Bicycle Buying Basics: Beating the Oil Companies and Getting in Shape at the Same Time

Having worked on the west coast as a bike tech for the past 6 years I really feel that more can be done to curb the consumption of oil and the creation of emissions by everyday people; and the morning and afternoon commutes are excellent places to start! Every day I see people who are making a difference by riding their bikes and some of these people could benefit even more by following a few simple steps to maximize their efficiency and operating costs.

For those of us living and working in urban environments, many of the miles we put on our cars involve trips within our own cities of less than five miles. A great way to cut down on these trips is to buy a bicycle. Not just any bicycle though, there are a few ways to make sure you're getting the most out of your purchase and your machine. I recommend buying a used bike due to the fact that there are millions of used bikes out there in perfect shape and helping to feed the demand for more goods and products that people really don't need is not the way to help our environment. Plus, it'll save you even more cash and help to support local bike shops and related businesses if you buy a quality used bike rather than buying a new one. The following is a crash course in used bicycle buying and maintenance for the savvy rider. These are some of the easiest ways to make sure you're getting the most from your bike.