Department Store Bikes - Great and Terrible (why Bike Shop Bikes are Expensive)

Being bike-crazy I often entertain myself on rainy days or after the kids are in bed by visiting bike forums. One of my favorites, MTBR, has as section I like frequent - Beginner's Corner. The majority of peoples' questions fall into two categories: getting help choosing upgrade parts, or getting help choosing between bike models. Sometimes, the person is pounced on by seasoned bikers chastising them for not choosing "real" bike brands, especially if one came from a department store. The self-proclaimed expert rarely offered reasons why they are so terrible. Then everyone goes away mad, not educated.

Department Store Bikes... the Givens

First, I have to say I don't hate Department store bikes. They do have their purpose - to be someone's first bike. But I do also agree with the "experts'" reasons (that are often poorly articulated) that these bikes are not the highest quality. I believe the main reason the for the chastising is the seasoned guys and the newbees are coming from different places. The seasoned folks eat, sleep, and live bikes 24-7. They often ride many hours a week, often on extreme terrain - rocks, jumps, high speed. The new owner is probably not going to be hitting these next-level trails any time soon (hopefully). Riding a department store bike in these areas can be, well, deadly and the old guys are not afraid to say that. While it is said with the best intentions, it is very deflating to an excited new owner.

So why are these bikes so dangerous? Why so unworthy? Well, they aren't... under the right conditions. These bikes are perfectly fine riding the neighborhood or local greenway. But, department store bikes are build to hit a price point, not difficult trails. Being "entry level" means everything about this bike is a compromise to keep the price low - cheaper materials, designed with less concern about tolerances, minimal R&D, assembled by non-professionals. Other than the last point, these "shortcomings" are not bad, just not right for the kind of riding the majority of MTBR guys do. High-end bikes have years and often millions of dollars of research to allow them able to withstand harsh trail conditions. They often use exotic materials like titanium and carbon fiber making them strong and light.

All these special materials not only mean extra strength but also better fit. The tighter tolerances of the machined parts of a derailleur, compared to one made from cheap stamped-out parts, mean shifting will be crisp, and it will stay tuned longer. Is this worth twice (or 10X) as much money? That debate is for another article.

Other things I have learned (and what MTBR guys should be/are saying):

Let's face it, Mountain biking, heck, any hobby, is expensive, especially if you insist on the highest quality, or you want to make major upgrades. There is almost no way to have high quality at a low price. So, if you expect to do big stunts (safely), expect to pay big bucks.

So, you still want to mountain bike and you don't have a lot of money? Spend as much as you can afford and don't question your decision. Let's face it, if you can only afford $200, that's all you can afford. Ride it and don't take it past its, or your, limits.

And resist thinking you can upgrade a cheap bike. Sure, the small stuff, like pedals and saddle, can be changed, but nothing expensive like the fork. A fork swap is an expensive and much more complex process than it seems, especially on an older bike.

What to do is you only have a few hundred dollars? 

There are a couple options to be able to stretch your bike-budget.

Buy a Used Bike
There are couple ways to find preowned bikes. The biggest place to look is Craigslist. Here you can purchase a couple-year-old bike at much less than new. But keep in mind, bike parts wear out, especially mountain bikes. If you have an experienced bike friend, bring them along to help assess if it is a gem or junk.

If you have a little more money, ask your bike friend if he or any of his friends have a bike for sale. These guys will know bikes and will more than likely maintain their bike... something you likely won't know from a Craigslist purchase.

Buy an "Old" Bike
Next up the price chain is buying a new bike from a bike shop that is last year's model. Bikes, like cars, have trouble selling if they are not the newest model. When the 2018 models are arriving, 2017 or even leftover 2016 models will be discounted. Some shops will even dicker on the sticker price a little.

So, get the best bike you can afford, ride it often, save your change for the next bike, and don't listen to people tell you that "you should have paid $2000." Oh, and be safe!

Beginners' Tips for Using Bicycle Gears

In my last post, I discussed the concept of how to change bike gears. This post is designed to take the info you learned in that post to the next level.

Only shift while pedaling: On most bikes, the gears will only change WHILE you are pedaling. You can't simply move the shifter. Not only will the gear not change, you can damage the gears.

When you ride, look ahead: This will allow you anticipate any upcoming hills that require shifting. The last thing you want to do is walk up the hill because you did notice it coming.

"Multi gear" shifting: While you will normally want to only shift one gear at a time, there is no rule that says you have to when you come to a large hill. Try jumping a couple gears by twisting/pushing the shifter farther than a single click. This will allow you to catch up on your shifting.

Keep riding: The more you ride, the more you will get the hang of using your gears. It will become second nature making your riding more consistent and fun. If you are having fun, you will be riding more, and that’s a great thing!

How to Change Gears on a Bike - The Secrets People Don't Tell You

Bicycles have been around for hundreds of years. Apart from refining of the design with high tech materials and state of the art manufacturing processes, bikes essentially have the same ingredients - two wheels, handlebars, a saddle and a drivetrain for forward propulsion.

Photo from an 1868 French bicycle magazine

My 2012 Kona Kahuna

In the 1960s gears became popular on mainstream bicycles making riding hilly areas (like ours) bearable. Today finding a bike with gears is not difficult. They are available on many inexpensive entry-level bikes found at all department stores. This means, if you buy a bicycle, there is a good chance you will need to learn how to change gears on your bike.

The “Secret” Concept of How to Change Gears on a Bike
After teaching both children and adults I have found that people have an "ah ha" moment when told the "secret"about gears. What's the elusive tip you need to know? Simply, gears change the speed of your FEET not your bike. Yes, that's it. When you ride you will want to keep your feet turning at a constant speed… whether you are going up hills or down, riding fast or slow.

But you are probably thinking "Ok, but what speed should they turn?" To learn what rate is right for you, head over to a large flat area, like in a parking lot, and ride at varying speeds until you find a comfortable pace that your feet's rotation feel “right”... not too fast, not too slow. This “right” cadence (to use a cycling term) is the one you will be using your gears to try to match… no matter how fast your are going.

Back to this in a minute…

Your Equipment 
Many bikes come with two gear sets – one at the rear wheel and another at the pedals. For this article we will be dealing only with the rear set.

Your bike will more than likely have one of two kinds of shifters – grip shifters or thumb shifters. The grip shifter will make your feet turn faster by pulling the top back and slower by rotated the top toward the front.

grip shifter 

indexed thumb shifter

"trigger" thumb shifter

Thumb operated shifters usually make your feet turn faster by pushing your thumb forward. Because there are a couple kinds of thumb shifters, slowing your feet will either require you to pull the lever backward or push a different button.

Oh, and in case you have never been told… you do need to be pedaling when you shift.

Using the Gears 
Back to the parking lot. So, you are riding around with your feet turning at a comfortable pace. But the world is not always flat. When you come to a hill and head up it of course it gets “hard.” The reason for this is your feet are not turning fast enough. Switch your gears to speed your feet up to your “right” pace and it will become easy (well, easier).

Eventually you get to the top and head down the other side. The same concept applies going down as up… you will need to change gears in order to keep your feet at the same pace, in this case, keeping them from turning too fast.

With some practice, you will get the hang of it. You will be changing gears without thinking about it, keeping your feet at that optimal pedaling rate.

Now that you understand gearing, check out the post with tips for gearing easier.

Originally published March 2014, updated 6/26/2017