used bike shopping tip!

yay! today is wednesday which means my new bike post!! !since the weather will be warmer it means bike season is coming and people tend to buy bikes before the season begins!  i will throw this post into the mix every now and then. i know a lot of you out there are on the hunt out for a bike and want to get something for a good deal so i thought i would share some helpful tips on how to buy a used bike on craigslist! i am a HUGE advocate of finding & buying used bikes on craigslist because not only are you recycling but you can find some major deals on some really cool bikes and bike parts!

so here is my first stab

ad here. looks like my urusla!

when in doubt a raleigh 3-speed is a great bike for the most part. there always tons of raleigh's on craigslist some good, bad & then ugly. this little cutie is a winner! black, a very practical color and a classic, easy-to-use 3 speed shifting: perfect for light hill riding and going around town or commuting, fenders, and a worn in brooks saddle that could probably be brought back to life with a little leather oil! for $150 this little gem is a really great deal!

now when it comes to shopping on craigslist pictures are really important. these aren't the greatest and don't show a lot of detail which is crucial if there is rust. don't ever feel embarrassed to email the owner and ask for close up pictures or ask about rust.


next, notice where the bike is located. sonoma is about an hour away from us so is it worth a tank of gas for me to drive all the way up there and have the bike be a bust?..maybe, maybe not. you have to make that decision if the bike is worth it and having an owner that is a great communicator is important. if they could care less about the sale then why should you waste your time and money.

from what i gather the bike is in rideable condition, if you are worried about it after your purchase take it to your local bike shop and have them give the bike a tune up (which probably would be a good idea anyways). brake or shift cables might be old and could use replacing so anything to help your new bike run at 100% is good. usually a tune up will run you around $60-$100 depending on what the bike needs.

all in all this bike is a good find, great price, and super cute. we often head north to visit family so if we were headed up north and i was in need of a bike, i would be sure check this one out!



xo,

cb

i'm cheating......

......on mary...........WITH OUR NEW FRENCH TANDEM WE HAVE NAMED GILBERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! isn't he amazing!!!! the maker is gottfried

he is so pretty and in wonderful condition. we found him on craigslist for a steal!!!! typically tandems are $1000 and up but not this beauty wasn't! i am still a little shocked that we got it for a low price of $500 and everything is in working condition comes in the original water bottles too!  we are not sure what year he is as there isn't a ton of information that we could find about him so we will keep on looking. he needs some new cables and just some regular maintenance but we will be taking him for a spin this weekend...going on a new trail we haven't been on yet!! it is called the iron horse trail and it runs from walnut creek to dublin. i am super excited to test him out and see how he rides!!!will tell you all about it next week......wwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't yet :)


xo,
cb

bike chick tip wednesday!

hello y'all! hope you are having a great week! tomorrow i jump on amtrak and get to enjoy a lovely ride from connecticut to boston! i can't wait!! i love trains! one of my favorite ways to travel but my number one is by bike...so without further ado...

bike chick tip #4: what to bring with you when checking out a bike and what to look for...
this post in mainly for those searching for a bike on craigslist. bike stores & bike shops don't require this much planning or scrutiny because most of the time you will be looking at a new bike and they will have tools and such for you if needed.

so you have made an appointment with someone on craigslist to check out a bike...first wear something comfortable or wear something that you would wear riding...if you are going to mainly wear dresses or skirts when riding then i suggest you wear one to make sure you feel comfortable wearing a skirt or dress while riding...i like to wear black volleyball shorts under my dresses & skirts..makes me feel more comfortable if a gust of wind blows up my skirt...also here is what you should bring along with you...a magnet, an allen wrench & adjustable wrench...

so you meet with the person to view the bike...what should you look for? the first thing i would look for is rust and dents. this is a very important thing for a bike. if it has minimal amounts of surface rust that can be scrubbed off with steel wool...if it is a lot rust then you are looking at more of a project bike...were you will need to stripe the paint of the bike and scrub any rust off...primer the bike and paint...this is probably not what most people are looking for but if you are a diy person i say go for it! if the bike has dents it may have been in a crash and is no longer structurally sound. frames with bad looking dents should be avoided...so you have checked out the rust and dents and it's good to go...

what next...walk around the bike and look at everything...is the bike super dirty? this might be a sign that the person selling it to you didn't take care of the bike so it might need some tlc...check if the brakes work before riding...you can do this by rolling the bike and squeezing the brake...are the brakes squishy, squeaky or uneven? be confident that the brakes will slow you and the bike down while riding..look at bolts that connect things..like the seat, the handle bars, wheels & cranks..if they are rusted it might be impossible or extremely hard to remove/replace them...

here are where your tools you brought come in...the magnet is to to test whether or not the bike is made of steel...a magnet won't stick to aluminum or carbon fiber and you should be careful of these types of bikes as they are made more for racing and not for everyday use. a steel bike is what you want. it is sturdy and great for everyday riding BUT try picking up the bike first to see if you can stand lifting it....do you live up 3 flights of stairs? will you be able to carry it down to the subway?

the allen wrench or adjustable wrench will be used to make adjustments to seat and handle bars...remember my last post about fit....if you have made the needed adjustments then you are ready to take her for a ride!! if the bike has gears shift through all of them to make sure they work...use the breaks....does the bike pull to one side? look down at the wheel while riding does it wobble? all of these things can make a huge difference as putting a new set of wheels can be really expensive ($200ish)...take one last look at the bike does it have character, did you enjoy riding it? if so pay the man and you and your bike can ride off into the sunset or fog together :D remember if there are any style or small fit issues those can be fixed...more to come!

what is your first memory of your bike?


xo,
cb

bike chick tip

welcome...today is bike chick tip wednesday! okay lets do this....

tip #2 bike hunting!!!

there are tons of places to look for a new or used bike and each caters to a different need. the bike store is the readily available source and an all in one store. they mostly sell new bikes and new bike parts, have a workroom in the back and sales people on the floor helping with customers. if you want a new bike i would recommend this type of source although i have never bought a new bike... just not my thing...the bike shop is a bit different. they have a mix of new and old bikes.. and same goes with parts. this type of shop also has a work room for bike maintenance but to me this is the type of shop that is a local mom and pop type not a chain like a bike store and i feel you get a more honest answer and help from this type of shop. ..it is also nice to support your local bike shop! stone's located in alaemda is one we have frequented...

 another source for bike hunting are non-profit and co-op's. the ones that we have used over and over again in san francisco is  the bike hut which is a non-profit organization located on the embarcadero. this place is awesome and they just got a great new makeover too! you can rent bikes, get extremely great deals on some good bikes as well as parts and they even do repair and will show you how to fix something yourself! the second is called the bike kitchen. this place is also a non-profit but it is a do it yourself workshop. pay a fee or yearly membership and you can use the work spaces and tools to build your own bike from their spare frames and parts! monitors roam around the work space to help with any questions...a really great tool for those of you looking for a really really awesome challenge!

                                                                      the bike hut in sf

                                                              the bike kitchen in sf


i think one of the best ways to look for a bike is craigslist. it is easy and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your home. you can spend hours searching for bikes and bike parts on craigslist. it also helps to find out what you are most attracted to in a bike. you are able to email sellers with any questions you have and then make appointments to view the bike in person, where you can test out the bike and ask any additional questions. the only trick to this is sometimes the person selling the bike has no clue what they are selling...this is where this blog will come in handy :D


tomorrow i am in a local craft fair after work...a very long day....wish me luck!!!!!


xo,
cb