I need a new bike... Any suggestions? Good speed, uphill, lightweight.

Sounds like any commuter or hybrid bike in the $500 plus range will be a definite step up from what you have now. I would start looking at places like Urbane Cyclist at John and Queen, Cycle Therapy in the east end, or Curbside Cycle to name a handful. They'll at least give you a much better idea of what a good commuter bike will do for you.

No need to scrimp too much! You're already paying a lot less than you would if you owned a car. Just make sure you also buy a really sturdy lock and learn how to use it correctly.

What price range are you looking in?

You won't get anything that is both light ( i.e. under 25 lbs) and cheap, as far as I know. I have to second the recommendation for Curbside. They have some Fuji Newest 4.0s in the back there which would be pretty sweet for commuting, or even a bit of touring.

Urbane is also good, but their bikes generally sell for a bit more than at Curbside (probably because they stock more well reputed brands).

If you're looking to go on the cheap, you can't beat Bike Pirates. This may require the desire to get your hands dirty though, as some of the bikes aren't 100% ready to go.

Well, you have two choices in this city if you want to keep the bike: get a cheap bike and an expensive lock, or get an expensive bike and no lock.

Huh? No matter how good your lock is, if it is an expensive bike it will be stolen unless it is inside with you. No matter how cheap the bike, it will be stolen unless the good lock makes it more trouble than it is worth.

As for the bike: with the roads the way they are in the city, get a cyclo-cross bike with a steel frame for the best ride - Jamis Satellite, Kona Jake or Surly Crosscheck. Hybrids, I am afraid, suck: poor quality components, bad posture and too few hand positions.

To say that an expensive will always get stolen no matter what is a bit extreme. There are some really good bikes out there that don't get stolen. There are ways to scarrify or uglify the bike to make it less attractive to would-be theives. Not buying a 'flashy' bike is a good way to start. And registring the bike police can help.

And a good lock is always a good investment; two locks are better, of course. Where you lock your bike, and what you lock is to, is just as important as the lock. If you have access to lock your bike in a protected area you have less to worry about.

And not all of the hybrids suck. The best bike will always be the one that is between your legs; that is, the bike you ride is always the best bike. All the other bikes are merely good bikes. So the best thing to do is to try a bunch of good bikes until you find the bike that is the best, that is the bike that you will ride. Everyone will have their own opinion, and the worst part is that they are all right. But for you, you'll have to find out out what works best for you.

So get out to some bike stores, ask to ride a couple of the bikes, and see how they feel. It won't take you long until you'll be able to narrow in on a bike that's the best.

Hybrids feel easy to ride out of the shop. Riding in road drops feels hard at first. If you cycle very little, both will continue to feel that way. If you cycle a lot, that hybrid is soon going to piss you off.

About locks: all I know is my strategy has worked (expensive bike inside or under you, cheap bike locked outside well and in a busy place), where many others have lost their bikes. You can blame the crackheads, the dubious second hand shops on Queen, or the apathetic police, but the bike theft rate is through the roof.

As the owner of a number of unusual, expensive and rare bikes (a modified, customized trike, a BikeE AT semi-recumbent, a custom Firebike cruiser and an all-chrome low-rider) I know a little bit about securing bikes.

I own six locks. I rarely use all six, but commonly, I employ three with a bare minimum of two. If you are going to use multiple locks, make sure each one is different: a u-lock, a heavy chain lock anda thick cable lock, for example. Secure in well-lit, high visibility and high pedestrian traffic areas and, if you're using a ring-post, secure through the ring AND around the post. Since I have employed multiple locks and high visibility areas, I haven't lost any bikes. Granted, thieves may not be interested in my bikes because there either isn't much of a market for the bikes or parts or they're so unusual that they feel they would be conspicuous. But, surely, some thieves are looking for these types of bikes and are discouraged by the safety measures I use. The only down-side is that the locks are heavy and that weighs you down. But, I'd rather be weighed down and riding home with my bike and being light with no bike at all.

has carried me around for a big chunk of the past eleven years. I've commuted on it, run errands on it, done a 100K on it, done regular 50K rides on it, and it has yet to seriously annoy me.

I found a bicycle that suits me. I ride it. I have modified it to fit me and the riding environment in Toronto, with after-market racks and suspension. I take care of it. I don't worry about what other people think of it, and I don't sneer at what they ride.

I wish you well with whatever bicycle you chose. Have a long, happy, and safe ride.

I don't recommend buying a new bike to commute. If you drop the money for a beautiful, light bike, you'll end up being weighed down by the locks you carry to keep it safe.

This may seem like a silly question to ask... but... how's your tire pressure? If your tires are properly inflated it'll make the bike much easier to ride. It's the simplest thing people can do that can improve a bike's performance and yet I see so many flat tires rolling around this city.

I'm trying to buy a bike for my daughter, and went to a used bike shop where they have a Gary Fisher Avant Garde (date unknown) that has been reconditioned. I saw the post on this site about the 1996, and wondered if this bike is worth the $275 that they are charging. It's been overhauled with basic parts, nothing fancy. Maybe the replacement parts are the key to the price and I should have gotten a list, but I didn't. I guess I just need some general guidance.
Thanks!
Janet Randall

Hello Janet. Here's my .02:

Without commenting specifically on the Gary Fisher I recommend that you don't let price dictate all. Assuming you're a novice or casual cyclist and that your technical knowledge is limited it befits you to develop a good working relationship with a LBS (Local Bike Shop). You will have to rely on the knowledge, skills and good will at a LBS, especially when, as it's bound to, a part breaks or you desire accessories or advice. This is when you reap the dividends of paying a premium in price.

Accordingly, instead of soliciting advice on the advisability of buying Model Z for X dollars, perhaps you'll benefit more by inquiring what's the best LBS dealing in used bikes, and then trusting the vendors to be worthy of favorable opinion.

I've scored major deals buying used: e.g., a Reynolds 531c frameset with a CK headset for $100; a 3/2.5 Titanium MTB frame with S & S couplers for $600, etc... each of which necessitated a solid technical grounding before the fact and further money, hours, and skill afterward. To wit: when you avail yourself of rock bottom prices it's usually at the expense of more time, hassle or money further down the line.

I have a Specialized Transition Elite. It cost me $1525 and I'm fortunate enough that my work allows me to keep it inside, but I still lock it up. However, I just don't feel safe enough to use it for errands. I haven't done it yet because I walk to my errands, but if I was so pressed, I'd buy a beater.

Like the previous poster, use at least two different kinds of locks, leave your bike in a busy area, and don't leave your bike in the same spot every day.

"Dirtying" up your bike might help a little bit, as theives, like magpies, gravitate towards shiny objects. I personally don't have the heart to put a mark on my bike, but if you're set on taking your bike everywhere, it should help.

Btw, for cheap bikes, you've got to put the time in if you want a bargain. Spend hours trolling sites like ebay, mec, craigslist and police auctions. It'll pay off if you're patient.

The most important aspect of getting a new bike is making sure it fits properly. When you go into a bike shop, if they don't measure you before showing you bikes leave immediately. An $8000 bike will leave you tired after a hill if it's too big or too small. Fit is the #1 factor in maximizing your pedaling efficiency.

To get a proper fit they will need to measure your height and inseam length. Better shops will also measure your forearm. The best shops will have a mechanic look at you pedaling on a trainer to adjust your saddle and handle bar position. Some shops will charge a nominal fee for a proper fitting, but it is well worth it.

Hi Ekologik,

Absolutely concur with Cpt. Sunshine. Fit is most important. Buying a bike is like buying shoes. Take measurements, try the product on, feel whether it fits or not. If it dosn't fit, try another one. Keep trying till you find the one that fits perfectly. You'll know it when you feel it.

After a winter of riding my Trek 730 hybrid and getting three flat tires and two popped spokes from potholes and bad pavement, I would highly recommend getting an inxepensive "mountain bike", (Trek 3 or 4 series, Kona Dew); and ask to have the stock tires substituted for an equal or lesser value "semi-slick" road tire ( eg. Specialized Nimbus)

i would also insist that the shop outfit the bike with a bell, red rear LED light, and front white LED light. Riding with lights on 24/7 will make you more visible to other road users, and only cost batteries once every 2 months. Lights are great insurance against oopsies.

As for locking, I would recommend a u-lock, and a cable if you always have time to fiddle. Otherwise, there is no reason you can't take a bike into a building anywhere. Try taking your shiny new bike into the office, look for an out-of-the way place to store it, and remember above all to keep your chest up, your smile fresh, and your attitude peaceful and calm. If that fails, lock where there are people and bright lights, and take everything that can be quick-released with you!

I would recommend Cyclepath Danforth, Curbside, Cycle Solutions on Kingston Road, or Dukes Cycle downtown. Take time to talk with the salesperson you deal with, and get to know him/her, and them you. Go back a couple of times on different days, with different clothing, and different weather. There are many variables that affect the purchase, so try to hit all of them. Take your time shopping, wait for the right fit and feel.

Cheers,
brian

After a winter of riding my Trek 730 hybrid and getting three flat tires and two popped spokes from potholes and bad pavement, I would highly recommend getting an inxepensive "mountain bike", (Trek 3 or 4 series, Kona Dew)...

There is a misconception at the heart of your assertion. It is that 'popped spokes' and flat tires can be remedied by merely opting for an inexpensive mountain bike. This is simply not so. The problem lies in poor choice of and poor quality of components -- a liability also extant in MTBs.

Flats incurred when riding over potholes or rough terrain, aka 'pinch flats' or 'snakebites' can be easily remedied by settling for a wider tire, e.g., 700 x 35/38, and/or greater tire pressure.

And while 'popped spokes' manifest themselves while encountering rough terrain, that is not their cause. Improper tension, i.e., too little -- yes you read that right, poor quality materials and builds are. With properly tensioned, stress relieved wheels using good quality materials, e.g., double wall eyeleted rims laced 3x with stainless spokes, touring a continent on 36 spoke 700c wheels without incurring spoke breakage is typical.

Ask yourself why a collision with a well built wheel, 26" or 700c, results in a taco'ed hoop and no broken spokes while the spokes of inexpensive beaters, MTB and road racer, that are rarely ridden and have never been crashed, their chief activities being to collect dust and rust, pop like Orville Redenbacher's finest.

For an incisive analysis of the physics behind the bicycle wheel and a practical guide to building them yourself I suggest reading, or better yet buying, "The Bicycle Wheel" by Jobst Brandt. Jobst frequents rec.bicycles.tech; for further info post there.

After a winter of riding my Trek 730 hybrid and getting three flat tires and two popped spokes from potholes and bad pavement, I would highly recommend getting an inxepensive "mountain bike", (Trek 3 or 4 series, Kona Dew);

I have a Kona Dew; its a hybrid bike and comes with 700x37c tires.

Popped spokes have nothing to do with a mountain bike, road bike, or hybrid; they are indicative of a poorly built wheel. If you purchased the bike new and recently push for a wheel rebuild / tension balancing under warranty.

Some tires are more flat resistant than others - in both 26" and 700 size - google and find what people like. Some also swear by using Mr. Tuffy tire liners. Pinch flats can occur when you run over a pothole from too low tire pressure - make sure to keep your tires properly inflated. If the tires are from running over debris - try to stay further out from the edge of the road where the debris tends to accumulate.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate everything. I have gotten a new bike that fits me pretty well. A bit big, but the price was right. I've taken it all into consideration. I use one U-lock, but a Kryptonite cable lock for the front wheel, and usually lock up my back wheel with the frame to the post. My bike's not too flashy so I don't know if I'll grab another lock (thick cable).

I really appreciate all of your help!! Your information will most likely help others too. This is a great community with lots of helpful people. Thanks again!