hello from pregnant beginner biker - advice please!!!

[jclmellor]

hi,

i'd be really grateful for some advice because i'm soooo overwhelmed and don't know where to start! i would like to buy a new folding bike but before i take the plunge i'd like some advice :-)

i need to cycle to the train station and cycle to work at the other end. sometimes i'll have to catch the bus whilst carrying the bike and ideally i'd like to store the bike in my office so that it doesn't get nicked or damaged. i'm also pregnant so would like a bike that is quite lightweight. i only learned to ride the bike a few years ago and am still quite wobbly but i won't be riding on the road (there are lovely cycle paths in my area).

i've been doing some research and can just afford a new Dahon speed 7 from Evans Cycles (rather than one from ebay - these are cheaper but i don't have the expertise to assess if i'm getting a bargain or being ripped off!). i have some questions that i hope someone can help me with please:

1. will a beginner biker be able to ride 6+ miles on a Dahon? or would the seat be uncomfortable? most of my journey is flat.
2. is the Dahon speed light enough for me to carry up steps/onto the train whilst pregnant?
3. is it worth getting the bike insured, even if most of the time i'll be leaving it in my office or storing it at home?
4. is it uncomfortable to ride the bike when it's raining heavily? what kind of gear would i need for rain?
5. is it worth getting a new Dahon speed? or is it more economical to get a second hand Dahon, e.g. from ebay?
6. is it possible to get a trailer for the Dahon (for my baby!) - i'm not sure about the baby seat at the back because i'm only a beginner biker and i'm sure it would knock me off balance!
7. what bike accessories might i need? (e.g. bell/lock/lights) can i buy these second hand from ebay or is it worth buying new?
8. my work place has a cycle to work scheme but the benefits seem very low (!) so i don't think i'll bother

many thanks for reading :-)))

xxx

 

[WychwoodTrev]

Hi ya welcome to cc and congrats : )
i can not help with your choice of bike but sugest you go along to your nearest evans and try one that way the sales guy can help you out with a possible package to include things like lights and water proof clothing

 

[colly]

Hi JC

I can't offer any advice about the bike either I'm afraid but nipping along to your local Evans and asking for advice and a trial ride is a good idea.

6 miles for a complete beginner might seem a long haul but after a couple of rides you would manage that comfortably I think.
As for the saddle being uncomfortable, well yes at first it may be a little hard on the rear end but you really do 'harden up' and get used to it very quickly. Also as you ride more, and get fitter, you will find that more of your weight is carried on your legs and hands and less on the saddle. That helps a huge amount. I do some long rides and have no trouble with a sore rear. But if I go on a slow ride with kids or grandkids and just dawdle along sitting firmly on the saddle it isn't long before I get uncomfortable.

Anyway good luck, I'm sure you will get 'hooked' before long.

 

[mickle]

Hi ya welcome to cc and congrats : )
i can not help with your choice of bike but sugest you go along to your nearest evans and try one that way the sales guy can help you out with a possible package to include things like lights and water proof clothing

Why 'evans'?

 

[mickle]

'Avoiding the Pregnant Pause' by Anna Semlyen - a Bike Culture article in Cyclorama about cycling during pregnacy.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

hi,

i'd be really grateful for some advice because i'm soooo overwhelmed and don't know where to start! i would like to buy a new folding bike but before i take the plunge i'd like some advice :-)

i need to cycle to the train station and cycle to work at the other end. sometimes i'll have to catch the bus whilst carrying the bike and ideally i'd like to store the bike in my office so that it doesn't get nicked or damaged. i'm also pregnant so would like a bike that is quite lightweight. i only learned to ride the bike a few years ago and am still quite wobbly but i won't be riding on the road (there are lovely cycle paths in my area).

i've been doing some research and can just afford a new Dahon speed 7 from Evans Cycles (rather than one from ebay - these are cheaper but i don't have the expertise to assess if i'm getting a bargain or being ripped off!). i have some questions that i hope someone can help me with please:

1. will a beginner biker be able to ride 6+ miles on a Dahon? or would the seat be uncomfortable? most of my journey is flat. Yes. They are very easy to ride and most comfortable.
2. is the Dahon speed light enough for me to carry up steps/onto the train whilst pregnant? Test weigh in the shop
3. is it worth getting the bike insured, even if most of the time i'll be leaving it in my office or storing it at home? Go with your gut feeling
4. is it uncomfortable to ride the bike when it's raining heavily? what kind of gear would i need for rain? Rain shouldn't have an impact on gearing unless it is hitting you like a wave. 1st is easiest gear 7th hardest and will allow you to reach max speed on flat.
5. is it worth getting a new Dahon speed? or is it more economical to get a second hand Dahon, e.g. from ebay? If you know little about bikes I would buy new - far more piece of mind that way.
6. is it possible to get a trailer for the Dahon (for my baby!) - i'm not sure about the baby seat at the back because i'm only a beginner biker and i'm sure it would knock me off balance! You should be able to fix a trailer to any bike with QR wheels. You will need to make sure that the wheel size on the trailer is compatible with the Dahon wheel size.
7. what bike accessories might i need? (e.g. bell/lock/lights) can i buy these second hand from ebay or is it worth buying new? Again I would buy new. All three are a good idea
8. my work place has a cycle to work scheme but the benefits seem very low (!) so i don't think i'll bother

many thanks for reading :-)))

xxx

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Congratulations!
I ride a Brompton, which might be out of your budget if you're stretching to get to a Dahon. However, Bromptons hold their value very well and it's always possible to get spares for them, whereas for Dahon, due to their many different ranges, this might not be the case. It seems that Bromptons are also very well made, where Dahons might have cheaper components. I'd probably recommend a second-hand Brompton over a Dahon, but I am biased as I'm a happy Brompton owner. You would of course need to find a 2nd hand one in good condition and not stolen...

I started out on a just-under 5 mile ride to work, now it's less as I've moved. The distance is fine. My husband finds it uncomfortable for long rides, but that's largely due to him riding much harder than I do and also due to him being taller.

My bike comes into the office with me and goes on trains regularly. She has been on busses but less often, as usually it's easier just to cycle!

I have a 6 speed Brompton with rack, so that makes her the heaviest one they do. I can lift her on/off the train fine (although I'm not pregant!) - it depends how busy your route is, but you might find it's easier to take her on board unfolded and then fold her once you are aboard. If money were no option (!) I'd recommend you get a superlight Brompton 2 speed (as you say it's mostly flat); but that's a lot of cash..... and probably outside the cycle to work budget.

For insurance, check if you can add the bike to your household policy and what the restrictions are. I've insured our Bromptons with the ETA, they have a discount because they fold and you are also covered for 3rd party damages.

For heavy rain, you'll stay dry so long as you buy a decent waterproof jacket & over-trousers (mine are Altura Night Vision jacket, Altura overtrousers and recently a non-cycling-specific Patagonia H2No jacket); I cycle with a helmet & visor which keeps most rain off my face. Shoes are more painful, I usually cycle with waterproof boots (it hasn't been hot enough this year to move to something cooler!). You will get hot wearing waterproofs though as they don't breathe.

You can get trailers to fit the Brompton and I'm sure they'd fit the Dahon too. I don't have one though.

For accessories, bikes sold in the UK have to have a bell at point of sale. You will need lights but the type and cost depends on whether you want to see or be seen. Be seen lights are cheaper and fine if you cycle on lit roads. It's probably not worth buying those second hand as they are cheap enough new.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

2. is the Dahon speed light enough for me to carry up steps/onto the train whilst pregnant?

Just seen on Evans' website that they estimate this is a 13.78kg bike; which is pretty hefty. Try lifting in the shop, find some stairs too; and make sure you try to lift it both folded and unfolded.

Brompton claims their bikes are all
"9 – 12½ kg (20 – 28lbs). Brompton weights are true weights; unlike most bike manufacturers, we include the weight of mudguards, pedals, etc. in our figures – if it’s on the bike, we weigh it."
Like I said, I've got the heaviest one they do (or within 200g of the heaviest one, anyway!) and it's not something I'd want to carry often; but it's very dependent on the particular station/work stairs you have. Mine is a step-free station aside from the train, and one longish flight at work, which is fine. If I was taking it on the tube, I'd want a lighter one.

 

[cyberknight]

Hi and welcome !
Is a decathlon store near you?

These look like they would do the job and are cheaper , decathlon had a very good name for sellign well specced, well set up bikes at very good prices.

Made from aluminium rather than cro mloy so it is liable to be lighter, you would just need to get a rack (which i bet they could supply and fit )

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/folding-bikes-38954545/

 

[summerdays]

Whilst I'd love to say give it a go ... I'm a bit worried by the comments such as you are a relatively new cyclist who is still wobbly and that you are pregnant. If you were a regular cyclist and continuing to cycle I would be happier. You don't say how pregnant you are ... but I had various pregnancy symptoms such as being really tired, low blood pressure, becoming more clumsy etc that I'm not sure I would have wanted to take it up at that stage. However it would have been a great way to get around afterwards.

As for buying locks/lights/bell second hand ... well I think legally if you buy a new complete bike it should include a bell at the point of sale, lights are probably sufficiently cheap that you may as well buy brand new for a basic set, and lock I would want to buy brand new because otherwise it has probably been left outside and some of the spare keys may be missing.

Sorry if it isn't the answer you want to hear.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Someone mentioned Evans ^^^^ up thread. Anyone (most) who's been cycling a long time would say Evans or any other big bicycle retailer could be a bad idea. I asked about on here for a good local bike shop to yourself that would sell your desired machine.

I d go for a Brompten by the way

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Whilst I'd love to say give it a go ... I'm a bit worried by the comments such as you are a relatively new cyclist who is still wobbly and that you are pregnant. If you were a regular cyclist and continuing to cycle I would be happier. You don't say how pregnant you are ... but I had various pregnancy symptoms such as being really tired, low blood pressure, becoming more clumsy etc that I'm not sure I would have wanted to take it up at that stage. However it would have been a great way to get around afterwards.

Indeed - although with a folding bike the joy is you can give up halfway and climb on a bus or in a taxi (if there are enough on the route anyway).
Just one thing to be careful of - if you aren't used to it a Brompton (and presumably most folders) can feel very twitchy because the wheels are smaller so the steering is much more 'direct'.

 

[WychwoodTrev]

Why 'evans'?

Because she stated in the first post that she can just about afford the bike she is looking at from evans and as I am looking for a bike for my daughter have found out evans prices are hard to beat

 

[WychwoodTrev]

I would like to add if you can afford it go for the brompton poss the best folder out there

 

[jclmellor]

hi, thanks for all the fantastic advice! It's really helped. I've actually just taken the plunge and bought a second hand Dahon Speed D7 from ebay. I'll try it and maybe in a year, when I'm more experienced, I can upgrade to a wonderful Brompton and sell it on ebay! x