut husband was the one who spotted the Townie and came with me to test it out. Good bike store staff will be totally cool, too, although you may need to watch out for bike store jerks/snobs. OTOH, a place that sells Townies will be used to getting newbs, I would think.

I've ridden my Townie in Portland too, and although there were a few spots where the traffic made me a little nervous, I had a great time.

BTW, after almost 4 years on my Townie, I just recently bought a more traditional commuter bike for my 10 mi/day bike commute. (I still have and love the Townie, but my new bike is better for the miles I'm putting on it.) Learning how to ride a bike has changed my life. Good luck, and MeMail me if you have any questions!
posted by epersonae at 12:27 PM on May 19, 2008 [1 favorite]

A couple of previous questions on this topic:

How to buy a cheap (less than $100) bike in NYC to learn how to ride on?
November 6, 2007

Learning to ride a bicycle at the ago of 30..
January 22, 2005

Including my favoured method for teaching balance:

Try putting your left foot on the left peddle and kick with your right foot. Keep doing that for a few laps of a running track or parking lot. This will teach you the basics of the balance/steering thing pretty well. (Remember, you are crossing your legs over, left foot on left peddle, or right foot on right peddle) Go as fast as you can, it won't take you long to learn to balance.

I got an email asking for clarification on that a few months ago, and this is what I said at that time:

The way I'm talking about is an altenative to straddling the bike. Kicking while straddling can be hard (if the seat is at a good height) or too easy (if the seat is lowered)..

Instead, stand on one side of the bike, but with the correct foot in the peddle. This will cause the peddle foot to cross over the foot/leg on the ground. Grab the bars, put most of your weight on the peddle, and kick off with the free foot.

posted by Chuckles at 12:48 PM on May 19, 2008

I feel you're overthinking this. You don't need a fancy, expensive bike to love biking. You just need to learn, and stressing about having the correct bike before you even learn is probably an obstacle to actually doing it.
posted by loiseau at 1:22 PM on May 19, 2008

I would advise against a cruiser. Yeah, they've just got one speed, but they're really heavy and cumbersome.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 1:50 PM on May 19, 2008

My cruiser isn't heavy or cumbersome but most are. I think you'd probably be pretty happy with a three speed to start with. As for the balancing and actually riding the bike, I think your best bet is to practice, practice, practice in a place where you aren't going to be pressured or self conscious. It would also help to have a supportive biker pal with you to help troubleshoot the problems that will arise.
posted by fenriq at 3:16 PM on May 19, 2008

I [...] hope to move to Portland, OR, so I'd like a bike that can still work well there.

Portland is not particularly hilly (well, except for the West Hills, but that's a whole 'nother thing). However, there are low parts and high parts, and if you wind up living in Overlook, say, and commuting to and from downtown, the change in elevation could be daunting. Ideally you'd have a nice 8-speed internal hub to give you a decent range of gearing to pick from as needed. If you're just going to tool around on the flats, on the other hand, 3 speeds is pretty fine. Of course, people can and do get along just fine on fixies... it's ultimately just a question of whether you have the capacity and dedication to get pumped enough to do the same.

The other thing to consider about a Portland-specific bike is the wet... much of the year there's water on the ground, if not in the air, here. You'll want fenders, tires that aren't very knobby, and aluminum wheels. As much as I dig old Raleigh 3-speeds, wet steel wheels absolutely suck for stopping in the rain. Not really a concern if you're buying a new bike, mind, but there are definitely some places where you want your breaks to work quickly.

But, when are you planning on moving? If it's not too soon, you might be best off buying a used bike either via Craigslist or a local bike shop and learning how to handle two wheels, short-term. I imagine that the riding position of the Electra Townies will feel somewhat familiar to you, coming from a trike, and make the transition a bit easier. Your experience on that bike will help you figure what you want when you move to Portland, where you'll know better what your riding patterns/needs are likely to be, etc.
posted by mumkin at 3:26 PM on May 19, 2008

You don't need a fancy, expensive bike to love biking ... but you should find one that feels good to you. If you go with a cheap-ass bike that doesn't feel good for you when you're on it, you'll hate it. if you find a cheap bike that feels good, you've really won.
posted by whatzit at 3:35 PM on May 19, 2008

Thanks everybody so far! I really appreciate all the answers-- I know in some ways I am overthinking, but since it's my only big mode of transportation and I am selfemployed I am treating this more like an investment, so I want to do it right :)

Keep the tips coming, you're all great!
posted by actionpact at 3:55 PM on May 19, 2008

I bought a second-hand bike off someone to learn cycling. I'm nearly there - I just need to get riding for more than 20 seconds.
posted by divabat at 3:58 PM on May 19, 2008

I learned how to ride a bike at 18 a couple of months ago. My main thing was starting and not just putting my feet down when i got shaky or scared- that, and keeping going when I got frustrated. Having a pushy (in a good way :) ) friend and her Russian father (he was not gonna let me stop) help me was a major plus. It took me two hours or so to get to the point of riding a loop around her neighbourhood- next time we went out, we took a nice couple of mile ride on a bike path. Once you get the feel, it's no problem.
posted by MadamM at 6:45 PM on May 19, 2008

what about a recumbent bike?
posted by hulahulagirl at 8:19 PM on May 19, 2008

I can't believe no one suggested the Trek Lime. [Warning: this website makes a lot of noise]

It's such a cool bike! It's a three-speed cruiser with (get this) an automatic transmission. Yes, it shifts itself. It has those brakes that are in the pedals: just pedal backwards to stop. And pretty much everyone with less talent than Lance Armstrong who gets on this bike says, "Oh man, this is fun!! I'd forgotten how much fun it is riding a bike!"

(Also: puncture-proof tires, a space in the seat for storing house keys + iPod + cell phone, a bell. Can mount fenders if you want, for the rain in Portland.)

Reviews here and here and here. Google for more.
posted by Capri at 8:31 PM on May 19, 2008

Capri, the Lime looks really cool! A bit pricey but then again if I'm looking at this is an investment it's definitely in the running! I'll have to check it out at my local bike shop.
posted by actionpact at 10:37 AM on May 20, 2008

Capri: do you have a Lime?

As groovy as automatic shifting sounds in theory, the fact that it's electronic would give me pause. Not to be a Luddite, but were it I, I'd want something that could be fixed at a local bike shop, and I don't think that any of the shops in my neighborhood would be able to work on a Lime's electronics. I imagine you'd have to have to take it to a dealer for drivetrain-related issues.

If you're considering this as an investment, actionpact, and it's destined to be your sole means of self-transportation, then we should also be talking about carrying capacity. Your trike would have had a pretty sizable basket on it, I reckon... how much hauling do you need to do? Need to be able to lug uncut Bristol board around, or just a few bags of groceries? 'Cos if the former, you might want to look into xtracycles. If Limes are pricey, though, then an xtracycle is probably too rich for your blood (and a bakfiets is prohibitively expensive).

Really, though, I feel like the cart has gotten in front of the horse. Is there no one near you from whom you could borrow a suitably-sized bicycle? I really think that short-term, your goal should be seeing how well you can handle two wheels. Planning the perfect bike to buy for an eventual maybe move to Portland seems like its about three steps into the future. First you learn to ride a loaner or craigslist bike if need be, then you go shopping and try new bikes in the store. While the right fit does make all the difference in whether biking is effortless or a bit of a pain, I'd be less worried in your case. You've got a pretty good motivator to ride whatever bike you've got, since you're otherwise stranded.
posted by mumkin at 2:15 PM on May 20, 2008

First you learn to ride a loaner or craigslist bike if need be, then you go shopping and try new bikes in the store.

Seconding this - I actually did know how to ride a bike when I recently got one, but I was very inexperienced (I never owned one as a kid) and pretty nervous about riding in traffic. I ended up getting a cheap beater craigslist bike and riding that while I just got used to biking around town. When that bike broke (when, ah, I was hit by a car, but that doesn't mean you will be) I had a good idea of what I wanted in a more "serious" bike - to wit, not made out of pig iron, more than three gears, easier to carry up the stairs. I still have the beater, which is now a fun repair project and will hopefully soon become a backup / loaner bike.

Anyways, so based on that I'd advocate getting a cheap used cruiser-style bike, and as you ride it evaluate it critically for things you do and don't like about it. Then when you're ready to trade up you can either keep the old one as a backup bike, assuming you have the storage space, or put it back on craigslist and put the money towards your new bike.

In terms of learning to ride a bike, here in SF there are free classes for adults taught by the various bike advocacy groups; you might check with the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, and there also looks to be such a group in Phoenix if you are near there. Portland is notoriously bike-friendly, and I'm sure you could find similar classes there.
posted by whir at 4:04 PM on May 22, 2008