The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: maryofdoom on April 02, 2013, 07:58:50 AM
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Hi friends,
I bought a bike last fall, and because I am a wuss who has little to no experience riding a bike in the past 20 years, I have not been using it over the winter. However, with the eventual advent of spring (theoretically; it's 35 degrees here and probably snowing), I want to bike more.
I would really like to get a good bike computer that shows how far I have gone, so I can track my progress and hopefully improve it over time. What features should I be looking for in such a device?
Also, if I'm going to take my bike places, I probably need a bike lock. Which is the best one to get for someone who lives in a fairly rural area and will be doing most biking there?
Thanks for your help and advice.
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for a bike computer, i have this one (http://www.amazon.com/CatEye-Velo-Bicycle-Computer-CC-VL810/dp/B007YV1GM4/ref=sr_1_7?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1364911396&sr=1-7&keywords=cat+eye+bike+computer). it's pretty basic, but tells you how far you've gone, how long you've been biking, average speed, etc.
if you have a smartphone, there are also apps that can perform roughly the same functions. here's a list (http://ipod.about.com/od/bestiphoneapps/tp/5-Great-Gps-Cycling-Apps-For-Iphone.htm) of some for the iphone -- i haven't tried any of them, though.
this (http://www.amazon.com/OnGuard-Bulldog-5011-Bicycle-U-Lock/dp/B000FL3E84/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)is the lock i have. so far, so good. if you register your lock and your bike with the company, they will cover a bike replacement if yours is stolen while locked up. kinda cool.
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If you are in a low crime rural area I would guess a simple cable lock will be sufficient.
No bike lock is infallible, the trick is to make the lock strong enough that it's not worth the effort.
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A cable lock also has the advantage of going around a diversity of things (trees, cows, etc.) which I find is important in rural areas.
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A cable lock also has the advantage of going around a diversity of things (trees, cows, etc.) which I find is important in rural areas.
It also has the advantage of allowing your bike to be stolen if you look at the lock awry.
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If you're in a rural area or small town and are just biking down to the local grocery store or whatever to head in for a few hours, a cheap and light weight cable lock is easiest to transport and to lock to things. It also won't stand more than 10 seconds against a heavy duty pair of cable cutters . . . but I used a cheap cable lock for more than 10 years with no problem while living in a small town. That said, I also had a crappy department store bike at that time. It will keep people from walking off with your bike while you go somewhere for a few minutes.
If you are planning on biking to work and leaving the bike outside all day I'd still invest in a decent U-lock and cable. You'll probably want to leave it at work though, because good u-locks are heavy to carry around everywhere while you're biking. REMEMBER - a good lock doesn't protect your bike if you don't know how to lock it up properly! Lock up like this, and your bike is about as safe as you can make it:
(http://www.themissionarydepot.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/How-to-lock-your-bike-2.jpg)
This locks the frame and rear wheel (most expensive bits to replace) securely with the u-lock, and keeps someone from walking off with your front wheel (via the QR skewers) with the cable.
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Here are the considerations that I have:
- I will probably mostly be biking to the grocery store and back. It's about 4 miles away. There are plenty of signs with metal posts out there that could be used for locking a bike.
- If I do get to the point where I am biking at least some of the distance to work, there's a bike rack in the parking garage that I can use. The parking area is staffed during the workday with at least two guys who valet park cars. (We have a fancy office.)
- My bike is slightly nicer than a Huffy, but it's still not super nice.
Still, you've all given me some good ideas and advice. I would expect no less from this forum. :)