Does anybody ride Bicycles here?

I'm trying to save money at the moment so I've decided I will invest in a bicycle, I walk to work anyway but at weekends I sometimes take the train to go shopping which can get expensive depending on where I go. I'm happy to spend up to £150 but really I'm looking for something in the £50-£75 range, I really don't know what kind of bike I should get. So I was just asking if any of you know good bike brands or what shop I should get it from.

Helmet recommendations would be good too, is an expensive helmet worth it or will a cheap one do? I'm also going to ride it on the road and have never done so before, so some tips for that would be cool too.

I never learned to ride a bicycle :(

Sure.

Get a unicycle. You'll make up the cost in savings on tires over time.

your not going to get anything that good for that much really. just pop down to halfords and see whats on sale.

i spent £400 on a hybrid mountain/road bike. very light weight and larger wheels just make it a joy to ride. my daily 6 mile round trip to work is something i enjoy and i have a cycle app for my iphone so i can try and beat my average speed, top speed and time. love it

all the bikes i owned before that the £100 to £150 mark were ok, but i never looked forward to riding one.

I'm pretty sure I'm the only able bodied person in the entire country of Japan unable to ride a bicycle. <.<

You're not going to get a very good bike for 50 pounds. Like @OldGuy said, spend the absolute most you can now because a nice bike is going to pay off in the long run. I biked everywhere in college on a shitty Schwinn and that thing broke all the damn time. If it wasn't the brakes it was the chain or the gears.

I fell off a bike before.

Depends on where here is, because I'm guessing it's far away from me. But who knows it might be the Best Buy in Salem NH, or the UPS dropbox near the Wendy's in my town. I've ridden my bike there.

The bike brand I have is a Specialized, and it's served me well for 10+ years at this point.

The thread needed this, maybe.

Cycling is second nature for everyone here in The Netherlands, but I can't really recommend any brands for that price off the top of my head. Also, why would you want a helmet? Is it required by law? If it is, then you should probably go with the cheapest one you can find that doesn't make you look like an utter fool. Unless you're racing at top speeds, you'll never land on your head.

As for the road, don't blind-side drivers, they won't be expecting a cyclist to pop out from between two parked cars for example.

Sure, here in Denmark pretty much everybody rides bicycles.

Two tips for you:

1. Get a helmet and use it. Too many people don't realize how important this small helmet actually is - it is a lifesaver!

2. Watch out for yourself in traffic. A lot of cyclists seem like they think that they don't have to be aware of their surroundings, and that it is the drivers job to watch out for them.

These two things seems like no-brainers honestly, but at least here in Denmark, those two are the two most common things people ignore - and in the end it can be very dangerous for them.

EDIT: and as @OldGuy said, go to a local bike store instead of a warehouse - while the price might seem a bit higher there - it really pays out to get a good bike that fits you in the long run.

Be careful not to ride your bicycle too much, lest you turn part bicycle yourself. Not only that, your bicycle will turn part human as well, and I'm afraid the process is irreversible. If you have siblings or roommates you can share the bicycle with, you can make the process take much more time, but the final result is inevitable if you plan on using it often.

@WalkerTR77:

Me neither! It sucks, too, because while not knowing how to drive isn't such a big deal, people really seem to get caught up on the fact that I can't ride a bike.

@S0ndor said:

Also, why would you want a helmet?

Yeah seriously why would you want to protect yourself? Are you some kind of pussy?

I have not owned a bike in 12 years.

Does owning a bicycle and not riding it counts?

I ride to and from work everyday. My work involves riding a bike. So yeah, I do.

I don't even have a drivers license.

The last bike I owned was stolen when my sister borrowed it without asking.

It was years ago but I'll never let her hear the end of it.

i cycle to work everyday. i have a decent bike i spend a lot on though.

where i live nearly every road has a cycle path next to it so i never have to ride next to traffic so i don't wear a helmet. but if that was not the case i would.

i do love to cycle though

@N7 ...So don't race and you won't need a helmet. Seriously, if you aren't going fast, you will never land on your head. I'm not 12 and I only use a bike to get to campus sometimes so I would pick not looking like a jackass when I travel.

I have a bike and can ride it but calling me a "Ryder" would be bulllshiiittt.

@Clinkz said:

So don't race and you won't need a helmet. Seriously, if you aren't going fast, you will never land on your head. I'm not 12 and I only use a bike to get to campus sometimes so I would pick not looking like a jackass when I travel.

You may not look like a jackass, but you could be on your way to becoming one hell of a handsome paralytic. Congrats!

@Village_Guy and @OldGuy(any relation?) have sound advice.

Frankly I'm surprised no one has posted "No, I use a web browser".

@Bruce: I feel a deep and regretful melancholy envelop me whenever I see someone jauntily pedaling along. I'm 20, it's too late for me to slip the surly bonds of bipedal gait and explore the wonders of bicycling.

I ride my bicycle pretty much everywhere I need to go (school, store, friends, aso.). It's efficient and good for you. I don't have any real tips on helmet or bike, but I suggest you get a good one of each.

A better question, are you the only one who rides a bicycle here?

@James_Giant_Peach said:

@S0ndor said:

Also, why would you want a helmet?

Yeah seriously why would you want to protect yourself? Are you some kind of pussy?

Well, here in Holland we have separate roads for bicycles. Also, literally everyone rides one, and our country is completely flat. I myself ride everyday. Helmets are quite unnecessary over here, and would mess up our hair.

You really wont get anything remotely decent with that price range. If you buy crap it wont take long before you stop riding and it just takes space.

No offense to bike riders out there but fuck bikes. They get in the way of me and my car.

My bike is stuck in a shed somewhere. You've made me want to go and dig it out now.

Those IKEA bikes! look into it

no, but i've played a lot of Paperboy. does that count?

I'm Dutch, need I say more?

(Yes... obviously)

Love riding the bike. But, make sure you get a good one, you are going to hate it if you get a cheap one. Craigslist?

It is my main means of transport alongside the bus.

I also do uphill biking/country biking for recreation.

If you are mainly planning to ride in the city just get a decent city bycicle with a nice aluminium frame and ''thin'' wheels. I don't wear a helmet for riding in the city, but there is little danger as most of the city has special bike lanes, don't know how it's where you live.

@Wasara88 said:

You really wont get anything remotely decent with that price range. If you buy crap it wont take long before you stop riding and it just takes space.

My inner city bike is quite old and was rather cheap but still works fine. Maintenance is the key.

Anyway if your area of residence does not have specified bike lanes and such then I don't really think it's worth it tbh, I personally would not feel very comfortable riding my bike slowly at the edge of a street with people in motor vehicles buzzing by.

I'd like to ride around, but riding a bicycle in Chicago would be a good way to get yourself killed. People are terrible, oblivious drivers here.

I ride the neighborhood bicycle.

I used to bike between classes all the time down in Bloomington, IN. Most of the main roads had bike lanes and it was a bike friendly town, but once you got on campus you had to dodge the millions and billions of students everywhere. It was usually better in the summers, when the campus population dropped by like 90%.

Either way, uh, get a helmet. They're important. Also, making sure your bike fits you is extremely important. Sometimes you'll see someone pedaling and their knees come up past the handlebars, and you know they're putting in way too much effort.

@deadmoscow said:

I used to bike between classes all the time down in Bloomington, IN. Most of the main roads had bike lanes and it was a bike friendly town, but once you got on campus you had to dodge the millions and billions of students everywhere. It was usually better in the summers, when the campus population dropped by like 90%.

Either way, uh, get a helmet. They're important. Also, making sure your bike fits you is extremely important. Sometimes you'll see someone pedaling and their knees come up past the handlebars, and you know they're putting in way too much effort.

If a town really is ''bike friendly'' with bike lanes then I really don't think a normal adult should bother with a helmet. Unless of course there are a lot of sections where you have to cycle alongside a rather speedy road.

Not very often giving where I live and where I need to go but I am learning how to ride a unicycle. Once I nail that I'm going combine that with my amateur plate spinning or my diaboloing.

@S0ndor said:

@James_Giant_Peach said:

@S0ndor said:

Also, why would you want a helmet?

Yeah seriously why would you want to protect yourself? Are you some kind of pussy?

Well, here in Holland we have separate roads for bicycles. Also, literally everyone rides one, and our country is completely flat. I myself ride everyday. Helmets are quite unnecessary over here, and would mess up our hair.

Well, here is the United States, specifically Illinois, even in downtown Chicago there are not bike lanes on every street. Regardless of that fact if you fall of your bike and hit your head, you can so some serious damage. It's better to be safe then to get hurt, and this applies everywhere, even Holland.

Thanks for the feedback, heading out with my dad this weekend to pick one up.

@Hizang: Oh man. Advice in this thread is seriously freaking me out, with the exception of a few.

First of all, you can get a bike for the amount that you quoted. Granted, if you get it from a chain store or bike shop, it will be a pretty crappy bike and, most likely, a mountain bike not built for road riding. You can, of course, go to a website like Craigslist and, perhaps, get lucky. That would be my best suggestion. You can sometimes find really good deals from people who are getting rid of their old bikes.

Brands are kind of irrelevant at that price range. You're going to have to get whatever you can. The main thing to focus on will be the material. A bike made of steel will be cheapest, but heaviest. An aluminium bike will be expensive, but lighter. A bike with carbon fiber parts will be terribly expensive, but lightest. Bike are rarely made totally of carbon fiber due to the frame having a tendency to rip and tear on impact. Regardless, it would be out of your price range anyway. At your price range, you'll probably end up with a steel bike. Just make sure it's not too heavy and that it fits.

Speaking of which, make sure your bike fits. Most ads for bikes detail the size of the frame in either inches or centimeters. You'll want to pay close attention to this as a bike too large or too small is a waste of money and potentially dangerous to the health of your legs, knees, and back. Read this fitting guide http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/bike+fit.html. A road bike would be ideal, but at your price range a hybrid is probably more likely. They're still great bikes, but built for endurance rather than speed. I have a Gary Fisher hybrid and it's great for getting around an urban environment and can absorb some shock when going off-road. Again, the link I have supplied will help to outline the different kinds of bikes I have described and more.

Also, don't skimp on a helmet. The only cyclists I have ever met that were dismissive of helmets were genuinely suicidal. One of them biked around with headphones, too. A cry for help, really. Don't be that guy/gal. Also, here is a helpful guide on when to replace your helmet: http://www.bhsi.org/replace.htm.

A few more things. Learn cycling hand signals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_signals. They help you communicate with cars. Do this, or you will be a road pancake. Deck your bike out with lights. Flashy lights: http://www.amazon.com/Reelight-Flashing-Compact-Generator-Headlight/dp/B0017GA09W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334254161&sr=8-1. Brightly colored clothing is helpful, but nothing lets cars and other cyclists know your location like some bright, flashy, fucking irritating lights. The lights I linked do not require batteries, but instead attach to your wheels and are powered by your pedaling. If you plan to ride at night, get a bright front-facing light. Some of these lights are compact, half as powerful as car headlights, and rechargeable: http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-350-Lumen-USB-Rechargeable-Headlight/dp/B005DVA37Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1334254365&sr=1-1. These are all expensive accessories and do not necessarily have to be bought at the same time as your bike purchase, but I do consider them to be instrumental in keeping cyclists safe on the road. Also, the amount that you spend on them outright will be vastly cheaper than the amount you will spend on gas, insurance, and maintenance of a car during the course of a year.

To summarize, you're probably looking for a starter bike. A hybrid would be nice. You'll likely end up with the equivalent of a Schwinn, or whatever low cost alternative is available in your nook of the world. Get a helmet, a good helmet. It's your brain you need to think about, not your wallet. Get a fit. If you can't fit it yourself, a bike shop can help you. My fit cost about $15. It was worth every penny, despite what Jeff Gerstmann might say. Learn how to communicate with cars or these people http://media.il.edmunds-media.com/non-make/ns/ns_32812_717.jpg will kill you. Get good bike accessories to keep you alive.

Also, make a bike your main mode of transportation and you'll save a shit-ton of money.

@S0ndor said:

@James_Giant_Peach said:

@S0ndor said:

Also, why would you want a helmet?

Yeah seriously why would you want to protect yourself? Are you some kind of pussy?

Well, here in Holland we have separate roads for bicycles. Also, literally everyone rides one, and our country is completely flat. I myself ride everyday. Helmets are quite unnecessary over here, and would mess up our hair.

I'm from Portland, OR in the United States, one of the most bike friendly places in this country. We've got bike lanes and a few bike roads here and there. Still, I would not go anywhere on a bike without a helmet. This is not necessarily because I do not trust myself on a bike, but rather because I have heard too many stories about people getting injured or killed by cars, drunk morons, other cyclists, and dumb shit like downed branches and potholes. In the end, I believe it pays to protect yourself from physical harm not matter how unlikely that harm may be. I'm certainly not aiming to change your mind about helmets, but I think that the OP deserves to see both sides of the story. Really, the temporary inconvenience of a helmet is not worth the possibility of a lifetime of permanent damage. Tis my 'pinion.