Schwinn Windwood Women's Cruiser Bike (26-Inch Wheels)

This single speed cruiser bicycle comes with a comfortable spring saddle and a ... The Schwinn Windwood 26 inch Women's Comfort Bicycle has alloy rims, I Love this bike, it is beautiful. I finally learned to ride a bike this year. At the bike class the instructor told me to select a 26 inch bike. There were two other bikes at my house that was not suitable for me, but my family insisted that I should be able to ride two different mountain bikes. for a new beginner this is perfect and by the way, receive many, many complements with my bike. Women love it. Finally, I have shown my family I could ride a bike.

The round paper in the spokes claims this bike comes with "Free Assembly." But the FedEx guy who dropped it off at my house wasn't about to help me, so I guess that only applies if you buy the bike at Target or Toys R Us. But putting it together is fairly simple once you manage to get all the packaging undone.

Was not hard to assemble with an extra pair of hands. I love this bike! So easy, like the ones when i was a kid. I use this bike with a child carrier, and it is perfect. Nice wide cushy seat for the bum, allows you to sit up straight and leisurely ride, not hunkered over the handlebars. If you just want to cruise, this is the bike! Wide tires - even tho it's from China now, it still seems a quality, heavy-duty bike.

Got this bike for my daughter who is 13. She absolutely loves it!!! Very smooth ride, comfortable and every time we go out she gets tons of compliments for the look. Despite not having any gears she is able to go uphills with ease. Great value

I wanted a cute bike that was easy to ride on the boardwalk down at the beach. It was easy to assemble, I did it myself in about 45 minutes. It works great, I got an adorable wicker basket and bell. I get tons of compliments on it. I did a lot of shopping around and you really can't get this style/quality of bike for much less. I have recommended this bike to my friends and they love it, too.

So far I like this bike, it is very good looking (i have black-white with pink), very comfortable and looks like quality bike. i have only biked for about 10 days, but so far so good!

Kent International Genesis 26" Men's V2100 Dual-Suspension Bicycle

Great bike! Came pretty much put together. Nothin for me to screw up anyway. Little small for me at 6'1" but put an old seat shaft on it and my handle bar ends and it rides great. Never had a bike with suspension befor, seems great for the money

This bike is not a mountain bike but for the flat off road trails where I live it is most suitable, I found the initial build quality to be excellent. The wheels were true and everything has worked as to be expected. I paid the $179 with free shipping, overall for the money a good deal.

When I first received the bike I was surprised that it arrived so quickly. I chose the free standard shipping from Amazon but somehow the bike arrived the next morning. Assembling the bike was quite easy. Any problems that I ran into were the result of the rest of my order arriving two days after the bike did so I was stuck using the tools that I had around the house. Anyway, overall the bike is a great bike for me. I love that it changes gears easily and smoothly. I also love that it was only $170 when I made my purchase. If you purchase this bike, I hope you like it as much as I do.

The assembly is not so difficult if you are the one from DIY world, and the machine is also well equipped. Before buying, I had worried about the stability of rear part due to the structure of the tail (the way the rear part is connected with the main triangle frame), however, after riding about 50 miles or so, there has been no trouble from that. I am willing to recommend this bike to the one that seek for a cheap and good bike with dual suspension.

The bike is made of aluminum material that is supposedly lighter. I test ride it and was extremely comfortable thanks to its dual suspension although I did switch the seats to a more comfy on. It comes with a kickstand. The shifters aren't really that great. Max of 40 psi tires. Quick release only on the seat. The only thing I didn't like was I don't have any good place to put my U lock on the bike frame. Overall I expected what I paid for.

While I have a fair bit of mechanical skill, I have never put a bike together before. The things that required assembly were: front brake, front wheel, seat post, handles. Thing that probably needs tuning: the second gear on the three gear set, not the derailleur on the back wheel. Unlike other reviewers, I did get a 21-speed bike (seven on the rear wheel and three on the outside) and aside from switching to second on that three set the shifting is great. It's a pretty comfortable bike even though I barely meet the height suggestion, but I can't comment on the seat because I swapped it out with a Sunlite Cloud-9. It handles Chicago curbs and potholes like a champ, which is to be expected, and I haven't yet had to "Brace for impact" to protect my crotch area from a bump. All in all, I'd say it's a pretty solid bike (aside from the plastic pedals).

This is one of the best buys on the market today. I has everything many bikes that cost $600 plus have and some extras. You need to tighten all the nuts and bolts, even the ones that were not involved in the assembly.You need to tune the bike gears and brakes regularly.

I didn't need to buy any additional parts and am happy with the bikes performance.

very nice bicycle, although in the description it says it's a five speed, actually its a 15 speed. not to hard to assemble, pretty much assembled out of the box just attach front wheel, pedals, seat, and handlebar, your good to go. The tires
are even fully inflated.

THE best single speed in price range, flawlessly done, all parts high quality and top notch packaging during shipping.
pros: kendra all terrains, hidden brake lines in handle grips, chain guard removes easily for exposed sprocket look, comfortable seat, low price, unique color, easy flip flop hubbed wheel
cons: a tad heavy for a road bike but easily lighten-able, too many stickers (but they removed effortlessly) toe hooks don't handle extreme stress well (easily replaceable though), tire on flip flop wheel is directional (so it's backwards when in fixed geared position)

Takara Kabuto Single Speed Road Bike

The bike it self rides very smoothly, and comfortably.It's a single speed, so no more messing with derailleur problems The flip-flop hub is a bonus, but I prefer coasting so I live it at that. I'm 5'10", and the 57cm fits me nicely; I suggest any body under 5'9" to get the 54cm and vice versa. Don't expect to turn into Lance Armstrong on this bike; it's on the heavier side. But if you are looking for a great commute bike, with style, and with the price that doesn't induce high blood pressure, this bike's for you.

 I have put quite a lot of miles on this lady, and she's held up well. For the price, you really can't beat the durability/responsiveness of the steel frame alone. The components are still strong with a little regular maintenance, and I've made a few additions/modifications:

The tubes that these tires come with are total crap. Other reviewers Takara Kabuto Single Speed Road Bike have also said the tubes are awful; they are absolutely right. After the first two days of use and repeated blow outs and flats, I replaced the original tubes with Avenir Schrader 48mm Valve Tubes (700 x 28-32C), which can be purchased right on Amazon, and so far I have not had a single flat or blow out. I weigh just around 200lbs and have been putting exactly 105 psi in them without any problems so far. I check the pressure before every trip and must admit that I usually need to put about 5-10 psi in it each time; in other words, the tubes do seem to slowly leak over time. I'm a novice and don't know if this is typical of other bikes or not, but I don't really mind filling them up each time. I should also mention that, just to be safe, I also purchased rim tape at the time I put in the Avenir tubes. There were a few rough spots on the rim that the tape helped cover.

I'm also contemplating a rear rack/bag solution, but noticed that the racks attaching to both the rear wheel hub also attach to the frame and this bike doesn't have anything pre-drilled for those attachments. Does anyone have any suggestions for this? I really like the Topeak MTX line of bags (would probably go with the smallest [EX]) but have shied away from the seat-post attached versions as I don't want to deal with horizontal swaying. Any particular success stories on this particular bike? Thanks! Takara Kabuto Single Speed Road Bike is amaizing

Huffy 20-Inch Boys Pro Thunder Bike (Slate Blue)

The bike arrived in excellent condition and is very easy to assemble. The bike is lightweight and easy for me to carry up and down the steps. My eight year old loves his new bike. This bike can go super fast down a hill and the brakes can stop on a dime. Also, the price is affordable. I think Boys Pro Thunder Bike is a great bike!

Boys Pro Thunder Bike was way simpler to put together. A better bike for him to learn on as it has coaster brakes instead of hand brakes. I will save the Razor for when he gets older. All in all, a good simple bike to learn on. The bike is a birthday gift and my neice really likes it. It shipped to us in lightening speed and well packaged. The bike is nice looking and cheap on Amazon. Without shipping cost, this is unbeatable.

Parts were wrapped well in padded paper and bubble wrap, protected in pristine condition. It's super shiny and the red and blue starburst graphics are wild enough to please a testosterone-driven six year old boy. Came within a week, so shipping was more than reasonable -- especially since it was free (Super Saver).

My son jumped on it and sped off immediately -- while it has no bells and whistles, it does exactly as it says it does: it's a bike, it moves when you pedal forwards, and it brakes when you peddle backwards. Can't ask for more.

 I just put the bike together 4 hours ago but my son seems to love the upgrade but misses the ole 16" bike. The bike itself is great but the training wheels I purchased seperately came with a bracket to secure the training wheel to the bike but due to the thickness of the bracket I didnt have enough thread on the bolt to place both the bracket and training wheel so I just attached the training wheel very tightly to the frame, other wise a great purchase. I bought this bike for a friend's child, and he was thrilled with it. He's 11 but looks 13, and the bike suits him perfectly. So far he's had a great experience with it and, for the price, it's a good buy. THIS BIKE IS AWESOME!!! it is a very fast and good bike it rides really smooth and the best part it is very cheap! you should buy it. I live in the hills and it goes up and down the hill very smooth and fast. Boys Pro Thunder Bike lovely

Giordano Rapido Single Speed Road Bike

Easily assembled and tuned, decals peel off without leaving residue, road tires are beefy enough to handle potholes and rough pavement, and its a quick, clean looking bike! Couldn't have asked for more.

The bike is excellent as a starter bike. The frame is aluminum and is very solid, yet lightweight. Some of the minor parts are steel, but are easily upgraded for lighter materials down the line. The bike seat is a very hard ride; be prepared to shift a lot to prevent pain, or just buck up and get a new seat (I'm going to both for comfort and to lose the steel weight of the pipe). I had the reflectors on the tires and the kick stand (also steel) removed and it actually made a noticeable difference. The pedals are pretty cheap and I would advise removing the foot cage from them if you're going to make it fixie (fixed gear) like I did. It's nearly impossible to get both your feet inside the cage when they both have to be moving. After removing the plastic cage, the pedals aren't that bad, pretty basic, but heavy. The bar tape is very thin so I would suggest getting good gloves with a little extra padding in the palm, unless you want to just have them re-corked and re-taped. The brakes are a little weak, but not bad in all. If you're using the flip-flop hub in fixie mode you don't need the breaks as much, so again, it's no big deal. The bike is fast and moves around the city quickly. If you are looking for a great bike that gets you from point A to B this is it. I have no problem keeping up with friends on a racing bike.

For a safe ride make sure to:

- Tighten the stem of the handle really well or you will fall on face. Take it to a local bike shop and they will tighten it for you if you don't have the correct tools.

- Get adhesive stickers for the inside of the rims so you don't get flats often from the inside. They are cheap and all bike shops will have them; they last for about 10 years so no worries about replacing them.

- Adjust breaks properly.

- Tighten the wheel bolts well or they will slowly come off as you ride.

- Tighten all bolts really hard (especially the handle).

Other observations:

- The tires are in excellent condition for such a cheap (I got it for $170) bike.

- People were talking about how they replaced the breaks, peddles and the handle because they were not safe, this is an overreaction. All the parts are excellent in their factory condition. DO NOT waste money on new parts if the part that comes with the bike are not broken.

the bike is good for the price, if you want to star in the fixie world with this one is ok, the only problem is the bottom bracket and the crankset, you have to change because they not support the skid presion, im my case:

removed all stikers

changed saddle, stem and handlebar,

remove rear break and freewheel cog

i'm looking for a resistant crankset and bb

Huffy Women's Ocean Deluxe Bike

I absolutly love this bike!! Easy to put together, although I did have to run out to purchase a missing nut. They should put cup holders on all bikes. When I cruise the neighborhood I get lots of great comments. Very stylish.

I'm 5'2" and this bike was a little too big for me, better for someone 5'5" and taller I'd say. I'm not very good at putting things together so after 4 hours I asked my neighbor for help. I didn't realize most of the screws were in the bike already and just needed to be taken off then put back on. Very beautiful and high quality though. I wouldn't try pulling a trailer with kids in it or anything though. It has no gears, just a nice cruiser.

This bike is so comfortable and durable, it is like riding in a Lincoln Town car - so smooth and comfortable, like riding on air! I have a great beach cruiser in Key West, so I wanted a compable bike to ride when I am home in Milwaukee, this bike checked all the boxes.This bike is a cruiser, so the tires are wide and absorb the shocks of the road, no matter the type of road i.e., concrete, asphalt, gravel/grass. You won't go wrong with this bike - you will love the comfortable smooth ride!

This bike is stunning & the quality will last for years. I chose this due to not only the name Huffy but the great reviews submitted as well. I just wanted a bike that was simple as well as sturdy so I could ride with my daughter to & from school. We are a 1 car family & my husband needs the car for work & his work hrs. conflict with school hrs. so I had to get a bike to escort her safely to & from school. This bike not only is smooth to ride but the seat is very comfortable & the steel frame is high quality. When the product is finished & you take your first spin you will now you have the CADILLAC of bikes, LOL. This bike is NOT for racing or marathons & has no gears to shift or hand breaks, just a simple one gear mod, what it was meant for, CRUISING. Now with that being said I am 5 ft. 3 in. & I have to tippy toe when starting & stopping because even with the seat adjusted ALL the way down it is quite high maybe when I get enough wear on the tires this will subside being they are high quality as well, almost looks like they're car tires, LOL. I am happy with my purchase & it suits my needs. Hope this helps.

I just took my first spin around the block on my cute!new!bike! It's very comfortable, with a nice smooth ride, and my husband was able to assemble the entire thing in under an hour. The cupholder has these little snugging things (yes, that is a technical term) inside to keep your water bottle secure. The basket is sturdy and a decent size, but we didn't attach it because I want a wicker one for that "real bike" feel. In all, I absolutely love it.

My expectations were not that high for this product. At about half the cost of a similar bike from a reputable bike shop I assumed the quality would be much lower.

The bike arrived in the factory huffy box which is about 10" x 30" x 50". The box is large but not as big as I expected. The bike comes mostly assembled but be careful when removing it from the box as they pack it such that just grabbing parts out may bend a few of the wheel spokes. I love my new bike. Shock obsorbing seat vintage detailing makes it feel lush. But it takes half my tool kit to put together.

Now my positive comments are that the seat is quite wide and very comfy. The bike is beautiful, very retro looking. The bike is geared perfectly! On flat terrain I am speeding along faster than my geared bike and without the noise of gears. I hardly have to put any effort into pedaling to get myself going on flat roads. Really, I do quite a bit of coasting and I've never found that to be the case with other bikes. Hills are slightly (yes, only slightly) more difficult but I had reasons for wanting a bike without gears. First off, I want to just ride and not focus on messing with gears. Also, I like the pedal brakes and those only come on single speed bikes. I like the pedal brakes since I can take pictures of my ride, without having to stop because my hands are free. I would not feel comfortable doing that with handbrakes. This bike feels very sturdy and not cheap at all. It's a great height. I have my seat set somewhere in the middle and I am 5' 7.5". When the seat is set to the bottom, it is way too low. I know some shorter people on here reviewed that it was too tall for them, but I wonder if they have shorter legs. I know I'm a little tall but this bike doesn't feel too tall in any way, and I have plenty of room to give. I love the cup holder; I never knew what I was missing until I got this bike. All bikes should have one. It is flexible inside so it holds your cup or bottle securely and allows for different cup sizes. The basket is very very small but still cute. I love the rack on the back and have tied a milk crate to it for the extra storage since I make runs to the store and the beach with the kids. I took the bike out on my camping trip last weekend and it handled very well on paved roads, gravel, dirt and in the grass.

Pacific Stratus Men's Mountain Bike (26-Inch Wheels)

First things first, you must assemble this bike yourself. I had abit of trouble with the bike, brake positioning, gear settings, and ect. So reading the manual and making sure everything is aligned properly is a must. The only down side I found to this bike is weak tubes. My advice is buy a decent pair with your order, and higher quality brakes if you live in the green mountains.Bike was a little difficult to put together, but is a great bike, especially for the price. I loved this bike the moment I saw it. It was very easy to put together, very easy to ride, and very sturdy. I didnt recieve the bike yet in the mail and it said ship . so i'm hoping its ship to my house tommrow by ups and it should be ship 8 humeston place. huntington,NY

This bicycle is sufficient for short commutes and nothing serious. The main problem I had with this bicycle was that they did not include the clamper that clamps your seat onto the bicycle frame. But this wasn't too big a problem since you could easily steal bicycle seats anyway - my bicycle seat was just slightly easier to steal. :P

The bike is rather heavy so I would not recommend this bicycle for hilly riders. The price cannot be beat and my experience with this bicycle was tons more pleasant than the experience I had with a Huffy cruiser which I had to return because the gear was broken. Satisfied. Pacific > Huffy in my experience for cheap bicycles.

This bike is good looking and you can't beat the price. You will need to take a some time to put it together and double check everything. Make sure you turn the fork 180 degrees. They did this so it would fit in the box. It came packaged good. We're just using the bike for around town with the kids. I would recommend it. FYI, pacific cycle is the parent company for Schwinn and Mongoose bikes so I believe this will be a decent reliable bike for us.

Bike is really nice. . It came shipped almost ready to ride. We only had to add the handle bars,seat and peddles. Very simple. And the best part is that Pacific is the same company that makes Mongoose, so I know I am getting a quality product. The only down side, my boyfriend said the seat is too hard on his tush:( . Maybe I can get him a cushion!

I got this for my fifteen year old and he really likes it. Sure, it's not some fancy professional bike. But it works really fun for him to visit his friends and go around town. I'd recommend this for somebody who wants affordable bikes (as long as they have helmets, too!).

Schwinn Men's Prelude Bicycle (BBWhite)

I've been riding my 1986 Schwinn Sprint for over 20 years, so it was definitely time for an update. I've been a casual rider, mostly just with my kids around the subdivision and the Sprint has been fine for that for many years. I recently decided to be a bit more serious about riding more for exercise (and fun, of course) and was looking for an entry level road bike for less than $300. How is this bike similar to a $700 bike:

Modern components easily upgradeable, serviceable, and standard. The bike stem brakes cassettes, everything except the handle bars that are smaller than 28mm( I think) which means no clip on aero bars. Light weight well constructed frame and wheels. Wheels have no seam like other cheap bikes. It has a seat that is very usable. Smooth reliable shifts. Components ( brake shifters etc.) are very workable. Cage pedals are great!

I read literally dozens of reviews of the Schwinn Prelude and they seem to represent both ends of the spectrum - seasoned riders deride this bike as a low end piece of junk, and new riders tend to praise it's low cost and good quality for the money. From my perspective, I want something that will work well for riding around town for maybe 100-150 miles a month. The biggest problem I've seen mentioned about this bike is the issue with frequent flat tires. Evidently inflating these to the recommended PSI will cause a flat almost immediately. The easy fix to this problem is to go to your local bike shop and buy some high quality rim tape, take the tires off and replace the stock tape. I did that right away based on existing reviews (it seems to be the only big problem with this bike out of the box) and haven't had any issues. It costs only about $5 or so per wheel to replace the rim tape. I also read reviews that complained about the stock seat, so far I've had no issues with it. I used the same stock seat on my old '86 Schwinn and never replaced it, it was fine for me, and it feels about the same as my brand new Prelude in my opinion.

I figured buying a cost effective road bike could solve both of my problems and I hope that it does!

So, I did a few hours of research online and found this bike to have the most healthy ratings and it seemed to be the best bang for the buck. I wanted to spend less initially, but from what I've researched it is nearly impossible to get a road bike that's not just a single speed for less than $230.

As per advice of others on reviews I first thing added good rim tapes SRAM 700C Rim Tape Pair as standard ones gave lots of flats to people in reviews. So far fine, no flat tires.

Also installed most popular inexpensive bike computer Schwinn 20-Function Bike Computer to give idea of my speed and distance. Installed flashing backlight Planet Bike Blinky "3" 3-Led Rear Bicycle Light for evening trip safety.

In summary I have nothing but positive things to say about this bike. For the $230 (not including tax) I paid at the local store for the Prelude I am delighted with my purchase. I highly recommend this bike if you want a very good entry-level bike to explore the sport. 5-stars for sure!

GMC Denali Road Bike by GMC

OK, this review is to update my previous review given several months to ride this bike and see what and how. Previously I gave this bike a near perfect review. I was wrong. To be near perfect one needs to make a few inexpensive changes. I will list the strengths and weaknesses and what I replaced to improve this bike.

The Denali is typical of mass produced, imported, department store bicycles. It will need some tinkering and adjustments, the extent of which will depend upon your experience, tools and desires. Most riders opting for this road bike will want to do things like true the wheels and adjust the brakes and derailleurs. They are close out of the box but need tweaking. Aesthetically, it is pretty with its anodized blue look, accented with black and silver stickers. The wheel stickers make the bike look expensive, but the metal name plates on the frame are a bit tacky and look like they're about to fall off (although you probably couldn't pry them off if you wanted to). Newer models don't have the name plates.

The bike arrived through the US mail in a box that looked like they dragged it behind the mail truck for a few miles. I was worried that something was broken. Nevertheless, I opened er up and the bike was fine. They packed it in a manner that allows it to take a bit of a beating in shipping. Since I was an old bicycle mechanic I never even opened the manual and put the bike together in about fifteen minutes. Basically that requires air in the tires, mount the front, put the handlebar neck in place, put the seat in place, put the pedals on, adjust the brakes, and ride. I chose to leave the reflectors off, for now.

I had a few doubts from purchasing this because of all the negative reviews about it, but most negative reviewers seem to not know what they are talking about and provide insufficient information. Often the validity of a negative review is questioned. (can mislead and hinder someone from buying it)

Of Batteries and Brothers: Bright Lights, No City

I started out looking for a little battery powered USB charger for my phone and my Kindle, some way to keep these devices charged up while I'm out on my bike tours. I actually found two interesting chargers and one hell of a good story.

I've written previously of solar charging and most of the time I use the solar panel to charge a couple of AA NiMH batteries during the day and used those charged cells in an "emergency" cell phone charger to charge the phone or the Kindle. The problem was the little AA cell phone charger I was using had a flaky connection and not enough juice running NiMH cells to reliably charge my devices, so I went questing for something better.

Of course "questing" these days mostly means using Google and Amazon, clicking links and reading reviews. This process led me to the Burro Mobile Charger, a small bright green device with a very low price and (at the time) nothing but good reviews.  It runs on 4 AA cells, it is priced at ten bucks(!) and as you can see below, it charges my Kindle:

Clicking around I also found that Burro has a smart AC charger for AA or AAA batteries. Various devices these days, including a lot of nice LED headlamps and bike lights, use 3 batteries and a lot of chargers (even some so-called "smart" chargers) only charge 2 or 4 batteries. The Burro charger can charge up to 4 batteries but has smart charging for each battery and works fine charging an odd number of cells. This AC charger was only fifteen bucks so wound up adding it to my Amazon order as well.

Burro's product descriptions mentioned their work in Africa and a few more clicks on Amazon led me to Max Alexander's book Bright Lights, No City. Max is the brother of Whit Alexander, an ex-Microsoft guy who went on to be the co-creator of the board game Cranium. Whit's current project is Burro, a company founded to sell affordable goods and services to low-income villagers in Ghana, West Africa. Whit is one hell of a businessman and Max is one hell of a story teller.

The story of Burro is not one of charity, although the folks at Burro are clearly doing good work. It is a story making the world better through business, of working hard, being honest and making a difference. The book also happens to be very, very funny. Whit's big brother Max is a keen observer and he tells the tale with warmth, honesty and humor.

If you have the slightest interest in business, you should read this book. This is the opposite of a dry business tome, it is a real human story with real people solving real problems. Max notes:

Nothing in Africa gets thrown away, because there is no money to buy new, so Africans have learned how to repair just about anything. Ghana’s manufacturing sector may be sadly underdeveloped, but its knowledge base on how stuff works, based on the country’s vibrant repair business, is profound. The console television that Ray the Repairman serviced in our living room was made in America. It seems reasonable to observe a correlation, and perhaps causality, between a society’s ability to fix things and its ability to make things. Could it be mere coincidence that our throwaway culture parallels the demise of our manufacturing sector?

What success Burro achieves comes not from imposing outside solutions, but in learning the ways of the land and the locals. Africa is not America, something that becomes obvious to Max on one of his first Ghanaian car trips with Whit:

“You gotta get the horn thing down,” demonstrating with a short blast while swinging wide around a man on a wobbly bicycle balancing a large piece of lumber on his head. “You know, to a bicyclist there’s nothing worse than jerks who honk when they pass,” I said. “You think a guy on a bike doesn’t know a car is coming?” “Not the point. It’s a conversation,” he said, flipping his thumbs across the horn buttons in a staccato rhythm. The conversation. It has been observed that in Africa the car horn takes the place of the brake, but I think it is more than that. The horn is more like the muse of the African driver. Honking, which Ghanaians call hooting, in the British manner, constitutes a tribal language of its own, with grammatical rules.

Over the course of a few hundred pages Max profiles not just his brother and his business, but various Ghanaians from all walks of life. This is a book filled with fascinating people.

I started out looking for a gadget and I found not just one, but two that I like. Both the little green boxes I bought from Burro do exactly what they should and I'm happy with them. While I'm happy with the gadgets, I really love the book. I learned a lot of things I didn't know about another part of the world and the story is really inspirational. As one Amazon reviewer wrote, "The problem with this book is that it so made me want to go back to Africa!" I think Max's vivid descriptions of some of the difficulties encountered there will keep me from jumping on a plane, but this is a book that will make you think hard about just what you can do to make the world a better place. As Max writes near the end of the book:

"With Burro growing rapidly, Whit can’t yet envision the day when he can spend less time coaxing a green truck through red mud, and more time in Seattle sipping lattes. Burro has taught all of us that while there is a business to be made serving the world’s poor, it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s not for people who wither in the heat, worship Wi-Fi, and like their food cooked just so. It’s not for me, in short—but I admire my crazy kid brother for making it his."

Bike Talk: Build vs Buy

Dean H. Saxe (@n3rd1ty from twitter) asks:

When is it better to build a bike vs. buy complete? Advantages/disadvantages to either?

This is, at its core, a bike geek question. Only folks who geek out on details and like to think about each little part of the bike even think about building a bike. And by build, in general, we're not talking about building completely from scratch, like the guy who built a toaster and wrote a book about it, we're talking about getting a frame from some place, a nice set of wheels from somewhere else, a seatpost, deraillers, shifters, cables, etc and putting it all together. If you really like to geek out, you can build your own frame and lace up your own wheels.

Here, as I see it, are the advantages to "building" your own bike:

You'll get to spend A LOT of time and effort doing it. If you find this kind of stuff fun, you'll have A LOT of fun. You'll get to talk to A LOT of folks about it. You will learn A LOT. Do you know about seatpost diameters and setback? Do you understand the relationship of seat tube angle to front shifting performance? Do you understand what the chain wrap capacity is of various derailleurs? Do you understand the relationships of bottom bracket spindle length and crankset design? These and a few thousand other questions will be asked and answered as you build your bike.

You will stimulate the economy. You will learn by experience and unless you are very, very good, very, very experienced, or very, very lucky, you'll guess wrong and buy some stuff twice. And if you are very, very experienced, you're well past the point of asking if this is a good idea.

The biggest theoretical advantage of building your own bike is that you get exactly what you want. In practice, your bike, like any real object in the real world is constrained by budget, time, and the laws of physics and mechanics.

Despite my pessimistic tone in the past few paragraphs, if you're a true bike geek, you're going to go for it. If that's you, go for it, you'll have a ball.

But here's the other side of the coin and the route I recommend:

Buy something off the shelf with something wrong with it. This is astoundingly easy to do because everything has something wrong with it. And by wrong I mean it has some feature you don't like or that doesn't work for you. Buy the flawed thing and fix the flaw. Or even better, try the flawed thing and see if the flaw really messes up the bike for you. It might not and you might be surprised.

Here are some of the advantages of buying off the shelf:

You can test ride. The bike is right there, you can ride it. You can feel how smooth or rough the shifting is, you can see how tight the brakes feel, and see how the bike handles a corner.

You take advantages of the economies of scale. Guess what? When Trek or Specialized buy a derailleur from Shimano, it costs them less than it costs you or me. Because they buy thousands of them at a time and they put them on thousands of bikes. If you buy one frame and one rear derailleur and one seatpost and so on, you'll spend a lot more money than you would if you buy a whole bike from the big guys who buy in volume.

By the way, those folks at Trek, Specialized, Giant or whomever? They've got a lot of experience figuring out what components work on what bikes. Yeah, they want to hit a price point and that may be why the bike doesn't have component X that you wish it had. So buy the bike and change out component X.

If you want to find a good deal on a bike, find last year's bike on close out. If it was a good bike then, it is still a good bike now even if something newer is out. And your local bike shop is motivated to move it.

The best way to buy a bike's worth of components is to get a whole bike. I one bought an entire bike that was completely the wrong size for me, transferred wheels, drive-train, etc to a proper sized frame and then sold the big frame and came out money ahead on the deal. I bought an entire bike at a thrift store once just to get the pair of Phil Wood CHP pedals that were on it. I came out ahead on that deal as well.

In the end, I think every bike is a bit of mix of build vs. buy. We buy when like the bike more than we like the money it'll cost to buy it. And I think we really make the bike our own not in the buying, but in the ways we tweak it to make it our own and make it last.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA