Buying a cycle/bike in US

m-jeri

A Nobody.
Skilled
Hi All.

So for a short while I am in Louisville, Colorado. To getting around I intend to get a cycle and use it along with bus.

It will snow, but i dont know how much or what the conditions will be. First time in cold climate. So need some help in picking a cycle. Dunno if cycles can be shipped so that i can buy online.

No idea how much should i spend also. Dont want to spend too much also since i have to discard or sell the bike once i leave.

So help me picking out a bike. Sources, Models, How to assemble a bike etc

Thanks
 
Hi All.

So for a short while I am in Louisville, Colorado. To getting around I intend to get a cycle and use it along with bus.

It will snow, but i dont know how much or what the conditions will be. First time in cold climate. So need some help in picking a cycle. Dunno if cycles can be shipped so that i can buy online.

No idea how much should i spend also. Dont want to spend too much also since i have to discard or sell the bike once i leave.

So help me picking out a bike. Sources, Models, How to assemble a bike etc

Thanks

I would suggest a hybrid and you will be better off taking your pick at a LBS. You will find more help at bikezone forums.
 
If you are staying for a short period, its better to pick up a cheap one in garage sale or craigslist. You can sell it the same way before you return. If staying for more than 6months, you can try LBS or online sources.

Dont know much about the place you are going but cycling to work in winter might not be feasible.
 
Oh sorry. Like everyone else mentioned LBS stands for Local Bike Shop. Please mention budget if you would like more suggestions. Bike Nashbar and Jensen USA are 2 stores which ship anywhere in US for free or $25 sometimes. Assembling a bike is very easy. In fact I assembled my Schwinn Sporterra myself at home where I had it delivered from Delhi. All you need are a couple of Allen keys which you can pick locally or order with the bike. I just needed one Allen key to assemble my whole bike.
Read more about 'bike size and fitting' and you will realize why I suggested a LBS.
 
You will need to spend a minimium of $500 to get a decent bike if you go into a store. Most bikes that cost below that fall apart quite quickly. A Specialized Sirrus will run you $500 or so (cheaper if they have last years model and you are OK with that). Like others mentioned, go to a local bike store.

If you want to buy one online, bikesdirect.com is a good option. You will get a decent bike for $300 or so. You will need to assemble it yourself (which isn't that difficult).
 
Get a simple MTB from Craigslist (100-200). Contrary to most suggestions above, I wouldn't suggest walking into a bike store, given your circumstances :)
Ping me if you need assistance with picking one out.
 
How far will you be riding daily? I suggest you wait till you get there and check out the conditions and also ask the locals if people ride in the winter. In some places it gets really bad and nobody bikes in the winter. The edge of the road where you will usually be riding is also the worst place if there's snow because it gets packed and packed snow is very very slippery. Not to mention the sludge. In any case, if you do decide to get a bike, a mountain bike with fat tires and a rear mud flap is your best bet.
 
If it is for < 6 months, why don't you buy a cheap bike from Walmart? I had seen some bikes there for <200. Won't that suffice? (sorry I'm not much of a bike enthusiast)

And on a slightly off topic note - if it's snowing, how would you even ride a bike? I'm assuming you're gonna ride the bike from the place of stay/work to the nearest public transport.. and even if it is 15-20 mins, it would be a massive PITA..I used to think earlier that snow wasn't a huge deal (my only tryst with snow was in a hill station in India - kullu/manali kinda place) and when it snowed in NJ last year, I kinda saw the ugly part of it - the wind chill kills!
 
Yea.. Already stalked pinged me about one model in craiglist. I am following up on that. I cant seem to go there and check it out, asking the fellow to bring it over to me. He is checking his timings.

Asked few guys. People saying Colorado snow is like.. one night snow and next afternoon all gone. Things are fast. So winter cycling is possible. If its too extreme, work from home ;).

Anyways I have some corporate discounts for car also. monthly. I am checking up on that too. Tmrw is my first bus trip to office. :) @stalker
 
So for a short while I am in Louisville, Colorado. To getting around I intend to get a cycle and use it along with bus.

It will snow, but i dont know how much or what the conditions will be. First time in cold climate. So need some help in picking a cycle. Dunno if cycles can be shipped so that i can buy online.
You're in colorado, it snows, a lot. Look up black ice. They don't ride bikes there especially in the north because they're death traps in the winter. Down south where the weather is a little warmer its different.

Are you working there or what.

Why aren't you getting a car or something. Bikes are for students on campus.
 
Bikes are not just for students, but I agree that they're mostly used by students living in and around the campus and also enthusiasts. American cities aren't as bike friendly as European cities because of urban sprawl and bike lanes which were built as an afterthought. Getting groceries can also be a b**ch too, so unless you're on a shoestring budget, a cheap used car is the better choice.
 
European countries are small and densely populated. Even then its only in the southern countries they ride scooters & bikes, the colder countries its not safe in winter.

The US is open, gas is cheap, everybody rides over there with a car.

Public transport is only in the major cities. Out in the sticks it barely runs. Once in the morning and then in the evening.

population of louisville, CO : 19k (!)

how wierd is this, OP would not ride in a push bike in india, trying to do it in the US is nuts
 
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I am not getting a car coz i am here only for 3 months as of now. So company is not giving me money to get a car. If they extend it to 6 months or more, I will get a car.

I know cycle in snow is not going to work out. But i wanted a cycle. what is a push bike? i ride a bike. I have 3 of em. :S
 
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