In bicycle terms the more you pay the less you get; in weight that is. You can spend $1000 to shave five ounces from a road bike to get to the racing limit of about 15 pounds. Even on street bicycles $300 handlebars and 2000$ carbon fiber cranks are becoming commonplace. Regardless of price bicycles are an environmentally friendly form of transportation with a rider on level ground able to travel 10 mph with the same energy expenditure as a person walking. Add to that the riders usually burn more than 400 calories every hour so that breakfast bike jaunt can easily burn off cream cheese and a bagel or Grande Caffe Latte with whole milk. In fact, bicycling can consumer as much energy as aerobics and the scenery is usually better.

Local bicycling isn’t all sun in the face and smell the ocean air friendly. From the FBI report, one million bikes were stolen in 2006. This has creating the need for such businesses as Santa Barbara’s BikeStation where bikes can be stored by commuters and others. There are the dangers posed by Pacific Coast Highway traffic with its narrow shoulders, oversized vehicles,construction, and distracted cell phone users. So having a safe helmet and a properly sized bike is very important. Several manufacturers, such as Greg Townsend’s, make custom bicycles based on the rider’s measurements and they are worth every penny. These bikes can express one’s individuality both artistically and technically as each component, from the handle bars to the brake pads, can be ordered to fit specific driving habits and wallet thickness.

New bikes are far more sophisticated than that old Schwinn Sting-Ray so you may need professional done repairs. Next, ascertain where you are planing to be riding. There are road, fitness, mountain, and comfort categories of bicycles and many subcategories such as recumbent and extreme cycles. Road Ver. is normally the most expensive and can be used for racing. Mountain bikes are beefier, with more durable rims and larger tires, and can have very sophisticated suspension components for riding over unpaved canyon trails. Comfort bicycle and commuter bicycles are usually the least expensive and the heaviest with fewer features. These include the ubiquitous beach cruiser and beginner bikes. Finally, be aware that you can get a traffic citation just as easily riding a bike as driving a car so ride wisely and always carry.