Help with bikes...anyone who knows bikes welcome! :)?

[Penn]

I have quite a few questions concerning bikes...starting with this one.
I'm 16, and no, my sweet wheels will not be a car. I don't think it's worth it right now to go spend my savings on one...yet. So I was thinking the other day it might be more worth it to go for a bike. I live about 2 miles from school; doesn't take too long to walk, but on days I don't have work, I'd like to get home a little faster and not burden my family with giving me rides.

Also, I'm going to be going to college this fall. Up in the mountains. It's a pretty small school, (NAU), so I've been told quite a few people ditch the cars and just bike around.

Is using a small percent of my savings on a new bike worth it? And if so, knowing my circumstances and age, what's a good one? I've been looking around...I'm not interested in the really professional bicycles, because I'm not looking to compete. Mostly just commute and ride around for fun; I miss having a bike.

So are the ones at like, Target any good? What brands are reliable, and what, knowing all this, should I look for? Mountain bike, cruiser...? I'm trying to do a lot of research before I buy because I haven't had a bike for like three years since we moved, and I'm too tall for it now haha. We gave it away.

So anyone who's really into bikes, could you give me advice on what to look for, where to go, and any other tips...as well as whether this is more worth it than a car. I like the exercise, so as long as I'll be safe crossing intersections and all, I don't mind.

Thanks!

 

[Ron S]

Kudos on your decision to invest in a bike! You are absolutely correct in a college a bike is the best way to get around, especially a college town where everything is less than 2 miles away, and you pay up the wazoo for parking, not to mention insurance, gas, repairs, and loan payments.
Since you are starting out, your best bet right now is go to a good bike shop, and ask for advice. Bike shops are usually run by someone who really loves bicycles, instead of wage collectors in department stores like Target. They also sells bottom quality bikes that can only last less than 100 miles before something breaks.

Even if you budget a bike for $1000, it will pay for itself in the years in high school and in college as well. What a typical good budget would be about $300-400, and about 100 in must have accessories like a trusty lock, water bottle, lights and maybe a speedometer (cyclocomputer is the term) to track your mileage.
Like I said, best place to start is a bike shop. Go to one and talk to the sales rep, if he/she loves bicycles they will answer your questions all day long, and show you what to look for. Like shopping for a car, you don't want to buy one right at the first visit, but visit a few shops and compare.

Brand Recommendations: The 3 most popular brands are Trek, Specialized, and Giant. Some other good brands are GT, Fuji, Bianchi, Jamis, Cannondale, etc. Mongoose and Shwinn are sold in department stores and real bike shops, the ones in the bike shops are pretty decent.

Regarding the type, the best for around campuses is a hybrid road bike. Basically a road bike but with flat handlebars, and no shocks. They are simpler in design so nothing complicated can break down, but are fast enough to get around comfortably and has gears to go up hills. See the link below for an example.

The most important factor in a bike is the fit, you need to get the bike in the right size and fit you comfortably, and again a good shop will fit you. The second most important thing is that you like the look/color/etc of it, so that you'll want to ride it everyday.

Good Luck!

 

[thecheapbikeshop]

May I make a suggestion?

Instead of going to Target or some department store to buy a bike for school, look around for a better quality used bike. They are always in the newspaper, on craigslist.com, or at places like Salvation Army or Goodwill. A local bike shop may even have a selection of used or closeout bikes.

You will very likely be able to find a bike from companies such as Raleigh, Trek, KHS, Specialized, and others for about the same as you would spend on the low end stuff you'd find at a discount retailer and they will last you MUCH longer and give you less grief.

To make it easier on you while buying a bike, I'll suggest that you stay away from Mongoose, Schwinn, Magna, Next, or any other brand name you might find at a discount store. Many companies make both discount-variety and bike shop quality bikes but they are hard to tell the difference for a novice. Also, stay away from bikes with full suspension- shocks on the front and back, choosing instead a bike with no suspension or one with front suspension only.