​A well-maintained bike is a beautiful thing.  You will be able to ride further and with less effort, and the bike will last longer between mechanical issues.  Regular maintenance will reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic failure that might leave you stranded, or worse yet, injured.   But according to Christopher Wallace, bike mechanic, educator and speaker at the Feb. 10 virtual meeting of the Chicago Cycling Club, even if you are handy with tools and have the basic knowledge to perform preventive maintenance on your bike, there are instances when collaborating with the professionals at a bike shop is the best thing you can do to keep rolling.  

Bike frames are made from a variety of materials, the most popular being steel, aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, and even bamboo.  If you are looking for a new bike for commuting, running errands or adventure cycling to exploring new parts of the city, each choice has advantages and disadvantages for price, ride comfort, durability, style, and maintainability.  While bike brands usually have standard materials they like to use for their bikes, if you look around you can usually find the bike style and frame material you prefer in a hybrid, road, gravel, mountain, or ebike. Which frame material is the best choice?

During the new bike shortage in 2020 it was a banner year to a buy or sell a used bike.  Why not give some life to an old bike?  With a steel or aluminum frame and the ability to replace components that are bent, rusted, worn, or dried out (in the case of rubber), you can take almost any bike and make it usable again.  If you are on a budget and just getting into cycling and do not know how enthusiastic you will be for riding over time, it is a good way to get rolling without making a large investment, saving some cash for the accessories you will need.  But buying a pre-owned bike is not without pitfalls so here are some tips for making the right selection.

You’ve discovered that cycling improves cardio-vascular and aerobic fitness, lowers blood pressure, boosts energy, builds muscle, and improves coordination and is just plain fun, so now you need a bike.  But with so many styles, options, and places to buy, how do you know what is the right bike for you?

Cycling is a diverse world and there is a bike for everyone regardless of age, fitness level or riding style.  You can increase your chance of finding your best ride ever by answering a few questions. 

If you are new to cycling and shopping for your first bike as an adult you may wonder why a bike from a major brand in specialty retail sold at a bike shop or online is so expensive.   To get you from point A to B a new bike will cost you a lot less than a new car, but it may seem that $400 or more is still a lot to pay to own two wheels.  To get a handle on the costs it helps to know a little about the current state of bicycle manufacturing:

• Rapid innovation –Bikes have been around for over 100 years, but we are not done tweaking them yet.  New designs and components debut annually resulting in a pace akin to that of the iPhone. 
• ​Precision – Bicycle components are manufactured in weights and tolerances that are highly precise and as with any precision product, it takes more effort and cost to get that degree of performance