Finally bought the bikes... now what?

In article <6SUhc.5841$pg.809@okepread05>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

My wife and I have been looking at buying bikes as a way to get some minor
exercise and for something to get us out of the house and do together.
We've been married almost 4 years, but we used to spend a lot of time riding
bikes together about 20 years ago when we were "only" best friends - and
really enjoyed that time.

Congratulations on getting back into it!

Quoted message said:

So, we bit the proverbial bullet and went looking for bikes a few months
ago. I lurked here for a while and then asked a few questions, which I got
some very nice answers to. Thank you.

We ended up with:
Me: 2004 Giant Cypress LX
Her: 2004 Giant Sedona DX

Most of our riding with be neighborhood riding and small rides like trips to
the library. Once in a while, we'll do a few miles here and there or do
some minor trails in our housing edition. On rare occasion, I may ride with
some other people on the street, but nothing big.

My #1 concern is maintenance and care. I'm interested in the little things
you won't read in an owners manual, but typically learn from experience.
IE.

1) What products to use to keep it clean, lubricated, etc

A damp rag works will for cleaning, though some use car wax as well, I
use either 30W motor oil or "Phil's Tenacious Oil" on the chain. You
don't sound like someone who would be taking it apart to re-grease the
bearings yet, but if you do, automotive bearing grease works well.

Quoted message said:

2) How often will it need lubrication, adjustments, etc

Depends entirely on how often, how hard and how far you ride. Every few
hundred miles is a reasonable first estimate.

Quoted message said:

3) What should we be carrying with us on our little rides ( currently have
Cell phones for serious things, pump, tubes, levers, patch kit, water
bottles, antiseptic, band-aids, gauze )

Personally, I add a small all-in-1 tool kit, and leave out the first aid
stuff (take care of it when I get home), largely because I like tweaking
things. Others will have different opinions, I'm sure.

Quoted message said:

4) Anything else that would be obvious to the vets here that I would never
think of...

We won't be serious riders, or at least I don't think we will. I'm a
fair-weather person who won't even take the motorcycle out if it's under
75F, typically, and who "doesn't do rain."

.....

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Quoted message said:

Well, besides ride them, that is!

It's a good place to start ;-)

Quoted message said:

My #1 concern is maintenance and care. I'm interested in the little things
you won't read in an owners manual, but typically learn from experience.
IE.

The fount of all knowledge on matters cycling big and small is the oracle,
Sheldon Brown. See www.sheldonbrown.com
There's anything and everything you need to know and more on there.

Cheers, and happy cycling, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

"B Parker" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

My #1 concern is maintenance and care. I'm interested in the little things
you won't read in an owners manual, but typically learn from experience.
IE.

1) What products to use to keep it clean, lubricated, etc
2) How often will it need lubrication, adjustments, etc
3) What should we be carrying with us on our little rides ( currently have
Cell phones for serious things, pump, tubes, levers, patch kit, water
bottles, antiseptic, band-aids, gauze )
4) Anything else that would be obvious to the vets here that I would never
think of...

It might be a good idea to review road riding tips, a good source is:

http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/

Chains should be lubed when they start getting noisy, which is usually after a
few hundred miles of dry riding. You can use chain lube from the bike shop or
just motor oil -- wipe excess. Shift cables will usually require some
adjustment after the first few rides as they settle in. The Park Tools site
and Sheldon Brown's site offer adjustment info.

You might practice removing wheels/tires at home before you get your first
road flat. Carry a spare tube, it's easier than patching on the road. Carry at
least a small set of Allen wrenches in case something loosens, especially on
first shake down rides.

B Parker said:

1) What products to use to keep it clean, lubricated, etc

I use White Lightning on the chain when it starts to get noisy.
The entire bike gets an occasional rinse with water and citrus
cleaner.

My tour and MTBs get rougher service, and I've found just an
occasional coating with WD-40 seems to make it easier to clean
when the next rinse comes along, and seems to be a decent protectant
of the metal components.

I haven't waxed or polished a bike in decades!

Quoted message said:

2) How often will it need lubrication, adjustments, etc

Adjust the shifters when they don't quite shift right. Usually
this is simply tightening up on the cable, especially with a
new bike, that may have cables stretching after a while.

Tighten up the brake cables when the brakes don't seem to grab.
I've really never experienced *good* braking on a bike for any
length of time, and I'm loathe to readjust pads every month. I
think you can get along with simple cable adjustments for quite
a while, especially as a casual rider.

Lubricate something when it gets noisy.

Quoted message said:

3) What should we be carrying with us on our little rides ( currently have
Cell phones for serious things, pump, tubes, levers, patch kit, water
bottles, antiseptic, band-aids, gauze )

Seems more than sufficient for a casual rider.

Quoted message said:

4) Anything else that would be obvious to the vets here that I would never
think of...

I'd really recommend a light up front and back. A flashing red
LED astern will go years on a set a AA's. Get a real white light
for the front. There are some very nice, inexpensive lights now
out on the market that produce a very strong beam of light, are
light weight, run on AA batteries, and are easily removable from
the bike for hand flashlight duty, or for theft prevention.

I know you plan on casual riding, but you never know when that
trip to the library gets drawn out into dark hours. It really
can't hurt to have a set of lights.

You may want to consider a computer as well. You can find
inexpensive ones with more information than you'll ever really
be interested in for about 20-25 bucks. At first, speed seems
most interesting to new riders, but over time, I think distance
gains importance.

Happy pedaling!

SMH

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 14:16:32 -0500, "B Parker" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Well, besides ride them, that is!

My wife and I have been looking at buying bikes as a way to get some minor
exercise and for something to get us out of the house and do together.
We've been married almost 4 years, but we used to spend a lot of time riding
bikes together about 20 years ago when we were "only" best friends - and
really enjoyed that time.

So, we bit the proverbial bullet and went looking for bikes a few months
ago. I lurked here for a while and then asked a few questions, which I got
some very nice answers to. Thank you.

We ended up with:
Me: 2004 Giant Cypress LX
Her: 2004 Giant Sedona DX

Quoted message said:

Most of our riding with be neighborhood riding and small rides like trips to
the library. Once in a while, we'll do a few miles here and there or do
some minor trails in our housing edition. On rare occasion, I may ride with
some other people on the street, but nothing big.

My #1 concern is maintenance and care. I'm interested in the little things
you won't read in an owners manual, but typically learn from experience.
IE.

1) What products to use to keep it clean, lubricated, etc

If you want to get into wiping off dirt, etc., I've found Pledge is
good. Spray it on a rag and wipe down places. Keep it off the brake
pads and rims!

Lubricating chains is a tough one. People have very different ideas.
And the funny thing is, all these different ideas and they all work in
their own way 🙂

I used to use Tri-Flo for years. Have been trying Rock'N'Roll for the
last year and I like it.

The best thing for the chain and gears, no matter what lube, is to
wipe them down every now and then.

Quoted message said:

2) How often will it need lubrication, adjustments, etc

Lubrication depends on the lube. Realistically, I have seen bikes that
appear to have never been lubed for years and people ride them and are
fine.

Adjustment- when things start not working.

Quoted message said:

3) What should we be carrying with us on our little rides ( currently have
Cell phones for serious things, pump, tubes, levers, patch kit, water
bottles, antiseptic, band-aids, gauze )

I include a 5mm allen wrench and a small reversible screwdriver. On my
bikes, I can do most basic adjustments with these.

Quoted message said:

4) Anything else that would be obvious to the vets here that I would never
think of...

Let's see... oh yeah, tire inflation is probably the biggest influence
on the quality of the feel of the bike on the road. Take the time to
try different pressures, find the one(s) that feel best, and take the
time to check the tires once a week or so.

Quoted message said:

We won't be serious riders, or at least I don't think we will. I'm a
fair-weather person who won't even take the motorcycle out if it's under
75F, typically, and who "doesn't do rain."

Seriously enjoy your new bikes however you find it best to use them.

Quoted message said:

I'd really recommend a light up front and back. A flashing red
LED astern will go years on a set a AA's. Get a real white light
for the front. There are some very nice, inexpensive lights now
out on the market that produce a very strong beam of light, are
light weight, run on AA batteries, and are easily removable from
the bike for hand flashlight duty, or for theft prevention.

I second the suggestion for a flashing red light, BUT I would not recommend
the AA battery kind. Last year, I got "caught" in a foggy area and turned on
my red blinker only to have the AA batteries jiggle themselves out of
contact over and over again. The result was that I didn't have a light at
all. I replaced it with the kind of light that has a coin-shaped battery.
That shape of battery doesn't lose contact as easily as the AA ones.

Quoted message said:

You may want to consider a computer as well. You can find
inexpensive ones with more information than you'll ever really
be interested in for about 20-25 bucks. At first, speed seems
most interesting to new riders, but over time, I think distance
gains importance.

Happy pedaling!
SMH

I agree on the computer. It is also handy if you want to go "out" one way
for a certain number of miles and then turn around and come back in. In
addition, they keep time and it is easier to look at the computer than to
turn your wrist and push back your sleeve to see what time it is. I would
just say don't get one of the super duper computers. They can quickly get
too much information on them! A pretty basic one is a much better value.

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'd really recommend a light up front and back. A flashing red
LED astern will go years on a set a AA's. Get a real white light
for the front. There are some very nice, inexpensive lights now
out on the market that produce a very strong beam of light, are
light weight, run on AA batteries, and are easily removable from
the bike for hand flashlight duty, or for theft prevention.

I second the suggestion for a flashing red light, BUT I would not

recommend

Quoted message said:

the AA battery kind. Last year, I got "caught" in a foggy area and turned

on

Quoted message said:

my red blinker only to have the AA batteries jiggle themselves out of
contact over and over again. The result was that I didn't have a light at
all. I replaced it with the kind of light that has a coin-shaped battery.
That shape of battery doesn't lose contact as easily as the AA ones.

I disagree. I've never had a light jiggle out as described. At the same
time, AA and AAA batteries are readily available, such that if they burn
out, you can stop just about anywhere and get replacements -- even a
convenience store.

I had watch battery bar end blinkies, and when the batteries finally died,
it was so hard to get the old batteries in and the new ones out, that the
blinkies were ruined. The batteries also cost about half the original price
of the blinkies. Fortunately, REI refunded me the money the blinkies
originally cost -- after I messed up the first blinkie, I had the shop
people try to do the second one, and they had the same trouble. Still, I was
$10 in the hole for the new replacement batteries. Interestingly, REI no
longer carries this product.

Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato and .net for .com
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

Claire Petersky said:

Quoted message said:

I second the suggestion for a flashing red light, BUT I would not
recommend the AA battery kind. Last year, I got "caught" in a foggy
area and turned on my red blinker only to have the AA batteries
jiggle themselves out of contact over and over again. The result was
that I didn't have a light at all. I replaced it with the kind of
light that has a coin-shaped battery. That shape of battery doesn't
lose contact as easily as the AA ones.

I disagree. I've never had a light jiggle out as described. At the same
time, AA and AAA batteries are readily available, such that if they burn
out, you can stop just about anywhere and get replacements -- even a
convenience store.

I also have had good experiences with AA lights. I have a red blinkie from
Mountain Equipment Coop and this thing is bombproof. You can tell when you
put the batteries in that they're not going anywhere. Waterproof and
unbreakable (except for the mounting hardware).

Once I had the light clipped to my bag and when I reached around to pull
something out of a pocket I knocked it onto the road at high speeds. The
cover popped off the light, but the body bounced and skidded away intact,
and in fact still blinking. While I was picking up the body, a car ran
over the cover, which was launched into the air with a VERY INTERESTING
noise. When I picked up the cover, it was totally fine, not even scuffed.

My only complaint with these lights is that I'm always losing them.
Sometimes I forget to pull them off my bike when it's locked up outside
and they're always stolen inside of 5 minutes. Once I bolted one on and
someone ripped it in half trying to steal it. Sometimes they get snapped
off the mounting brackets and lost when I take my bike offroad or load it
into cars and things like that. I'm constantly buying new ones, but at
least at MEC they're only $5.

B Parker said:

Thank you for your possible input, I'll be eagerly awaiting anything you can
offer!

One big recommendation: If you can find a League Certified Instructor
near you, consider taking a short course in cycling. The courses run
about 9 to 12 hours total, and you'll learn more in a shorter time than
by any other method. Visit http://www.bikeleague.org/instructors/index.cfm
for a list of instructors in your state.

And you may enjoy this website:

http://www.bicyclinglife.com

--
-------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, omit what's between "at" and "cc"]

Fri, 23 Apr 2004 00:59:55 GMT, <eUZhc.6133$aQ6.653301@attbi_s51>,

Claire Petersky said:

Quoted message said:

Last year, I got "caught" in a foggy area and turned on
my red blinker only to have the AA batteries jiggle themselves out of
contact over and over again. The result was that I didn't have a light at
all. I replaced it with the kind of light that has a coin-shaped battery.
That shape of battery doesn't lose contact as easily as the AA ones.

I disagree. I've never had a light jiggle out as described. At the same
time, AA and AAA batteries are readily available, such that if they burn
out, you can stop just about anywhere and get replacements -- even a
convenience store.

I agree with using the commonest available batteries.

The switch circuit on mine has been tripping lately. It goes from off
to on or blink to on. It's not tripped off. It used to fall apart on
good bumps but I taped it. I'd originally taped it to stop it from
acting flukey in the rain.

A question for the OP: Does it occur in dry conditions? Are you sure
it's the batteries losing contact or could moisture be the culprit?

I've not had problems with battery contacts in any of the Planet Bike
lights or blinkies I use.

Quoted message said:

The batteries also cost about half the original price
of the blinkies.

The "N" cell batteries in the small, flat, ten-dollar blinky are $6.
--
zk

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'd really recommend a light up front and back. A flashing red
LED astern will go years on a set a AA's. Get a real white light
for the front. There are some very nice, inexpensive lights now
out on the market that produce a very strong beam of light, are
light weight, run on AA batteries, and are easily removable from
the bike for hand flashlight duty, or for theft prevention.

I second the suggestion for a flashing red light, BUT I would not recommend
the AA battery kind. Last year, I got "caught" in a foggy area and turned on
my red blinker only to have the AA batteries jiggle themselves out of
contact over and over again. The result was that I didn't have a light at
all. I replaced it with the kind of light that has a coin-shaped battery.
That shape of battery doesn't lose contact as easily as the AA ones.

I have used a cheap AA battery blinkie for 3 years, and it has _never_
turned itself off. What brand are you using?

.....

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 14:16:32 -0500, "B Parker" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

We ended up with:
Me: 2004 Giant Cypress LX
Her: 2004 Giant Sedona DX

Sure hope her's didn't end up being a "women's" model. While
top-tubeless bikes probably made some sense in the early days of
cycling when women actually rode in skirts, in today's market the
additional weight and reduced strength make no sense at all.

JMHO

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

In article <[email hidden]>, jeverett3
@earthlink.DEFEAT.UCE.BOTS.net says...

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 14:16:32 -0500, "B Parker" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

We ended up with:
Me: 2004 Giant Cypress LX
Her: 2004 Giant Sedona DX

Sure hope her's didn't end up being a "women's" model. While
top-tubeless bikes probably made some sense in the early days of
cycling when women actually rode in skirts, in today's market the
additional weight and reduced strength make no sense at all.

Step-through frames make sense for some people. For example if a person
has a hip problem and they can't raise their leg high enough to get over
the seat. Or like my wife who has a very weak left foot and can't
balance well enough to raise her right leg over the seat without falling
and dumping the bike on herself.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

"John Everett" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 14:16:32 -0500, "B Parker" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

We ended up with:
Me: 2004 Giant Cypress LX
Her: 2004 Giant Sedona DX

Sure hope her's didn't end up being a "women's" model. While
top-tubeless bikes probably made some sense in the early days of
cycling when women actually rode in skirts, in today's market the
additional weight and reduced strength make no sense at all.

I was showing the bikes ( via the Web ) to a woman here at work and she
mentioned that she didn't understand why women's bikes had the lowered bar
and that she thought it made sense the other way around. I told her I had
no real idea why women's bikes were that way, but probably had to wo with
the clothing many years ago. It's good to see I guessed correctly!

My wife likes to "mount" the bike by stepping through and then sliding back
onto the seat. She used to ride a men's 10-speed in high school when we
used to ride around, and couldn't stand the bard on the men's bike she rode.
I just put my foot on the left pedal and swing my leg over - it's just more
comfortable to me.

If she mounted the bike the way I do, I would probably have had her get a
men's frame, if only for the resale ability. She'll never push the bike to
its limits where the difference in frame strength will come into play so I'm
not too worried about that. For something that won't get a ton of use, the
aesthetics of the bike ( in her casem color and looks ) are more important
to me. I want her to be riding something she's happy to be riding.

If she really gets into it, it might be a good idea to talk to her about a
mens bike on her next purchase, but I don't think that will end up
happening. We'll see, though. Only time and shiny-side-up miles will tell!

--
The Parkers
Broken Arrow, OK

Quoted message said:

If she mounted the bike the way I do, I would probably have had her get a
men's frame, if only for the resale ability. She'll never push the bike

to

Quoted message said:

its limits where the difference in frame strength will come into play so

I'm not too worried about that. For something that won't get a ton of use,
the aesthetics of the bike ( in her casem color and looks ) are more
important to me. I want her to be riding something she's happy to be
riding.

Quoted message said:

If she really gets into it, it might be a good idea to talk to her about a
mens bike on her next purchase, but I don't think that will end up
happening. We'll see, though. Only time and shiny-side-up miles will

tell!

Quoted message said:

--
The Parkers
Broken Arrow, OK

When we talk about frame strength, we are not talking about the bike's frame
bending or breaking.

Several years ago, I had occasion to ride a step-through frame "women's
bike" because that was the bike with the child carrier on the back. Where
the lack of strength comes in is that the bike would flex sideways while
riding. I could feel the front end of the bike and the back end reacting
differently as I rode. This means that your energy is not all going into
moving the bike forward because it flexes sideways all of the time. that's
tiring over a long time. Of course, the little kid throwing his weight
around (literally) didn't help the ride, either.

I mount my diamond frame bike (notice I didn't say "men's bike"😉 by putting
my right leg over the frame with the right pedal at the 12 O'clock position.
As I push down with my right leg, the bike moves forward and I sit down on
the saddle. IMHO, the terms "men's and women's bikes" went out of general
use in about 1970. The only people I ever hear use those terms are older
people getting back into riding after many years.

Pat in TX

I got "caught" in a foggy area and turned on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

my red blinker only to have the AA batteries jiggle themselves out of
contact over and over again. The result was that I didn't have a light

at

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

all. I replaced it with the kind of light that has a coin-shaped

battery.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That shape of battery doesn't lose contact as easily as the AA ones.

I have used a cheap AA battery blinkie for 3 years, and it has _never_
turned itself off. What brand are you using?

I even went out and looked through my junk box on the bike bench but didn't
find it. I guess I threw it out. I once went over a RR track crossing and
that thing bounced up into the air and broke into a jillion pieces. I was
going to just say the hell with it--but then I remembered the batteries were
new. I turned around, picked up all the pieces, and rebuilt it and darned
if it didn't work!

Pat in TX

B Parker said:

mentioned that she didn't understand why women's bikes had the lowered bar
and that she thought it made sense the other way around. I told her I had

Always a good point.

Quoted message said:

My wife likes to "mount" the bike by stepping through and then sliding back
onto the seat. She used to ride a men's 10-speed in high school when we
used to ride around, and couldn't stand the bard on the men's bike she rode.
I just put my foot on the left pedal and swing my leg over - it's just more
comfortable to me.

Are the bikes in question too large? You ought to be able to mount
by standing on the _ground_ and swinging a leg over (given enough
flexibility to swing said leg).

Quoted message said:

not too worried about that. For something that won't get a ton of use, the
aesthetics of the bike ( in her casem color and looks ) are more important
to me. I want her to be riding something she's happy to be riding.

That's a lot more important than frame style. If she's happier with
that, great, she's more likely to ride...and _riding_ is what
matters.

Quoted message said:

If she really gets into it, it might be a good idea to talk to her about a
mens bike on her next purchase, but I don't think that will end up

They're called "traditional diamond frame", not "men's", so we don't
deter women from riding them... 😉

Quoted message said:

happening. We'll see, though. Only time and shiny-side-up miles will tell!

Shiny side up? She's bald? <G>
--
Rick Onanian

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

When we talk about frame strength, we are not talking about the bike's

frame

Quoted message said:

bending or breaking.

Several years ago, I had occasion to ride a step-through frame "women's
bike" because that was the bike with the child carrier on the back. Where
the lack of strength comes in is that the bike would flex sideways while
riding. I could feel the front end of the bike and the back end reacting
differently as I rode. This means that your energy is not all going into
moving the bike forward because it flexes sideways all of the time. that's
tiring over a long time. Of course, the little kid throwing his weight
around (literally) didn't help the ride, either.

Great information, Pat. I'll ask her if she notices any of this as she
rides. Structurally, your explanation makes total sense with the pressures
and stresses brought about by the different weld points, torque of the
"Drive train", etc.. Now you've got me curious and with the urge to ride
mine for a bit and then try hers - I'm pretty sensitive to things of this
sort.

Quoted message said:

I mount my diamond frame bike (notice I didn't say "men's bike"😉 by

putting

Quoted message said:

my right leg over the frame with the right pedal at the 12 O'clock

position.

Quoted message said:

As I push down with my right leg, the bike moves forward and I sit down on

How people mount their bikes, men's or women's, is kind of an interesting
topic. I would have never even thought of mounting my bike in the way you
describe. If I had to guess why I mount mine the way I do, I'd say it's
because the 10-speed that I used to ride in high school belonged to my
step-father and was a -bit- too tall for me ( he's about 4 inches tall than
I ) and had the cages on the pedals. It was pretty much the only way that I
could reasonably get on the sucker. On a side note, his bike looked exactly
like that bike the person was asking about in "Help identifying this bike,
please." thread. Every little detail I remember about it matches up with
those pictures.

I've never ridden with clips and don't know how fast and easy it is to get
your feet in them these days. The way you describe mounting the cycle makes
sense to me for someone who wears clips, though. By the time you're on the
seat, the bike is in motion, you have one foot clipped in, and the other is
getting in, right? The way I mount the cycle, you wouldn't have the same
stability.

If my bike "fits" me and is adjusted properly, I should be able to mount it
the way you do. I'll give it a try and see how comfortable it feels.
There's a whole new world out there for me to explore!

Quoted message said:

the saddle. IMHO, the terms "men's and women's bikes" went out of general
use in about 1970. The only people I ever hear use those terms are older
people getting back into riding after many years.

I'd wager you're way off on this. If you grabbed 100 random people of
various ages off of the street and showed them a men's and women's bike,
then asked them to tell you what they would call each of them based on the
crossbars, I'd wager 800% more people would call them "men's" and "women's"
than would call them "diamond frame" and "step-through." Gather up people
who were born in 1970 or later, and I doubt the percentage would drop
awfully much.

A group of people who are into cycling and keeping up with the evolving
terminology would obviously yield different results.

Thanks again for the information and insights,
--
The Parkers
Broken Arrow, OK

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Several years ago, I had occasion to ride a step-through frame "women's
bike" because that was the bike with the child carrier on the back.

Where

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the lack of strength comes in is that the bike would flex sideways while
riding. I could feel the front end of the bike and the back end reacting
differently as I rode. This means that your energy is not all going

into

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moving the bike forward because it flexes sideways all of the time.

that's

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tiring over a long time. Of course, the little kid throwing his weight
around (literally) didn't help the ride, either.

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Great information, Pat. I'll ask her if she notices any of this as she
rides. Structurally, your explanation makes total sense with the

pressures

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and stresses brought about by the different weld points, torque of the
"Drive train", etc.. Now you've got me curious and with the urge to ride
mine for a bit and then try hers - I'm pretty sensitive to things of this
sort.

This was a few years ago, and her bike today might have better bracing. I
certainly hope so!

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How people mount their bikes, men's or women's, is kind of an interesting

topic. I would have never even thought of mounting my bike in the way you
describe. If I had to guess why I mount mine the way I do, I'd say it's
because the 10-speed that I used to ride in high school belonged to my
step-father and was a -bit- too tall for me ( he's about 4 inches tall than
I ) and had the cages on the pedals. It was pretty much the only way that I
could reasonably get on the sucker. On a side note, his bike looked exactly
like that bike the person was asking about in "Help identifying this bike,
please." thread. Every little detail I remember about it matches up with
those pictures.

One difference could be that my bike's pedals are Look pedals and when I
mount the bike, I want my right foot clicked in place first.

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I've never ridden with clips and don't know how fast and easy it is to get
your feet in them these days. The way you describe mounting the cycle

makes sense to me for someone who wears clips, though. By the time you're
on the seat, the bike is in motion, you have one foot clipped in, and the
other is getting in, right? The way I mount the cycle, you wouldn't have
the same stability.

yeah, exactly...or that's the idea, anyway!

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If my bike "fits" me and is adjusted properly, I should be able to mount

it

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the way you do. I'll give it a try and see how comfortable it feels.
There's a whole new world out there for me to explore!

just get on the way you like. AFAIK, there is no one "right way" to get on.

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the saddle. IMHO, the terms "men's and women's bikes" went out of

general use in about 1970. The only people I ever hear use those terms are
older people getting back into riding after many years.

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I'd wager you're way off on this. If you grabbed 100 random people of
various ages off of the street and showed them a men's and women's bike,

then asked them to tell you what they would call each of them based on the
crossbars, I'd wager 800% more people would call them "men's" and "women's"
than would call them "diamond frame" and "step-through." Gather up people
who were born in 1970 or later, and I doubt the percentage would drop
awfully much.

Have you looked at kids' bikes lately? With the advent of the BMX type bike,
the manufacturers use the same bike but paint the boys' version purple and
the girls' version red--but the frame is the same. And the adult version is
the same--the city bike or mountain bike is the same frame just painted
different colors. the way you set up the wager, though, would result in
different opinions from people who grew up with BMX bikes and mountain bikes
viewing a bike. Those people would go into a store and say "I'm here to
look at bikes." not "I'm here to look at boys' bikes." Only the older people
would look for the step through frame. The younger ones would think that
the diamond frame mountain bike is the normal bike. They just wouldn't call
it "diamond frame" perhaps.

Pat in TX