Save Money Biking

Bicycles have always been a favorite of children, and adolescents, but adults are getting into the game as well. With gas prices soaring and concern for the environment and global warming mounting, bicycling has become the socially conscious and money saving method of transportation. You can lower your carbon count without sponsoring hand water pumps for people in a Third World country. Plus with baby boomers threatened nearly universally with belly bulge and “too much to love,” bike riding is also a relaxing and entertaining way to get exercise. Classic Beach Cruisers have become the bike of choice for the over 30-years-old set, with their comfortable seats, wide handlebars and wide balloon tires. After all, if you are going a couple of miles only, you don’t really need to be a speed freak, and you can travel comfortably and safely.

Getting a good deal on a beach cruiser can be done without leaving your computer. There are many beach cruiser bike shops online as well as looking an eBay Store. When comparing bike prices, be sure to include your shipping charges. With bike prices going below $90 in many cases, shipping costs can be a factor. The benefits of ordering online is that you can get the best of both worlds from the expensive specialty bike shops and the mass mega-stores. If you order online, the bike is 80-percent assembled and only requires a limited amount of assembly. True, the safest and best option is to have the bike assembled at a bike shop and pay a $15-25 fee, but this also gives you other opportunities. You can order chrome fenders instead of fenders painted the same color of the bike. You can even get specially decorated or constructed handlebars. This can be a weird trip to get into, but with a little expense and effort you can customize your bike in a way to make you proud. You can attach a wire basket, either ordered online, or at a local bike shop. Chain guards can be customized and decorated. And yes, if you really want to be like those wild crazy dudes, with the bike all stretched out, the body stretched lowrider style, and the handle bars shooting up, you can have that too.

So the benefit of ordering online is that you get the cheapest parts possible, yet still get acquainted with the local grease monkeys at the neighborhood bike shop. If you just walk into the local bike shop, you could easily be convinced to buy a bike for $400 or $500, when all you really want is an exercise bike that goes outdoors, and that you can use to buy milk at the convenience store, a mile away. You are going to have to deal with your local bike repair shop after 6-months or so, when those strange noises start and you need to have the bike properly lubricated and serviced. Luckily, it is not as bad as dealing with a car, actually a lot better, but servicing your bike is also necessary.

Howard Giske writes about the joys of riding Classic beach cruisers, and buying them on eBay.