Are you ready for a new (or new-to-you) bike? Leah Benson, former owner of the now-shuttered Gladys Bikes, offers some shopping tips:
How Much?
You should expect to spend at least $300 for a used bike and $800+ for a new one.
“The floor of what's going to be a good bike that's made with materials that are going to last a reasonable amount of time is probably $800,” says Benson.
Go Fast With Wide Tires
Bike marketing distinguishes bikes in large part by what they’ll be used for, and often it comes down to the tire width. The categories — commuter, hybrid, road bike, all-road, gravel bike, mountain bike — are helpful but are also simply “marketing categories, and you can make a whole lot of bikes work for a whole lot of things,” says Benson.
So if you think you’re going to go on trails, consider a wider tire — even if you want to go fast.
“You can have wider tires and still be fast,” says Benson “You can go on some of that gravel and feel good. You can go on some dirt. If you want to take your bike up into Forest Park and ride on Leif Erikson Drive, you're going to be chill with that.”
Use the ‘Power Pack in the Back’
For long rides, you need to be leaning forward to get the right muscles working.
“As you're leaning forward, you're engaging your glutes a lot more,” says Benson, “and your butt is, as one of my coworkers used to call it, ‘the power pack in the back.’ It's what's going to be propelling you forward on those long rides.”
So flat bars can work. But the curly bars may be better for that reason, and they also offer the option to switch hand positions (and work slightly different muscles).
Aluminum Might Not Be Lightest
Aluminum frames are cheapest and quite light. But the often-cheaper parts that aluminum-frame bikes include may make the bikes heavier than alternatives. Conversely, steel is heavier, but may come with lighter materials, potentially making the bike lighter overall.
Carbon frames are the lightest and good at absorbing shocks. But they are spendy.
You Still Get Exercise Riding an E-bike
Here’s a mythbuster: E-bikes still generally require pedaling.
“You're still getting a pretty good workout out of it,” says Benson. “They fill the void for so many people, whether it's because they're carrying a whole lot of weight, whether that be supplies …or their children, or because they have mobility concerns … or just because it's super fun.”
Customize Your Bike
Once you’ve got a bike, consider customizing it for the ultimate fit. It’s possible to replace the handlebars and the stem and, most importantly of all, your seat.
“The No. 1 thing that keeps people off of their bikes is discomfort with them,” says Benson. “And a lot of people point to the bike seat — or saddle, we'll call it — as being the thing that just makes it so that they don't want to ride.”
For more tips on customizing your bike and tips on where to shop, listen to the full City Cast Portland podcast interview.
