Comments on: Flummoxed! http://funny-about-money.com/2009/01/10/flummoxed/ Simple Living = Frugality = Peace of Mind: Personal Finance and Stress Control Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:11:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mary Rex http://funny-about-money.com/2009/01/10/flummoxed/comment-page-1/#comment-2502 Mary Rex Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:46:16 +0000 http://funny-about-money.com/?p=3404#comment-2502 I agree that you should keep looking. I purchased a $700 Giant Hybrid bike for 1/2 price at the end of the season a few years ago. It has lots of gears I sometimes forget to use, but I manage to get up hill anyhoo. Right now it is set up on a trainer in my basement, since I am not hardcore enough to cycle here in PA in the winter! Good luck in your search. I agree that you should keep looking. I purchased a
$700 Giant Hybrid bike for 1/2 price at the end of the season a few years ago. It has lots of gears I sometimes forget to use, but I manage to get up hill anyhoo. Right now it is set up on a trainer in my basement, since I am not hardcore enough to cycle here in PA in the winter! Good luck in your search.

]]> By: Julie http://funny-about-money.com/2009/01/10/flummoxed/comment-page-1/#comment-2501 Julie Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:07:38 +0000 http://funny-about-money.com/?p=3404#comment-2501 I asked my DH, a certified cycling instructor with the League of American Bicylists for advice for you He said... She could look up an League Cycling Instructor in her area.... to learn how to be more comfortable on other/flatter places to ride... or just to get some advice. I counted about seven LCI listed for Phoenix. www.Bikeleague.org - Programs - Bike Education - Courses or instructors by state http://www.bikeleague.org/cogs/resources/findit/?courses=1&instructors=1&state=A Z&submit.x=23&submit.y=12 She could find out what it would cost for someone/a bike shop to modify her bike have a lower gear - by replacing the rear sprocket with one with a greater number of teeth on the rear wheel and adding a few links to the chain. Same bike - lower gear. She could look for used bikes - craigslist.org or yard sales or classified adverts? - for old three-speed/internal geared bikes usually available for way less than $100... or other bikes - hybrids, etc. - with lower gear choices. And there's always the "just get stronger" advice... Hope this helps. I asked my DH, a certified cycling instructor with the League of American Bicylists for advice for you He said…

She could look up an League Cycling Instructor in her area…. to
learn how to be more comfortable on other/flatter places to ride…
or just to get some advice. I counted about seven LCI listed for Phoenix.
http://www.Bikeleague.org – Programs – Bike Education – Courses or
instructors by state
http://www.bikeleague.org/cogs/resources/findit/?courses=1&instructors=1&state=A
Z&submit.x=23&submit.y=12

She could find out what it would cost for someone/a bike shop to
modify her bike have a lower gear – by replacing the rear sprocket
with one with a greater number of teeth on the rear wheel and adding
a few links to the chain. Same bike – lower gear.

She could look for used bikes – craigslist.org or yard sales or
classified adverts? – for old three-speed/internal geared bikes
usually available for way less than $100… or other bikes – hybrids,
etc. – with lower gear choices.

And there’s always the “just get stronger” advice…

Hope this helps.

]]> By: Susan http://funny-about-money.com/2009/01/10/flummoxed/comment-page-1/#comment-2500 Susan Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:44:03 +0000 http://funny-about-money.com/?p=3404#comment-2500 I second the notion of not giving up on getting a bike. To see if this idea is really for you - why not find out how much it is to rent a bike for a month and check it out? I would also recommend asking around - lots of people have bikes that they have no desire to use anymore or kids who have moved away and left them in their parents' garages. One last idea - check with a local biking club for used bike leads...you might make someone's day by buying his/her used bike. True bike enthusiasts often have several bikes and LOVE buying new ones, so you might get lucky on a used one. Yes, it won't be a brand new shiny bike, but it will be a bike. I second the notion of not giving up on getting a bike. To see if this idea is really for you – why not find out how much it is to rent a bike for a month and check it out? I would also recommend asking around – lots of people have bikes that they have no desire to use anymore or kids who have moved away and left them in their parents’ garages. One last idea – check with a local biking club for used bike leads…you might make someone’s day by buying his/her used bike. True bike enthusiasts often have several bikes and LOVE buying new ones, so you might get lucky on a used one. Yes, it won’t be a brand new shiny bike, but it will be a bike.

]]> By: frugalscholar http://funny-about-money.com/2009/01/10/flummoxed/comment-page-1/#comment-2499 frugalscholar Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:31:21 +0000 http://funny-about-money.com/?p=3404#comment-2499 Don't give up; bikes may be more expensive than they used to be, but they are also better, and will last for twenty years or at least. Even if you spent $500 on a bike, over the course of 20 years that works out to be only $25 a year! (I'm going to post on this shortly.) Here are some responses and advice. A few years ago Frugal Son bought a road bike from chicabike on Ebay for $200, and has been very satisfied. In fact, when we mentioned that the wheel was not in true (probably due to shipping), she refunded $10 very quickly. Right now she has a brand new Motobecane flat bar hybrid (sort of all-purpose bike) for $298. But there are other internet sources (bikesdirect.com) that are well established, and shipping bikes is no problem, although you might have to do a little bit of assembly. Don't let the number of gears on multi-gear bikes bother you. There's usually a triple crank (three chainrings) and then seven or eight gears on the rear, but all you do is leave the front shifter on the middle chainring, and just use the seven options this gives you, which is more than enough for almost all riding. Shifting is easy--for the kind of bike you want there's just a numbered lever on the right (1-7), and you pick the gear you want. That's just as easy--perhaps easier, than the typical three speed. These shifters are very reliable; I've put more than 13,000 miles on my bike, which has the more complicated STI shifters, without any problems (and I bought the bike used). Flat tires can be a problem. However, there are self-sealing inner tubes (Walmart carries them), and you can buy tires with a Kevlar band (that's what's in bullet-proof vests) that helps prevent flats. Finally, bike riders are a very friendly bunch. Every time I've had a flat, fellow riders have stopped to offer help. So I wouldn't let that keep you from riding. Feel free ask me any questions. Don’t give up; bikes may be more expensive than they used to be, but they are also better, and will last for twenty years or at least. Even if you spent $500 on a bike, over the course of 20 years that works out to be only $25 a year! (I’m going to post on this shortly.)

Here are some responses and advice. A few years ago Frugal Son bought a road bike from chicabike on Ebay for $200, and has been very satisfied. In fact, when we mentioned that the wheel was not in true (probably due to shipping), she refunded $10 very quickly. Right now she has a brand new Motobecane flat bar hybrid (sort of all-purpose bike) for $298. But there are other internet sources (bikesdirect.com) that are well established, and shipping bikes is no problem, although you might have to do a little bit of assembly.

Don’t let the number of gears on multi-gear bikes bother you. There’s usually a triple crank (three chainrings) and then seven or eight gears on the rear, but all you do is leave the front shifter on the middle chainring, and just use the seven options this gives you, which is more than enough for almost all riding. Shifting is easy–for the kind of bike you want there’s just a numbered lever on the right (1-7), and you pick the gear you want. That’s just as easy–perhaps easier, than the typical three speed. These shifters are very reliable; I’ve put more than 13,000 miles on my bike, which has the more complicated STI shifters, without any problems (and I bought the bike used).

Flat tires can be a problem. However, there are self-sealing inner tubes (Walmart carries them), and you can buy tires with a Kevlar band (that’s what’s in bullet-proof vests) that helps prevent flats. Finally, bike riders are a very friendly bunch. Every time I’ve had a flat, fellow riders have stopped to offer help. So I wouldn’t let that keep you from riding.

Feel free ask me any questions.

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