The Best Bike for the Bucks - shopping for a bicycle means finding good shop - Buyers Guide

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, March, 1999 by Jane Bennett Clark

THE RIGHT MIX. Part of a local chain, the Bicycle Place in Bethesda, Md., also comes highly recommended for service. By now I'm pretty sure of my criteria: a shock-absorbing seatpost, a 15-inch woman's frame, adjustable handlebars and a nice, fat seat. Nonetheless, I'll start by letting the shop give advice.

Jim, the salesman, listens to my plan for weekend riding and guesses that I'd like a woman's bike. He brings out a 17-inch Trek and watches as I get on--too big, he concludes. He pulls down a 15-inch Trek 7500 ($545), an upgraded version of the 7300 I've already sampled.

After a few adjustments, I'm on the road again for a test drive. The handlebars feel good, the gears feel good and the fit feels good, but the price is not so good. Besides, the leather saddle feels a bit stiff, and for $500-plus, I want a bike that passes the tush test.

So Jim gets out a Trek 7300, the same bike I tried at College Park but with a 15-inch frame. It fits perfectly, and my seat is well cushioned. The whole shebang costs $440.

And that's not even the best part. It comes in red.

RELATED ARTICLE: THE ANATOMY OF A BIKE

THE BONES OF A BIKE consist of several tubes that constitute the frame, once made entirely of steel but now available in lighter materials such as chromoly (a steel alloy) or aluminum. The bike's stem bends back from the front tube to hold the handlebars, and the seatpost sticks up from another tube to hold the saddle. The fork is the prong that attaches the stem to the front wheel. The drivetrain, with chains, pedals, cogs and other stuff, makes the wheels go 'round. Gears let you adjust your pedaling to the terrain.

RELATED ARTICLE: FOR MORE INFORMATION

FOR MORE bike lore, see:

* The Everything Bicycle Book, by Roni Sarig (Adams Media, $12). A plain-spoken guide to buying and riding a bicycle, with clear, well-labeled illustrations.

* Bicycling magazine ($12 for 1.1 issues). Jargony but comprehensive, with lively writing that boosts you over the rough spots.

* nbda.com. Home page of the National Bicycle Dealers Association, this site lets you in on the business end of bicycling and gives general tips on buying bikes and accessories.

* www.trekbikes.com. Everything you wanted to know about Trek bikes--including, of course, where to get one near you.