(no subject)

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

My husband and I are looking to buy two hybrid bikes. We have done some research online and think thats the best fit for us. Suggestions on bike stores nearby? We dont mind driving further if the pricing is better or the stores are bigger as well.

Comments

[ron_newman]

Somerville has three bicycle stores:

Ace WheelWorks, at Elm and Willow
Paramount at Powder House Circle
Park Sales on Somerville Ave

WheelWorks has two other stores in Belmont.

Also near Davis, on Mass. Ave. in North Cambridge, are The Bicycle Exchange and ATA Bikes.

Broadway Bike in Cambridge sells both new and used bicycles.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

Paramount doesn't sell the kind of bikes you're looking for. Tyler (the owner operator) has a few used bikes around but mostly builds custom bikes for a "high end" consumer. Nice guy though!

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Well, he DOES sell the bike everyone really wants - the Crosscheck. Most people just aren't aware of their desire for it. :)

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

And, in fact, I'd recommend checking out Belmont since you don't mind driving; the Wheelworks Annex in Belmont has all of their overstock/last year's models/etc. at a substantial discount. The selection is (of course) unpredictable so you may not find something that suits you, but if you do it'll be a good deal (I got my hybrid there 25% off).

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Which location? On their site there is two Belmont stores?

[ron_newman]

Something is seriously wrong with their website. When I click on any of the yellow buttons (ABOUT US, PRODUCTS, etc.) nothing happens.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

I barely got it to work. It kept freezing, photos werent showing up and it would say page error too.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Those are dropdown menus. When you mouse over them it pops up a menu with additional links. If you're not seeing the menus, you may have JavaScript turned off. They work for me in Firefox/OSX.

[ron_newman]

I don't have JavaScript turned off, but the menus do not display in Firefox on Linux. They look fine with Firefox on OSX, or with Safari on OSX.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

I dont have java off and it def. doesnt work for me in firefox.

[ron_newman]

The two Belmont stores are a block apart. If you go to the wrong one for what you want, they'll send you to the other one.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Annex is just around the corner from the main store, both on Trapelo near Rte. 60.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

We went to the regular Wheelworks..not the annex? We got excellent service, they had a good selection and we ended up buying our bikes that night. So thanks!

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

Somerville has four bicycle stores: The Dutch Bicycle Company (http://dutchbikes.us) opened in East Somerville in January. They have some really unique higher-end bicycles from Europe, including a wide variety of cargo/kid carriers and some 8-seater "conference bikes" that are just neat to look at (I haven't ridden one yet).

[ron_newman]

Thanks, and please accept my apologies for leaving you out. I did not know that you had opened.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

I find wheelworks to be hit or miss depending on who you're talking to. If they still have the older French guy working there, he'd be my first pick.

ATA is a good shop, but I think of them as more high end racing/tri bikes. I've been meaning to check out Paramount.

All I can say about Park is AVOID AVOID AVOID. I used to live across the street. I went in there to buy a new cassette and the guy must have thought I was a complete idiot, as he told me if I needed a new cassette, I also needed a new freehweel, new chainrings, and a new chain (I did need a new chain. But didn't need the other stuff and there's no way he could have guessed I did without looking at the bike).

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Good for you guys! :)

You may want to ride a few road bikes, or a few mountain bikes, and see if the feel of either gives you reason to reconsider the hybrid bike idea. Hybrids can't stand the rigors of actual mountain biking, and aren't as efficient on paved trails as a road bike - they're sort of the worst of both worlds.

Remember that steel-framed road bikes have been the standard for a long, long time, and with good reason. Mountain bikes are great for their purpose, but it's a specialized purpose, and not one most urban riders encounter any more frequently than they encounter the need for a carbon frame racing machine.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Well I dont think we will be going up into the mountains or doing long distance city biking. We would be doing mostly trails or the streets to get to the trails. So which one would you think of suggesting? We are going to go to a few bike shops in a bit to see what they suggest too :)

[ellf.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest a set of road bikes. That doesn't have to mean expensive - my preference is towards cro-moly steel frames (as opposed to aluminum, cro-moly steel is stronger albeit slightly heavier) and
"street slick" tires (as opposed to big, fat, knobby tires meant for riding through dirt), but those aren't extravagant things to look for.

Best advice I can give you is to go tell a good bike shop that you're looking for something to ride on trails and to get to the trails, and ask to try both hybrids and road bikes. See how they feel, ask about the differences, and take a few of each for a ride!

[ron_newman]

Whereas I like my hybrid because it's sturdy enough for awful Boston-area roads, as well as dirt (but non-mountain) trails out in Bedford and Concord.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Well, my Surly is pretty much-bombproof. :)

That said, I wouldn't choose it for a ride in the dirt, at least with its current tires.

[ron_newman]

FYI, these are the dirt paths I was referring to. (Scroll down past "Minuteman Bikeway" to the other two.)

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Those look pretty fantastic. Maybe I'll take my (gasp!) hybrid out for a run on them this weekend.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Ohh...would you mind posting how it your bike handles it?

[ellf.livejournal.com]

I'd be happy to. The aforementioned bike is a rather heavy mid-90s Trek, however, so I doubt it would be representative of how a modern hybrid would do on bumpy terrain.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

rather heavy mid-90s Trek

You mean they might have got lighter over the past decade? Hmm. (I also have a mid-90s Trek hybrid, which I bought primarily for riding in the city. It's not too heavy, but it's gotten heavier since I put an Xtracycle on it. And I wouldn't mind lightening that some.)

[ellf.livejournal.com]

The frame on mine is cro-moly, as is the frame on my road bike. The latter is significantly lighter. Also, just about everything else (wheels, dérailleurs, cranks, etc.) has become available in lighter form in the past 15 years.

However, unless you're a Racer, weight is unlikely to be a significant part of your ride (IMO). I don't notice the difference between, say, carrying a full water bottle and not - and that's a huge difference in ride weight. Shaving off a few ounces more by switching to carbon fiber cranks? Probably not worth the minimal return on investment! :)

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

I mostly notice the weight when I have to haul the bicycle up over something (flight of stairs, big heaping pile of plywood the jerk landlord left lying RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY PARKING SPACE THANKS SO MUCH, etc.). Which isn't that often, especially since I moved out of that apartment.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Ah - yes, that makes sense. I hate hauling the Trek up three flights on my shoulder!

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Did you end up going? Its either chilly or rainy lately which doesnt = fun riding for me.

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't suggest a set of road bikes. (or at least I wouldn't walk in looking for road bikes.)

If you are doing this as a "lets hang out and ride bikes" and upright posture (mountain, hybrid, vintage, without drop bars) is better for that sort of "tooling around" -- it also keeps you more visible in traffic, allows for path-riding conversation, and the mountain/hybrid style and slightly wider tires, with less tire pressure will make potholalicious riding in boston a much easier endeavor.

I would avoid the big tired "beach cruisers" - but it would seem that "joy" not "efficiency" is the intended goal (and there is a point where being efficient is utter silliness, when balanced against purpose and experience)

I would, however, go with a good cromoly steel, and avoid aluminum (jarringly transmits road vibrations) and "new tech" materials (unnecessary for your stated purpose)

And truthfully, you may just want to check craigslist. (http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/bik/669573371.html)

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

I second the rec to Ace Wheelworks, they are awesome.

And I do think that a hybrid bike is a good idea, it's what I have and it works wonders. Light, sturdy, not overwhelming in terms of price and with enough gears to help me out in Boston, and a sweet front suspension for all those fucking pot holes.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Suspension is certainly comfortable, but comfort (in general) reduces efficiency with a bike. I ride without suspension on mine, and have never had any issues - if I absolutely can't avoid a nasty bump in the road, I'll simply lift slightly from my saddle and let me legs serve as "suspension".

Light/sturdy/inexpensive/gears aren't hybrid-specific. Hybrids generally mean tires that are somewhere between street slicks and MTB fatties, and MTB-style shifters and handlebars. They aren't built to handle serious mountain biking, but as mentioned above by Ron, are a bit more capable off-road than a road bike would be.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

We ended up getting hybrids. I LOVE mine...its a trek with all comfort everything. So my ride is super smooth which is good for me. My husband got a gary fisher...his seat is not so comfy lol.

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

Letsee: I do all my shopping at Quad Cycles in Arlington, not necessarily because they're better but because I know someone who works there. In my opinion, that tends to be the only way not to get screwed over at both bike shops and car mechanics, unless you *really* know what you're talking about and can flaunt your knowledge enough to get respect. This is hard. I've spent the better part of the last two years trying to get that and I still can't *afford* to get enough knowledge of different types of components to really talk the talk.

(P.S. If you do go to quad, go on Sunday between 12-5 and talk to Shane. Just sayin'.)

I was not happy with my purchasing experience at The Bicycle Exchange.

My general experience is that going in saying you want a hybrid makes "bike guys" think less of you. It's not entirely their fault, it's a culture of bike shops that makes newer faster spendier and speedier always better and not all people are willing to take the time to find a bike that's best for what you want to use it for. This is the primary thing on which you must insist: Know what you want to use the bike for; know that your desires are important (i.e. you are not less important just 'cause you're not going to be racing); and you want the best bike for *your* purposes.

As for what bikes you want: I agree with ellf above about a number of things. Steel is superior in many ways for a multi-purpose bike. It is also *much* easier to repair. If a steel frame is damaged, any shop that can weld things (think motorcycle shop, or car shop) can fix it. Often good as new! Aluminum and other lighter materials take a lot of work. A nice steel frame will last you a LONG time.

Second, style. My dream bike would be a steel touring frame like this Fuji Touring (http://www.fujibikes.com/2008/bikes.asp?id=422) or a cyclocross bike like this Fuji (http://www.fujibikes.com/2008/bikes.asp?id=421). (Not that I'm schilling for Fuji, I just like them. (The cross bike is not steel, but I still like it...) Ultimately road bikes geometries are more comfortable for distances, if you plan to get into that, and touring bikes in particular are made to take a lot of beating. Other advantages of touring bikes: sturdy, front AND rear rack mounts (if you ever want to do bicycle commuting or grocery shopping this can be a godsend). And a very large gear ratio. They don't have *as* high gears as most road bikes or *as* low gears as most mountain bikes, but they have much lower gears than road bikes and higher than mountain. So the grand hills of somerville are less of a challenge, but you don't have to pedal like a hamster wheel on the flats.

That's my plug for my personal faves. Your mileage, as always, may vary.

[dictator555.livejournal.com]

My BF and I just bought a pair of Fuji Tourings (actually from The Bicycle Exchange, where we like the service best.) Seriously, these are the most awesome bikes ever. $950 was A LOT of money for me to spend on a bike (or anything else), but it was totally worth it. This bike is going to last forever, riding it is sheer bliss, and it's just wicked sexy looking. If it's your dream bike (and it should be everyones!), I recommend saving up and going for it. I am so very happy that we did.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

+1 for Quad. I know every one of the folks who work there, and the owner, and they will take care of you. For Hybrid Bikes they sell Fuji and Jamis (and maybe another brand I'm forgetting).

Wherever you shop, don't be afraid to ask for a discount. Especially if you're buying 2 bikes, and especially if you're buying locks, helmets, etc.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

That touring bike looks mighty nice. thanks for all your info :)

[meta-aesthete.livejournal.com]

I would contend your reasons why we "bike guys" don't recommend hybrids. There's nothing WRONG with hybrids, IMO, but they end up doing a lot of things very wrong, and very often get left in people's basements after a year or two.

Here's why I don't recommend them:

1) Too many gears! If you aren't climbing mountain grades, you don't need 24 gears! It just adds more things that can break and cost you money down the road. A single front chainring with 7 rear gears would be enough for anyone, and most people would really get along with 3 (or 1!).

2) Suspension forks. They're nice, but the cheap ones wear out pretty quick, and add yet more maintenance and cost. And you don't need them at all. The frailest road bike can stand up to potholes--just keep your tires inflated and don't sit like a lead ball on your saddle.

3) The tires. Some hybrids are better than others, but having knobby tires for the 5% of time you're actually on dirt is silly. I ride skinny tires on small stretches of dirt and amazingly I don't die.

4) Flat/riser bars are ergonomically sucky. Cruiser-style bars are much better for an upright bike.

5) Aluminum is gross and frail. If you dent your frame, it's trash.

My recommendation:

1) Buy a steel 10-speed from the 80s. Have it tuned up.
2) Change the drop bars to cruiser bars (run you $50-75 with labor).
3) Enjoy.

It'll be cheaper, faster, and give you fewer headaches than a hybrid. Also less appealing to theives.

Again, nothing wrong with hybrids per se. I started out on one. But there are just better options.

[joifulgurl.livejournal.com]

hey jamie! jason used to work at ATA Cycle, in Cambridge (outside of porter on mass ave, heading towards harvard). they have a bunch of bikes to choose from, and if you want, i can tell our friends there that you'll be coming in. they're all really nice there, and while they do have a bunch of really high-end bikes, they do have a bunch of bikes that would suit your needs.

let me know if you'll be going in there - I'll tell them to look out for you if you like. :)

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Thanks chicky!

We ended up getting bikes at the place in belmont. we LOVE them and the person helping us was incredibly nice.

[progressnerd.livejournal.com]

I want to second Park Sales on Somerville Ave. They're a nice, family-owned store that have always given me good deals.

Check Out Paramount Cycle.

[guns-o-brixton.livejournal.com]

Contrary to the comments above, Tyler over at Paramount Bike Repair doesn't just cater to high end enthusiasts. He generally has at least a couple of hybrid style commuter bikes on hand, which carry the advantage of using his hand built wheels (wheels take most of the abuse on bikes) and Tyler standing behind the build if anything goes wrong.

If you don't like what he has on hand, he will build something for you. This is not nearly as expensive as you think it is and it has a lot of advantages. First off the frame will be steel, which is far more comfortable for general riding in the city than aluminum. Tyler has picked up older steel frames and refurbished them for years. His steel frames, are powder coated, which is the most durable finish around and lack any of the brand name stickers that attract bike thieves. He has a variety of sizes and knows how to fit bikes, so your bike will be the proper size and you will get the riding position you desire without paying extra for a fitting service.

The best thing about Tyler and Paramount is the "no bullshit" factor. Tyler's business is primarily repairs which relies heavily on customer service. He won't pressure you, he won't try to sell you a bike you don't need, and he will stand by anything he sells you. Even if you don't buy a bike from him, I strongly recommend you seek him out for tune ups or service because he is the best mechanic, both quality and price-wise in the Davis Square area.

Re: Check Out Paramount Cycle.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

Is the place open regular hours? Everytime I walk by it, it's closed...

Re: Check Out Paramount Cycle.

[guns-o-brixton.livejournal.com]

Paramount Hours:

April to October:
Saturday: 9:30-6
Sunday: 11-5
Monday: by appointment
Tuesday: by appointment
Wednesday:12-8
Thursday: 12-8
Friday: 12-8
November to March:
Sat: 10-6
Sun: 12-5
Mon: Closed for Lessons, the Bike
Tues: builder program...and fun!
Wed: 12-7
Thurs: 12-7
Fri: 12-7

Website: http://www.paramountbicycle.com

Re: Check Out Paramount Cycle.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

If I need a repair I will check it out :)

Re: Check Out Paramount Cycle.

[meta-aesthete.livejournal.com]

+1 for Tyler. He's of a dying breed: real, honest, professional bike mechanics. You pay for his expertise, but it's definitely worth it.