What sort of bike would suit me?

June 9, 2015 5:06 PM

I'm in the market for a new bike - help me narrow down my options!

I don't own a bike, and I'm looking to buy one. Here is how I imagine I'll be using it:

- short trips: 2-3 miles on a bike trail, away from traffic but amongst pedestrians and other trail users. Trail is paved. I also like the idea of biking to a store in the neighboring town and buying groceries, so it would need a basket, or I would need to install one post-purchase.

- longer cardio rides: 8 - 10 miles initially, and, if I like that, working up to longer rides. Again: paved trails.

Notes: I have no idea if I'll actually be "into" long rides (say, 10 miles +). I think it's one of those things you have to try. If not, I can always use the bike to go on shorter jaunts.

My requirements: that it be light, and that it be around the $500-600 mark (although that's a bit arbitrary). I live on the third floor of an apartment so I'd be hauling it up the stairs or using the complex elevator.

I was looking at Creme Cycles but I think they're a bit out of my league, sadly.

I think I prefer an upright position, but was looking at some hybrid bikes at REI this past weekend and they seem to incorporate a semi-upright position with flat handlebars, which I guess is a better riding position for longer distances? Or could I do long rides in an upright-position bike (like the Electra Townie)?

Problem: I'm very attracted to cool-looking bikes (example 1, example 2), particularly retro-styles, and prone to losing sight of what is more important: the day-to-day experience of living with that bike and using it. (I really dig these balloon tire bikes but have no idea if, beyond liking the look of them, what they're like to ride.)

I intend to visit a lot more bike shops and try out bikes in-person, and talk to the salespeople, however, I'd like to hear people's input here, as well. (Pointers to online resources like forums is useful, too.)

posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome to Shopping (12 answers total)

Best answer: Hi, you are my style of cyclist! (And wow am I a sucker for quirky-cool-looking bikes.) I learned how to ride a bike at the age of 29 on an Electra Townie. It's pretty rad, but you are right to be a smidge hesitant about that one in particular for longer rides. On the other hand, I've done some 20+ mile days (in stages!) on it, and the most critical element for me was the saddle. The stock saddle was pretty lame, at least a decade ago.

The Townie in particular also has (had?) such a far-back posture that it can be tricky on hills. Kind of tiring and more work after a while. I don't know if that's a feature of your environment; it's a huge part of mine.

I think the bike my sister has is a Linus Scout, which is in your price range, and which she really likes. (It might have been the Dutchi or the Mixte; they're both a bit more expensive but similar styling.)

You could totally do anything like that: definitely get a rack right away if it doesn't come with one, that in combination with a front basket will give you good hauling/shopping options. Personally these days I ride a big cargo bike, but in a third floor apartment, that's probably not an option!

The only thing with these sorts of cool quirky bikes is that they do run on the heavy side IME. Which, for me, while riding isn't that big a deal. I'm not racing! But I also don't have to carry a bike up stairs or wrangle it in an elevator.

Good luck and have fun!
posted by epersonae at 5:42 PM on June 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'd buy a used cruiser for leisure rides & short commutes. Hit up craigs. No need to spend a ton — go with anything under budget that catches your fancy and fits you well! Trick it out to haul groceries or invest in a good backpack.

If you're riding 10 miles paved on the regular, without loads, I'd go road bike or hybrid commuter.

The "best" bike is the one you wanna ride!
posted by fritillary at 6:32 PM on June 9, 2015 [2 favorites]

A commuter bike (also called city bikes, urban bikes, etc.) would probably be a good choice for the kind of riding you describe.

You might dig Swobo's.
posted by box at 6:33 PM on June 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

For your budget, you may have to sacrifice the lightness requirement, but you also need to bear in mind that the styles you have highlighted are heavy. However, for short rides, you can pretty much ride most anything, as long as hills aren't involved. I do recommend that you get a hand brake, as coaster brakes are not going to allow you sufficient braking power.

In terms of used vs new, the main consideration is do you intend to lock this bike outside in an urban area on a regular basis? If the answer is yes, get a used hybrid with a rack and invest in a good lock.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:17 PM on June 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

Yeah, I looked at one of the Cremes on a hunch that it would not be the lightest bike: nearly 40 lbs.
posted by tremspeed at 8:28 PM on June 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

You might like Specialized's Globe line - mostly hybrids, but with some of those European commuter bike details. They should be in your range, anyhow.
posted by theweasel at 9:32 PM on June 9, 2015

Take a look at Public Bikes. They have some nice city bikes with a fun look.

The bikes you link to are cute, but a heavy bike doesn't feel as cute after many miles. Also, make sure to ride several, to see which one feels the best.

Have fun!
posted by bluedaisy at 11:17 PM on June 9, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I was looking for a bike with exactly the same criteria a few years ago and bought a KHS Manhattan Green 3 speed ladies model. But I discovered a few things: 1. lugging any kind of cruiser or dutch-style 3 speed up the stairs to a third floor apartment is ridiculous and means you will ride less, and 2. for groceries, I like a backpack or panniers way better than a basket (when it gets heavy, turning is difficult). But if you are going for a model like that, it might be one to consider, it's a good price.

When I got tired of carrying it up the stairs and sold it, I discovered that road bikes are awesome. All of my preconceptions about the discomfort of riding "bent over" or having a "small saddle" were wrong, they were actually more comfortable in the long run, and there's no reason you can't ride a road bike in street clothes. You can put skull stickers all over yours and it'll look just as cool as that Electra. I ended up with a model similar to this, which was also under $500 but a lot easier to carry and maneuver. In the meantime, I've scored some even lighter, nicer bikes off Craigslist. YMMV, but that's where I ended up!
posted by beyond_pink at 6:45 AM on June 10, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have been riding full-on recumbents for ten years. The main problem with them is that there's no going back. The bike is designed to fit the person, whereas with uprights, the person must conform to fit the bike. I got my first recumbent as I was just getting into biking, and the first thing I did was ride it across the USA. My friend rode an upright and had to buy bike gloves to pad his wrists. I also never had to wear the other external bike part, padded bike shorts. I was so comfortable just riding on my lawn chair bike.

It's a little more awkward to carry a recumbent than an upright, but in my opinion it's easiest with a short wheel base and over the seat steering. SWB will definitely fit on elevators and any bus/car bike rack, too. For the 2-3 mile trips, I wouldn't bother getting a recumbent. But with 8-10 miles+, I would definitely be considering one. On hills, you can push into the back of your seat, and besides, that's why there are gears! Depending on your location, you should be able to get a used recumbent in that price range. I usually spend ~$800, though.

I think that if I were you, I would probably just get a decent cool-looking bike, but would definitely be thinking about recumbents if I kept with riding bikes around.
posted by aniola at 7:22 AM on June 10, 2015 [2 favorites]

As long as we're evangelizing, I would suggest considering a single-speed bike--they're lighter, they have fewer things that can go wrong, and they're certainly capable of a ten-mile ride. (Note that I did not say fixed-gear--I'm not that much of an evangelist.)
posted by box at 8:31 AM on June 10, 2015 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Holy crap, I just got a bike. I was looking into the cute, quirky, cruiser bikes.

I didn't eventually buy one because those things are heavy.

And heavy means I probably won't use it as much as I'd like, because I really don't want to pedal all that extra weight around, and somehow lift it for stairs, curbs, turning it around in the elevator, etc.

I picked something that is the opposite of what I thought I wanted. It's a single-speed road bike. On it, I can smoke my stronger, more experienced friends with heavier bikes, even with my flimsy legs. I can also lift it over my head with one hand, and my arms are noodles.

(Bonus points to that bike for being $400, as I was afraid to spend a ton of money on a starter bike/hobby.)

And, like you, I thought I would have to work up to long rides. But last weekend I biked 24 miles with nearly no problem. I partially attribute that to the lightness of my bike.
posted by functionequalsform at 7:06 AM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you for all your thoughts (and the one memailed contribution) - this has really helped clarify my thoughts.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 5:49 PM on June 15, 2015 [1 favorite]