Urban Biking for the Beginner?

What city are you in?

Jersey City, but I guess I'd be biking in NYC a bit too.

Jersey City is pretty far from bike-friendliness.

Get a bike that is comfortable, above all else. If that means getting a hybrid, then, well, do it (and may god have mercy on your soul). But any touring/CX bike ought to be perfectly suitable for urban getting around.

Also: invest in full fenders (herro xmas present) and riding in garbage weather won't be appreciably worse than walking in it.

I guess the biggest thing is pare away all the excuses you'd make for *not* riding in a given circumstance.

Actually just get this.

w/r/t traffic: BE PREDICTABLE. These guys have lots of good info on urban cycling in general.

http://www.biketraffic.org/trickstips/

Some other good websites:

http://bicyclesafe.com/
http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

Best advice: TAKE THE LANE

That's the simplest and best way to stay safe.

Find out if there is a cycle group or store or whatever that will offer training. Most urban councils in the UK and a lot of advocacy groups offer free or subsidised bike training, not sure what it is like in the US but a local bike shop ought to be able to point you in the right direction.

Jersey City is a GREAT place to bike! I don't expect the traffic to be all "HERE, LET ME MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE" but a lot of the back roads are a little sleepy anyway, and you can prob avoid ever having to ride on, say, Newark Ave if you don't want to. And everything is so close there! You could even get to the heights in a reasonable car-free manner!

I wish I'd had a bike in JC. The biggest problem is that the PATH is the only way OUT.

I like that bicyclesafe.com site, they have good descriptions of the kinds of traffic patterns that lead to greater risk of accident/injury, and they give them memorable names like "the right cross" and "the right hook", which is useful for calling them to mind in a pinch.

For bike: Just get something simple, reliable and safe.

For safety: The best piece of advice I can share with you is something I read somewhere:

"Pretend that you are invisible"

If you assume that every car sees you and is willing to yield for you, you are in for a big surprise. Just play it conservative, especially in/at intersections. Drivers these days are on the phone, text messaging, googlemapping... you are the least of their concerns. So pretend that nobody can see you and stay out of everyone's way, erring on the conservative side will prolong your bicycle commute career.

Lights. The optic yellow road-crew vest is probably overkill, but invest in a good headlight and rear blinker, esp. during the winter.

I'm not sure if there are any bike advocacy groups/co-ops in metro NYC (along the lines of MassBike and Bikes not Bombs, respectively, in Boston), but they can be really good sources of info on urban riding. Your local bike shop is also likely to sell some kind of bike map with recommended routes and bike paths/lanes marked on it - a lot of times the best routes from point-to-point aren't exactly intuitive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNg0ReHeTiM

I'd like something to tool around Astoria in. Probably not for running errands, but more like leisurely rides around Astoria park and various back streets. I was thinking originally a granny bike for fashion, but now am leaning to 10-speed for ease of use and transport. (I live in a 4-fl walkup.) What say you?

How about a breezer?

http://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes.cfm

or an electra

http://www.electrabike.com/bikes/

4th fl walk up, you'll want something light or something you can lock outside with impunity.

I totally glossed over the 4th floor walk up part. My suggestions are kind of heavy.

How about Redline 925. It's a single speed

http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/925.html

I somehow can't see mary on that. Iron horse did a great city bike last year, the Transit. They don't seem to be doing them this year but some of last years still seem to be available online for cheap.

Also, check out:

http://www.recycleabicycle.org/

I don't know Mary, so I'll stop making suggestions for her new bike.

The Redline's all right, I guess, but those insect-stinger bars & brakes HAVE GOT TO GO. What the hell, is my bike a giant spider? I couldn't even touch that.

I have managed to concoct a labyrinthine route out of neighborhood streets, connecting parking lots, and bizarre tiny parks that allows me access to the greater Lexington, KY metropolitan area with as little contact with the actual road as possible!

In a real city though I will be pretty much fucked.

Laurel, bullhorns are great bars. They're basically road bars without the drops, and a lot of people who ride road bars never use the drops. It's a great bar for city riding. You can get a little aero by streching out and griping all the way up the bars, and there are several different positions as opposed to just one position on risers or flat bars. It has many of the advantages of road bars, but most city riders spend most of their time on the tops, and not the drops, anyway, so why have the drops?

I'm definitely thinking of switching out my drops for some bullhorns.

The brake levers on the ends are freaking me out.

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/887/60004208.JPG

OMFG!!!!!

I'd consider bullhorns but they'd have to use the little trigger levers -- I know they're some kind of cliche already but come on. Cannot have arachnid tendencies.

ew

Thanks for the advice. The Breezer looks really cute, but it's kind of expensive? or is that a normal bike price? Yea, it would have to be something I could also lock outside, for if I ever rode it to work, we are not allowed to bring bikes inside.

How about European Sophistication?

http://www.redlinebicycles.com/adultbikes/R530.html

Breezers are a bit pricey. It's a really nice bike though. Electras are probably cheaper.