Monthly Archives: April 2010

2009, 2010 Hybrid Bikes on Sale

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I just visited quite a few bike shops in our area (Performance, REI, Village Cycle, Dicks, etc.) to see what was new for this year (or on sale from 2009) and to review the latest hybrids that they are selling.

I got distracted with the 2009 bikes on sale a little more so than checking into all of the latest 2010 models. As usual, since this is a transition period and bike shops are still trying to move last years models out, so the prices for last years models (brand new of course) are excellent right now.

Of course, I’ve included some of my favorites (and the favorites of some of the more knowledgeable bike shop people that I ran into) on our Hybrid and Comfort Bikes page.

Since Performance Bike is so big, I think that they probably had the best selection of 2009 bikes on sale (like plenty of Fuji bikes) but REIalso had a few 2009 bikes on sale and their 2010 prices were pretty reasonable too. If you really like a bike at REI and can wait, they have good sales pretty often and the bikes will most likely be reduced when they have a sale.

Dicks Sporting Goods mostly had a lot of mid range and lower end bikes but that had a couple of good brands (K2, and Schwinn) too. I also hit a Wal-Mart and Sports Authority too. These stores were all had pretty comparable bike but Dicks and Sports Authority were the best for having a large selection on display and easily available to review. The sales people at these stores are generally not that knowledgeable about bikes and bike brands. I found that the sales people at REI and especially at Performance Bike to be very helpful. 

One of our local shops, Village Cycle, deals mostly with Trek bikes (which you can not buy online) but I found that they also had a good selection of Raleigh bikes on display.

It was a slow day at the bike shop and I really had a good opportunity to review a lot of Raleigh bikes and compare them to the other more common bike store brands.  I know that you can buy Raleigh bikes online at REI but neither of the 2 REI  stores that I visited had any on display. I asked about this and the guy at the second store said that one of the larger stores by us (but further away for me) has them or you can order them online and have them delivered to the store but the do not keep them on display.

I haven’t had a chance to write up my reviews on the Raleigh bikes yet but I can tell you that these are really nice bikes and some are also very stylish. One thing that is very obvious, aside from the quality components, is that Raleigh bikes (especially the hybrids and comfort bikes) have really nice seats!  

I believe that the best deals going on right now though are on Fuji Bikes(mostly at Performance Bike). These are excellent bikes with high quality components. I think one of the reasons that they are not perceived as the high end bikes that they are is because they used to sell their bikes through mass market (“Big Box”) stores instead of exclusively at bike shops. They have changed that marketing approach, but one of the best things is that you can still order this bikes online too.

I’m still working on some more bike reviews, but check out my 2009 and 2010 picks at the Hybrid and Comfort Bikes Link above.

Bicycle Trailers and Kids Trailer Bikes

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Child Bike Seat
Child Bike Seat

I was just doing some updates on the Kids Bikes page on this website and realized how lucky new parents are as far as all the options available now to bring your kids (of various ages) with you on your bike rides!

Our kids are older now but when they were young we had a Bike Child Seat that attached to the back of our bikes and I don’t think that bike trailers were even all that popular back then (at least I don’t remember seeing nearly as many as I do out on the trails these days).

The Bike Child Seat did actually work very well for us and it was really nice to be able to get out and ride and bring the kids with us (at different times) but I think I would have really liked having the all of the other options that are available now back then too.

One thing that I found a little confusing is the two terms used for trailers that you attach to the back of your bike since they sound so similar.

There are Bike Trailers, which are the 2 wheel trailers that attach to the back of your bike…

bike trailer

Bike Trailer

and then there are Trailer Bikes, which also attach to the back of your bike but are the one wheel attachments, with pedals that basically turn your bike into a tandem for you and your kid.
trailer bike, kids tandem bike

Trailer Bike

Once you get used to the terms, it’s not confusing at all but it helps to get that right when you are looking for information or resources for one of these kinds of bike trailers.
 
At any rate, there are some really nice options and there are a ton of these things available on the internet now too. Our “Kids Bike” page (above) has some links for high quality trailers and also less expensive versions if you are in the market for one of these.
 
I also just talked to a lady at a bike store recently that was telling me that she uses her kids Bike Trailer for extra storage space for her bike trips to the store. I think that I have also seem people out on the bike paths with stuff (not kids) in their bike trailers too. I believe that I’ve even seen dogs in them too. Sometimes I just don’t have my camera handy when I need it! 🙂
 
I think that this would be a real benefit to getting a Bike Trailer for your kids since you can use it for the kids when they are young and then use it for storage on trips after they outgrow the bike trailer.
 
Anyway, there’s no excuses for you new parents out there now to get out on the trail and enjoy some riding and quality family time!  🙂
 

New Combination Cable Bike Lock

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When I purchased my new Topeak bike bag a week or so ago, I also picked up a simple, combination cable bike lock.

Cable Bike Lock

Simple Combination Cable Bike Lock

As I mentioned in the bike security section of the Bicycle Locks page on this site, cable locks are not all that secure by themselves and are not nearly as good as a heavy duty U-Lock style bike lock.

So why get this kind of minimum security bike lock? Well, the answer is quite simple. I rarely leave my bike in a high risk area or unattended for any length of time and I just like the convenience of a simple light weight cable lock.

Generally, the only times that I need the lock is for a quick run into a store or maybe a restaurant and I usually leave my bike pretty much in site also.

So this kind of lock will work for my own particular needs but if you are looking for higher security please check in the the U-Locks on the Bicycle Locks page. I also have some other blog posts on the subject is you want to search the blog for “locks”.

Comments? Talk amongst yourselves… (or here…)

2009, 2010 Bikes On Sale

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With this being the start of the bike riding season (in most parts of the country), I’ve found that there are a lot of really good deals going on right now on many of name brand and high quality 2009 bikes.

I didn’t want to put together a list of what I consider to be the best individual bike deals (mostly because that is so dependent on the type of bike that you are looking for) but I did put together a page with the Best Buys Online by brand name and with direct links to the on sale categories for some of the most popular online merchants.

Check out “Best Buy” Bikes Online for some good deals on 2009 and 2010 bikes for sale online. There are more selections online but many of the 2009 (or older) models will have a limited selection in stock so this would be a good time to find the best deals.

I hope this helps with your online bike purchases.

Fox River Bike Trail Conditions 2010

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I just checked out the construction on the FRT in South Elgin and am starting this blog post for the Fox River Trail conditions for 2010 even though I have not ridden the rest of the trail yet this year. 

FRT Construction

FRT Construction in South Elgin

 

I knew that the South Elgin construction was a major event on the trail so I wanted to check that out before planning any log trips on the FRT. 

I ended up taking quite a few photos and had quite a bit of additional information so I created a new page with the updates and photos (see the link below). 

There is quite a bit of information at the page/link below and in the 2009 FRT Bike Trail Conditions in this blog so I’m not going to rewrite all of that here but I do want to have this post available for additional updates on the Fox River Trail conditions. 

I’ll be updating post this as I ride more of the trail this year but if anyone else has updates on the FRT conditions, please feel free to add comments. 

For the Stearns Road Bridge construction information and photos see:  The Fox River Trail South Elgin Construction 

Thanks, Rob.

Topeak RX Trunk Bag – with Fold-Out Panniers

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I have made my bike bag decision and I am sticking with the Topeak RX Trunk Bag DXP (with the fold-out panniers) that I purchased at REI yesterday. 

I like the size and I love the Topeak QuickTrack™ system to attach and remove the bag.

Topeak RX Trunk Bag Expanded

I was a little undecided about whether or not I wanted to stick with the more compact Topeak “RX” Trunk bag or if I wanted to move up to the larger Topeak “MTX”  bike bag.

For my purposes, I am sticking with the smaller (“RX”) version. I like to keep my bike bag permanently on my bike and for 95% of my riding, I only carry a few items with me. The other 5% of the time I bring some extra things for longer trips (a camera and camcorder, some tools, lunch and maybe a light jacket) and I believe that the RX Trunk bag, with the fold-out panniers should be able to handle this.

Actually, I was not really interested in the fold out panniers until I started to look into them and checked them out in the store. You lose most of the space in the 2 side compartments but with the extra space that you get when you fold out the panniers (or side pockets), I think that it is well worth it.

For those who prefer more space (for touring, longer trips, commuting, etc.), I would recommend the larger Topeak Trunk Bags (the “MTX” is a pretty good size trunk bag that has the fold out pannier option) and/or full size panniers.

If you are not familiar with the Topeak QuickTrack™ system, it is a patented mounting system that allows you to quickly and easily attach and detach the bike bag from the bike rack.

Topeak RX Trunk Bag Closed/Compacted

By lining up the rail on the bottom of the bag with the rail in the bike rack you slide the bag onto the rack until it clicks into place. To remove the bag you just press the yellow clip. It really does work quite well. No more messing around with Velcro straps.

Note: You do have to have a Topeak QuickTrack bike rack if you are going to use a Topeak bike bag but the racks are no more expensive than other brands and can also be used with bike bags from other manufacturers.

Since this bag is brand new, I don’t have any first hand experiences with it yet, but I know I will, in time, and I’ll be sure to update the about-bicycles blog or website pages with my experiences.

I am pretty particular about bike bags and I have learned quite a bit in the process of searching for this one so I have updated the Bike Bags Page on this site with the latest information.

OK, so I am a little partial to Topeak now and I have also favored REI a little too, but having preferences and making honest and helpful (hopefully) recommendations are part of what this site is about. 🙂

I’m sure I will have more on this topic soon, but that’s it for now.

Bike Bag Decisions and In-Decisions

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I am in the process of updating my bike bag and it has been quite a process due to the bike that I ride and my own in-decisions on which bag I want.

For many years I have just used a handlebar bag attached to the back of my seat. I don’t have a lot of space on my handlebars and it fits behind the seat and allows me to carry at least a small number of items that I need.

This year I had decided to finally get a rack and trunk bag setup which I had been looking into for quite some time now (although I will be updating this page very soon, see Bicycle Bags on this site for some good information and online resources for bike bags)

My own particular needs are primarily to have a fairly compact bag to carry some essential items on everyday rides but also be capable of handling larger loads for longer trips (or even utility rides to the store, etc. for small to medium sized items).

I had decided on a trunk and rack system, but the bike that I ride is a racing bike (Trek 1500) and therefore is not designed for luggage racks. 🙁 My bike does not have the threaded holes in the frame that allow you to easily attach a bike rack.

After talking to a guy at my local bike shop, I found out that I can attach a bike rack to the back of my (racing style) bike by using rubber coated clamps. It’s not the ultimate setup but I’ve tried it (2 times now (more on that later)) and it does work! One hint for a better fit and to avoid scratching the frame is to cut up an old inner tube and use it between the clamp and the frame.

OK, so yesterday I finally bought a frame (Bike Planet brand) and a very nice trunk bag (Cannondale Bobby Cargo Bag ($65)). This is a very nice trunk bag with a good amount of space, multiple compartments, a bungee cord on the top, a water resistant zipper and Velcro straps to attach to the rack.

I also looked at Topeak Bags but I didn’t really like the idea that you had to have a Topeak rack (with their “Quick Track” system) in order to use one of their bags (they do not have any other way to attach to the frame (like with Velcro)). So I didn’t go with Topeak.

After installing the frame on my bike and enjoying my new purchase, I started having second thoughts about the Topeak Quick Track setup. In addition to the convenience of the Quick Track system, I had found that there are a lot of really well designed Topeak bags out there and I had a lot more choices if I used their rack.

It turned out that the Topeak rack was no more expensive than other racks but allowed me to use Topeak Quick Track bags or any other bags whereas if you get another kind of rack you can use pretty much any other bag except for Topeak bags.

So I changed my mind and decided to go with the Topeak rack. This meant uninstalling and returning my first rack and buying and installing the Topeak rack. 🙁 This was quite a job for me due to the limitations of my racking bike (described above). So much for changing my mind!

Well, I’m going to have to wrap this up, but the story isn’t really quite over yet so I will be doing some more updates in the next few days.

Anyway, I found that there was a GREAT selection of Topeak bags out there once I got the Topeak rack. I ended up returning my original Cannondale bag and going to REI and getting a Topeak RX Trunk Bag DXP which I really like.

This trunk bag has fold out panniers in the side compartments. I wasn’t sure if I wanted that at first, but I am sold on it now!

My only concern now is if the Topeak RX Trunk Bag DXP is the size that I really want. Keep in mind that this is a pretty compact bag and not made for very large loads. It does expand and allow you to carry quite a bit of stuff but the “MTX” version of this bag is much bigger and only about 1 lb heavier so right now I am still undecided as to whether to stick with my 2nd purchase or trade up for the larger version.

Well, I am set on the Topeak rack and bags so now my final decision comes down to which size to get (or stick with).

More very soon…

New Exercise Bike Reviews and Best Buys.

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I just completed some major updates to the exercise bike pages on this site (even though it is kind of the off season for fitness equipment) including a new “Best Buy” Exercise Bike page.

In the process of reviewing the exercise bike pages on this site, I have discovered that many of these bikes have really come down in price from the late fall early spring time frame.

Of course, this makes sense, since we are all getting outside now with the weather getting much better but if you are considering one of these machines, it really makes sense to get them this time of year.

Well, I hope that you like all of the additional exercise bike information that is out there now, the new format and the “Best Buy” page.

As for me, it is a BEAUTIFUL DAY right now (here in Chicagoland) and I need to get out on my regular outdoor bike for a ride!

I’m also in the market for some major outdoor bike accessories so stay tuned for more on that soon.

Later, Rob