Tips Archive:

Hot Tip of the Month- January 2006: "What to look for when shopping for a bike for home use"

It’s the beginning of a new year and ideas are swimming around your head about how to drop those few extra pounds that Santa brought you over the holidays. You love to Spin, but time is short and you’re having a hard time getting to the gym. And when you do make it, the bikes are either all taken or your just sick of ridding bikes that feel like a meat grinder. So, you decide to get your own bike .Where do you start, who you buy from. First off, if you buy online, and it’s new, don’t believe that just because it’s a brand new bike, its going to come out of the box, all buttery, smooth and perfect. On average, 1 out of 3 bikes come out of the box needing MAJOR tuning and adjusting. And if you call the local bike shop, or the online retailer 1000 miles away, you’re going to be hard pressed to get the direction you need to adjust that meat grinder. You’ll probably be on your own. And what about that “great deal” on a used bike? Most used bikes or “refurbs” you’ll find on e-bay have been turned over from a gym. They will usually have the life squeezed out of them, and there will usually be a lot of rust or corrosion. Indoor bikes, as a general rule do not wear out. The major parts of the bike; the frame, the flywheel, handlebars, seat towers; these parts don’t wear out, it’s the incidental parts that wear out, and the bikes start to look really bad from years of neglect. If the bike is torn down, and the incidentals are replaced, that 5 year old bike has the potential to work better than new. If the flywheel is a little off center, not a problem. If the seat and handlebar towers have a little metallurgical acne, not a problem, as long as there’s positive mobility. It’s the drive train and resistance mechanisms that need a thorough going over, and usually parts replaced to make a difference in how the bike feels. Do you homework, and NEVER buy a new or used bike based on price. Remember this: The bitterness of poor quality or service remains long after the sweetness of a low price. And what about home bikes? Home bikes are NOT the same as a commercial bike, PERIOD. No matter what the salesperson says, or how good the picture looks, a home bike usually weighs half of what a commercial bike weighs. No matter how good the price is, if the bike fells shitty, you might as well have burned the cash, because you won’t be riding a bike that feels crappy. Happy New Year and best wishes to all!