Bicycle Shopping: What Do We Expect?

Last week, I wrote about my sister's search for a basic, comfortable roadbike and in the post I explained that she is looking for a "normal" bike - That is, for a bike that is neither vintage, nor classic, nor lugged, nor artisanal - just a regular bike in the sense that one could walk into a bicycle shop off the street and buy it for a reasonable price. Once again I thank you all for the feedback, which was immensely helpful, and I will post an update regarding what bike she ends up getting. But on a separate note, I was intrigued by the category of replies that "pathologized" the way I described my sister's criteria - a few even questioning whether she ought to be buying a bike at all under the circumstances. Those comments made me think about expectations when it comes to bicycle shopping. And frankly, I think that "we" - i.e. those of us who are "into" bicycles, and especially into classic and vintage bicycles - can be out of touch with what people who "just want a bike" expect. Here are some of my observations about first time bike buyers' expectations that I've gathered from personal conversations and reader emails over the past two years:



It's toocomplicated

I think it is accurate to say that most people off to buy their first bicycle as an adult initially expect for the experience to be fairly simple. They envision being able to walk into a bike shop, to ask for some advice, and to walk out with a nice shiny bike. And I don't think that this attitude makes them "lazy" or "not committed to cycling." I think it is an entirely normal and healthy attitude. Unfortunately, hopes for simplicity are all too frequently crushed as bicycle shopping turns frustrating. The bicycles suggested at bike shops are often uncomfortable or otherwise unappealing, and the customer does not know how to express what exactly does not feel right. Purchasing a bicycle should be simple. But I believe that both bicycle shops and the industry at large are out of touch with what customers actually need.



It's too expensive

I receive lots of emails from people looking to buy their first bike, and the figure $500 comes up over and over again as theupperlimit of their budget - regardless of how well off the person is. While that expectation is unrealistic, I think that from the customer's point of view - assuming that they are not familiar with the industry - it is reasonable. Once they get to know the market a little better, chances are that they will come to terms with spending considerably more on a bike than they initially expected to. I blame this discrepancy on the industry and not on the customer being "cheap." In theory, large manufacturers could churn out attractive and functional bikes for $500, but for a variety of reasons, they do not.



I don't want to be a bike expert, I just want to rideI hear this one repeatedly, and I agree. Wanting to buy a bike should not require one to become an expert in bikes first. There is a difference between cycling and being "into bicycles," and it is perfectly normal to be the former without becoming the latter.

The fact is, that those of us who enjoy customising bicycles, building up bicycles from the frame up, hunting for rare parts and refurbishing vintage bikes, seeking out unique and unusual bicycles that are only available in specialty shops, and so on... are not in the majority, and I think we need to respect that. Most people - even those who are excited about cycling - just want to go to a "regular" bike shop, buy a bike, ride it without problems, and fiddle as little with it as possible. There is nothing wrong with that, and I think it would be misguided of me to try and convince everyone I meet that my preferences are "better." And in fact I don't think they are better; they are just different.



I would venture to say that a large percentage of would-be cyclists in North America are turned off from cycling by the discrepancy between their expectations and their actual experiences, when it comes to buying their first bicycle. And it seems to me that rather than blame the "victim," it would be more useful to rethink how the bicycle industry approaches potential customers. I have spoken to way too many people at this point who've told me that they'd love to cycle but are having terrible luck finding a bike. And that just isn't right.

Photos

Laura and I spent the day at Upper Meadow Run last friday. The weather was beautiful, the ice was soft and everyone there was smiling. It was a fun day out climbing...

Tool demo day at Upper Meadow Run

Checking out the creek side boulders

Dr. Bob climbing U.M.P. (upper meadow pillar) WI5-

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1923)

[page 1]
The fourteenth annual reunion of the Phend - Fisher family was held at the home of Jacob Phend north-west of Elkhart on Sunday Sep 2, 1923.

There were 61 members and 5 friends present. The forenoon was spent in a social way. Rev. J. H. Held gave thanks before serving dinner. Prayer and interesting talk by Rev. Held preceding business session after dinner.

Officers elected.
Wm. Phend, Pres.
Ralph Ernest, V. Pres.
Reuben Pletcher, treas.
Ed Phend, Sec'y.

A committee was appointed by the president to secure date and place for the next reunion, consisting of
Fredrik Wherley
Will Phend
Fred Ernest

Music by Mrs. Ed Phend and La Mar. It was moved and seconded that Mr. and Mrs. John Waddels of

[page 2]
Tippecanoe, Ind. should be recognized as members of the reunion. The[y] were unanimously elected as members.

Ice Cream was served before leaving for home. A collection was taken to defray expenses.
Fred ErnestSec'y.



The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Elkhart County, Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. Usually held at Nappanee, the events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Greetings from... California!!

I am sitting in the "Park Rock Cafe" at Joshua Tree National Park in southern California, using their free wifi - which is the first wifi I've found in over a week.

I gave up finding warm weather in Texas. The further north I went, the colder it got. It was nice (50s and 60s) during the day but at night the temperatures were still dropping into the lower 30s. Not too bad but just cold enough to make it uncomfortable when the sun went down.

I also realized that if I were to visit Joshua Tree and Death Valley in a few more weeks, it might be somewhat uncomfortable the other way - too hot. So I buzzed through New Mexico and Arizona. But I'm going back. In a few days I'll be going to Death Valley, and then I'll return to New Mexico and Arizona for a while. At least that's "the plan" for now. I didn't make it to Guadalupe National Park. High winds and colder temperatures didn't make it sound too inviting. Perhaps another time.

There will be a few more posts on Big Bend and then I'll update you with where I've been since leaving there. But that's dependent upon internet access. I'm a bit further behind with posts than usual - it's difficult finding internet access in remote locations!

Taken at Picacho Peak State Park.
The stereotypical image of an Arizona Sunset!

Good-Bye to Dining "Au Velo"

I am not a summer person and will take the cooler temperatures of autumn and spring any time. But one thing I will miss about the warm days, is being able to eat outdoors with our bicycles. Remarkably, this has been possible to orchestrate at most of our favourite restaurants and cafes. But considering how quickly the temperatures are dropping, the days of dining "au velo" are numbered.

Here Marianne and Miles stand in the alleyway of a Harvard Square cafe, right behind our table. No doubt this is one of their last outdoor dining experiences of .

Buying a Vintage Mixte: What to Look For

I know that several of my readers are hunting for vintage mixtes at the moment - intending to use them as sportier alternatives to their main transport bikes. Early summer is a good time to buy a vintage mixte, as many are on the market. But before getting swept up in the romance of those twin lateral stays and buying the first attractive mixte you see, it could be helpful to know what to look for - lest you end up with a bicycle that is un-ridable at your skill level, or with a bicycle where you will have to replace so many parts that the purchase will not be worth it.



Let's start with geometry, and I will try not to make this too technical. It is tempting to look at a mixte and think of it as a cute, comfy "girly bike." But most mixtes from the 1970s and 1980s that you will find on the vintage market were designed as roadbikes. This means that they are not that comfy, and not that easy to ride. And this has nothing to do with whether the bike has drop bars vs swept-back handlebars, but rather with the bicycle's inherent geometry. Without measuring distances and angles, here are some ways to test whether a mixte was designed as a roadbike:



1. Steep Angles? Set the bicycle's saddle height to a level where your leg is extended fully or nearly fully on the downstroke. Are you at all able to touch the ground with one tip of a toe at this saddle height? If yes, or almost, then the bicycle was likely designed with comfortable angles. If not even close, then it was designed with steeper angles. While you can change the angle of the seat tube by moving the saddle backwards, a steep seat tube angle usually means that the bicycle is aggressive in other ways as well, which is what makes it an easy indicator of comfort. Steep angles tend to make a bicycleless comfortable - so take this into consideration.



2. Toe Overlap? Get on the bicycle and start slowly riding it. Now, turn the handlebars dramatically, either to the left or to the right. Does your toe hit the front wheel at all when you do this? If yes, this is called "toe overlap". Most small-sized road and track bikes have it. For road and track cyclists it is not a problem, as they typically cycle so fast that they do not turn the handlebars. However, a city bike will ideally not have toe overlap - as having your toe hit the front wheel can cause a crash. If you are an inexperienced cyclist and the mixte you are trying has toe overlap, think about whether you are prepared to deal with this before you buy the bike. This aspect of the bike's geometry cannot be altered.



3. Responsiveness/Squirrelliness? Start riding the bicycle again and pick up some speed; then make some gentle turns. Cycle around the block, where you have to turn the corner several times. Do you feel stable and in control when cornering, or do you feel as if the bicycle turns too sharply and faster than you expected? If the bicycle feels overly-responsive ("squirrelly") on turns, it was likely designed as a roadbike. For an experienced roadie, this is a good thing. For someone transitioning from a stable city bike, this can be scary and not fun at all. This aspect of the bike's geometry cannot really be changed either.



Once you find a mixte that seems comfortable, take a look at the bike's components and make some mental calculations about value. The main things to consider are the wheels and handlebars.



Older and lower-end mixte models will typically have wheels with steel rims, unless the previous owner replaced them. You can identify steel rims by their little pockmark-like indentations (click image above to enlarge). These are not good for braking, especially in the rain. On a vintage 3-speed steel rims are not so bad, as you are not cycling very fast anyway. But on a sporty mixte, poor braking power is not a good feature to have. I suggest choosing a mixte with alloy rims, or if there is something special about a steel-rimmed mixte that makes you want that specific bike, factor in the cost of replacing the wheels.



If the mixte you are considering is fitted with drop bars, and you are planning to replace them with swept-back bars, be aware that you will most likely also have to change the stem for reasons of compatibility. Together, a new stem and handlebars can be a costly upgrade. A mixte that already comes with swept-back bars could be a better deal.



There are, of course, also other important things to consider - like the state of the brakes, derailleur system, headset, hubs, etc. - not to mention whether the frame itself is structurally sound. For this, you will either have to bring a friend who is knowledgeable about bicycle repair, or trust the seller. You will also have to spend extra money on adding fenders, a rack and new tires for the bike. But these issues are common to all vintage bike purchases, so I will not go into them here.



What I wanted really was to give a sense of what to expect from a vintage mixte in terms of ride quality, and how to tell whether the basic geometry and set-up of a particular mixte is within your comfort zone. Hope this helps, and happy mixte hunting!

SWPA ice conditions & report

SWPA Conditions for the weekenders - OHIOPYLE STATE PARK, Lower Meadow Run - Main Flow L & R WI3, Both IN and leadable. Hemlock WI3+ IN with a thin start, Season Finale M6 ice start IN fat, Anger Managment M6+ IN ice start and finish, Captain Caveman M7+ IN, Both previous routes are now equipped with fixed draws for those looking to work them. Please be courteous to others and leave them there. Lower Meadow Warmup WI2 IN. Upper Meadow Cascades WI3+, Thin definately top ropeable, Confluence Most likely very thin. Let us know if you venture in. SO. C'VILLE ROD & GUNCLUB, Caveshot WI4+ IN, N.R.A. WI5 Questionably IN - Very wet and not well formed. Laura and I put up a new mixed start that comes in from the right. It goes up through several rock placements to the base of the final pillar. Final pillar was VERY wet. I took a fall and ripped a screamer when my crampons suddenly sheered through the semi-frozen snotsicles on the last 30' of the climb. Bring snorkel... Internet Connection M6+ OUT, Skymonkey WI5 OUT, Apline Ascent Gully M2/3 IN. [b]IRISHTOWN, Mouth of Madness WI5- Forming up nicely, The Prow WI4 M3 IN, Upper Tier - No report. Hope this help in making a decision. These are the areas I've checked either today or yesterday. Questions on other areas, get in touch. Here are a few photos from the GUN CLUB today.

Bridge Across the Ditch

This little bridge that was on the pathway to the river trail is over one of the main irrigation ditches that take water to irrigate the small farms along the Rio Grande River.

Take Me to the River!

Just about the only thing saving my sanity during the awful heatwave we are having in Vienna, is the splendid and beautiful Danube. The Danube River and the Danube Canal run through the length of the city, and the bicycle paths along them are extremely useful for travel from one neighborhood to another. The streets of Vienna may be choking with exhaust fumes and the asphalt may be melting from the heat, but the cycle paths by the river are leafy and breezy. And they can take you from the center of town to the serene countryside in as little as 30 minutes!

A couple of days ago, Anna (from Cycling is Good for You) and I escaped Vienna for a trip to the country, swapping bicycles while we were at it. But I will have to postpone writing about that, because I am off to a conference in Romania (which, incidentally, is accessible via the very Danube bicycle path that runs through Vienna). I enjoy knowing that I can get on the river path around the corner from my house, and just keep going for days until I reach either the Black Forest in Germany, or the Black Sea in Romania. And this is the same bike path on which I commute to work! Magical.

Me

A really dorky looking photo of me taken by my friend when we made the day trip to Old Town.

Desert Wild Flower

I don't

know what this plant is. It is one of the first to put on green leaves and bloom in the spring. It seems to be a native plant. The flowers are tiny, tiny on a long stem clustter of flowers. Leaves are long and stripped. Not much to look at but at least it doesn't have stickers on it.

fallen

fallen dogwood

Glimpses of Maine

September 13th. Checking lobster traps on the Nauti-Gal II in Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island.






September 19th. Lobster boats in the harbor at Lubec.





September 21st. An old building on the Schoodic Peninsula.




September 25th. A view of Mount Katahdin from Interstate 95. The summit of Katahdin is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.





September 25th. Along State Road 11 in northern Maine. Yeah, I got lucky with this one!






September 25th. A little further north along State Road 11 in northern Maine.





September 27th. Seagulls at Schoodic Point.

Enjoying a ‘canchanchara cocktail’ and a serenade at the La Canchanchara Bar in Trinidad

I mentioned previously that Blondine and I drank our way through Cuba. We literally sampled all alcoholic concoction that is being thrust in front of us. Now, we are happy to report that we both like Trinidad’s famous fresh cocktail drink called ‘canchanchara’.

Canchanchara is a mixture of rum, honey, lemon juice, water and some ice. The base of a Cuban cocktail drink is always rum. You can enjoy this drink everywhere in Trinidad and in Cuba actually, however, in Trinidad, there is the ‘La Canchanchara Bar’ faithfully offering this drink to visitors.

Blondine and I went there of course and after ordering our canchancharas, we were exclusively serenaded by some locals. Very sweet! And we met the funny ‘Jose’ as well! It was late in the afternoon so there were not many people in the bar. We almost had the place to ourselves =)

Inside the La Canchanchara bar... not busy as it was very late in the afternoon. Trinidad is not like Havana. It is not rundown with tourists.

Canchanchara is a very refreshing cocktail drink. You will have to stir the drink until the honey at the bottom mixes with the drink.

And we got serenaded!

The serenade video at La Canchanchara Bar in Trinidad.

Jose was such a funny guy! He makes us laugh the whole time.

We were told that it gets lively here at the La Canchanchara bar in the evenings. There is music, dancing and all. Jose even told us that he will personally teach us salsa and cha-cha-cha dance if we come back in the evening.

Well, after dinner that night, Blondine and I were so tired, so we opted instead for a relaxing evening back at our farm hotel. A bit boring eh?

Greetings from New York :: Thanks, Apple!

Yes, I'm still here. Or somewhere! I haven't been posting as much as I would like to – it's a lot harder than I thought it would be to find the time (or just take the time) to write while traveling.

I'm in New York, southeast of Snowville, after spending last night and this morning with Apple and her husband. We had a great visit - it was so nice to be able to meet her in person. And I certainly appreciated their warm hospitality. Thanks so much Apple, for putting me up for the night.


More later on the meandering route taken through Ohio on the way to New York... soon, I promise!