I know I have some readers who live in New York City/Manhattan, so here's a reminder to VOTE today. I would suggest Giff Miller for Mayor and Scott Stringer for Manhattan Borough President. Miller is a youthful voice for the city, and has shown how he can beat Bloomberg at the city council level (hopefully a preview of the general election). Miller was on the New York Times "short list", and did fantastic in the most recent debate. Oh, and for all your New Yorkers who are warming to Bloomberg, have you forgotten the stadium boondoggle and his blocking of same-sex marriage?! Vote for a Democrat--your friends will thank you later.
As for Stringer, he was endorsed by The Times. I don't have an air-tight case on why you should vote for him...but you probably don't know much about the candidates anyway.
On a more general topic, I need a bike to get around campus. I know very little about bikes, so I'm hoping my readers can clue me in. How versatile are road bikes? For instance, will this bike work on the gravel (short-cut) road near my apartment? Or should I go with this one just to be safe? Anything I should be looking out for (wheel size, frame size)?
Aaron,
My opinions:
- It's not very safe or enjoyable to take a road bike anywhere but the road. In addition to insufficient grip, your tires will suffer from a tendency to get pinched, especially on a surface like gravel, leading to flats. Handling also suffers to an unsafe degree.
- Hybrids attempt to find a happy medium between mountain bikes and road bikes, but I'm not a fan. The primary benefit of a road bike, or any bike with smooth, narrow tires, is to maintain speed with little energy loss. You're not out there looking to race, just to get from one point to another -- a little extra drag only gets you some more exercise.
- Mountain bikes suffer a little in ride quality on a flat surface (akthough some tires do a better job of this than others), but provide superior grip and handling on rough surfaces.
When it comes to mountain bikes, a variety of option are available, including front and seat suspension, frame materials, etc. In actuality, the vast majority of bicycles are made of the same parts, from the same manufacturers (drivetrain, breaks, etc.). If I were you, I would be looking for a relatively simple mountain bike, front suspension or no suspension (depending on how often you were going to ride on back paths, ride over curbs, etc.) Weight isn't going to be a primary concern of yours, unless you're carrying a bike up and down apartment stairs, so don't get suckered into a more expensive bike that weighs less than a just as useful model.
With regards to frame size, this is a very personal matter, and depends on your height, torso to leg proportion, and riding style. In general, you need to be able to straddle the top tube, and you'd like nearly full extension of the leg at the bottom of the pedal motion. Other than this, ride a bike, see how it feels. Different manufacturers cut the tubes to different lengths at the same frame height, and this will affect the degree to which you feel comfortable and under control while riding.
Other than that, make sure your tires are well inflated, especially if you're riding primarily on paved surfaces (but let some air out for additional traction if you're going for a weekend ride on unpaved surfaces). Invest in a headlight and tailight -- visibility is often your only defense, and on a bicycle you don't have velocity or mass working in your favor, and there's no crumple zone to protect you.
Hope some of this helps. You shouldn't have to pay a lot, but take your time to shop around, find a shop where you feel comfortable with the staff and service, and get a good fit.
Let me know how it goes,
Ian
Thanks, Ian. I've been doing shopping on Craig's List, and I think I've found a mountain bike for $100 that I like. I'm visiting them tomorrow to try it out and see if I want to buy. You raise some excellent points that I'll definitely consider. Thanks!