WHAT BRAND OF BIKE TO BUY?
July 31, 2006
I am a 50-year-old woman who
has not ridden a bike in some time, but would like to purchase
something that is comfortable to ride and easy on the back.
I would ride this bike on paved roads and some dirt roads
or bike trails. I would like some speeds so I do not have
to purchase another bike if I get more experienced.
At a bike shop I looked at a Sun
Cruiser 7-speed for $280 which I thought was pretty steep.
I went to two other shops; one recommended the Schwin Sierra
GS 21-speed for $290, and the other recommended the Diamondback
Wildwood (either a 21- or 24-speed) for about $320. Walmart
has a Schwinn Skyler 21-speed for about $150. For family
trips Good Housekeeping recommends the Diamondback Wildwood
Citi ($220).
What do you think is the best buy
for comfort and riding as I described?
Teena W.
Teena:
I’ve not ridden any of the
bikes you name, so I can’t recommend one over the other.
I think that any of the bikes in
the $300 price range will do well for you. The lower-priced
Diamondback might not last as long if you start biking a
lot—but provided you get it at a bike shop and not
a bix box store, I'll go along. (For the kind of biking
it seems you’ll do, I consider anything beyond seven
speeds overkill—but bike shops sell ‘em, so there
ya go. ) You should get the bike that makes you the happiest,
which means it fits you comfortably (most important) and
you like the color.
You can learn more about the differences
between bike types from my book, Urban
Bikers’ Tricks & Tips, and by looking at
this page.
Mr Bike
