AKICO, bike edition

[oyceter]

So! I have a new (used) bike and would like to start biking for faster transportation and exercise.

Any recommendations? I haven't biked in the US ever except for maybe a few blocks on the sidewalk in the suburbs when I was 12.

No tips too obvious! Like, I know to get a helmet. And that sometimes your pants get stuck in the gears. That's about it. I will probably be biking in an urban-ish environment or in parks around there and almost certainly not mountain biking. Any recommended locks/helmets/other paraphernelia?

Also, I was thinking of getting a stationary trainer for the rainy months... any tips or thoughts? I will probably not be a super biker, so something fairly basic would be good.

Comments

[daedala]

My understanding is that chain guards are usually best to get with the bike. If you have a front derailleur, finding something that works is...not terribly likely. There are reports of aftermarket stuff working, but they often included "and then I tried the other size, and then I got out the dremel tool..." and maybe it can never be made to fit at all. I think the SKS chainboards" and the ogk chain guard are the only things that will work.

Internally geared hubs, or bikes that only have a single chainring in front, are much easier to fit an aftermarket chain guard for, so if that's what you have, you may be in luck.

I just have a couple of those little velcro straps that live in my panniers.