Northeast - Beginner Biker

Edited: I bought the bike so I am not in need of any more advice. Please close/lock the thread.
I also posted this in road bikes since the questions overlap. Please forgive me if this is against some forum rule.

I'm about to get a bike this week after saving up and doing some research this summer.
I have some lingering questions, so if anyone can answer even only one question (especially those in NYC) I'd be grateful.

I'm buying a road bike primarily for fitness, second for occasional (2X week) commuting (during which I'd take my exercise route anyway).

1. NYC Specific: Bicycle Renaissance vs. Metro bikes
I've been to both stores, the staff seem equally friendly, however I am guided towards completely different types of bikes/price ranges when I ask for help in both stores. Also BR says they offer lifetime tuneups.

2. Toe clips? Straps? Pedals? Shoes?
I want to try just pedalling with running shoes first but I want to know whether this is an investment I should make relatively soon. What are the prices/advantage?

3. Storage
If I want to keep it in my room rather than in a hallway (college student) would it be prudent to dismantle it? Or would this speed up wear/tear? (Quick release wheels, etc).

4. Is there a proper form (body position) for road bikes? The last bike I road was a mountain bike.

5. NYC Specific: Does the waterside parkway require some riding on the main road/highway? I'm looking at the google map and coming out confused...

6. General or NYC Specific: Riding at night
Is this generally not a good idea to ride after 9pm in central park?

7. How expensive are prescription sunglasses? Do you find that you don't need them anyway?

8. Price range
I'm looking at 500-800 and I've found some specialized, jamis and felt bikes in this range. Any advice?

9. Travel
Has anyone travelled (airport) with their bike? What's involved?

10. Panniers
I was told that you can't put a pannier/rack on a road bike. Is this true?

2. Toe clips? Straps? Pedals? Shoes?
I want to try just pedalling with running shoes first but I want to know whether this is an investment I should make relatively soon. What are the prices/advantage?

5. NYC Specific: Does the waterside parkway require some riding on the main road/highway? I'm looking at the google map and coming out confused...


10. Panniers
I was told that you can't put a pannier/rack on a road bike. Is this true?

--
My answers/opinions:
2. I like mountain bike shoes (Specialized Taho) with loose toe clips. Easier (I think) to get in and out of than clipless; and with these shoes you can walk fairly comfortably for a few blocks. They are about $85, and I get a much better transfer of power to the pedal versus sneakers.

5. On the West Side, you can go at least as high as about 80th street on the path. Above that I believe you can go pretty far but with a few detours, not sure. The East Side path is essentially continuous up to about 35th Street. There may be some more uptown, but there is definitely a big gap midtown.

10. You definitely can put rack and panniers on a touring road bike such as Surly Long Haul Trucker or Trek 520.

Thank you so much for your detailed reply! Everyone on this forum has been so helpful.

So many questions :p
Transportational Alternatives (http://www.transalt.org) is a great resource for any cyclist in New York City. You can also download their Bike Maps (http://www.transalt.org/resources/maps) though picking up a hard copy version of the NYC Cycling Map is highly recommended.

1 - Bicycle Renaissance vs. Metro bikes
I've never been to either though I would recommend Bicycle Habitat, Larry and Jeff's, Sids, and Gotham.

2. Toe clips? Straps? Pedals? Shoes?
I'd work on getting a bike and worry about the pedal-shoe combination afterwards. I used to wear Tahoe Mountain bike shoes, with toe clips, but I've since switched to Vans. They don't have the stiff sole that cycling shoes usually have but they're cool in the summer and aren't as cushy as running shoes.

3. Storage
If I want to keep it in my room rather than in a hallway (college student) would it be prudent to dismantle it? Or would this speed up wear/tear? (Quick release wheels, etc).
I live in a walk-up apartment and routinely carry my bike up 2 flights of stairs. That was a real consideration when I was shopping for a bike so I wound up getting a relatively light (22 lbs) compact diamond frame that I could just hang over one shoulder. The bike is stored in my kitchen. I suppose I could remove the wheels but I certainly wouldn't want to. If space is really an issue I'd sooner look at folding bikes than consider disassembling a full sized road bike. It's too easy to have things go wrong if you have to assemble the bike each time you want to use it.

5. NYC Specific: Does the waterside parkway require some riding on the main road/highway? I'm looking at the google map and coming out confused...
There's "grade level access" to the Westside Waterfront Greenway at most streets downtown, but fewer access streets as you go uptown. In some areas, like 49th street, you may need to ride on the highway for one block, or lift your bike over a barrier. Most times traffic is stopped when you ride onto the roadway since you have to light but, generally speaking, you don't have to ride on the highway to reach the bike way. Oh and the Westside Waterfront Greenway runs from the Battery to Dyckman Street on the West Side.

6. General or NYC Specific: Riding at night
Is this generally not a good idea to ride after 9pm in central park?
I was in Central Park, last night, until around 9 pm and it was packed. I've stayed as late as 10 pm or so, but as a woman I'd be cautious about riding alone when there aren't m any runners or cyclists. Sometimes women cyclists will ride together and there are some regular groups you can join.

As far as storage, I hang my bike on the ceiling with two hooks by the wheels in my studio apartment.

Form, the bike should fit you properly then your form will be correct. Nothing should get sore when you ride.

2. Toe clips? Straps? Pedals? Shoes?
I want to try just pedalling with running shoes first but I want to know whether this is an investment I should make relatively soon. What are the prices/advantage?

Go for platforms first. You can add clips and straps later if you like, graduating to clipless later on when you feel comfortable. (Since I ride mostly in boots, I stopped at clips/straps, it's all personal preference.)


7. How expensive are prescription sunglasses? Do you find that you don't need them anyway?

That would depend how bad your eyes are. You can get cheap shades to wear over your regular glasses if you like.


9. Travel
Has anyone travelled (airport) with their bike? What's involved?

I've taken a folsing bike on Amtrak and a full-frame bike on NJ Transit off-peak with very few problems. I think you have to disassemble your bike to get it on a plane and pack it well, but you may have to pay a stiff luggage fee. It varies from airline to airline.

The west side greenway is continuous, traffic separated from Battery Park City all the way up to 125th St. There are a few road crossings, but you do NOT have traffic on the path. At 125th (or maybe 122nd, whatever) you go out on the streets under the elevated highway for about 10 blocks, then you are back on a dedicated path up to Dyckman/200th St. The only thing you need to worry about is that it is a shared walker/jogger/blader/bike path.

The east side is an entirely different story. It is not continuous and you end up in midtown traffic for a bit. It also uses mostly existing paths that are not always in good shape. I stay off that now, but I got back into cycling when I took my bike up the east side about 6 or 7 years ago after a long lay off. I had such a good time that I've been going out ever since.

I'll answer the ones I think I can help you with. I'm sure you'll get a lot of good responses. Welcome to BF and good luck with your new ride!





2. Toe clips? Straps? Pedals? Shoes?
I want to try just pedalling with running shoes first but I want to know whether this is an investment I should make relatively soon. What are the prices/advantage?

You can get pedals that accommodate both a running shoe and a cycling specific shoe with a cleat. I use pedals from Performance bike called "Campus Pedals". You could ask the bike shop you purchase your bike at to show you what they have that are comparable. They are not terribly expensive and might, on a new bike, add no additional cost.

3. Storage
If I want to keep it in my room rather than in a hallway (college student) would it be prudent to dismantle it? Or would this speed up wear/tear? (Quick release wheels, etc).

Dismantling the bike will not necessarily prevent theft and might make the bike more cumbersome. Your first priority is that the bike frame be securely locked to something at least as secure as the lock with a lock that is as strong as possible (look at the Kryptonite locks as the standard to compare and a little on-line research or search these forums will give hints about what kind of lock to buy). Then the wheels need to be securely locked, either with a chain or a cable. The components of the bike are vulnerable to theft, especially a bike that is regularly locked in the same place or left unattended for a long period of time. And hallways can be problematic because of fire laws etc. Make sure you have permission to lock the bike there and that it is indeed safer than another location.

4. Is there a proper form (body position) for road bikes? The last bike I road was a mountain bike.

A new road bike should be properly fitted to you. This can be, in the case of long distance riders or racers, a more complex process but for the average rider, seat height, stem length, frame size are all part of what happens in the shop when you purchase it- the better the shop the more care given to these important details. As far as your position when riding you will discover that the handlebars will allow for a variety of places to put your hands while riding these will influence how upright you are and other factors. For city riding an upright position with the hands on or very near the brakes is preferable.

5. NYC Specific: Does the waterside parkway require some riding on the main road/highway? I'm looking at the google map and coming out confused...

I have ridden the west side path all the way up to just before the Henry Hudson Bridge. There is a section at 129th Street to about 135th street where you have to go onto the street and then cut back onto path but it's not bad and there a lot of riders doing it so you can usually just follow along with other riders.
Get NYC bike map- available free at any bike shop (get a few) and carry it in your bike bag. On line you can get this info at http://www.nycbikemaps.com

6. General or NYC Specific: Riding at night
Is this generally not a good idea to ride after 9pm in central park?

In the summer months I have worked in Central Park- at the Delacorte Theater and we have ridden home well after 11pm. However, we usually were in a group. But I often did it alone with, fortunately, no problems. Years ago it was much worse to ride in Central Park at night but now it seems safer- whether it actually is I can't really say. I'm 6'3" and ride pretty fast so I feel safe while I'm in motion but I would feel pretty vulnerable stopped by the side of the road at night in a remote area trying to fix a flat or a broken chain for example.



8. Price range
I'm looking at 500-800 and I've found some specialized, jamis and felt bikes in this range. Any advice?

they are all good bike IMO and if the price is right, the shop is helpful, and you like the bike you'll be fine.

9. Travel
Has anyone travelled (airport) with their bike? What's involved?

I generally use a folder when I travel by plane and even that can be a hassle at times- esp. overseas.

Bikes must be boxed and you will be charged extra.

10. Panniers
I was told that you can't put a pannier/rack on a road bike. Is this true?

No.

Only road bikes designed exclusively for racing might not have "eyelets", the small bolt holes on the frame that accommodate a rack, but most road bikes comes ready to accept a rack.

I'll add my $.02 to your question 7 - Prescription sunglasses are priced roughly equivalently to your regular glasses. Although it's a very personal decision, I have always (I mean ever-since-I-was-a-kid and in-every-circumstance always) gotten headaches from clip-on sunglasses, or the kind you wear over your regular specs. I find that prescription sunglasses are a necessity for every day life, so...

@buzzman
Thank you so much for the advice about campus pedals, they are definitely what I am looking for!

I have three question which I also posted in the road cycling forum:
1. Cannondale road bike vs. Giant hybrid ? 6 days/week exercise + 2 (at most) commuting.
2. If I apply for a transalt.org membership online, can I bring the receipt in-store as proof of membership to get a discount?
3. Will I be buying the floor model (the one I tested) or a "new" (previously unridden) one?

There's a pretty big difference between a Giant hybrid and a Cannondale road bike. Have you test ridden each one? There are so many posts on Bike Forums from people who bought a Giant Cypress and three months later want to move onto a road bike but, I'd imagine there are probably an equal number of people who never really feel comfortable on a roadie. If you feel comfortable on both, I'd go for the road bike.

You can ask but most shops only give TA or Bike CLub discounts on accessories. But.. today IS August 1st. When I bought my bike in August they gave me about 20% off the MSP because it was the last small in stock, it was the floor model, and they wanted to make room for the new models. Some shops charge for assembly. Others don't. There's plenty of room for negotiation.

You've already received some good advice here so I'll just add my opinion to support some others.

It sounds from what type of riding you're going to do like you want a road bike as opposed to a hybrid. You just get places faster and that efficiency adds to the fun and helps the workout IMO. Rider position is definitely different. You should make it a point to tag along on some group rides with people who have been doing it a while and you'll pick it up quickly.

As for pedals, I don't think you'll want to be without at least clips and straps for too long. Loose ones aren't going to help your power too much but they put ensure the ball of your foot is over the spindle, which is where it should be; tightening the straps will start to let you put power into the entire pedal rotation -- rather than just pushing one then the other. Suffice it to say that, for good form, there's a whole lot of technique involved in terms of cadence, rider position, etc.

In NYC, you'll inevitably hit traffic so feeling comfortable with clipless pedals may take a while. And some types of clipless are easier than others.

As for storage, I don't think you'll want to disassemble and assemble too often. You might want to find a rack that's right for your space. But learning to take off wheels quickly, and tires for punctures, adjusting brakes, and lots of little fixes is a very good idea because you don't want to head to the LBS for everything. Not only do the costs add up, but you'll inevitably find yourself miles from a shop some day with a flat. I always carry a spare tube, a tire lever, a multi-tool and a mini pump (and a metrocard ; )

Anyway, welcome. It's fun!

Yes, all the advice on the forum has been fantastic. It definitely helped to have this info behind me whilst walking into a shop.
Last question:
I tried both bikes. My main concern between the giant / cannondale is the braking. Why is it that the brakes on the cannondale (tiagra) are not as responsive (don't stop me as quickly, it seems to slow me down gradually) as those on the giant? Are they made differently? The reason I ask is that I want to be able to stop quickly is a car suddenly swerves ahead of me for the times when I am on the road and not training.

There's really no reason why brakes on the Giant should be more responsive than those on the Cannondale. They probably just need some adjustment. On the other hand, if you have small hands you might want to consider Brake shims (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=30994) Or if you're a small woman you might want to consider a Woman Specific Bike.

Why is it that the brakes on the cannondale (tiagra) are not as responsive (don't stop me as quickly, it seems to slow me down gradually) as those on the giant? Are they made differently? The reason I ask is that I want to be able to stop quickly is a car suddenly swerves ahead of me for the times when I am on the road and not training.

Road bike brakes are less responsive than hybrid brakes because road bike brakes use a less powerful mechanism. Road bikes use caliper brakes while hybrids usually use cantilever brakes (often called V-brakes). The hybrid brakes are more powerful, but they are heavier.

I ride both road bikes and hybrids, and I feel that I can stop as needed on either bike. A well adjusted road brake (caliper), should be able to stop you quickly enough, you just need to apply more pressure. The v-brakes on the hybrid require less pressure as the mechanism is more powerful, but you will be fine stopping on either bike.

The real key is to realize the dangerous situations before they happen and avoid them. Honestly, in NYC, I find cars to be just fine. It's pedestrians that are dangerous.

If you can't stop with road brakes they are not adjusted properly or have old shoes/cables. There is no reason a decent road brake can't stop a bike. Tiagra should be fine. I put cheap Tektro brakes on my vintage bike recently and they work as well as my Campy Chorus.

Welcome!

Check out the first two links in my sig - they're a collection of threads I've done when I had similar questions. Skim the ones about the types of bikes in the Clydes FAQ - it's not Clyde specific and helped me sort out what was the best kind of bike for me.

Otherwise:

3) Depends - will you be locking it up? If so then you probably don't want QR. You'll find pretty quickly that you won't want to dismantle it everytime you bring it inside (if your building will even allow it - lots of dorms won't).

7) Prescription sunglasses: I use them, I need them. They're $20 more than regular for the tint ;)