Originally Posted by
Machka
For some ... all this research is half the fun!!
Originally Posted by
CompleteStreets
I could go on. Am I the only one who recognizes that all of these things combined deter a huge chunk of the population from choosing to bike? I do have global answers to most of these problems, but I'm curious to hear others' thoughts.
I think a more real reason that deters a huge chunk of the population from buying a bike is walking into a LBS and being told that if you aren't ready to drop $1500 on an "entry" level bike, you'll wind up with a POS that you'll hate and you'll outgrow in a moment. A lot of enthusiasts in this sport don't realize that to someone new, what might just be a cheap bike to them is actually an extravagant outlying of cash to an average person.
But, Ikea agrees with you:
https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...iew-helen-pidd
Originally Posted by
Leebo
OP, over thinking it. Sit on a bike, if it fits, pedal. Might need some tweaks. I don't lock up my bike on the street, so no need to worry about theft.
Originally Posted by
10 Wheels
I bought a $15... 23 y/o road bike and started riding.
Pretty much this. People tend to overcomplicate things. My favorite bike was bought on a whim for $27 at the thrift shop. Unless there is some specific reason for the bike purchase (say participating in triathlons) to a new person, anything they can be comfortable on and want to ride is the "right" bike. Nailing down particular details is far more important after you have been riding a while, and actually have an idea of what is working and what is not on your current ride.