Should I buy a bicycle?

contingencyplan
contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
A while back I was toying with the idea of purchasing a bicycle (I haven't owned one since the one I had when I was 13 was stolen) because I used to legitimately enjoy it and think I would again. I was even toying with the idea of commuting to work on it until I discovered that my city is not very bicycle-friendly. It is littered with bridges and tunnels that only motor traffic is permitted to use. No bicycles, no pedestrians, and I would need to take my bicycle on the bus to actually go somewhere to ride it, such as a park. Due to the bridge/tunnel system the city uses, there are only a select few routes I can take from my house and none of them go anywhere scenic or anywhere that isn't urban traffic hell. Having to first take the bike somewhere by car or bus to ride it rather than leaving from my house and not being able to use it to commute killed that drive to buy a bicycle real quick. But every now and then I still get to wondering whether or not I should...
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Replies

  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    I want a bike so bad. I want to ride from coney island to the george washington bridge with the wind in my hair and the sun on my cheeks!

    GIMME!!!!
  • dalgal26
    dalgal26 Posts: 781 Member
    Yes, Yes, and Yes! You will love it!:flowerforyou:
  • LKLDALLAS
    LKLDALLAS Posts: 19
    I've lost 35 lbs and that was partly due to biking. I bought a used bike off of Craigslist for $65 and started riding. Now I ride approx 20 miles a day, over bridges, I have to carry my bike up a couple of flights of stairs, I ride uphill and take long, scenic routes. It's wonderful! I love the workout it gives me and I have fun doing it!
  • spikefoot
    spikefoot Posts: 419
    I love biking, if you can stick with it go for it.

    I wish I could get rid of my car but I can't for work.
  • mrsknash
    mrsknash Posts: 47 Member
    I bought a bike only yesterday. If you have the space to store it, I would definitely say "go for it".
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    I'm in a very different situation - I live in Maine where the roads are (by and large) pretty bike friendly (and even most of the drivers, too). So mine is my preferred commute to work (30 mile round trip, lots of lovely challenging hills to munch on! Yum!)

    If you think you'll be able to use it at all, I'd find a decent used cyclocross or hybrid and rig it up for the roads you think you'll ride - the nice thing about those bikes is that they are pretty capable road bikes, but can carry cargo, and with a quick tire change they're OK on anything but extreme mountain biking. They are the "Jack of all trades" bikes, and they tend to be pretty affordable.

    Worst case, invest in a "trainer" - a unit that either replaces or contains the drive wheel and allows you to turn it into a high-quality stationary bike. Then you can use it in the apartment for training, and get out on the roads with it when you can.

    Google Maps now has bicycle commuting support. It may be able to help you find a more bike-friendly route.
  • jpinge
    jpinge Posts: 71 Member
    I just recently added bicycling to my workout schedule....let me tell you that I am so glad that I did! I am enjoying it so much and it is quick and easy for me to hop on and get a good burn. But with that being said....I have a great place to ride and I don't have to do anything but take my bike out of the garage and go. I do think that even if you have to take your bike somewhere to ride it will still be a great benefit to you and I think you will enjoy it:) Your butt might protest for awhile but mine has finally gotten the hang of it and doesn't complain quite so much!
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
    Unfortunately I can't use my bike to commute to work either - too far;

    However I love having a hardtail mountain bike...

    Have recently invested in a second set of wheels so that during these summer evenings I can do some road riding locally and at weekends I can swap the wheels and go biking off road in the forest with friends.

    A quick 12k cycle is coming out at around 450+ calorie burn so it's definately worth it!
  • marcoscu
    marcoscu Posts: 99 Member
    Biking is great fun.... but not if you live on a hill as I do!
  • mindy14456
    mindy14456 Posts: 552 Member
    I love my bike!! I prefer trail riding to city riding, so I have to put it in the carrier and drive to the trails, but it really is so worth it! I mean, I have to drive to the gym too, so there really isn't much difference if you look at it that way. Good luck!!
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    I want a bike so bad. I want to ride from coney island to the george washington bridge with the wind in my hair and the sun on my cheeks!

    GIMME!!!!

    Dude, ditto, I SO want a bike!! Not to ride from Coney Island to the George Washington bridge (only because well, I live in Texas), but where I live is SUPER cyclist friendly and it seems like everyone has a bike. I'd love the be able to ride my bike around town like all the cute hipsters do.

    I haven't ridden a bike in like 15 years I don't think, and I have NO idea what kind to get/how much they cost, but bikes are the bomb. Totally get one.
  • chm2616
    chm2616 Posts: 434 Member
    YES! My husband and I bought bikes a few years back. Although I can't ride mine to work (30 min commute), he did for a short time at his former job. We also like to bike on Sunday mornings--there's a great bike/running pack near us! :smile:
  • mlewon
    mlewon Posts: 343 Member
    if you believe you will bring it to another place to ride and that you will enjoy it, I say go for it! luckily for me I split my time between Boston (very bike friendly) and southeast CT where there are a ton of mountain bike paths. I know if it wasn't for my love of riding combined with the convenience here I probably wouldn't fit it in.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I wanted to commute to work on a bicycle but because the only routes to work involve going over bridges and through tunnels where bicycle traffic is not permitted I would have to take my bicycle on a bus for 2/3 of the trip there and then once I was almost to work after I crossed the last bridge I would then be able to get off and ride the rest of the way. Not viable.

    My main question is, if I did get a bike, and considering I don't own a car to transport it on (only motorcycle) what would I do with it considering I can't really ride it anywhere without first putting it on a bus and getting it out of my general area of the city by bus? And considering I have to do that, is it even worth the trouble?
  • princessage117
    princessage117 Posts: 171 Member
    I love my bike and I recommend it to everyone! Mountain bike, though!
  • crobl
    crobl Posts: 380
    The appropriate number of bikes to own is n+1 where n=the number of bikes you currently own.

    that's the best math I've seen in awhile =)
  • rydn4h2o
    rydn4h2o Posts: 255
    um....yes!!! :flowerforyou:
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    if you believe you will bring it to another place to ride and that you will enjoy it, I say go for it! luckily for me I split my time between Boston (very bike friendly) and southeast CT where there are a ton of mountain bike paths. I know if it wasn't for my love of riding combined with the convenience here I probably wouldn't fit it in.

    That is my current dilemma. I grew up in a place where I could simply hop on and leave from my house or use it for transportation. That's not an option where I live now because I would first have to transport it somewhere before I could actually ride it. That makes the very idea of owning a bicycle a lot of work and I'm not sure that the hassle of not being able to just get on and ride would make the fun of riding worth it.
  • Chagama
    Chagama Posts: 543 Member
    Yes. For the first time since I was a teenager, I bought one last fall, and have now started to bike to work a couple of times a week, depending on the weather and kids' schedules. It took me a little while to figure out a safe route, but now that I have it all down, I love it.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    A quick 12k cycle is coming out at around 450+ calorie burn so it's definately worth it!

    Another thing I love about commuting on my bike. My 30 mile round trip burns off calories about as fast as if I set myself on fire. MFP's numbers are very high, but even adjusting them to something more reasonable (I cut them by about 25%) it's a LOT of calories.

    I simply cannot eat enough calories to eat back, and it starts to show on the second day. After a few days of cycle-commuting I have to have an eat-back day and add a couple thousand calories and do some minimal-calorie-burn heavy lifting.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I appreciate all the answers but what I'm really looking for is more than a simple yes. What I'm looking for is someone who addresses the negatives associated with my particular situation.
  • spiregrain
    spiregrain Posts: 254 Member
    I think you should get one. Do you have a car? If so I would say, get a bike, and get a bike rack for your car. That way you can treat yourself by driving to a scenic trail for a nice long ride every so often. If the only option is the bus, I don't know. With some busses, it is hard to fit a bike on, especially if the bus is crowded that day.

    My personal strategy is to jump for anything that I can get that will make exercise fun. I don't really like to run on a treadmill, or do that type of exercise. I like for the exercise to be an added bonus to something I personally enjoy anyway. Then it's easier to stick with because there are multiple reasons that I want to do it, and it doesn't feel like just a boring chore.
  • ls_66
    ls_66 Posts: 395 Member
    I'm toying with the same idea... right now money is the issue don't have the $400 for the commuting bike .... I would say do it.. coworker does it every day 10 miles each way he loves it
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I think you should get one. Do you have a car? If so I would say, get a bike, and get a bike rack for your car. That way you can treat yourself by driving to a scenic trail for a nice long ride every so often. If the only option is the bus, I don't know. With some busses, it is hard to fit a bike on, especially if the bus is crowded that day.

    My personal strategy is to jump for anything that I can get that will make exercise fun. I don't really like to run on a treadmill, or do that type of exercise. I like for the exercise to be an added bonus to something I personally enjoy anyway. Then it's easier to stick with because there are multiple reasons that I want to do it, and it doesn't feel like just a boring chore.

    No car. Bus and motorcycle. =/
  • Jenn_W
    Jenn_W Posts: 229 Member
    The appropriate number of bikes to own is n+1 where n=the number of bikes you currently own.

    ^^^True Story! You always need another bike!

    I no longer own a car and commute via bicycle EVERYWHERE.

    I am lucky/thankfully that Chicago is a 'freindly' bike city.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Biking is great fun.... but not if you live on a hill as I do!

    Hills are the best! Calories run screaming from hills. It's great resistance training for the legs.

    Get something designed for climbing - I have an LL Bean Acadia Cruiser that has a huge sprocket on the back that is a great easy hill-climber. My wife uses their Runaround Cruiser which has the same thing. I think they call it the MEGA-gear. I call it the knee-saver. When we go for family rides, I use that.

    I won't necessarily say that I look forward to hills on my commute - carrying clothes and stuff on my hybrid bike for 15 miles, some of the hills are just exhausting - my commute bike (Specialized Sirrus) is geared for OK climbing, but it's really more of a city bike.

    But they do get easier with practice. And you end up with rock-hard legs and a tush that look like they are sculpted. Beats the hell out of grinding away on the elliptical, with better results.

    BOOT THE GLUTES! Attack hills like a knight attacks dragons! Which, of course, means the dragon is still standing and you look like you've been set on fire. ;)

    Plus, you get downhill coasts as a reward.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    The appropriate number of bikes to own is n+1 where n=the number of bikes you currently own.

    ^^^True Story! You always need another bike!

    I no longer own a car and commute via bicycle EVERYWHERE.

    I am lucky/thankfully that Chicago is a 'freindly' bike city.

    My very problem is that is simply not a possibility for me. The bicycle would be for pleasure only and I would be limited to bicycle-specific routes at things like parks. I would have to transport it from home to a park by bus just in order to ride it. It is not viable to ride on public roads here or to use it to commute because of how commonly you encounter roads that are for motor traffic only--namely bridges and tunnels.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I used to ride in NYC as a kid, although even then it was dicey. Sadly, my French boy's (I'm a woman) touring bike was stolen the first semester of college.

    Since last year I've been attending evening lectures by a group called Bike New York. They discuss how to select a bicycle, safety considerations, etc. They also have classes, many of which are free. There's another group supportive of bike commuting, called Transportation Alternatives. I'm inching towards buying a bike, although NYC is to initiate a communal bike system in July and I may try that first. I am going to be very conservative and only take bike paths for the most part because I am concerned about the crazy bike riders and motorists out there. I have so many close calls with cyclists, usually messengers.

    Maybe your city has similar bike advocacy groups. Look for blogs by cyclists as well.

    The only way for more places to become bike-friendly is for more people to ride bikes.

    I've considered a folding bike, because it can be more easily carried on public transportation and stored in offices.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    I haven't ridden a bike in like 15 years I don't think, and I have NO idea what kind to get/how much they cost, but bikes are the bomb.

    So get one! Seriously - a decent bike that's been properly adjusted for you is a joy forever.

    AVOID: Big Box stores, Wal-Mart, etc. Their bikes are OK, but they tend to use cheap nasty accessories - derailleurs that never work quite right, high-resistance tires, etc. You can swap it all out for good stuff, but it's generally cheaper to buy a decent bike to start with.

    LOVE: Local bike shops. Go talk to a few and find one with a couple of people you like. Tell them what kind of riding you want to do, and they'll help you get set up with something nice.

    Used bikes can be a crapshoot - if a local shop has facilitated the deal they'll tend to know what to look for. If you go in and get to know one, they may be able to find something used. Otherwise, research the brand - if the brand is good you can always swap components as needed/
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I used to ride in NYC as a kid, although even then it was dicey. Sadly, my French boy's (I'm a woman) touring bike was stolen the first semester of college.

    Since last year I've been attending evening lectures by a group called Bike New York. They discuss how to select a bicycle, safety considerations, etc. They also have classes, many of which are free. There's another group supportive of bike commuting, called Transportation Alternatives. I'm inching towards buying a bike, although NYC is to initiate a communal bike system in July and I may try that first. I am going to be very conservative and only take bike paths for the most part because I am concerned about the crazy bike riders and motorists out there. I have so many close calls with cyclists, usually messengers.

    Maybe your city has similar bike advocacy groups. Look for blogs by cyclists as well.

    The only way for more places to become bike-friendly is for more people to ride bikes.

    I've considered a folding bike, because it can be more easily carried on public transportation and stored in offices.

    Unfortunately the layout of the city is what makes it not bicycle-friendly. There is nothing these groups can accomplish that will change that. It's the way they build the roads back in the 1920s and older. And air quality laws are the reason why bicycles and pedestrians aren't permitted to ride through the Liberty Tunnel, which I have to pass through to get anywhere from my home. Supposedly only motor vehicles can clear the distance of the 1.3 mile long tunnel in a quick enough time to avoid experiencing Carbon Monoxide contamination because of the way it builds up in the tunnel. The only way around that would extend the duration of my commute by about 45 minutes. And even then I have to contend with bridges which are technically considered part of highways where traffic flows at speeds in excess of 60mph.

    Bicycle advocacy groups can't change that.

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