In just over a week I’ll be moving from this God-forsaken house in the middle of nowhere and back into the city.
I really want to do things like cycle to the grocery store, Walmart, pubs (:)) etc.
I don’t need some fancy-schmancy Tour de France bike, but I don’t want a piece of junk either. It may take me a few weeks after I move to purchase something, but I thought I’d start asking for opinions now.
Prices in Canada are typically higher than the US, not to mention the 20ish% difference in the dollar. $1,000 is too high; $200 is too low.
What on Earth do I look for in a bike brand and in features/options ? Any suggestions?
Whatever you decide on, you should look at buying a used bike off of Craigslist or it’s equivalent. Lots of bikers like to upgrade their bikes from time to time and they usually need to sell the old one fast to make room in the garage. There are some amazing deals which means you could get a much nicer bike for a lower price than expected.
Bike shop, not a big box store.
Mountain bike or city/utility/comfort bike.
A bike shop might also have some used bikes.
Another advantage of a bike shop is getting properly fitted to the bike. One size does not fit all.
This. You can get an excellent bike for under a grand, and a bike shop will help you zero in on exactly what you want. They’ll also measure you and make sure you get a frame that fits. They’ll explain the differences between the different types of handlebars and tires and brakes and gearing systems. If you buy brand new, they should throw in a tuneup after the first hundred miles (or so) to make sure everything is working properly. My bike shop does basic tuneups for life since I bought new from them.
You want to get a bike that’s enjoyable to ride, or else you’ll never use it.
Into the city? Like downtown, high-rises & lots of people walking about at all hours? Or more like a house but within the city limits? Where are you planning on keeping it? Inside your private housing area, inside a bike area common to all residents of the building, or outside?
While I agree with the no big-box store (ever!) for a bike, if it’s gonna live outside, between the elements & the people, I would consider Craigslist; you won’t care as much if your $75 investment is missing one morning. However, if it’s gonna be inside, then I agree with the go to a bike shop.
I’d say upright/flat handlebars (not dropped like on a racing bike) & baskets/panniers to be able to carry stuff; 1½"ish tires is good for city riding. Check your local laws, but in most of the US, a bike is considered a motor vehicle for lots of vehicle code purposes; IOW, you can get a DUI on your bike if you have too many at that pub.
Giant, Trek, & Cannondale are all good brands. Don’t forget a helmet & a lock. Basically any helmet you buy at a bike shop meets one of the certification standards for crash resistance; however, the more expensive ones tend to have better airflow thru them, keeping you cooler while you’re riding. If you’re just doing short jaunts around the neighborhood that’s probably not as much of a concern for you.
GT makes a decent entry level hybrid bike (Transeo 4.0) that will put you in the $520 range. (Canadian) I also like Orbea. You can get a very nice road bike from them (I like the Vector 32) for $800. They’re very light. (I’ve heard Giant is very good, too. I can only speak for the bikes my store sells.)
Not sure what you’d want to look for in a bike- the options are up to you. Some people like the quick-change front wheel. Some people prefer the finger shifter over the thumb shifter. (Don’t get the crank shifter.) Disc brakes for sure. I like the hybrid/road wheels because they can take decent punishment off-road, but they’re not as ‘aggressive’ as mountain bike tires, so it’s less wear on your legs. Of course, the weight helps, too. The lighter the bike, the less work you have to do.
Don’t forget to buy a bell. It’s the law in Ontario.
Edited to add: Definitely get yourself fitted! Any store worth their salt will fit you properly, discuss what will work best for you depending on your needs, and offer free tune-ups for a decent amount of time after the purchase. (The brake lines in particular will stretch, so you want to get those adjusted.)
You want what some folks call a “hybrid’ or “commuter” bike. They look like a sort of cross between a road (racing) bike and a mountain bike. Geared like a road bike, tires thick and low pressure like a mountain bike yet 27”/700mm like a road bike. You’ll sit more upright on one. Maybe even cantilever brakes.
Our first bikes when we moved to downtown Chicago were Trek FX series hybrids. Something like that should come in well under $1,000 (depending on options) and should serve you well over time. It’s easy to add racks/panniers/baskets, etc. And it’ll be rugged enough to stand up to potholes and the like.
Get a good lock and get comfortable taking the front wheel off and on (have the bike shop teach you; makes it easier to get your lock around all the critical pieces). Depending on the petty crime rate in your area, ask about a quick-release clamp for your seat post so you can take your saddle with you.
Definitely agree with bike shop or used bike, not Walmart or other big box stores – however, it might be a good idea to start with a very cheap bike, like pawn shop or yard sale $50 junker to get started until you learn how to properly lock the bike and how likely it is to get stolen in your area. Lots of city cyclists ride super ugly junker-looking bikes (in good mechanical condition) specifically because they are much less likely to be the target of professional bike thieves than the shiny new name brand bike. If you get started with a junker you have time to think about what you really want and don’t want when the time comes to upgrade to your ideal bike.
Get fenders to keep your clothes clean and a luggage rack and/or basket to hold the shopping goodies. An upright riding position is more comfortable and gives you better visibility when riding around town. A helmet is optional; wear one if you want, but casual cycling is on par with walking when it comes to danger level – don’t give up the bike because you don’t want to wear a helmet, give up the helmet and ride the bike. The “modified” Sheldon Brown Bike Locking Strategy
I’ve just recently gotten into bike riding, so I’ll share what I’ve learned. Some people with years of experience may have different ideas, so take this with a grain of salt.
As others have said stay away from big box store bikes. Good brands are Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized. Just as important, make sure the derailleurs and other components are a good brand like Shimano. Not only will they hold up better but the parts are readily available should a repair be needed. As for the bike itself, try several of them at a bike shop and see which one is the most comfortable. Most things like saddles and handlebars and grips can be tweaked or changed out completely, but getting a mountain bike when you really are more comfortable on a road bike (or vice versa) will leave you hurting.
Awful advice. You MUST have a helmet. Pretty much any new bike helmet will do as they all meet the same safety standards. But make sure you have one and that you wear it every minute you’re on the bike.
Get a good lock (like a Kryptonite) and know how to use it. Locking both front and back wheels is important. Likewise, securing the saddle to the frame is a good idea.
Get a good set of panniers if you’re wanting to haul groceries. Something like this. In that same vein get a small saddlebag that fits under the seat and carry a couple of spare tubes, a small air pump, and the tools necessary to change a bike tire. Lights are a good idea as they’ll help drivers see you; they’re pretty much a must-have safety accessory if you’ll be sharing the road with vehicle traffic. Get a good air pump with an integrated pressure gauge, or get a pump and a separate good dial-type gauge. Make sure both will handle the high pressure needed for a road bike tire. Remember that bicycle tires lose air much faster than car tires and will need to be re inflated often—perhaps as often as every other day.
When I first considered getting back into riding I was aghast at how much all this stuff was going to cost me. In my case a lot was given to me by someone who could no longer ride his bike, but had that not been the case I would have bought all of the above. Don’t scrimp on your bike or the necessary accessories (like a lock and a helmet) or you’ll just end up regretting it.
If you haven’t been riding in a long time (like I was) it’ll hurt when you start up again. I’m told that goes away after a few weeks.
Happy riding!
P.S: There’s a YouTube channel called GlobalCyclingNetwork that was created by of a group of dorky semiprofessional riders that discuss bike repair, riding tips, and a million other bike-related things. They’re entertaining, very knowledgeable, and give useful advice so you might want to check them out.
I’m a big fan of Specialized bikes. And I’ll second the recommendation about Shimano components. Can’t go wrong there. If you’re thinking about a hybrid, check out the cost of a mountain bike that has the same components on it. My experience with hybrids isn’t recent, but when I looked at them for a friend awhile back it seemed like you were paying a premium for them (I assume because they are lower volume sales item). If you find yourself doing all or most of your riding on streets, get some slicks for your wheels (tires without all the knobby treads common on mt bike tires). They’ll give you a better, easier ride on pavement. If you can, get the kind that can be inflated higher than typical mt bike tires, since that helps on pavement, too.
Are you thinking at all about a road bike? I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it unless you planning on taking up the sport fairly seriously, but they are the best bikes for, well, riding on roads. The biggest negative for a “get around town” bike is you’re much more likely to get a flat on a road bike. Now, if you’re a frequent rider you get to the point where fixing a flat is a 5 minute exercise, at most, but it’s still a PITA if you’re just trying to get somewhere.
Before anyone can give you decent advise, you should tell us a bit more about what kind of distances you think you’ll be going, what kind of terrain, etc.
For me for instance, pretty much all the advise given here would be useless, or even plain bad. And I use a bike daily, multiple times. I have a car, but typically have to remind myself once in a while to go for a ride to keep the baterry from draining (has hapened a few times already).
However, I live in a city in the Netherlans that is a bout as flat as a pancake. All my trips are less than 10k; using my bike is not something that should be a disruption to my daily life (so minimal clothing adjustments etc.). Since forever I have been riding a single speed (or occasionaly three speed), which allows you to sit up fairly straight. Good brands are Batavus, Gazelle and Cortina. I also have a neat rack on the front at the moment that lets me transport stuff. Somethin like this
For many people (in the US) it wouldn’t what they are looking for, but if you really want to use it for the stuff you mentioned in the OP and those places are near enough, this kind of bike is far more usefull than anything with a derailleur.
PS the whole helmet thing is prrobably very location specific. I’ve worn a helmet for probably 4 days in my life, when I was on a tour de france type bike in the alps.
The helmet-is-mandatory crowd really saddens me with the damage they do to the overall health and well-being of the millions of people who don’t ride bikes because they don’t want to wear a helmet and/or who incorrectly perceive cycling to be a dangerous activity.
I don’t expect the helmet nazis to change their opinion but it is an opinion, not a fact. Hundreds of millions of people in the rest of the world ride bikes every day without helmets and the bodies simply aren’t piling up in the streets.
Here are a couple of links about helmets – the first an easy to read overview and the second a website containing many links to actual research on helmet effectiveness, for those want details.
I love my Specialized Crosstrail. It has slightly bigger tires than a standard road bike, better for rough pavement, grass, stone etc. Where lower price bikes often cheap out is the rims. On my old bike I was constantly bending my rims. My Crosstrail has never had the wheels or spokes adjusted and I’ve hit some pretty big holes and pavement breaks. It’s about five or six years old and I paid around 700 bucks new.
It’s got all the things you need now and will want going forward as you become a better rider. None of the things you don’t want/need, like suspensions and drop bars and clipless pedals.
For something just a little bit better but still not ridiculous, look at bikes that match these specs.
Some people like the quick-change front wheel. Some people prefer the finger shifter over the thumb shifter. (Don’t get the crank shifter.) Disc brakes for sure. I like the hybrid/road wheels because they can take decent punishment off-road, but they’re not as ‘aggressive’ as mountain bike tires, so it’s less wear on your legs. Of course, the weight helps, too. The lighter the bike, the less work you have to do.