I'm back to pedal power
 

Well, seeing that my wife and I dont intend on buying a new car until early next year, when hopefully I'll actually have a job. I went out and bought my first bicycle in about 10 years. Couldnt have picked a better place either, as when I walked in, I noticed the guy who worked there had a very familiar Yorkshire accent. He even let me off the $8 dollars for the bottle holder I was buying to go with it. And just like the old Yellow pages ad, all I could think of on the 4 mile ride back from Tempe, was "seats like razor blades".

Re: I'm back to pedal power
 

Quite honestly, I don't understand how men can ride bicycles at all. It seems quite impractical and fraught with danger. If you are determined to live dangerously, you can get a nice leather saddle with a much wider base - not the cushiony kind, but hardened leather on springs. Much more comfortable for both sexes.:)

This saddle has a gell type substance in it, but only along the bit where your wedding tackle goes. Thats all well and good, giving the old boy a comfy ride, but it doesnt stop the ass getting sadle sore!!. Ok, I think I've said enough:D

Re: I'm back to pedal power
 

I agree, i'm not getting on another bicycle until the make one with a tractor seat:)

get some cycling shorts pimpo, I got a mountain bike with the 'gel' seat, but my knackers still got red raw, so I got some nappy feeling cycling shorts, feels weird but keeps the crown jewels nice and comfy and keeps the abrasions off my inner ass cheeks.

My first job here in the states was a 4 mile bike ride from the my apartment at the time, thats how I lost all those extra pounds I had put on from doing the housewife stint.

watch out for those bastard drivers, in England it was courtesy for people to give a 6 ft birth, not here mate I swear my ear lobes have been clipped a few times by ford 150's with the extended mirrors:mad:

Re: I'm back to pedal power
 

Yep, I'm with Lion on this one!

Why would you want a seat like that at all? -- Just sitting here trying to imagine the strategic placement of 'bits' is mind boggling!

Re: I'm back to pedal power
 

especially if your Buster Gonad and his unfeasibly large testicles.

Re: I'm back to pedal power
 

Are we bragging Yossie? ô¿~

If you're looking for a comfy saddle that doesn't look like a sofa (actually, the big, squishy ones are often very UNcomfortable), one of the best is the Selle Italia Prolink Gel composite - wide-ish for a "sporty" saddle. See Review section of http://www.roadbikereview.com/defaultcrx.aspx

Currently on sale for $55 at Bike Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com/index.cfm)

Then again you could wear Huggies.......

Hey Pimpbot...where did you buy your bike in Arizona? I'm going to have to get one so a recommendation is always good. What did you get? I have a Raleigh Gritstone 21 gear but it's going to CT and I can't be bothered to ship it.

Rockgurl, I went to Tempe Bike, because my brother in law told me they do lots of last years models cheap, because its right near the ASU campus in Tempe. I bought a 2003 GT mountain bike for $250 and saved around $30 dollars compared to the 2004 model. Not a big difference, but they had plenty of other deals going on to, and the place is a nice size with plenty of bikes. If you're as lucky as I was, you might meet Colin, who's an expat from Yorkshire thats been here since the 70s. He really helped me out, but I think he only works part time as he is technically retired..

They are at 330 West University, Tempe. Its just about 3 blocks from the main ASU campus, that you will fly over on monday just before you land. If you sit on the left side of the plane, look out for Sun Devil stadium:D

They have a website, but it doesnt have much on it http://www.tempebicycle.com/

This is what I picked up for $250 (that includes the tax)

Very nice bike Pimp......and grill of course:D

Are those candy canes I spot??? You haven't got the xmas decs up already have you?

Yes, but since that picture was taken, they now go around the whole freakin patio!!. Thats the only decorations we have up though. Its just my step daughter works in Robinsons May and got a killer discount on them, so she just had to put them up
:rolleyes:

You can get really cheap bikes at walmart ot target.

This one was $126.00 for a chicks bike. Theres even bikes for $53.00 on walmarts website.

If you intend on actual 'mountain biking' get one like Pimpbots it would last longer.

If you nip down to Walmart tomorrow you'll be able to get a boys 16" bike for $28!!

Yep no wounder the US bike manufacturers are all going out of business. Buy American people.

Watch out for some of those Wal-Mart bikes. They start to fall apart almost immediately. The workers who assemble them often don't know what they're doing either, so you end up taking it to a local bike repair shop and then you get some real grief because you didn't buy one from them. You have to sympathize with them somewhat. Like many other Mom and Pop businesses, local bike shops are also being driven out of business by the Wal-Mart-ing of America.

We have a visiting student from Glasgow (one semester), and she bought a Wal-Mart bike for around 100 bucks. The handlebars are currently rusting apart, and the thing rattles like the blazes. She's just looking at it as a one-semester bike "rental".

Hence the reason I said go and buy a bike like Pimpbots if you intend on riding alot.

My brother-in-law bought me a bike from Walmart 2 years ago, I ride it alot, but then again I know how to maintain a bike, nothing has fallen off..yet, but I wouldn't exactly go down everest on it either;)

I don't know about adult bikes, but nearly all childrens bikes here are very basic indeed. We bought our daughters Raleigh bike over with us, it cost about £100 I think, and it was the only bike in the whole neighbourhood to have gears on it. Haven't seen anything anywhere near as good here. I'm looking to buy my son a bike now, and although he is not as keen a bike rider as my daughter, I will be buying something a bit better than the Walmart one I mentioned earlier.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ladyofthelake
I don't know about adult bikes, but nearly all childrens bikes here are very basic indeed.

I agree, here's a pic of my bike, bloody thing didn't even come with a bottle holder.:(

I trolled around Walmart once or twice looking at their bikes. But to be honest, why spend $150 on a fairly decent looking bike, like a Schwinn or Mongoose like they usually stock, that will be heavy, bulky and a s.o.b. to ride, when just for another $100 dollars, you can get yourself a nice GT or Haro bike from a proper store. The one I bought from offers a 30 day inspection and tune up after you've bought it also. My last bike was also a GT, but that cost me over £1500 to build from scratch. I had no intentions of spending that much money again and I am really happy with my purchase. Infact, I just did 6 or 7 miles on it riding to Tempe and back.

Check out this "Amazon" looking pic that I took from Papago park.

Look at this one then, nice comfy seat, take the missus out in it and a cooler in the back for the cold ones, If you see Yosser going down the George Bush freeway in one of these give us a toot;)

Thanx for the info Pimpbot. I can't see any of your pix except the one of the desert you took on your ride. In fact I can't see any pictures or even avatars...I dunno what's up with the board. I've always loved mountain biking, albeit fairly conservative riding and not 100 miles an hour down ravines or anything. I just love a long ride on a sunny day and AZ looks like a great place to ride as long as it's not 100 ******* degrees! I think I'll miss Halfords though...good quality, cheap prices and great cycle accessories. What's it like riding in Phoenix? Do people show respect to cyclists or is it like riding on the North Circular? I'd rather ride out of town but it would be great to be able to commute. I used to be a cycle courier in London but I kind of liked living so I gave it up.