Conference noted::bicycle

This is the time of the year when the sales are going on. Bicycle Alley in
Worcester is having a Super Sale this week end. Aug 3,4&5th. One bike they'll
have on sale for under $300 is the Bianchi Advantage which is a light weight
road bike frame with MT-bike components. That translates to an 18 speed with
upright handle bars and the tires are a cross between fat MT-bike and skinny
road bike.

Tom

If you want to check this out I'd recomend going before this week end and
seeing if you can get the sale price. This week end will be a mad house and
they won't be able to give you the service you would normally get.

    Wendy,
    
    I live in that area, and there are LOTS of bikes in this area. 
    One thing to keep in mind is that bikes tend to "walk" away, so
    you may want to buy accordingly.
    
    There are some very nice bike shops in this area.  Just an idea,
    If you are going to be having work done on your bike here, or be
    buying other bike related goodies here, you may wont to buy your
    bike in the area you will be living in.  
    
    This will result in the 10% discount on future purchases, as well
    as being a prefered customer in the shop.  I believe one should
    support there local bike shop by buying ones bike there.
    
    Hamp is fairly flat, but Amherst has more hills in the outskirts,
    I would still tend to favor a Mt. Bike over a road bike in both
    locations as the weather will pound your bike in the winter.
    
    I have purchased bikes in the two shops in town, and if you want
    feedback send me mail.
    
    There are some wonderful bike roads in the area to train on!
    
    When/if you come out drop me a line
    
    John

    
    	Hi Wendy,
    
    	I just bought a Bianchi Boardwalk because I had similar 
    	requirements.  It's one model up in price, $400, over the
    	one suggested earlier, the Bianchi Advantage.  The main
    	upgrades are 21 speed vs 18, some better components and
    	a little lighter weight.
    
    	My impression so far is that it will be good for what I
    	bought it for, crummy weather.  It seems to be about 
    	10-15% slower/harder (more effort) to ride on my commute
    	(15 miles) than my road bike (roughly eqiv. price).
    
    				For what it's worth,
    
    						Roger

    
    	Oops!  Forgot to mention that my Boardwalk, and probably the
    	Advantage, can be fitted with road wheels to "REAL"
    	mountain bike width tires.
    
    					Roger

    
    All the foregoing advice is good.  I would indeed watch my
    bike if I were you.  A mountain or watchamacallit (oh, yes: hybrid)
    bike is a pretty good idea.  Just think: when spring finally
    breaks (or before winter sets in), you can fearlessly cross
    the Holyoke Range (MA 116 to South Hadley) or hit Quabbin,
    and you'll have the gearing for it!
    
    Good luck...
    -john

    May I suggest you visit the area first, then decide what
    you will be using the bike for?  Last I knew, the Amherst/
    Northampton area had EXCELLENT bus service.  You may find
    (like I did a few years ago) that you don't use the bike
    for short distances... you walk or take the bus.  
    
    I found my 10-speed got very little around-campus type
    use, but considerable weekend "tour of the countryside"
    exercise during warmer weather.  (It stayed in its
    "parking space" inside during the snowy weather!)
    
    			- Ed -

     I know this will sound like nagging, but since you are investing
    in the academic aspect of your life, you should seriously consider
    protecting the "information container". Please buy a helmet...
    
     Chip 

	Wow!  Thanks for all the quick responses and mail messages,
	I'm getting excited and planning shopping trips for this
	weekend already.  I've got a couple more questions.  
	
	* How important is it to buy and get your bike serviced at the 
	same shop? 

	* Do these bikes need service often?  Are they expensive to
	maintain? 

	* What's the difference between a road bike and a mountain bike?
	What's a hybrid?

	I really appreciate your help!

	Wendy
	FEMMES::WBECK

	
>	* How important is it to buy and get your bike serviced at the 
>	same shop? 

    	It's a very soft requirement.  Sort of a goodwill gesture.
    	For years I did business with shops that didn't sell me the
    	bikes I road (because I'd bought them far, far away).  They
    	were still happy to help me.
    
>	* Do these bikes need service often?  Are they expensive to
>	maintain? 

    	In general, not expensive.  If you ride a lot in the rain or
    	in salty weather (New England winters and springs), you can
    	save yourself a lot of bike-shop maintenance if you do some
    	preventive maintenance yourself.  
    
>	* What's the difference between a road bike and a mountain bike?
>	What's a hybrid?
    
    	I guess other notes in this conference will give a better idea,
    	but, briefly, an ATB or Mountain Bike is built to be sturdy
    	and very maneuverable over trail obstacles, with lots of traction.
    	Hence wide, knobby tires, wide range of gearing (for steep trails),
    	motor-bike style handlebars (for control, not comfort, over logs
    	and rocks and ruts).  "Road bikes" refer to bikes built for good
    	road surfaces (or some not so good, but not trails) - they are
    	built for lightness, ease of handling, efficiency, and speed.
    	The tires are narrow (one inch), the rims lightweight, the
    	handlebars drop-style - for long-distance riding comfort.
    
    	Hybrids (offspring of the City Bike?) are more like Road Bikes
    	in their frame geometry, but tend to come with wider tires
    	(but not big knobbies) and T-bone ATB-style handlebars.  They
    	are supposed to be bikes you can ride comfortably (if not at
    	Criterium speeds) on the road, but also hit trails with (though
    	not obstacle courses).
    
    	Hope this helps!
    	-john

Wendy,

I was amazed at how little servicing a good bike (my bike for instance
is a TREK 1100 cost $549.00)takes. It probably needed one trip to tighten
up all the gizmos and cables. What you ought to do if figure out how 
to change both tires for because that's the most often occurring problems
you'll have. I always have 2 tubes with me. I have to chuckle because my 
son is 12 and weighs like 8 pounds and never has a flat even though he
rides over glass and through potholes etc. I'm very very careful to 
avoid all those things and get flats like crazy. There is no justice.

Fred Mudgett

     Hi!
    
      Just my opinion but there are two excellent bike shops in Northampton
    they are:          Northampton Bicycle
                   and Peloton's
    
    If you decide to go for a used bike there is an employee here 
    named Joe Pitchko who owns Southampton Bicycle (not far from Northampton)   
    and I know he used to sell used bikes.    

    You should also be fit-kitted to determine the correct size frame.
    
    

    Just a comment on .11.  My experiences with the 2 shops mentioned were
    always disappointing.  Myself and a friend were both misguided at the
    place in Noho.  I would recommend Bicycle Alley or Valley Bicycles
    both in Amherst.
    
    My $0.02.
    
    /Doreen

    Just a comment on .12
    
    Sorry no Bicycle Alley in Amherst.  There is a Bicycle World and 
    Valley Bike.  Bicycle Alley is in Worcester.
    
    Just a comment on Peleton in Amherst and Northampton.  I know we are
    not supposed to be bashing businesses on the notes file and I
    won't.  I will simply give you a list of things I know about Peleton.
    You can make up your own mind.  
    
    1.  Peleton on numerous occasions have been caught selling bikes
        illegally.  They were selling new bikes they were not authorized
        to sell.  
    
    2.  Their SALE prices "usually" match the everyday prices of the other
        area shops.
    
    3.  A few years ago I went into the Amherst shop to look at aluminum
        frames.  They didn't carry aluminum frames because "the frames are
        slippery in the rain".  I got this from the store manager.
    
    4.  The local bike club advises new members to avoid both of these
        shops due to extremely poor service and technical knowledge of the
        staff.  Most of the staff are college students that have had little
        or no experience with bicycle maintenance or sales.  
    
    
    You can make your own decision.
    
    						Norm
    
    

    My mistake, I meant Bicycle World behind Bonducci's.
    
    /DE

    	During a trip last week, I met a lady who runs a bike shop in
    Lennox, MA.  She has some Terry Gambits (sp?) that she is trying to
    sell and has cut the price a bunch.  If you are serious about road
    bikes, rather than fat tire bikes that would be more suitable for
    winter/sandy roads/slush use, try a Terry. 
    	[I understand that there are only two good bike shops in Lennox, so
    her's shouldn't be too hard to find - sorry, I don't know its name.]
    	- Chris, survivor of Terry Tour '90

    My wife recently purchased a Terry Despatch, and couldn't be happier
    with it.  It is well crafted, and *very* light, it looks like a toy
    next to my 25 inch Peugeot.
    
    Barry

>    	During a trip last week, I met a lady who runs a bike shop in
>    Lennox, MA.  She has some Terry Gambits (sp?) that she is trying to
>    sell and has cut the price a bunch.  If you are serious about road
>    bikes, rather than fat tire bikes that would be more suitable for
>    winter/sandy roads/slush use, try a Terry. 
>    	[I understand that there are only two good bike shops in Lennox, so
>    her's shouldn't be too hard to find - sorry, I don't know its name.]
>    	- Chris, survivor of Terry Tour '90



         Just Curious, but where is Lennox MA? And how much does a
         Terry Gambit cost? From your description, it sounds like
         this is a typical road bike with a small front Wheel?

         JC

>         Just Curious, but where is Lennox MA? And how much does a
>         Terry Gambit cost? From your description, it sounds like
>         this is a typical road bike with a small front Wheel?
>
>         JC


    JC

    Lenox (not Lennox) MA. is located in Western Mass, about 10 miles 
    from NY. If you take the Mass Pike, its the LEE exit. It seems kinda 
    far.

    Mike