Do you Need an Expensive Bike?

Bicycles range from a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. We have the latter. Just kidding! People spend a lot of money on bicycles and that’s great if they have that kind of luxury and use it daily. We don’t bike ride every day and we don’t commute to work on a bicycle. If you have the budget and need a bike to use daily, you’ll probably get a road bike that can range from hundreds of dollars to a few thousands. If you’re biking on a weekend or only on nice days, then you don’t need to invest in a an expensive bike. Am I right?

My Bicycles Cycle

When we first started biking, I had a cheap Target bicycle. Not only was is too short, it was pink (yuck) and heavy! We gave it to a cousin who left it in the basement of the building and it got stolen. When I got my second bike, another pink (yuck) bike from Walmart, it was again small and heavy but it was cheap. When I say cheap, I mean I don’t think it was even a $100, more like $89. My final bike now is another Walmart Bike but it was on sale for $179 and green so I took it. It’s actually a 26” Schwinn male bike but I don’t mind it or care. It was green and we thought it was $89 but once we scanned it there was no going back. I’ve had the bike for two years now and have had no issues..apart from needing to change the tubes a few times.

As for my hubby, my hubster, my bubbi bear, he has a Diamondback bike. This is a pricier bicycle but it was used and being sold on Facebook for $150. It was a steal and he loves it. It’s also a 26 inch and he definitely could use a 29 inch bike but it’s good for now. All he did was change the seat to make it more comfortable because the old seat was in bad condition. He also has had no other issues with the bike other than needing to change the tubes due to some bumpy trails.

We have done hundreds of miles on our inexpensive mountain bikes. They have gone on gravel, on dirt, on grass and enjoyed some smooth paved roads.

Choosing a Mountain Bike

When we were looking for our mountain bikes our budget was the driving force. With a limited budget you are, well, limited. We still tried to look at bikes that were:

• Durable
• Comfortable

When you’re shopping for your bike, make sure that you get the right size. Be sure to extend the seat and bars and sit on the bike. Make sure you can reach over and grip the handles comfortably without hunching down too much. Another thing to note is that the bigger the wheel the easier and faster you’ll move. Mountain bike tires have more traction which makes them great for dirt roads but not as fast on smooth paved roads. Last year I was ready to quit when an older couple (at least in their 70s) passed by me with ease. They were on fancier bikes but their tires is what made the real difference. Their tires worked better on the paved trail which helped them pass me. Plus, I was on mile 25 and my knees were ready to snap on me. But, good for them and we hope that we can become that couple one day.

So, all in all, we love our cheap bikes. You don’t need an expensive bike to go riding. Does it help to have a fancy bike with all the bells and whistles? I don’t know since I don’t own one. If your excuse for not riding a bike is because they are too expensive, go to a store, grab a cheap bike you like and start riding! A bike is a bike, is it not?