Bicycle clubs?

Question

I am thinking about joining a bicycle club. I am new to cycling, but I love to exercise. Do most bicycle shops rent a bicycle? I do not want to spend money on a road bike and discover that nobody rides at the Philadelphia Bicycle Club. Personally, I would like to join a bike club that has at least five people riding every Saturday or Sunday.

Do you have to be an expert to maintain a $2,300 road bike? How much maintenance training is required to successfully maintain a $2,300 road bike?

Answer 1

Contact the Philadelphia Bicycle Club, ask about rides in your area.  Also, find out if they have a monthly ride magazine with rides listed.  Get a bike you can afford.  As for the road bike you don't have to start out with the top of the line.  I started riding 29 years ago, on a ten-speed Schwinn, with the Southern Bicycle League, one of many bike clubs in the Atlanta area.  See you on the road.

Answer 2

Most bicycle shops do not rent bikes.  They might have bikes that you could demo for a test ride or two, but that is about it.  You do not need to be an expert to perform MOST routine maintenance.  You do need a good book on bike maintenance.  You will also need tools.  You will probably find that some things can be easily done by you at home, and some things are better left to the bike shop mechanic.  Working on bikes is not rocket science.