Thinking of getting a bike? Looking around Christchurch bikes shops can be quite daunting. Cycling retail in New Zealand is driven by enthusiasts, and most of the bikes on offer are super lightweight road racing bikes or mountain bikes.
What if your looking for a bike to get to work and back, maybe to the shops and the library, a cruise to the coffee shop? Well, the options are pretty thin on the ground in Christchurch. But if you know where to look, there are some great practical bikes available.
Here's some general buying advice, and in a future post we'll look at some of the specific models that are available.
What to look for
To see what features make for a really practical bike, it's worth looking towards the cycling hotbed countries, like Japan, Holland and Denmark. In these countries, the masses of ordinary people riding has meant a standard set of features has become ubiquitous. These help make jumping on your bike as easy and practical as walking.
Bear in mind that many bike shops make most of their money from accessories. If you will be looking to add some of the accessories below to your bike after purchase make sure you take this into account. What looks like a cheaper bike may turn out more expensive than a fully kitted out model when you add up the price of all the accessories.
Load carrying - Probably the number one thing to do to make your ride more comfortable is to let the bike take the strain. A rack and panniers on the rear of the bike will carry the weight of your groceries without killing your back. A basket on the front is perfect for easy access to those odd bits and bobs.
Mudguards - mudguards are generally not present on road racing bikes to cut down on weight, and on mountain bikes because they get clogged with mud and / or damaged. Formula 1 cars don't have a roof or mudflaps, but chances are your car does. Make sure your potential purchase has mudguards, if not budget for a quality set and get your bike shop to fit them on purchase. A muddy wet streak up your back on the way to the dairy after a rain shower is not a good look!
Lights - there are quite a few lighting options available. We recommend a dynamo system, where a generator is attached either to the edge of the tyre on built into the wheel hub. Modern systems are generally very bright, efficient, and usually feature a standby where the lights continue to shine for a time when you stop moving. The advantage of a dynamo system is you never have to think about whether your batteries are charged, the lights are permanently attached to your bike and always ready to go.
Cheap LED lights, particularly the rear light, are effective in getting you seen, but the front lights are not usually powerful enough to light up the road so won't be effective if you need to ride through dark areas. For that you'll either need a more expensive battery light or a dynamo system.
Chainguard - somewhere down the line, someone (probably a trouser manufacturer) decided that chainguards weren't cool. Do yourself a favour, move away from the spandex tights and cycle shorts, get a chainguard and wear your regular legwear of choice.
Lock - once you've found your dream bike, don't lose it. Make sure you carry a lock at all times. The most practical kind is a ring lock. These locks are ubiquitous in countries with a strong cycling culture, but almost unheard of in New Zealand. They are permanently attached to the bike, and the key is stuck in the lock when you are riding. When the lock is engaged, the rear wheel is locked in place and you can remove the key. The same as the dynamo, this system is always there, there's no danger of you leaving it at home. It's perfect for when you are popping into a shop as it takes a couple of seconds to lock the bike and is enough to deter any opportunist thief from running off with your pride and joy. If your leaving the bike for longer you can carry an extension cable to attach the bike to a bike rack or railing.
If you can't procure a wheel lock, make sure you have a sturdy lock permanently attached to your bike and you always carry the key.
In part 2, we'll look at some of the best practical bikes on sale in New Zealand.
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