"Take those bikes on test rides and see what you like best. Then hop on and start riding. Thats pretty much what I had to do when my car caught fire 8yrs ago."
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James Raussen
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Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!
11 Replies
So, I just moved to Chicago from Ohio and am living in Andersonville. I am getting ready to purchase a used bike and have a few questions. 1) I will primarily use the bike for riding in the…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Davo Sep 20, 2011.
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Davo replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'
Robert Akers replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'"I would say that a novice can ride anywhere in the city, because about an hour or two under your belt and you aren't a novice anymore. Plenty of us ride to and from the loop everyday, no big deal just be carefull. I deffinately recament a road…"
S replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'"Maintenance, maybe. Although it's fairly marginal in terms of added maintenance. On the other hand, a fixed gear bike makes changing tubes more difficult since you can't use a quick-release for your wheels.
The weight…"
John W. replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'"I'm not in a hipster circle. I just used to have a 10 speed that I never shifted. I agree it makes life easier at times, but it is also more maintenance, weight, etc.
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Joel replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'" Really? Geared bikes are the norm outside of serious hipster circles. It isn't just racers and old cruisers. You may not need extra gears, but they make life easier at times.
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John W. left a comment for James Raussen"Hey, I'm in Ravenswood, near Andersonville, and ride everyday. If you want to tag along and see how different areas are, let me know."
John W. replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'" 1) I used to ride ~ 2 miles to work and home from the Gold Coast to Streeterville. I hit Michigan Ave. rush hour traffic every morning/evening and had no problems. You really just have to be aware of everything. The cars…"
Mike Zumwalt replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'"Try riding in the loop on a Sunday, you can get the feel of the roads at least.
The loop traffic Sunday vs Monday-Friday is like a mall parking lot, Tuesday at 8pm in July vs. the day after Thanksgiving.
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ChristopherMCA replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'"Did you bike a lot before you moved to the city the communte from the andersonville to the loop is a long one. I would recommend taking it slow and start with shorter distances if you havent ridden in a while. maybe something like 2 - 3miles vs the…"
Liz replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'"I would recommend you buy a bike that has fenders or you can easily install fenders on.
I don't know anything about the 2 bikes you mentioned, but I would suggest an older "cruiser" with fenders and a rack and/or basket…"
Mike Zumwalt replied to James Raussen's discussion 'Need advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!'"Andersonville to the Loop is a little bit but you're close to the bike trail 1/2 mile East
Clark is decent though heavily traveled not real wide either. #22 and the Red lines run all night so if you have bike trouble it's $2 for a…"
James Raussen posted a discussionNeed advice on what's better and riding in different areas?!
So, I just moved to Chicago from Ohio and am living in Andersonville. I am getting ready to purchase a used bike and have a few questions. 1) I will primarily use the bike for riding in the different neighborhoods and will venture to try to bike downtown where I work (on LaSalle). Can a novice ride downtown? How are the cars? 2) I'm not using the bike for competitive racing or intense cycle events, so does it matter the type of bike to buy? 3) I have a choice between a Diamond Back Topanga,…See More
Profile Information
- What I ride:
- Mountain
- The kind of riding I do:
- Recreational, Commuting
- About me:
- New to the city of Chicago, from Ohio. I would like to bike more often to learn the neighborhoods better and possibly for commuting to work downtown. I live in the north, in Andersonville.
Comment Wall (1 comment)
- At 8:54pm on September 19, 2011, John W. said…
- Hey, I'm in Ravenswood, near Andersonville, and ride everyday. If you want to tag along and see how different areas are, let me know.
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