Calling all cyclists!

@wallflower1104 Is there a women-owned or women-employing bike shop near you? Here it’s A LOT of dudes and the mansplaining can be intense plus they are into fancy bikes and racing so it’s intimidating. I won’t buy from a shop that won’t take the time to answer my questions and make me feel welcome, you know?

As far as getting started, good bikes ARE expensive, but worth it. Someone on another sub said aim to ride the mile equivalent of the money you spend and it will be worth it. It sounds like you want a hybrid/fitness bike. Trek FX is good and easier to find right now, also Specialized Sirrus, and I’m sure others will have recommendations. Used is also good! But the market right now is crazy and people are selling junky bikes for $$$$. It’s important to know your height and inseam, that will help you use bike size charts. Each model will have its own measurements so a small or a 50 in one might not be the same in another.
 
@yundong0329 Tell me about the best on-bike bags please! I'm looking to do more longer multiday rides but there are so many different stuff options it's really overwhelming!!
 
@yundong0329 Not a fan of panniers after a pannier related accident, probably handlebar ones or I think there's ones that go under the saddle? Just looking to carry extra kit like tools, change of clothes probably, snacks, cans of beer because I'm a waste of space, etc. I normally have a backpack for my commutes but it's horrible on the shoulders and kills my standing sprint!
 
@yundong0329 And cargo bikes! I haul all three of my kids around in either a Bullitt or a Yuba Mundo and it’s awesome.

My touring bike is a Surly Disc Trucker, and while awesome it’s less kid-hauling-compatible. I’ve toured with the Mundo in past too.

Ooh and my folding bike (a Brompton) I use for commuting when I don’t have kid or grocery-hauling duties.

Granted none of these are for capital-f-fitness but they do the job.
 
@yundong0329 It’s taken a while to build the stable, haha. I had a little post-divorce midlife crisis and bought two bikes. I already had the Mundo...

We live in a FAIRLY bike friendly (for the US) Midwest city, and try not to drive if we can help it. Helps to have a bike for every job. :p
 
@tessal I'm going to put in a punt for an unusual option here: for medical reasons I can't run at all and standard diamond bikes aren't a good idea, so I have a recumbent trike.

It's really made it possible for me to enjoy getting outdoors when I wouldn't be able to much otherwise. The high end ones (which mine is not because $$$) also have full suspensions so they're more comfortable, especially for people with joint issues and pain.

(there is also a recumbent sub at /r/recumbent)
 
@jm001 I love the vibe of recumbents and have always wanted to try one but I am TERRIFIED of tooling around feet first for some reason. Does it take some getting used to?
 
@tessal It didn't take much to get used to for me, but I hadn't ridden a diamond bike much for years though, so it's not like I was particularly used to those. I also don't have much experience on a two-wheel recumbent, which is a different beast than the trike.

It's mostly just really comfortable. I love that it requires no balance, so I can just cruise comfortably and not have to worry about falling or going so slow I have to get off and push. I've definitely been able to drop my gears and just trudge up a hill I would've had to walk a bike up. I think trikes are slower than diamond bikes overall (3 wheels = more friction no matter which way you slice it), but downhill they're stupidly fast because of how aerodynamic they are (somewhat variable based on the recline of the seat, which varies between models--I like to sit very upright because of neck issues, my partner prefers much more reclined).

I've seen some concerns that they're less safe around cars because they sit so low, but I haven't found that to be an issue at all. Flags help visibility of course, but I've also found that while trikes aren't usually much if any wider than the standard straight handlebars on a bike, they have a lot more visual weight and look much bigger, so passing drivers tend to give a wider berth to these big weird looking things than they would a regular bike.
 
@tessal I'm not a cyclist, but my SO is, so I've been going on a lot more bike rides during shelter-in-place than usual!

I kinda disagree that hybrid/comfort bikes aren't good for longer rides. I have a Raleigh Detour 2 that I love, and can comfortably do 30 mile rides with. I can tackle big hills with it no problem, and my town has a lot of hills!

That said, of course I'm not going to be going as fast on my bike as a road bike (12-15 mph is my average) and I'm sure that I would notice a big difference if I were to get a road bike. I just don't want anyone with a comfort bike to feel like they can't go on long rides!

If I were to get another bike, I would actually probably get a mountain bike over a road bike, just because I'm more interested in the dirt trails than riding on streets around town. I do love riding sections of the SF Bay Trail near my house, but now that I have a roof rack for my car, I'm hoping to take my bike on some more trips.

In case anyone is wondering about a roof rack, I have an old Yakima rack that my dad is letting me use. The model I have is the Cutthroat, which was only sold from 1995-1999, but it's really similar to the new models and is super easy to use. I've read some people say that roof racks bring down your fuel efficiency, but I haven't noticed that at all with mine.
 
@terryrose That's awesome. I've had a couple of comfort ride bikes and I've always tried really hard to love them because the chill vibe is stellar but I just don't find them comfortable for more than around a half hour. Always nice to hear an opposing side!
 
@terryrose I think it probably depends on what you classify as longer rides. “Longer” to a lotta cyclists would more be much more than 30 miles. Doesn’t mean you can’t do it on a hybrid, but I certainly wouldn’t want to be doing a century on a hybrid where you’re more likely to chafe on the seat and get sore hands from the limited hand positions! Also not discrediting your 30 miles on a hybrid either - that’s a solid effort!
 
@1970jennifer No you’re totally right! I know 30 miles isn’t a lot for pros. My point was more that hybrids/comfort bikes are better for a lot more than a ride to the shops, like OP said they are.
 
@terryrose I have a "city commuter" bike which was probably designed for shortish distances but did a 45km night ride through the city just fine. Obviously the ride might be nicer on a bike designed for the purpose, but hybrid or comfort bikes will often do fine for the occasional journey.
 
@terryrose Thank you! Although calling hybrids bastard children did crack me up. I have an old Schwinn that’s more cruiser than hybrid, and it serves me purposes of traveling around my city. Much easier on my wrists as well, especially on bumpy roads.
 
@terryrose
I just don't want anyone with a comfort bike to feel like they can't go on long rides!
Click to expand...

You absolutely can, especially if it's a nice Hybrid/Comfort bike and not something from Wal-mart or somewhere similar. I rode my crappy old Schwinn bike from Target on a bunch of 20-35 mile rides before I basically broke something on it. Next, I got a nice Hybrid bike (Trek FX) off craigslist. I've done a couple 50/60/one 70 mile ride on it.
I have a road bike now but I recently rode the FX again on a 20 mile ride and averaged 15 mph. It's fast!
 
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