Everyone Buys the Wrong Bike!

Yes, everyone buys the wrong bike.  Let me tell you why.

Before I begin, I need to tell the serious cyclists out there to skip this article.  It doesn't apply to you. I think you are smart enough to buy the right bike (most of the time).

You can go into almost any garage or storage unit and find at least a couple of bikes that haven't been ridden in years.  Why, because the person who purchased the bike bought the wrong bike.  They didn't buy a bike to ride, they bought a bike to store in their garage.

Now, you are saying, "OK Mr. Smart-e-pants, what bike should I have purchased?"
Let's start with the basics.

Tip #1:  NEVER buy a bike at a store that has the the letter "mart" in its name or that looks at all similar to a store that has "mart" in its name.  If you would have followed that one rule, you have a fair chance that you have a bike in your garage that is rideable.  My son worked for a "mart" one summer.  They assigned him to put bikes together.  He knew nothing about bicycle mechanics.  Yes,  he had his cycling merit badge, but that hardly qualified him to be a bike mechanic.  He just took the bike out of the box, put on the loose parts, pumped up the tires, and put it on the floor.  I felt sorry for the kid who got that bike for his birthday.  He probably rode it for a day or two before it got a flat, the de-railer was out of adjustment, and the brakes were rubbing the rim. The biggest problem with these type of bikes, is they are heavy, hard to keep working and prone to breakdowns.

Tip #2: Ignore what the cyclist down the street is trying to tell you to buy.  You don't need a 14 pound carbon road bike.  Unless you have a lot of extra cash, or plan to race the bike to make money, I suggest you don't buy a bike that fits in with the spandex crowd   He is going to try and steer you to a lightweight bike.  A good quality bike does not have to be the lightest bike on the planet, and it won't cost as much a a new Lexus.  You don't need a super lightweight bike.  Anyway, you are probably at least 10 pounds over weight.  Lose the 10 pounds and keep a couple of grand in your wallet.

Tip #3:  Don't buy a "mountain" bike.  Like most SUV owners, it is unlikely that you will ever take your bike on a trail that is more difficult than packed dirt.   Because of this it is unlikely that you need a mountain bike.  Don't get advice from that who races his mountain bike downhill and has the nickname "crash,"   Almost everyone buys a mountain bike and they never use it for its intended purpose.  You don't need full suspension and it is highly unlikely that you even need front suspension.

Tip #4: Keep it Simple (Stupid).  The KISS principle is your best advice for bike buying.  There are more patents on bikes than any other single item.  Everyone thinks they have invented the next greatest thing.  Stay with the basics.  Stay with the tried and true.
Frame: High quality steel or aluminum?  It doesn't really matter.  People argue about this all the time.  I'm a bigger fan of steel because it absorbs more of the vibration.
Tires:  Stay in the 1.5" to 1.75" size.  There are some great puncture proof tires in that size.  They roll nicely, you can pump them up to a high enough pressure to keep you rolling quickly along.
Gears: Internal hub or derailer?  If you are going to ride it on the paved bike trails, just get one with an internal hub.  No mess, not fuss.  Simple.  If you live in a hilly area, then go with the derailer.  You will appreciate the lower gears.

Tip #5: Figure out what you want to do with the bike.  If you want to store a bike in the garage, I would strongly suggest you go to the local thrift store and purchase a bike for less than $50.  When you get home take a knife and puncture both tires.  That way you won't ever be tempted to ride it.  If you want a bike to ride, then decide where, when and how you will ride it.  If it is purely for pleasure, then get a bike that is pleasurable to ride.  If you are going to commute on the bike, then buy one that will accept fenders, racks and lights.  Might I be so bold to suggest that just about everyone would do well to purchase a commuter or touring bike?  Yes, a nice steel bike with a relaxed road geometry will be comfortable and give you years of great riding.  It will be durable, efficient, and comfortable.

Tip #6: Go to your local bike shop to purchase your bike.  You will be tempted to buy a bike off the internet thinking you will save a few bucks.  Don't Do It!  You will regret it later.  Unless you have experience as a bike mechanic, it is likely that you won't get the bike put together and adjusted correctly and it will end up in the garage bone yard.  Learn on-line, buy locally.  As you start riding, you will come to appreciate the value of having a bike shop in your town.  Show them your appreciation buy shopping there.  When you go in the store, make sure they measure you for the bike.  If they don't know what you are talking about, find a full service shop that has the expertise to get you fitted for a bike that will work for you.

Ride to Cache Valley and Back

This year was the year that I had planned to do the Frank To Fred ride.   However, because of a long list of excuses, the least of which is a job that seriously curtailed my training time, I was not able to go.  So, it is on the calendar for next year.  

I was able to carve out a bit of training time late in the year, so I decided I would go on my first bike "tour".  I decided to keep it simple, so I planned an overnight ride with a route to some relatives that live in Cache Valley.  I wanted distances that were similar to what we would be doing on the Frank to Fred ride and this ride was perfect (60-80 miles each day)  I also wanted to be loaded up a bit so I packed two panniers full of stuff so that I could get the feel for a loaded bike.  

Here is a picture of my Surly LHT loaded up and ready to go.  I took some extra water so it would weigh more.  I could not be happier with the bike.  It is very comfortable to ride, it performed exceptionally well and I had zero bike problems.  

Day 1:  On my route headed north, I decided to take the rail trail as far as I could.  When it ran out in Ogden, I stayed west of the freeway until I got to Smith and Edwards, then I crossed over to the old highway. The frustrating part about the leg of the ride from 12th street in Ogden to Brigham City is that there is no real shoulder on the road.  In some places there was zero shoulder.    People were generally very courteous and gave me a few feet, but I dislike not have at least a few feet of shoulder.  

After a short rest at the Maverick in Brigham City I started up Sardine canyon.  I had never ridden over the canyon and I had in my mind that it would be a huge challenge.  Like most things in life, my perception of the climb and the actual climb were much different.  The climb is only a few miles and with the wide gear range of the Surly, I had no trouble motoring over the top.   Here is a picture at the top of Sardine Canyon.

After a fun ride down the canyon, I dropped into the valley and found great roads with wide shoulders all the way to Smithfield.  Other than a being a bit behind on the calories, I felt pretty good.   The total distance was 69.3 Miles.   

Day 2:  On the way back I decided to work my way out of the valley on the back roads and then then head up past Beaver Dam.  I got on the bike and felt a bit sore, but after a few minutes of getting the legs going again, I headed out with enthusiasm.  I did pretty good winding my way out of the valley and only had one short stretch where I had to ride on a gravel road.  The good news is that with the wide tires on the Surly I made it down the 1 mile stretch of gravel road with no problems.

This route was much less climbing than the other route.  However, it is almost 10 miles longer.  The total distance on Day 2 was 78.9 miles.  The climb back into Box Elder County was a non-event.  The road has a bit of a shoulder until I started south and then the shoulder was only about a foot wide.  Fortunately, the road over to Brigham City is lightly traveled.     

I stopped in Brigham City and got some lunch at the Taco Bell.  After eating several cliff bars, a bean burrito tasted great.   I thought about trying to find a different route between Brigham City and Ogden, but there were not any really good choices, so I rode the same roads all the way home.  I was exhausted and a bit saddle sore when I got home, but it felt great to get my first multi-day tour under my belt.  

Lessons learned:

- A longer bike tour would be more fun with another person.   It would also be safer and easier to make rest stops.  

- My average speed was lower than I thought it would be.   On a loaded touring bike I think I should plan on covering 13-14 miles per hour.  

- Keep eating.  On the first day I didn't eat much and late in the day I started to fade.  The second day I was much more diligent about eating.  

- I only packed for overnight.  I think I had about 12-15 pounds of luggage on the bike.  The plan is to do Frank to Fred using the same two panniers and put the rest of the trip on the Visa card.  I think I should plan to be in the 15-20 pound range for the luggage.  

- On a long tour I need to stop more, take more pictures and enjoy the scenery.  It is about the journey, not the destination.  

- The biggest lesson learned was that bike touring looks like it would be great fun.  I looking forward to doing more of it next riding season.  

Final Picture:  I couldn't help but stop and snap a picture of the Brigham City LDS Temple on the way by.  It is a beautiful building.