Originally Posted by
Chesha Neko
Hi all,
I'm planning a utility bike purchase within the next week or so, and figured I'd get some feedback from the pros. Long story short, I just got moved to a different branch of the company and my 30 minute walk home has become a 90 minute walk home, which is not hard but a bit much in terms of lost free time. Obviously, time for a new bicycle.
I would suggest buying something very cheap on Craig's List, equip it with equally cheap paniers, and ride it for a couple of months, and wee where your tastes take you. Then sink some major money into a bike.
If I read your post correctly, you have been
walking. If I am thinking correctly, almost any cheap bike will hold as many groceries as you carried on foot. When you have successfully replaced waking with riding for a couple of months, you'll have a better idea of what yo want. For the meantime, transport groceries however you transport them now.
This strategy may prevent an expensive mistake.
I am thinking through some of the same issues. But I pulled out an old (1988) bike I had sitting in the back of the garage, and I been riding that around for all my errands for a month or so. That experience changed my view of what I think I want in a new bike.
Your needs are not my needs and vice versa. Here's what I realized:
- I don't need panniers - a front rack/basket and a rear/rack basket are probably the way for me to go. It is extremely unlikely that my bike will be our sole (or even our main) grocery getter. Most of what the bike is for is a quick trip for something we're out of or have forgotten.
- What is most important for me is the the bike be a "jump on it and go" bike. I don't want to change clothes/shoe, etc when I need some fresh ginger, and I am in the middle of cooking. In the last month, more and more of my clothes have sprocket shaped grease marks in odd places. It's not altogether clear to me how I doing that. But it is clear to me that I want a belt drive bike and that implies (for me) an IGH.
- I probably want to try a bike with drop bars. I do a fair amount of yoga, and my back is pretty flexible. I find that I get get a lot more power by leaning down pretty far - far enough that the straight bars I have are awkward.
Let me be clear - I am not suggesting that my need are your needs. Your list will almost certainly be different from my list.
What I am suggesting is that a couple of months on the cheapest bike setup you can start with with will lead you in a direction that allows you to make a much more informed choice.