Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I buy a bicycle from a professional bike shop as opposed to a mass merchandiser/toy store?

Among others, 5 major reasons:

1. Information before the sale. A bike shop can help you choose the type of bike that will best suit your needs and the type of riding you intend to do. This type of information is not available from clerks at the mass merchandiser/toy store (hereafter MMTS!).
2. Sizing. The same size bike will not fit both a 5 foot tall woman and a 6 foot tall man. A professional bike shop offers a wide range of frame sizes to fit all shapes and sizes properly; adult bikes from a MMTS are a “one-size-fits-all” proposition.
3. Assembly. As bicycles become more complex, proper assembly becomes more and more critical. Bikes are received by both the full-service bike shop and the MMTS in a box, partially assembled. The bike shop will take approximately an hour to assure that the brakes, gears, etc. are properly adjusted; the clerk at the MMTS will attach the front wheel, handlebars, pedals and seat and consider the job finished.
4. Quality. Most MMTS bikes are looked upon as toys, designed to provide satisfactory service until they are outgrown or the novelty wears off. Bike shop quality bikes are designed for long-term satisfaction – serious pieces of sporting equipment. And, if you (or your child!) are hard on equipment, the additional durability of a serious bicycle can save you money in the long run.
5. Service after the sale. A professional bike shop will take the time to adjust and fit the bicycle to each individual’s needs and preferences; a MMTS clerk may get the bike off the rack and help you load it in your car or truck! And, the full-service shop will be there to provide necessary service and repairs for the life of the bike.

Do I have to spend a lot of money to buy a high-quality bike from a bike shop?

Absolutely not! Although we’re a full-service shop that is capable of providing dream bikes to the more affluent enthusiast, the vast majority of our customers are casual, recreational cyclist that are simply looking for a bicycle that will provide them with years of comfortable, trouble-free fun. If this sounds like what you’re looking for, our juvenile bikes start at $89 (lower for tricycles), with adult models starting at $199. And, remember: once you have the bike and a couple of accessories (the most important of which is a helmet!), you’re done spending money – no health club dues to pay, no greens fees, etc!

Sounds good, but that’s still a little more than I’d like to spend without knowing for sure that I’m going to enjoy riding. Shouldn’t I just buy a MMTS bike first and then buy a better one later on if I like cycling?

Unfortunately, this is a Catch-22 situation: if you start out on a bike that doesn’t match your type of riding, that’s heavy and doesn’t fit properly, and that is continually giving you problems, your chances of enjoying the sport of cycling will be greatly reduced. We recommend that you ride a friend’s bike that came from a MMTS for a short period of time, then visit our store to test ride a higher-quality bike. Generally, even the novice cyclist can tell an immediate difference. Cycling can be an enjoyable, life-long activity – one that is likely to be far more pleasant if you start out on a bike from a professional shop.

Our friends have some nice bicycles, but, frankly, those gears scare me! My last bike had one gear and pedal brakes – do I really need all those speeds?

The most important thing to remember is this: just because your new bike has 21 (or 24 or 27) speeds, you’re certainly not required to use them all! The only purpose of the gear system on a modern bike is to provide a wide range of gears, one of which will provide a comfortable level of effort regardless of how and where you’re riding (uphill, downhill, on-pavement, off-pavement, etc.) – if you’re comfortable with the gear you’re in, there’s no need to shift. You may not end up using all the gears on your new bike, but, if you ride in hilly terrain or off the pavement, it’s nice to know they’re available if you need them!

I like the idea of a multi-speed bike being easier to pedal, but won’t all those gears cause problems? Are they reliable?

Some of us are old enough to remember the first “10-speed” racing bikes back in the 1960’s – the gears never stayed in adjustment, they were hard to shift, the chain was always falling off, etc. (many of the same problems you might encounter today on a MMTS bike!). Multiple speed bikes have come a long way in the past 40 years – far more reliable, far more “user-friendly”! Most new cyclists are amazed at how simple the new systems are to use – and how reliable they are, even after years of use. 5 minutes of instruction before your first test ride, and you’re on your way!

I’m never going to be interested in racing or competition – frankly, comfort is more important to me than speed! Am I the only one that feels this way?

Absolutely not – again, the majority of our adult customers feel exactly the way you do! We carry a range of comfort and hybrid bikes with front suspension, comfortable seats, suspension seat posts, and adjustable handlebars for a more upright riding position. And both these models are also available with a unique “step-through” frame for the person who is either uncomfortable or physically unable to lift their leg high enough to swing it over the seat and mount the bicycle in the usual way.