I have questions about buying a bike.

[Trivium Academy]

I have a Next 10 speed, mountain bike and I've had it for 6 years ? I think. I think I want a cruiser bike, old-style Schwinn-like that I can have a basket with rounded handlebars.

 

I looked at Target and Walmart- Target has 5-10 speed Schwinn cruisers for $200-$250. Walmart has a Jeep bicycle for $227 that seemed nice with a kushy seat but 10 speed style . I want to be able to ride comfortably b/c I'm considering riding my bike to work- I did it day before yesterday and it only took 10 minutes but my current bike's seat keeps going down while I ride and a basket for carrying stuff is a must.

 

I know I'll have to buy the basket as an additional purchase.

 

Now the questions...

 

1. What are the cons to having a cruiser, rounded handlebar type bike?

I haven't rode one so I'm not sure if it would be a great fit for me, it stinks that stores discourage riding bikes IN the store. :001_huh:

2. After riding a 10 speed, will I dislike having a 5 or 7 speed?

I typically use the 2nd (left) and 5th (right) gears although sadly I have NO idea what that means.

3. Is there a recommended place online to shop for bikes?

I prefer having it shipped to me b/c I don't know how I'll get a bike home from a store in my current vehicle without investing in a bike rack (which I want to).

 

4. My only concern is that 'what if' I want to ride the bike down trails in the woods? I have in the past and I haven't yet taken the kids to do it but I can see myself wanting to once we get a bike rack for our car. Will I regret getting a cruiser style then?

 

5. Should I just get a basic 10 speed at the lowest cost and put whatever add-ons I want to customize it?

Like a better seat, basket, water bottle holder, etc? These $200+ price tags are a little hard to swallow but I will budget for it if it's better to get a certain name-brand bike over another like Schwinn vs. Huffy or Next. I know that if I pay $200+ I'll still have to get a basket. Sigh.

 

Thanks!

[Jane in NC]

Do you have a locally owned bike shop in your area? Ours allows us to test ride bikes. Our shop also sells used bikes which might be a better deal.

 

Here is the basket that I gave my sister for Christmas. Darling, isn't it?

 

Happy pedaling,

Jane

[Stacey in MA]

We bought the kids' bikes at a local bike shop, on all occassions. It was a bit more costly than a Target purchase might have been, but very worth it IMO. They ride every day in the summer weather (so their bikes get a workout), and their bikes get handed down to the next kiddo when outgrown. I haven't had any problems with quality issues - no things bending, denting, becoming disaligned, falling apart, etc. I just inflate the tires each spring, and off they go! (I have changed a tire or two - big hassle on ANY bike! hee!) We have 2 kid bike that aren't being used right now, and the one bike has been through FOUR kids (2 of another family, and 2 of mine), and it's still in fine shape. The other current vacant bike was my older DS's last one and it looks practically NEW even though he rode it all the time....good quality. FWIW, our brands of choice have been Trek and Specialized, and we've had good luck with both.

 

Now, one word of warning. I picked up a bike for myself at Costco a couple of years ago. I LOVE Costco, and wish to say only great things about them, and can say that this is probably one of the very few things which I bought from them that I HATE! I rode it a while to give it a fair shake, so couldn't return it. It's a mountain-type bike, and WAY too heavy and bulky for my riding around the neighborhood on pavement. Also, the HUGE problem in my situation, is that b/c of the design of the suspension and size of the frame, we could not get a child's baby seat to fit on the back!! This also means that most rear baggage racks won't fit. I shopped everywhere, and bought and tried several, and discovered it simply wouldn't work! I was so mad! I ended up solving the problem with a center-bar baby seat (baby seat is basically between my legs when riding), but I would have preferred the rear one.

 

Anyway, my idea if I were to do it again, is that I would buy the accessory FIRST, examine how it is to be mounted, and then make sure the bike I choose meets those criteria. Of course, if you go to a bike shop, you just tell them what you want the bike to do (get me to work on pavement, up and down lots of hills, have a mountable basket or rear rack, etc.) and they know how to accomodate you. Another bonus of going to the experts!

 

Anyway, sounds like a great idea, and lots of fun! Good luck in your shopping and have fun with your riding!

 

- Stacey in MA

[stephanie]

Jessica, we bought mine at our local bike shop as well. I found it much better than picking one up at Walmart because I had the input of the workers who knew what they were doing. I'm short so they were able to find a bike that was the perfect fit for me as well as a seat that is specifically made for women. Also, they let me bring the bike in for adjustments and tune-ups since we bought it there...although I never get to do that! We bought our kids bikes there as well so we weren't buying new bikes every year.

 

Btw, how have you been? Sounds like your getting things smoothed out. I'm still praying for you and your family!

[Dobela]

I also say go to a bike shop. If you are looking at a Schwinn, the prices will not be much different. We have found bike shops to be very valuable. They care about helping you maintain your bike, they can answer questions, and usually are easy to work with. Another positive is that many of their bikes are lighter weight which makes for easier handling and riding.

 

I looked at a cruiser bike and decided it wasn't for me. It doesn't change gears and I live in a hilly area. Changing gears can mean a great ride, or a bad workout. Also, they are made for very smooth riding surfaces. If your roads are not very smooth, you will want a bike with better suspension and handling. Cruisers are not trail hardy at all. The tires won't have the tread you need for off roading, nor will they be wide enough.

 

I also want to say buy a bike rack from the bike store. We were going to buy one online from WalMart or Target and then started reading reviews. They were horrible! For the same proce as WalMart we bought a very strong, sturdy rack that is all metal and that we love. Yes, it is heavy to put on (we now have a trailer hitch rack), but our bikes are very secure and the bike shop helped us assemple it for free. They showed us accessories that we had never heard of but have made our life much easier (like the bar for girls bikes that makes it easier to put them on the rack). Before this we had one that strapped to the back of the car/van and it was always a worry. The straps would loosen, the bikes would rub the paint on the van...

 

Edited to add: a bike shop practically requires you to ride the bike before buying. And, yes they do have some bikes that are insanely expensive. But ours also sells used bikes for uber cheap that are in like new condition.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Dobela
wanted to add something

[Anna]

We also buy from our local bike shop.

[Tess in the Burbs]

first, go to a local shop. you can test ride what you are looking for and local will usually offer free tuneups the first year. my local store offers a 40% trade in when you upgrade, so we have bought all our bikes there over the years. the bikes at target and walmart are HEAVY. go pick up a kid bike there and then try a kid one at the local store. some are 20 pounds heavier in walmart. spend a little more at the local shop(who often offer payment plans) to get a better bike that you won't hate in a few months!

 

Hybrid is what you are looking for. I have the 'cruiser' style handle bars with a WONDERFUL seat that doesn't hurt my bottom(!!!) with road tires on it. But it I put a more rugged tire on it, I *could* ride some light trails(railway trails, flat but bumpy hiking trails) with the family. I couldn't go downhill too steep due to the higher seat of a 'cruiser'/hybrid style but it's a good basic trail rider with a different tire on it. I spent $350 for mine and LOVE IT.

 

and go to different bike shops. most carry a few lines but you want to try out different frames and brands b/c they are all different in how they feel. don't hesitate to ask for an upgraded seat if the bike feels good to ride but your bottom is a little sore when you do. my daughter and I both got upgraded seats when we bought.

 

I love to ride my bike but for years I had bad bikes...take the time to research them and get one you like!! You may even find a nicer used bike at the local shop than you had expected to get. in fact my daughter's last bike was 'used'. it looked brand new. they said it had been traded in after 2 months! we asked for a nicer seat and got it half of the original price with their normal free tuneups! like I said, we trade in every time.

 

have fun shopping/test riding!

[Harriet Vane]

I just bought a bike this summer.

 

I echo the recommendations to try a few bike shops. I test rode several bikes, on more than one occasion, and found doing so to be incredibly helpful. I also appreciated the salesman at one particular store who answered ALL my questions and explained things in depth without making me feel stupid. You would do well to find such a salesman and make full use of his knowledge.

 

I bought a hybrid and I LOVE it. I much prefer the handlebars and I much prefer sitting up straighter--it's so much easier on my back and neck. Granted, I have spine issues but I think even someone with a healthy spine would find the more upright position far more comfortable. The model I bought also has springs so that I don't feel bumps very much.

 

I find that I don't need a million gears--I really use only 3 or 4 speeds. I go slower with the kids, and faster on my own. My dh, on the other hand, is far more sporty/athletic than me, and he loves having a million gears. He uses the variety of gears when he is going to ride long and hard and/or when he is going over varied terrain. I personally don't have a lot of desire to ride over pathless hills and swamps so don't need all those gears. And, while I find an hour's ride enjoyable, I have no need to ride hard for more hours and cover more miles like my dh does.

 

I use my dh's soft pannier bags to carry stuff but am currently looking for something with stiffer sides. I'm not real eager to get a basket--I am looking for something closed and protected from the elements.

 

You should also plan to get a good bell and a decent water bottle holder.

[King Alfred Academy]

We moved to a place where bicycling is more normal than driving cars! I wanted to get rid of my mountain bike and buy a cruiser and I had the same concerns you do. I decided NOT to buy a whole new bike, but convert my mountain bike into a cruiser!

 

I wanted to be able to keep all of my gears...I am attached to them. I also wanted the flexibility to be able to go "off road" so I kept my tires instead of opting for the street tires.

 

I bought the more rounded handle bars so now I can sit more upright. A lot more comfortable than being hunched over. But...if you do that, you have to make sure your brake cables are long enough. If they arent', a bike shop can help you with extending them.

 

I bought a more cushy seat too.

 

I also got a big wire basket to put on the front...LOVE it!

 

Oh, and I bought fenders too so that the wet streets wouldn't end up on my backside!

 

Anyhow...HTH! :001_smile:

[TraceyS/FL]

I was going to suggest - just fix/upgrade what you have.

 

Go to a bike shop and tell them what it's doing, they probably can help you figure out what you need to do. I bought a cushy seat at WM and DH put it on my fancy mountain bike. You can change handlebars and all that too.

 

I need to start riding my bike more myself.

[Beth in OH]

I prefer having it shipped to me b/c I don't know how I'll get a bike home from a store in my current vehicle without investing in a bike rack (which I want to).

 

 

A bike shipped to you you directly will probably be unassembled. We purchased dd's Schwinn cruiser from WalMart via their Site to Store free shipping option. The store did not offer free assembly for this bike, so dh did it at home.

 

I agree with the other posters that for an adult who plans to do regular riding, testing a bike is important. If price is an important consideration, though, we are pleased with the quality of dd's bike for the money. Here's a link: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5585805

[Kay in Cal]

I'm in the process of buying a bike too... I need something sturdy enough to hold big ol' me. Just tooling around the park or neighborhood, not long distance.

 

My local shop sells Phat cruisers. In pink. With flowers. I want it!

[Trivium Academy]

What a great idea Brittney!! I'll price it out ...

[FriedClams]

I bought an Electra Townie a few years ago (2 maybe?) and I LOVE it. The kids and I ride all the time when the weather is nice and I could ride forever. It's super comfortable and really, really well built. I have the "sweet" basket on it for taking things to the post office, jackets, etc. It's awesome and totally worth the money.

[Trivium Academy]

:scared: I dropped my jaw and cannot find it...it looks very nice but I think I'll just replace a few things on my own bike for now. That is definitely a luxurious bicycle!