Show Notes and Links for Episode #1

http://www.nemba.org/

New England Mountain Bike Association

 

http://www.imba.com/

International Mountain Bike Association

 

http://www.uci.ch/

Union Cycliste Internationale

 

http://www.railstotrails.org/

National Rails to Trails Conservancy

 

http://www2.trekbikes.com/

Trek Bicycle Company

 

http://speedgoat.com/

Speedgoat Bicycles

 

http://www.globepequot.com/globepequot/index.cfm

Globe Pequot Press

 

According to pedalinghistory.com, bikes have been around since 1817. They evolved from a two-wheeled straddle mobile to the velocipede (like a tricycle design, but with two wheels instead of three), to the High Wheelers of the late 1800s.

The first bikes that really resemble today’s machines were created in the 1880s and 1890s. They had pneumatic tires and incorporated a chain driven design.

These days, bikes can have up to 30 gears and can weigh as little as 17 pounds. More likely, your current road bike weighs in the vicinity of 23 pounds and has 27 gears; while your mountain bike weighs around 27 pounds and also has 27 gears.

Mountain bikes also feature suspension in the front and sometimes rear.

If you don’t have a bike, I have five words of advice for you. Go to a bike shop.

The staff at the bike shop might be making $7 an hour, but they eat, drink and sleep bikes and can match you with the bike of your dreams a billion times faster and more accurately than the bike and grill assembler at Wal-Mart.

Let’s go over bike buying for a second and then we’ll get into bike and body prep for the spring.

Bike buying is easy if you know what you want. Get a pen a paper out (you can pause me for a second while you do so. Please DON’T get out a pen and paper if you’re driving or riding a bike right now).

OK. When buying a bike you need to know the following. **And you need to tell the bike shop guy or girl because they need this information to get you onto the right bike.

1 – How much are you going to ride your new bike?
Don’t overestimate your riding habit. Tell the truth. If you try to impress the bike staff by saying you’ll ride every day, they’re going to get you a different bike than if you tell them you’re going to ride once when camping in the middle of the summer and then probably a few times in the spring and a few times in the fall.

2 – Where will you ride the bike?
Paved roads, bike paths, smooth trails in the woods, rocky trails in the woods, down ski slopes. Pick a few, but again, be honest.

3 – What is your level of skill in handling a bike?
If you’re a complete novice, you won’t want a twitchy, racing style bike. If you’ve been riding quite a bit and know how to control your bike, you’ll want a more responsive bicycle.

4 – Finally, what is your budget?
This is a tricky question because you want to have money left over in your bike budget for a helmet, lock and other accessories. You also might not want to spend your entire budget. So, make it clear to the salesperson that you want to explore the most affordable option in the bikes that he or she recommends. Be aware that most shops have some models that are left over from previous seasons that can be purchased for a discount.

A word about discounts – don’t expect much of a discount on a bike. Our society is so focused these days on getting a deal, that some buyers feel gypped if they don’t save 20% on a purchase. Well, the margin on bikes is abnormal when compared to other retail outlets.

You typically pay 50% over dealer cost for most retail products and that’s why stores can offer huge sales that seemingly go on every day of the year. Bike dealers are more stingy. They only offer their shops a mini margin to work with, so your neighborhood bike shop is making very little on the price of a bike.

The places you can negotiate are on accessories, upgraded parts before you pick up the bike, a helmet and even on energy gels and snacks.

If this is all making you nervous and you’re now thinking you might just go buy a pair of sneakers and take up jogging again. Realize that it’s not 1978 and that it’s not that frightening to venture into a bike shop.

If you’re worried, go in and don’t even talk to the help. Just tell them you’re just looking and spend about 15 minutes getting familiar with some of the prices and designs of the bikes. Or you can get a skilled bicyclist to go shopping with you. If you don’t have a friend who rides, check the Web for resources like New England Mountain Bike Association – NEMBA.org; International Mountain Bike Association, IMBA.org; or the League of American Bicyclists.

You can also check out Craigslist for local biking clubs under the activities section of the site.

Now, here’s how you get ready for the season. You’ve got your new bike or your old bike and it’s March. You’ve enjoyed a winter full of candied yams and pig meat and your body has acquired some additional space and girth.

Here are the steps. If your bike is brand new, focus on your body. If you bike is older and has a cobweb or two on it, get that to the shop for a seasonal tune-up (should cost around $65) and then concentrate on your body.


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