How Do I Get A Bicycle? (part 1 of 2)

(Alex Thompson writes about bicycling in LA)

The toughest question I'm asked as a bike activist is "how do I get a bike?" My usual response is to blanch, jump on my bike, ride home and bury myself in a bottle. Why? Well, it's a tough question to answer, because any decent answer is complicated and many people expect a simple answer. So here it is, part one of my answer to "how do I get a bike?". I'll explain what your goals should be for your first bike as an adult, guidelines for budget, sizing and type of bicycle. The next post will discuss options for where to buy, how to tune up a used bike, and briefly, locks, lights, and helmets.

How do you get the perfect bike for you? Wrong! That's the wrong question. When you're getting a first bike as an adult don't aim for perfection. Unless you're a former cyclist, there's simply no way you can know what you need, or what you'll like, before you've done a lot of riding. So when you get your first bike as an adult, with intentions of riding the gritty city, what you should seek is a starter bike. The perfect starter bike.

The perfect starter bike is a bike which functions, doesn't break down, and is inexpensive. Your expectation should be that if you enjoy cycling, and you might not, then you'll replace that first bike in 6 months to a year. With oil at $112 a barrel this cycling thing will pay for itself.

My first bike as an adult was a beater I bought from my roommate for $40, and I replaced it within four months. You should spend more than I did. That bike was so dysfunctional that I carried a hammer with me to fix it when certain parts got out of whack. The hammer was made in China, and the bike was made in 1970. Eventually all the cables snapped and it fell apart.

So $200 is the minimum budget I suggest (If you can't afford $200 then there are people who can help you), and I wouldn't suggest spending more than $500. That minimum breaks down as follows - $100 for the bike, $20 or so for repairs, and $80 for lights, a lock, and a helmet. You shouldn't get a bike without a helmet for safety and a lock for parking. I recommend lights for beginners because there's nothing more limiting than not being able to ride your bike legally and safely to the bar, club, church, or grocery store after dark.

"I'm richer than an oil baron, I'm gonna start with the best" you say. Don't. Even if you're a rich and famous movie star, I don't recommend splurging $12000 on a super bike with all the best components. Why? If you're just getting into riding there is no way you'll appreciate it.  High end bikes aren't built for durability and ease of use, they're built for speed on a closed course. Furthermore, unless the bike fits you, you won't like it, no matter how much it costs. Put that extra money toward buying your friends bikes so you can start a bike gang - you'll have more fun.

Fit is important because it governs how comfortable you'll feel on the bike. You're not going to get a perfect fit on your first bike. Instead, we want to shoot for getting a bike that fits you ok. That means getting a bike with the right sized frame. Here's a rule of thumb, known as the "Lemond System" for estimating frame size. Take your inseam measurement in centimeters and multiply by .67:

Inseam * .67 = Frame size for a road bike

Mountain bikes fit differently, so for a conventionally sized mountain bike the rule of thumb is:

(Inseam * .67) - 11cm = Frame size for a mountain bike

Road bike frame sizes are usually quoted in centimeters, but mountain bikes are often quoted in inches. To convert back and forth from inches to centimeters you can just note that 1 inch is 2.54 centimeters (1 centimeter is .394 inches), or you can use an online converter.

(LA Rida legend Fuzzbeast rides a bike that is too small for him, photo by digablesoul)

In the last decade bike manufacturers have migrated toward a new frame sizing system. Now some models of bicycle now come in sizes like clothes - XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL. In this case you'll probably just need to test drive the bike.

Choosing a versatile type of bike is important. The four kinds of bike a first time biker should consider are road bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, and beach cruisers. For an inexperienced rider in LA I think a mountain bike or hybrid bike is the way to go.

Road bikes have skinny tires which don't handle rough pavement very well, so you'll find your handling skills challenged while you're simultaneously dealing with LA drivers. I started with a road bike, and my poor handling skills and natural clumsiness laid me out in middle of a lane on Venice Blvd in the rain in traffic. It was scary. Beach cruisers are heavy, slow, they don't have great brakes, and they only have a few gears, so they can be tough to ride in hilly terrain. However, they are pretty, fun and very relaxed. Mountain bikes and hybrid bikes (which are a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike) have wider tires, so they handle rough patches well. You ride in an upright position so they're very easy to handle, and they have good braking power and numerous gears.

You can spend a lot of time pondering what kind of bike you should get, but I think it's best to just pick a type and get started riding! If you do want to investigate further here are some resources:

Guide to types of bicycles

YouTube video summarizing types of bicycles

Next week I'll write about different options for getting a bike new or used, how to fix up a used bike without spending a lot, and guidelines for helmets, lights, and locks. If you're feeling super psyched to go out and get a bike now, then go for it! If you have a friend who is a cyclist, see if you can bribe them into helping you. Two weeks from today I'll write about the state of bike activism in LA, where it is and where it might be going.

Comments

[CasualCommunter]

Great cloumn. This is exactly what new cycling commuters want/need to know. Without sounding like a commercial, you want to suggest some bike models for beginners. What type of road bike is a good starter bike? Should I go with the pedal clips? or just user my regular running shoes to pedal? etc.

Keep up the good blog.

[jrb]

My first adult bike was/is Nishiki 10 speed. I paid $35 at a thrift store. All it needed was some molly grease on the chain. My only problem with it was a bent rear wheel caused by some dufus coming out of a parking lot and knocking me off of it. I bought a used rear wheel for $10 bucks at another thrift store.

You can find good used bikes are all over the place.

Why buy something new?

[KateNonymous]

This is much more helpful than the guy I talked to at one bike shop, who said, "You need to go home and spend more time thinking about why you want to ride a bike." Guess who I didn't buy a bike from?

[Alex Thompson]

@Kate

Did you buy a bike from me? Wait, I don't sell bikes . . . just kidding.

@jrb, CasualCommuter

I would go used if you have the time to look a little. Used mountain bike. Unless you have previous experience riding I wouldn't go for toe clips or clipless pedals - just use standard platforms. Why? Learning curve. You're going to be using your brain mostly to read drivers and their intentions, so don't overtax it. It's nice to be able to jump off your bike in an emergency. For the same reason I'd stay away from a road bike. I ride a clipless road bike, but I've logged 15K miles in LA. Also - clipless adds a lot to the expense (can you tell I'm on a grad student's budget?)

If you are going for a road bike then . . . well there are some cheap ones made in Taiwan these days. Motobecane was bought up by an Asian manufacturer and they make decent road bikes. Or go for an old ten speed - though those are pretty hard to ge these days - all the bike kids are buying them up and riding them, or converting them to fixed.

You can get lucky like jrb, but nowadays people are selling those used Nishikis for like 150.

For hybrids or mountain bikes I like what I've seen - if you're going new - from Giant and Trek. The low end stuff they're making is light years ahead of the high end stuff from 10 years ago. Aluminum frames - light, good braking power.

Blah blah blah . . . what are you thinking Casual?

[jrb]

"You can get lucky like jrb, but nowadays people are selling those used Nishikis for like 150."

I think people many times buy an expensive bike and then lose interest. I saw what looked like a very nice, very cherry, professional racing bike in a thift store for $60. You could tell it cost a lot new.

I'd haunt the thrift stores. I think they sometimes just guess at what an item is worth. And they always have bikes.

[jrb]

A list of thrift stores I've seen lots of bicyles at:

Here's a Goodwill locator...

http://locator.goodwill.org/

Salvation Army...

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org
And lastly for the biggest selection parts and bicycles I've seen at any thrift store there's St. Vincent de Paul at 210 N Avenue 21,Los Angeles, CA 90031 323-224-6280.

This location is a couple of warehouses big!

And always remember the number one rule when buying anything at any thrift store...

Caveat emptor!!!

[Bryan Motz]

This is great! I'm just looking into buying a bicycle because I've been itching to get on one for the longest time, and not have to use my car for those short distances. Plus it seems so much more enjoyable. I'm looking forward to part II, please put it up asap! I really want to just buy a bike already! (My old one was stolen out of my garage.) Please tell us also about your suggestions for good locks to buy. Thanks

[SKD]

I ride a hybrid/mountain bike in the city. Made of 4130 cro-moly, a light-weight steel alloy that rides smoother than the more expensive aluminum or carbon fiber frames since it absorbs the asphalt road rattle. I do not have a suspension system on the front fork or the rear, which is unnecessary when riding the streets. This type of bike seems to work best for those who are new to biking or those who want to have more control. I took the knobby tires off, they are worthless on asphalt and slow you down, and replaced them with 26"x1.5" tires with minimal tread ($7-$15 for each new tire). The hybrids and mountain bikes are more robust when riding through bumps, potholes and lose gravel that is prevalent on the streets in Los Angeles. I do have a road bike too, but it takes more skill to traverse the uneven roadways of the city and the tires tend to go flat more often. A used hybrid/mountain bike should cost between $125 to $250, Don't over spend, you can always fix up or add new components to an older bike at the Bicycle Kitchen, the Bike Oven or the Bikerowave for a nominal fee. I also suggest using a helmet, ranging in price from $20 to $80 at any local bicycle shop.

[ErinD]

Great post! I thought I would want to get a road bike but perhaps I should get used to riding my Mt. bike in LA before making the move to a road bike. I think it's also worth mentioning that a less fancy bike is much less likely to attract the attention of a thief. I've only had to deal with a bike seat "trader"; apparently they thought my seat was better than their seat. Turns out that the ripped seat they left me was better than my old one, doing me a favor, and it'll be less likely to be traded again.