January 08, 2004
Namaste Teacher,
��� I would like your advise on buying a entry level bike for myself. Any information you could provide would be most helpful.
Thank you
Student Kai
Beautiful HP Yoga Student Kai -
i like the Direction of your fitness thoughts!
1) choose your budget. a good bike that will last you until you seek a higher performance model will cost about $1,000.00
2) choose if you want to buy a mountain bike (abbreviated MTB) or a road bike (like the kind Lance Armstrong rides in the Tour de France). MTB�s are more versatile, for they can be ridden on the road as well, but road bikes will not long last in MTB terrain. MTB's are easier to learn on and require less bike handing skills and are not ridden in such close proximity to unaware car addicts. Road bikes are, for the most part, better for dialing in a higher level of cardiovascular fitness however. When i won my State Silver Medal as a mountain bike racer, i spent more than 75% of my training volume on a road bike. There is no fitness quite like road bike fitness. Just ask Lance.
3) choose your frame material; steel (heavy but smooth ride), titanium (extremely light and strong but also very expensive) or carbon fiber, and/or aluminum. for most beginners, aluminum with some carbon fiber elements is fantastic.
4) choose your components. these are the little pulleys, chains, brakes, and other gizmos which make the bicycle work. these gizmos can be VERY expensive but worth every penny, since you want equipment that lasts and makes shifting gears a delight besides being safe.
5) choose your wheel set. this includes your Tires, Tubes, Spokes, Rims, and Hubs. very important stuff. the better the wheel set, the better the 'feel' of the bike's movement and the less maintenance required.
my suggestion is to prioritize your money like this:
a) components
b) wheel set
c) frame
you can always buy a sweeter frame, then swap your components and wheel set over to it.
what sucks is buying a killer fancy frame but then having cheap ass components on it that constantly break or lose efficiency. many bicycle manufacturers sell bikes this way; fancy frame sucky components and wheels.
make an appointment with Elliot, owner of RESEDA CYCLERY near the corner of Reseda an Sherman Way. tell him that i sent you and how much you want to spend. you may contact me again if you wish before you buy, but he will do you right, i am sure. then, arrange a cycling clinic with me so we start you off on the right foot....errrr, wheel!
proud of you!
Elliot's number: 818-345-8844
i bow to your willingness to find yoga OUTSIDE and OFF the sticky mat! that is what HP Yoga is ALL ABOUT, baby!
see you on the cobbles,
Steve Ilg, RYT
United States Cycling Federation Expert Coach
WholisticFitness.com
Ilgtrain@pacbell.net