I am a stay at home mom with a husband and two kids and we get around with only our bikes. No car. Now I’m not stick thin, but I do credit my being able to maintain my weight during both pregnancies to riding well into my 8 month with both kids. I’m a NYC transplant now living in a college town so I know riding in the city can be harrowing. Please forgo the expensive bike if you plan on locking it up outside for any length of time out your eyesight and don’t forget your helmet! It’s not cute, but neither is a busted skull.

Oh yeah, I second the bike collective. Love your blog!

I’m also in the market for a new bike and have been searching far and wide for the perfect one. I found the below bike company through Urban Outfitters and think I might go with one of their lower priced custom colored bikes. I think the idea of putting your own colorful design touch on the bike is pretty cool.

http://www.republicbike.com/

I too am hoping that getting on a bike will help to increase my fitness. I rode a bike with my nephew yesterday and it was so much fun watching the the trees flow by. It was relaxing and I felt so carefree!

Good luck with your search and thanks for sharing!

My advice: You don’t want an expensive bicycle — they are the ones that get stolen the most. I got my 1968 Raleigh out of a friend’s basement, put about $100 into refurbishing it and putting on milk crate (essential for grocery shopping and errand running. It’s still going after 8 years and about 20 miles a day!

Make sure your bike has front and back fenders which are essential for puddles and I recommend getting those new expensive tough tires to cut down on flat tires — lots of glass and things on city streets.

There is a great organization in Boston, called Bikes Not Bombs that teaches youth to repair and refurbish bicycles. Besides Craigslist, that would be a great place to get a bike and serve a great cause as well.

Finally, don’t economize on bike locks (I live on a tight budget but some things are worth saving and putting out for) — get one in the $60 range. Less expensive ones can be cut through too easily.

And wear your helmet at all times. I got a bright red one and put wing and fire stickers on it for the youth and political stickers on for the adults. That way you are a good role model for the young ones and spread smiles at the same time!

Oh happy biking. . . can you tell how much I love being a city biker, even in one of the most un-bike friendly cities in the US?

As a Twitter fan of yours and someone who’s been on a car-free diet for almost 6 years, feel free to hit me up with any tips you might need. I’m the dude in the dead of winter that motorists stare at like I’m crazy, but I get to my destination before them AND I’m warmer because I’m generating body heat. I love to share knowledge with other folks that realize that a bike is practical, effective and FUN transportation.

Being that wrenching is a form of meditation for me, I’ve built bikes for myself and saved mad $$$. Not everyone will want to go the DIY route, but there used to be this place in DC that trained neighborhood kids how to refurbish used bikes. They then sold them back to the people in the community. I’m so sad it closed. Closest thing I’ve seen in Chicago is http://workingbikes.org/.

You can get an errand machine for cheap and if you get hooked on it as a form of exercise, THEN you can move on to something more high-end. My stable of bikes still costs only a small fraction of the price of a car!

I’ll need to forward on safe riding and theft prevention tips too.

Go Afrobella!