Post written by Angela Brown

Image photographed by Jason Millron

BEING A B.O.B.

In the day and age of $4.00+ per gallon gas, I think all of us fall into the category of being a “Biker On a Budget”. I mean getting started in biking can be expensive, or you can cut corners in the right places to get the enjoyment you want without the large out-pouring of money.

First thing everyone thinks of is “good quality bikes are expensive”. Yes, they can be, but you don’t have to buy the latest and greatest to have a good mountain bike. Around Western North Carolina, we have a weekly paper that is published that is called the “I Wanna”. You can find just about anything in there, but the name of the game is to get it on the day it is published in order to make sure you get the first call in on the item you want to buy. Basically the I Wanna is a huge classified ad paper that People place ads in for items they want to sell or buy. I have seen some really good bikes in there, but I have also seen some that were overpriced. The key to knowing when you have a bargain on your hands is to do your homework. Know the prices of a new bike. If you see one in a classified ad, go online and see what that bike would cost new. Take into consideration how much it has been ridden. Know what kind of components it has. Once you know all the facts, you can make an educated decision whether that “used” bike is really worth it. You definitely don’t want to have to start replacing components and end up with as much money invested than if you had just bought a new bike anyway, so do your homework!

The next big question is “do I have to have all that cycling gear?” Well, that answer is yes and no. Yes, you need a helmet. I mean c’mon they only cost about $30. Even the pros will tell you that all helmets have to pass a safety standard and a cheap helmet isn’t any less safe than an expensive one. In short, the more expensive ones may have more bling and possibly be lighter, but that’s about it.

Biking shorts are another item I would put in the must have category. It is a comfort thing. If you are going to ride much, you need a pair. They are expensive, but your butt will thank you tomorrow for wearing them. Don’t buy biking shorts from used stores such as Goodwill because that would be about the same as buying used underwear. Also for those of you not “in the know,” you don’t wear underwear with biking shorts. To save money on shorts, consider buying closeouts from web sites like pricepoint.com or nashbar.com. Be sure to check out your local bike shop in the off season for deals on last years styles, trust me, you won’t run into anyone on the trail that will be able to say “oh that was so last year…”. EBay is another good option for deals on bike gear, even bikes for that matter.

Bike jersey, glasses, shoes and gloves are three items that I would rank last. Again, it’s a comfort thing, but less so than the bike shorts. Jersey’s help wick away sweat from your body and can make your ride more comfortable. Biking shoes are a step that one would take when they want to move up to clip-less pedals. This can make your pedal stroke more efficient but not necessary.

So let’s recap with a list of bike items in order of importance:

1. Bike
2. Helmet
3. Shorts
4. Glasses
5. Gloves
6. Jersey
7. Shoes

So get out there and bargain hunt, you will be surprised what you can find with a little searching and a little good luck.