Tourist's bikes

[TrailBate]

So, I live in Wareham, so I get the great fortune of mingling with tourist traffic heading to the cape on my commute home. I noticed yesterday that quite a lot of tourists bring bikes. (duh). An overwhelming majority of these bikes are mountain bikes. Half of them are kid's bikes.

So, I'm thinking. Why? Why so many mountain bikes? I know for sure most people will be riding the canal, or that rail trail out through dennis/yarmouth/etc. I have no doubt some will ride the trails at Nickerson. But c'mon, why so many mountain bikes?

Is it "cooler" to own a mtb instead of a road bike, like it's "cooler" to own an SUV?


and hybrids. What's up with those? I never rode one, but it seems to me they'd make crappy road bikes AND crappy mtbs. Is it just me?

[jerseygirl]

If you go to Wal-Mart and those types of places (ugh!) most of the bikes you see for kids are mountain bikes. Even at my lbs that's what they have.

[skippy]

When my wife and I were shopping for bikes (she wanted a road bike), we couldn't find anything that I would consider a "starter" bike (under $300... we were working on a budget). Salespeople at the bike shops kept pointing her towards the hybrid bikes. One of the big reasons they would use was that it was far more comfortable and if you don't ride a road bike with drops very often then you will be in pain. Gone are the days when you can walk into a department store and buy a Huffy 10 speed. They don't exist anymore.

So... I gues my answer would be:

When cheap, SUV driving americans go in WAL-MART to buy a bike the only option they have is MTBs or hybrids. That and the knobby tires look cooler.

[minkhiller]

As long as you are seeing bikes I don't care what they are. I want to see people on bikes. Though the percentage of those bikes we see will evolve into hardcore MTB or road riders is very low at least the chance is there.

Let them have the Walmart bike to start with, they don't know any better. When we see them on a trail let's stop and talk to them, get to know them. They may be riding the Walmart bike because that's all they can afford. They may be riding it because they didn't know if they would like riding. Don't judge me for what I ride....be happy that I am riding!

The people riding whatever bike don't have to ride technical singletrack to offer support, they just need to see that there is a movement to offer cycling opportunities.

So sayeth the shepperd....

[TrailBate]

word. amen. shalom. whatever.

[skippy]

Let them have the Walmart bike to start with, they don't know any better. When we see them on a trail let's stop and talk to them, get to know them. They may be riding the Walmart bike because that's all they can afford. They may be riding it because they didn't know if they would like riding. Don't judge me for what I ride....be happy that I am riding!

The people riding whatever bike don't have to ride technical singletrack to offer support, they just need to see that there is a movement to offer cycling opportunities.

So sayeth the shepperd....


I didn't mean to come across as criticizing people with inexpensive bikes... I probably wouldn't have bought my $300 Giant Boulder at a bike shop if it hadn't of been for a little birthday cash thrown my way by my family. That and the fact that my wife was seeking the grail of affordable road bikes and it drove us to the the lbs (oh yeah... she ended up with a bike that is a little more than 2x's as much as mine... go figure.)

As long as you are out there riding...

jake

[adam30k]

What makes them a "mountain bike"? It's more about the hybrid/comfort frame nowadays. People want something comfortable to ride. The thicker or knobbier tires are nice when the kids ride around in the yard or whatnot. And hey, who cares as long as they are on a bike.

You didn't mention what they were supposed to be riding. Oh and I missed that I was supposed to buy an SUV because it's cool. Seems if you are a real hipster then you are ranting about SUVs.

[jaime]

As long as you are seeing bikes I don't care what they are. I want to see people on bikes. Though the percentage of those bikes we see will evolve into hardcore MTB or road riders is very low at least the chance is there.

Let them have the Walmart bike to start with, they don't know any better.
So sayeth the shepperd....


The potential problem with this is that when they take their new "mtn bike" out on the trails and the chintzy Falcon shifters won't work properly, or those cheesy stamped steel brake calipers are so flexy the bike takes an act of God to stop on a downhill, the new bike owner's perception is that bikes are junk. I'm not necessarily against Pacific, Next, Huffy, etc, but I can't imagine those folks having any kind of perspective-altering experience while riding those pieces of junk. my co-worker refers to them as "BSO's"; Bicycle Shaped Objects.

I went to NH for the weekend and noticed the same phenomenon, hundreds of $129 bikes haphazardly strapped to the back of mega-RV's. ::)

[slapheadmofo]

I went to NH for the weekend and noticed the same phenomenon, hundreds of $129 bikes haphazardly strapped to the back of mega-RV's. ::)


heheh...I always see the set-up with $500 worth of roof rack holding $134 worth of bikes.

I think there are more mt style bikes our there cuz they're more fun and comfortable. Just a much better set up to cruise around on than a road bike.

[truckboy]

... the new bike owner's perception is that bikes are junk.


Or that mtb isn't any fun and people who do it are stupid and crazy.

[Evan]

In my experience, people looking for an inexpensive bike want a few things.
1) Big tires because they will feel more secure.
2) Big seat to be more comfortable
3) Nice grips
4) 27 "speeds"
5) Suspension seatpost and/or fork.

The only bikes that come with all of that at a low price are the department store mountain bikes and low end hybrids (the Fuji Regis for example). And good luck to the shop employee trying to tell them they can change the seat to one of the gigantic gel seats.