Should I buy a bicycle?
April 11, 2008
Since moving to Blacksburg — before, actually — I’ve been talking about buying a bicycle. Blacksburg is a very bike-friendly area and I live close enough to work to make driving there seem foolish but walking there rather time-expensive. The bike route is even more direct than the road route.
What’s holding me back is a combination of expense and anxiety. The anxiety is because I haven’t been on a bicycle since I was in sixth grade. And the expense is daunting: a new commuter-style bike is going to cost a few hundred dollars, then there’s the extra safety gear, a place to store the bike, etc.
What if I get a bike and find out I don’t like it and it just ends up on the back porch taking up room? Is it really true you never forget how to ride a bike?
There are a dozen good arguments for getting and using a bike, and I agree with most if not all of them. What I’m looking for is a way to minimize the financial risk.
Posted in Diary
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April 11th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Any reason you couldn’t sell the bike if you end up not using it?
April 11th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
It is true that you never really forget how to ride. I keep a bike at work and use it a couple of times a month. I wouldn’t mind riding to work, but with my commute, it just isn’t practical. Go for it, take the plunge. Just do it!
April 11th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I had to teach Emily how to ride a bike again. She forgot. it does happen. But she learned in a day or two.
You could always get a unicycle to save money. or buy one used. REI has some pretty inexpensive options. and they know everything.
April 12th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
You might relieve the anxiety a bit by renting a bike for an hour or so a couple of times before investing.