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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 1, 2014 at 8:57am

Julian, welcome to the Chainlink.  Let me start with the rack that I recommend since that is the easy part!

I have this one. I like it because it is sturdy and because it is easy for me to get the bikes on and off.  

Bikes--that is much harder.  I see that you are pretty far north--do you know any local bike shops? Your price range is tough for a new bike, but there are a couple of options such as Public Bikes or Linus Bikes.  Both companies have a variety of styles and speeds available.  The other possiblility, where you will get a better bike for that money, is to look for used bikes.  

I started riding again a couple of years ago after not having ridden a bike in a Reeeeaaalllly long time.  I went into a big bike shop and told them I wanted a short bike with a fat seat, and I did not want to spend a lot of money.  I had no idea what to look for.  I got exactly what I asked for.  The good news is that it got me riding again.  The bad news is that it was really a cheap piece of junk that I soon learned did not fit me at all! 

I have bought three bikes since then (Not all at once! I have all of them--you will see that folks around here seem to accumulate bikes.) Before I bought those bikes, I went to a bunch of shops, rode friends bikes, learned how to get a bike that fits me.  A good bike shop will be willing to listen to you, let you test ride bikes, and answer your questions.  If they won't do that, go to another shop.

If you are willing to come into the city, we have a lot of good shops.  If you are even willing to go to Evanston there are some good shops there.

You have definitely come to the right place to learn about bikes!

Oh yes, get a good u-lock for your bikes and lock them through the front wheel and the frame to something immovable.  

Check out this thread.  http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/the-next-bike  It might help, too.

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Permalink Reply by Hey! Bike Shop Guy on March 1, 2014 at 9:25am

I hate to be the one to tell you but you are not going to get a good bike in the 4-500 dollar range.  That is pretty much going to be in the area of a very entry level hybrid or some kind of terrible cruiser pile of shite; neither of which are going to end up being terribly comfortable bikes for any kind of significant ride.

Of course you can go to the internet and get something cheaper but you are going to have some benefits purchasing from a shop, especially as a newer rider.  To really figure out what bikes are going to fit your needs best you really need to talk to somebody knowledgeable about the sort of riding you are planning to do, your cycling goals and work to get you something you are comfortable on.  Best bet is go to a few shops, make sure they are asking you a lot of questions and ride as many bikes as you have time to.

Now, as for the specifics you brought up we can give you a little advice there...

On the 'comfy saddle' thing do yourself a favor and either really talk to the people at the bike shop about saddles or do some research on it because saddle comfort is not only a pretty complex thing but also a little counter-intuitive. 

First off please, for the love of all that is good about bikes, do not buy some padded abomination that looks like a f'ing couch.  Super soft and super wide saddles may be comfortable for a little bit but on any ride beyond, say around the block, they are only going to lead to a numb ass.  Also avoid noseless saddles or any other weird gimmick, more often than not those are put on and compensating for n issue that could likely be resolved by looking at bike fit. 

Really most entry level bikes come with a halfway decent saddle on them to start with.  If you want to end up comfortable on the bike spend some time in the shop getting the bike properly fit to you and then ride the stock saddle for a bit to get used to it (there is always going to be initial discomfort when you are not used to riding much). 

If you have continuing discomfort head back to the shop and talk to them about it and they should help you resolve it.  Just like purchasing the bike expect them to ask you a lot of questions to figure out how to solve your issue.  If they immediately start trying to sell you a saddle without talking to you about the nature of your discomfort in depth or checking your fit on the bike there is a good chance they are not going to really solve your issue.

For racks there are a ton of options.  Thule makes some of the best hitch mount racks in my opinion but as long as you go with reputable manufacturer you are going to be just fine.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Niel Stuart on March 1, 2014 at 2:00pm

I don't know how much prior experience either you or your girlfriend have biking.  If you're going totally from ground zero, Electra makes a couple of models that let you start off with your butt in the saddle and your feet on the ground, the Amsterdam and the Townie.  I'd suggest a single or three-speed for starters.  First, try to master balance, maneuvering, and stopping.  Later add gear shifting after you've mastered the basics of bike handling and rules of the road.  Since you're already a motorist, the same rules that you follow as a motorist pertain to us cyclists also.  Welcome to the Chainlink and Cycling!  Maybe I'll see you down the road.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Z on March 1, 2014 at 4:45pm

With a Class II hitch you should have no problem carrying up to 5 bikes.

Though, I went with the Thule Aero Helium 3 bike for the following reasons (I only needed it for 2 bikes, but went with three just in case):

1. Locks to the Vehicle

2. Integrated cable lock for the bicycles

3. Lightweight

4. Thule Quality

5. Made in the U.S.A.

It's traveled thousands of miles with no problems.

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Permalink Reply by Hey! Bike Shop Guy on March 2, 2014 at 8:59am

Sadly this is actually pretty terrible advise if you plan to do any serious riding or have long term fitness goals that involve riding more than a few miles at a time.

It's also a symptom with several things wrong with what is going on with the industry.

OK, so first off I don't care how you think it should be, how it feels or anything else but on a proper bicycle with a properly adjusted saddle height your feet will not be able to rest flat on the ground.  A bike that has geometry that allows you to sit like that will not be comfortable for long rides due to the positioning of your body on it and the type of saddle they usually come with.  In my opinion bikes like that are really only the right fit for people with balance or mobility issues that would make a regular bike difficult, or even dangerous, to ride. For people able to ride a normal bike getting some kind of 'flat foot' bike is only going to place limits on their cycling because the bike just isn't going to be comfortable in the long run.

Why are so many people on them then?  Two reasons really I think. 

First off certain bike shops want to sell you what they have as quickly as possible.  Rather than address the issue of educating a customer on proper bike fit and taking the time to get them comfortable on a regular bike they just sell them what he customer thinks is best instead of helping them make an informed decision.  Secondly oh so many customers simply refuse to accept that the person who works in the bike shop might actually know more about how a bike should fit than they do.

A good sales person is going to take the time to educate you as to what will work best for you, give you two to three good options, explain the pros and cons of them all.

Barry Niel Stuart said:

I don't know how much prior experience either you or your girlfriend have biking.  If you're going totally from ground zero, Electra makes a couple of models that let you start off with your butt in the saddle and your feet on the ground, the Amsterdam and the Townie.  I'd suggest a single or three-speed for starters.  First, try to master balance, maneuvering, and stopping.  Later add gear shifting after you've mastered the basics of bike handling and rules of the road.  Since you're already a motorist, the same rules that you follow as a motorist pertain to us cyclists also.  Welcome to the Chainlink and Cycling!  Maybe I'll see you down the road.

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