I’d love a bike but I can’t afford it, have a place to store it out of the elements, or have a safe place to bike because horrible infrastructure. I’ll dream though.
Yes. I got an electric bike at 55 not 40 (late bloomer I guess) but only possible because work lets me park it inside, and there is room for it inside my house. I do park & lock it at the grocery or yoga or whatever but 95% of the time either I am on it or it’s indoors.
With you on the lack of safe paths though. The best they do here is some paint on the road on some roads. The city is trying, it’s fought by the county gov though.
Bikes don’t cost that much money, like 3 days worth of rent will get you a pretty basic cheap bike. 15 days of rent should be a really nice bike that will last years. You don’t need carbon fiber.
If you’re renting a mansion maybe. I am currently building myself a drop bar steel tourer and have already crossed the “three months apartment rent” line, even without especially fancy components. Bicycles have become expensive over the past 10 years, with e-assisted ones establishing price levels that were previously considered obscene for the mainstream. Then non-electric bikes used their slipstream, so to speak.
You can get decent bikes for a few hundred easily here. I got a fairly nice one which cost £600 but that was probably spending a bit more than necessary. They also threw in a few freebies with it.
To be clear, we’re talking brand new here, right? Because I don’t think you can get a “decent” bike for less than 1.000 € anymore where I live. For me, decent parts would be in the Shimano Deore or equivalent price (and quality) bracket.
Yeah brand new, if you are going over £1k its getting to the sport/racing sort of bikes, not something you would really use for commuting or casual bike rides
I’d love a bike but I can’t afford it, have a place to store it out of the elements, or have a safe place to bike because horrible infrastructure. I’ll dream though.
Yes. I got an electric bike at 55 not 40 (late bloomer I guess) but only possible because work lets me park it inside, and there is room for it inside my house. I do park & lock it at the grocery or yoga or whatever but 95% of the time either I am on it or it’s indoors.
With you on the lack of safe paths though. The best they do here is some paint on the road on some roads. The city is trying, it’s fought by the county gov though.
Bikes don’t cost that much money, like 3 days worth of rent will get you a pretty basic cheap bike. 15 days of rent should be a really nice bike that will last years. You don’t need carbon fiber.
If you’re renting a mansion maybe. I am currently building myself a drop bar steel tourer and have already crossed the “three months apartment rent” line, even without especially fancy components. Bicycles have become expensive over the past 10 years, with e-assisted ones establishing price levels that were previously considered obscene for the mainstream. Then non-electric bikes used their slipstream, so to speak.
You can get decent bikes for a few hundred easily here. I got a fairly nice one which cost £600 but that was probably spending a bit more than necessary. They also threw in a few freebies with it.
Electric obviously would cost more though.
To be clear, we’re talking brand new here, right? Because I don’t think you can get a “decent” bike for less than 1.000 € anymore where I live. For me, decent parts would be in the Shimano Deore or equivalent price (and quality) bracket.
Yeah brand new, if you are going over £1k its getting to the sport/racing sort of bikes, not something you would really use for commuting or casual bike rides