Julian’s Biking in SLC guide
You’re here because you’re interested in getting a bike, or biking around SLC (or maybe somewhere else). If you’re anything like me you’ve done some research, and if you’ve done this research on getting around by bicycle you’re probably confused. You’ve been told a million different things, matters of opinion, options, that your bike is 1000% getting stolen the second you stop looking at it, locks are useless, locks aren’t useless, get a professional bike fitting, saddles should be rock hard, they should be soft… you get the point. There is a lot of conflicting information out there.
This guide aims to solve that confusion. I’m going to tell you exactly what to buy, and how to use your bike to get around. Is there maybe a better deal out there on some of these things? Yes, but I’m pretty damn frugal, so I doubt you’ll do much better on bang for buck. Are there things that I do that might not work perfectly for you specifically? Yes, but if I include all options the we’re back to square one on confusion.
So without further ado…
Buying a bike
This is, obviously the section with the most personal preference. The #1 most important thing is to find a bike that fits that you like. The #2 most important thing is to make sure it has mount points for a rack (pictured below)
Now for some rapid fire features (none of these are deal breakers, #1 and #2 above are):
Component
Short answer
Long answer (me rambling, not necessary to read)
Handlebar type?
Drop bars. Not for aerodynamics (though it helps), but for comfort. 3+ different possible hand positions is just nice.
Others are of course valid, and they aren’t too hard to swap out. I wouldn’t rule out a bike based on this, plenty of fun handlebars https://windone.com/blogs/news/bike-handlebars-types-benefits-drawbacks-how-to-choose
Shifters?
Friction, ideally bar end shifters, but stem and downtube are good as well. Low maintenance, you can use any cassette (for the most part) and never have to worry about gears jumping
Brifters and other index shifters are cool, I use them on my MTB for when I need to shift fast. Around the city it’s not as important and if you’re on budget adds maintenance complexity and parts compatibility issues.
Brake levers?
Ideally the double type with one going down the front, and one across so you can reach from any position on the drop bars.
Not really worth fretting over.
Brake type?
Disks are nice, but not easy to find on used cheap bikes. Rims are fine.
Check to make sure they work
Drivetrain?
In working order. The bigger the rear cassette the better
Run through all the gears. Look out for sharktooth on the chain ring and cassette.
Fenders? Do I need them?
Short answer, in SLC, no. It just doesn’t rain enough here. If you’re just starting and on the fence, skip them.
That being said, they are generally pretty affordable, especially at the bike collective, and pretty awesome. If the bike is going to be your only mode of transportation and there will be days you HAVE to go out in the rain, they’re a worthwhile investment.
Once again, just one guy’s opinion. Not the objective truth
2nd Hand Market (Marketplace, Craigslist, KSL)
If you’re a deal hunter, this is where you’ll find the best deals. Generally follow the advice above. This is where I buy my bikes. It never hurts to make an offer, but do so on line, don’t waste someones time by showing up then making an offer they may have never been open to. Be especially careful of wheels out of true. Expect to pay less than 200$.
Bike Collective
Good middle ground option for the deal finder, they fix these up and sell them cheap. Prices are a bit higher but if you want to try out a few and don’t want to spend time bargain hunting, this is what I recommend.
New Bike
You’re doing this mostly for convenience, bearing that in mind, you should probably choose something really low maintenance like a priority bike. Definitely speedier, but it’s worth noting that when you buy a new lock with your bike, they have an insurance value for the bike so be sure to take care of the registration and whatnot for that.
