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On this Weekend program, Cynthia McArthur, of the Minnesota Community Bike Safety Project, talks about where to ride bikes, new all-terrain bicycles, bike repair, and bike safety. McArthur also answers listener questions.

Read the Text Transcription of the Audio.

(00:00:00) In the weekend on Minnesota Public Radio, Bob Potter. I hear word. There's a bicycle in the building somewhere. Today. We're going to be talking about bicycles with Cynthia MacArthur during the rest of the our Mark. Did you say that eighteen Thousand Mile bike trip begins today? No, they're they're headed up for Duluth or a couple of days to sort of a dry run. They also want to raise a little money and get a little bit of press attention that sort of thing about two weeks. They'll drive up to Alaska and begin the big track. It's going to take about nine months. Isn't that something Cynthia? Can you imagine an eighteen Thousand Mile bicycle trip? (00:00:38) That would be pretty exciting (00:00:39) pretty exciting. I don't know about that. I think it'd be pretty courageous myself. But Cynthia MacArthur is with us to talk about bicycling maybe a little bit less intense variety of it today Cynthia's with the Minnesota Community bike Safety project, which is what part of 4H. (00:00:58) Yes. We're funded by the Public Safety and we are supported by the 4-H Youth Development. Our offices are with 4-H and we use it use the 4-H delivery system for bike safety (00:01:11) education and you've been excited about bicycle for sold for a long time. Haven't you we worked as a mechanic and all that kind of (00:01:18) thing. I've been in the business about 11 years. (00:01:21) So if you have questions today about your favorite bicycle trail possibly new bicycles, what kinds of equipment are available now bike repair why Cynthia MacArthur's just the lady to talk to there is a brand-new product out on the market the all-terrain bicycle. What is that like Cynthia and what advantages does it have over the old bikes that we've all gotten used (00:01:45) to? Well, the all-terrain bike has been around for a couple of years and in the 70s, we saw the we were introduced to the the 10-speed bike which was the down handlebars and was very lightweight fast. Came in after the three speed bike which was kind of clunky and slow. So it was very exciting and in the bike boom sort of sort of got started there, but I'm seeing a sort of a new bike boom with the all-terrain bike and what that bike is is a little bit more rugged bicycle for off-road riding it started. I think it got its start in Colorado with some of the mountain bike type riding where they were going off road and being quite adventurous and and almost became a separate sport like BMX or Motocross, but now we're seeing that the the all-terrain bike is moving into the more General riding population and it's becoming a very comfortable bike for people to ride around the lakes to go on short trips with it has upright handlebars 26-inch wheel which is a little bit wider but the components and all the parts are lightweight alloy, So it makes a lighter bike it often has 18 speeds. So it's very easy to get up and up hills and easy to maneuver. And the thing that I think is exciting about it is that I'm seeing more people bike because of the opportunity to ride that type of bike. A lot of people felt that the down handlebar ten-speed bike was uncomfortable didn't fit them quite right. They didn't feel real safe on it. And so they were a little nervous about writing or just found that it wasn't as comfortable and with the sort of increase in the availability and interest in the all-terrain bike. We're seeing more people on bikes which is which is nice in New York. They don't call the Bikes mountain bikes. They call them City bikes and in Colorado they call a mountain bikes, but I like to use the term all-terrain because they're good for commuting. They're good for recreational riding and they're awfully fun. Off-road to (00:04:00) all right, if you have any questions about all-terrain bikes or other aspects of the bicycling world, this is your opportunity to get a question in for Cynthia MacArthur 2276 thousand is the number in the Minneapolis st. Paul area 2276 thousand lines are all open right now. So here's a good chance for you. In other parts of Minnesota. The toll-free number is 1-866-560-4440 290 700 and if you're listening in one of the surrounding states, you can call us directly at area code 612 2276 thousand. What about Trails Cynthia? Are there any new trails around the Minneapolis st. Paul area? For example, that people might want to (00:04:42) know about well, I think the one of the favorite areas to use in the Twin Cities areas is the Hennepin Park systems. They have some nice Trails up at Coon Rapids in the quarter trail that goes over to Elm Creek, which is a nice. It's a real nice. Trail for a day ride for Family Rides or people who would prefer being off the road on a trail the Highland Park has Trails. Most of the Parks have have Trails. They don't yet connect. I think that's an ultimate plan. I think riding around. The Lakes is fun. Sometimes it's a little crowded but you can go from Minnehaha Falls all the way around all the way up North Minneapolis theater worth Parkway. And and actually there is a ride called the Grand round that goes all the way around. And once the West River Road is open. We'll see that route being used (00:05:39) again. Our most of these paved trails are some of them (00:05:43) gravel. Most of them are paved. We have several State trails that one of them. The closest one to the Twin Cities is the loose line which starts out in your Baker park reserve and goes goes west up to Jensen and now we have the Heartland Trail which is in near the park Rapids Walker area Cass Lake. We have a new Trail called the Hinckley Trail which is goes from Hinckley to Moose Lake and we have the Singing Hills trail down by Faribault goes into Faribault and those are both paved and gravel but they're very nice trails to ride and a lot of them have camping or bed-and-breakfast close by so they make a nice weekend or day (00:06:34) trip lots of opportunity for people outside the metropolitan area to enjoy Trails. (00:06:37) Yes. Minnesota is a very good state for bicycling even though we can only do it six to nine months out of the Year. Oh my you're so ambitious a mistake. (00:06:48) Let's move on to some listener questions here Cynthia MacArthur is with us from the Minnesota Community. Bike Safety project. Hello. You're on the air. Yes. My name is Christopher Thompson. I have more of a comment than a question. Austin a couple of years ago while assisting some friends running Grandma's Marathon up on the rather foggy North Shore it was foggy that morning. I was struck by a silver Volkswagen Beetle, which had no headlights on according to the police report. I was struck by this Volkswagen traveling 55 to 60 miles per hour and I was thrown 90 feet by the impact that wouldn't have happened. Had I been wearing a helmet Not only would I have been more visible Not only would it have protection protecting my head from the impact but it would have kept my hair out of my eyes to that my comment. So you're a big proponent of safety helmets for bicycles. Definitely because people will more readily see red or red and white stripes helmet than just another head of hair. Sure Cynthia. What do you think about helmets? I suppose you're pretty enthusiastic about (00:07:54) them. Well, I feel that one can't argue against helmets one either chooses to use Is use them or you don't use them they not only give you the visibility. Obviously, they give you the protection they give you visibility and they also I think give you a sense of legitimacy on the road when when car drivers are seeing bikers with helmets. They they know that that biker is out there with a seriousness about being on the road and hopefully that Rider is also obeying the rules and acting as a vehicle on the road helmets are very important and we recommend helmets in all of our training and I don't I don't think anyone in the bike world can argue against helmets there. (00:08:44) You have any idea just from your own observations of biking around the area how many people wear them what percentage of the bikers (00:08:51) know I think that you find that that people who are who used bicycling for a variety of reasons whether it's for fun. Health and transportation they will tend to be the ones that will use a helmet people who are more into it for the recreational and maybe don't do it as often maybe a little resistant to helmets but I think as as the helmets are made more comfortable and there is a great variety of helmets out with different colors and all sorts of things. It's quite fun to see the industry moving to to accommodate our desire to be attractive on the road to but they're more comfortable they are easier to wear and I think that they're more reasonable priced and so people are and I think shops are also making a more concerted effort to encourage their consumers to wear helmets. So it's becoming much more acceptable. (00:09:52) Let's move on to another listener with a question for Cynthia. Hello. You're on the air now. Yes. Hello. My question is I'm wondering if you know. What chance it might be a recumbent bikes getting to be more popular or more on the market. I just saw one the other day and I remember reading about in several years ago, but I don't see them around very much. What kind of bike was that recumbent where you're kind of leaning back like in a chair. So that sounds pretty (00:10:17) good. Yeah, it's a nice bicycle. And I think one of the problems is it they're very expensive and somewhat difficult to get although if you work if you have if you know a good shop and work work closely with them. You can you can find them. I think one of the other things that is a little bit slow down some of their popularity is that they're not as easy to see in traffic and so people who ride them tend to be very very experienced Riders who feel very comfortable and know how to negotiate traffic and but they do have a use that I think just hasn't been marketed and we don't see them as much as I think we will (00:10:59) Alright, another caller has a question. Hello. You're on the air with Cynthia McArthur. I have two questions first of all the cost. Last train bike that she was talking about. And secondly where they might be available. Is there a manufacturer that's doing it specifically that she would recommend (00:11:15) the cost ranges from about 200 dollars up. You can find some bikes that are advertised as an all-terrain bike that just barely squeaked by as an all-terrain but what you want to look for in an all-terrain bike is the 26 by 1.25 tires Wheels, you want to you want the upright handlebars and the frame is designed to be used off-road. So the bottom bracket or where the petals cranks are is a little bit higher than on a regular 10-speed bike. There are many different frame designs. Most bike come bike manufacturers make an all-terrain bike nowadays. I see I've seen all the way from Huffy which is generally considered a lower range. Lower quality bike all the way up to tracks and fissures and very specific expensive custom-made all touring bikes. So I would suggest going to the bike shop that you are familiar with and asking them to fit you with an all-terrain bike. One of the one of the specific features with the all terrain is it'll have cantilever brakes which are aside Center pull break that is attached to the frame and it in it provides for very very quick and responsive breaking that is a feature that is consistent to the real true all touring bikes. Although there are all trained bikes that have a regular Center polar side pull break in those are fine too and and also the very sort of sturdy solid handlebars and Brake levers that you find on the all terrains. What kind of what's the (00:13:07) worst kind of terrain you could Expect to ride one of those things on (00:13:11) the worst. Well (00:13:14) reasonably (00:13:15) reasonably worth. Well a lot of people like to use some of the Old Logging roads or fire Trails one of the problems with my with altering riding right now is that there aren't a lot of places that are set aside for altering riding. And so you have to check and see that the area that you're going in has designated use for that or that that's all right to do because you could be trespassing or illegally using trails. And so that that can be a problem. (00:13:50) I would assume they'd be a little more comfortable on a gravel Trail for example than a regular (00:13:55) 10-speed. Yeah because of the The Wider tires and the bike is more has more maneuverability on on rougher roads. So they take the bumps in the the higher bottom. It allows for going over rocks and stumps and things like that (00:14:14) Cynthia MacArthur is with us today talking about bicycling in all of its various facets and forms. And if you have a question, we have some lines available again 2276 thousand in the Twin Cities and one 865 29700 in other parts of the state. Go ahead. You're next. Hello, February 86 Consumer Reports has a rather comprehensive article on all terrain and city bikes but they made no comment about some of the mail ordered bikes. I would like to hear your expert comment on the cost-effectiveness and comparative quality of the some of the larger mail order companies. I believe in Nashville AR is one of the larger ones (00:14:54) The the bikes from a mail-order are are often very good bikes and their their prices sometimes comparable but one of the problems with the mail order is service and follow-up care that you can you can buy get for your bike. A lot of shops will offer free tune-up soar free warranty checks. Sometimes getting the parts some shops will offer a discount on on either repair or parts for the bikes that are sold from their shops. And so that can be a concern now if you're living in maybe if you're living in, you know, rural North Dakota where you don't have access to any shop of with with the expertise or the ability to fix your bike mail order can be a very nice option. I think here in the cities it sometimes isn't as practical because We have a lot of good shops and a lot of expertise in our shops that can give you the care and the service sometimes mail order is not as fast you might get something in it. You might not like it and then you have to return it and so it can be a slower process. But depending on where you live. It has its advantages in terms of the quality of the parts. They're they're equal to anything you would find in shops. (00:16:18) All right, we'll move on to another listener with a question. Hello Cynthia MacArthur's listening. Hi there. I would like to know how to determine our bikes fit to myself in other words. How do you sighs a bike for (00:16:30) yourself? Well, that's a good question. Especially coming from a woman because fitting a bicycle for a woman is different than fitting it for four men and sometimes my experience in my 11 years being in both bike shops and in bike safety education is that women can get sort of the short end of it the main thing that you want to look for in fitting a bike is if you can if you have a bike that has a straight bar or a diamond framed is traditionally known as a man's frame but there's no there's no reason for a gender differentiation and Frames but the straight frame you want to be able to stand over the frame and have some space between the bar in your crotch. I usually say half inch to an inch and when you're sitting on the saddle, you want your foot your the heel of your foot to be on the pedal and so that your foot is straight down and the that that's an easy fit. The hard part is getting The fit between the for the for the arm length and on the traditional ten-speed bike the way to do that is to put your elbow at the end of the saddle horn and extend your elbow straight out and the tip of your middle finger should hit the handlebars that that will give you a general idea of how the bike fits the main thing is to ride the bike, especially if you're buying a new bike to ride it ride it long enough so that you're getting tired and can feel the where the pains are on the bike and have the bike change to fit your your needs if you have if you want that lightweight 10-speed bike but those down handlebars aren't comfortable then get upright handlebars if the handlebars are too far away. You can you can get a new gooseneck or the stem and shorten that and bring that the handlebars closer to you women are often more comfortable on a woman's seat, which is designed to fit fit us anatomically. And those are important things so it's important to to if the bike is not feeling comfortable then talk with someone about changing it because a bicycle should be comfortable and if it's not you won't ride it and you won't feel safe. And the point is to ride in to have fun. (00:18:49) What was the theory of those turned down handlebars. Anyway, (00:18:52) well the down handlebars provides an efficiency in writing that is necessary for touring or being on the bike for long stretches at a time when I'm touring I like the down handlebars because if I'm going down uphill or downhill and I want that efficiency I get it also going I think going over 10 to 12 miles an hour. Those bars will produce an efficiency that is needed to make that bicycling all day long comfortable. My feeling is and this is from my experience in my customers experience. Is that under 10 miles an hour those down handlebars don't really provide. Enough efficiency to Warrant the discomfort they can make introduced and the upright handlebars are more comfortable for recreational riding under 10 miles an hour. And I find that a lot of people ride in that category and they're riding bikes in aren't real comfortable for themselves. (00:19:51) It's about half past the hour talking with Cynthia MacArthur about bicycling today and go ahead. You're next with a question for her. Hello. Hello. (00:20:08) Well, you're in luck because there's a woman that's building bike frames. Her name is Georgina Terry and she's designing bikes for short women and I saw a couple of bike shops that are carrying her stuff in the city's one of them was alternative bike and the other one was free wheel bicycle and those people know about the bicycle. It's a custom-built bike. So it's something you have to order and spend some time getting it fit to you but she's opening up a real nice Avenue for women who have problems finding bikes that fit them. So I would suggest calling either those shops or whatever shop you deal with and see if they can get you hooked up with with that bike. (00:20:59) All right, we'll move on to another listener with a question higher. I was Cynthia. All right. Yeah, I'm 37. Now. I used to do a lot of biking around the Twin Cities. So About eight to ten years ago. And one of my big complaints was that reason that I quit biking and I actually sold my bike was that I had there just wasn't any place to cycle obviously that has been improved somewhat but the roads were really bad. I find now, however that as a driver I'm still running into problems people who are cyclists still don't understand the rules of the road as far as which side to write on and writing and tandem rather than side by side. And I wonder if you could competent make a comment about that. You know, I'm willing to share but I get really upset with people who don't understand what's going on. And the other thing on these all-terrain bikes. Obviously, they're not going to cause the kind of damage that's a a four-wheel drive or a Motocross type motorcycle would cause but is anything being done to emphasize the fact that even though it's a bicycle you can still I was even minor ecologically damage to any kind of terrain that you're in I'll hang up and listen. (00:22:16) Okay about your writing in the city it that is a problem that that I think will take a lot of work to do to continue to deal with I think in America. We have a problem with sharing the road. We don't have the kind of mentality on car drivers level of sharing the road and we don't have good education with bicycle Riders about the rules of the road. One of the things that we try to do in our project with training bike patrols and police officers and communities is in how to ride safely and how to how to use the road as a vehicle. I I think that that as hard as it is for bikers to deal with rude car drivers. It is equally hard for car drivers to deal. Bikers who want use of the road and yet they don't want to have to stop at stop signs. And so it's something that I think can be we all need to encourage and teach people how to use the roads as a vehicle and I think one of the ways that we can do that is in in the shops to just have as part of selling the bike and getting the consumer on the bike to tell them about the rules of the road because we're seeing more people riding and I'm seeing more problems on the road when people don't understand the rules riding on the wrong side of the road is one of the is a very big violation and it's very dangerous. It's one of the biggest causes of accidents and deaths for bike riders because car drivers are not expecting to see a biker in the wrong lane. Their vision is designed to see cars going with the flow of traffic. And so when they see a rider coming the wrong way it can it's a reason for an (00:24:14) accident basically isn't it true that the street regulations that apply to Automobiles and trucks and all vehicles also apply to Bicycle right? Are there some exceptions (00:24:26) to that? The only exception is that that bikers can't go on interstates in Most states some states a lot. I think there are nine states in the nation that allow Interstate riding but (00:24:38) but all the other things like signaling and stopping for stop signs and lights and observing pedestrian crosswalks and on and on and on real apply to Bicycle right? Well, okay. Oh and then he wanted to know about possible damage from altering (00:24:51) bikes. Well, that's a that's a big debate because a lot of people don't want to see all-terrain bikes use off-road trails and their their arguments on both sides of it. One of the things that you might consider is that if Just looking at for instance a horse trail the damage that the horses you do to the trail when they're going through are often. It's often not a lasting problem a rain or a little bit of time between use and the trail goes back to its normal use and I think the same can be said for all terrain bikes that I think that what what I'd like to see is for those Parks or departments that are making those regulations and deciding about how do you how to let all terrains? Use trails should be real proactive and set some standards because one of the problems is if you if you have all these people out there riding all touring bikes and wanting to use off roads and there aren't any available. They will use things that use trails that they shouldn't be using and they will cause damage and I think that there should be some designated use Trails for Touring bikes with some regulations and set some standards so that we don't see the kind of abuse that for instance Colorado has seen and there there gets to be a real animosity between bikers and hikers and and bikers and non bikers because of really no action and I think if we set some standards we can we can kind of catch it before it becomes a real problem (00:26:31) talking about bicycling with Cynthia MacArthur ordered issues with a Minnesota Community bike Safety project. And here's another listener with the question. Hi. Hi. I have a very simple question. Is there a law in the Twin Cities area that requires bicycles to be equipped with lights after (00:26:48) dark? Yes. The the rule for bicycles is you have to have reflectors on the bike and you have to have lights for night riding and there are a variety of types of Lights available and fortunately in America, we don't have we can use a variety. I've baked in England where they have very set rules about what type of light you can use and I brought we have a light here in the states a little light that goes on the air on the ankle or on the arm and it's got a white light on one side and a red light on the other and when you go especially if you wear it on your leg and you you're peddling the light goes kind of Bob's up and down and the idea here is it it's easy for the cars to see something moving over there. It's considered illegal. And even though it was a night light we couldn't use it. We had to buy regulation night light. So here we have a real nice variety of lights and and it's very easy to use lights. Unfortunately enforcement of those things is not as Common or consistent. So there's there are a lot of violations of that. (00:27:59) Yeah, I have to admit. I haven't seen very many bicycles pulled over the road side of the road by police officers, but that that light that you strapped to your leg. Now would that be acceptable in place of having one on the machine itself? (00:28:12) Yes, that would be (00:28:14) okay. Now as for bicycle lights on the machines, do you like the kind that run off batteries are the kind of runoff (00:28:20) generators? Well, that's a that gets to be a real personal choice. Some people like the generator light, but then when the bike is stop the light isn't on biggest problem with battery operated lights is at the batteries wear out and if you're riding a lot at night that can be a problem. Some people don't like all the wires and all the Gizmo that goes with some of the lighting that systems that are out but there are there are some there's one called the belt Beacon. That's a very nice easy light to attach either to the bike or to the biker and battery lasts a long time and it's a reasonable reasonable light. (00:28:55) Let's move along to some more listener questions. Hi, you're on with Cynthia MacArthur morning. I'm attracted by the versatility of these all-terrain bikes and I'm real comfortable with the racing handlebars and I'm wondering if these altering bikes are equipped with such type of handlebars. (00:29:13) Yes, you can you can put those type on and I have seen people do that because they're going to be using the bike for may be touring or long long distance riding and it's a personal thing if you're comfortable with that if you like the features of the all-terrain bike the the fatter tyres in the triple 18 of the 18-speed gearing and the the frame angles, but you still like the down handlebars you can you can a good shop will accommodate whatever needs you want on a bike if you want 16 reflectors and two headlights and safety. Eggs and all the Gizmo you can you can get it on that's fine air horn, maybe air horn blinkers. I've put blinkers on bikes. Yeah, (00:30:04) is it practical to have two sets of handlebars and exchange them on the bike when you want to go from recreational to more serious writing or should you just have a second bike and be done with it? (00:30:13) Well again, that would be you know, an individual Choice. It's a bit of work to change handlebars. You have to change the brake cables and the it would it would take some some work at might I think a lot of people who find that they have many many needs. We'll find room for another bike in their (00:30:33) garage and in their budget, let's move onto another listener. Hi, you're on with Cynthia MacArthur. Hi. Um, I have a question about my seat. Now. Let's say last year. I went on a full week trip around New England and I had a, you know normal soft seat and but after two weeks I started, you know getting blisters. And this year I'm going to go on another trip Seattle San Francisco, but I got a trick 720 and it has a very very hard seat Brooks Brooks eat. And now that you know, I just his bike around 2242 days today for around the last week just for training and I've already have blisters and wondering what I could do for on my trip when I you know, I can't stop and inviting all day. What do you think I could do to prevent the blisters? (00:31:20) Well, you could do a couple things. Your Brooks seat is I assume a leather seat in that that can take some time to break in and might not be so comfortable. You might try not quite such a soft seat but a leather seat that is anatomically designed or you can try a product called spend Co has bike seat covers and people who have had a lot of problems with with saddles. Find that the spend Co seat cover is their life saver. So I would I would suggest trying that. (00:32:00) All right. We'll move on to you. Hello, you're on with Cynthia. Yes. I have a number of comments and I appreciated your program. I think you've made some good points. One of the big problems. I find with biking in Minneapolis particularly as there are no bike routes that lead through the city often times. There's bike routes but case in point is Cedar Lake Road as it ends. It doesn't even have a sign that tells you that the bike route goes right and if you didn't know where you were going you'd get onto the freeway and I did this when I first moved back to Minneapolis and another friend of mine did this to and there are no bike Lanes even in the places where there are bike routes where the green signs often the bike Lanes narrow to nothing so that there's about one foot on one side of a white line for the bicycle which really isn't enough to Safely and as far as the paved paths go around the lake, it would really be nice. If the runners would try to stay on the running path. It's really difficult when you have a runner coming at you and you're trying to make your way around a roller skater. I was in Europe last year and there's a very different attitude there about bicyclist. They look out for you a lot more here. You have to drive so defensively that it's often times terrifying. That's a fair amount of chew on Cynthia some (00:33:23) comments. Well, I think that what you've said is is very accurate. We don't have real good bike paths through the city. There is a group in Minneapolis that works on problems like this. It's called the Minnesota Coalition of bicyclists and they are an activist group that takes those concerns and works on them. You might give them a call and join them, too. To work on these problems. Those are ongoing problems that we see some improvements and we see some resistance and it's a continual process of making bicycling better in the city and you're right. I think in the in Europe we have we see a much more acceptance of shared use of all of the environment and so people are much more willing to to to share the road with bicyclists. I was in England last fall and I there was more traffic than I often encounter here, but there was a sense of sharing the road and I often was not the slowest vehicle on the road the tractor moving the cows down the road or the big coach taking the people on tours were often slower than I was on bicycles. But here we still have to battle with that resistance to sharing sharing our roads. (00:34:50) How much tension do you sense between Roller skaters and bicyclists. (00:34:54) It's a problem on the on the Lakes because for one I think the bike lane is just a little bit narrow for a lot of people like to ride the trails and and ride to a breast and of course in for a roller skater to come around and you don't hear them people are always having to yell that they're passing you so it and especially on a busy day. It can be kind of annoying and then you get people who are riding so fast as if they're doing some sort of training for a triathlon or something and they're using the bike path which doesn't make much sense. And so it's a it's a problem. I guess in one sense that we have a very popular and pleasant route and it in in in it being all of that. It's can be a hassle. (00:35:41) Well, let's get some more listeners on the air with Cynthia MacArthur talking about bicycling today. Hello you're on with her. Okay. Thank you. I'd like to know what will be done to my bicycle when I asked for a tune-up and I could expect it to cost. (00:35:55) What what would be done in a tune-up is adjusting the hub's are the cones which are the center part of the wheels. Now, that's not overhauling them is just adjusting them would be sometimes it's cleaning the chain and means taking the chain off and cleaning it putting it back on. Sometimes. It's just adjusting the derailers adjusting the brakes headset bottom bracket and generally checking the bike over for any problems that are are growing for instance. Maybe your tires are getting worn out or maybe you need new handlebar tape or something like that. I find that that tune ups are not as cut and dried as they used to be there is super tuneups and there's Grand tuneups and there's simple tune up. So they range I generally in price from about 15 dollars to about $30. And that depends on just how much you have done. Usually you should have a tune-up done every year every other year. If you have a tune-up done one year then the next year. It's advisable to have an overhaul done which would include the the basic tune-up repair and overhaul is re greasing all those bearings that were just adjusted in the tune-up. You can go if you're riding a lot that's a recommended schedule. If you're not riding so much then just a good tune-up. Every year will keep the bike in good order (00:37:26) fifteen to thirty dollars for a tune-up. What about the overhaul which you mentioned (00:37:30) the overhauls run between I would say 45 and 60 dollars (00:37:36) boy. I used to be able to get a car tuned up for their remember. Yes. Alright 11 minutes before twelve o'clock talking with Cynthia MacArthur about bicycling. I see we have a couple of lines available again 2276 thousand in the Minneapolis st. Paul area. I have to 9700 in other parts of Minnesota and your next go ahead please yes, I'm interested in getting back into bicycling and I'd like to know mainly I'm going to use it just for going back and forth to work during the summer and maybe a few other short trips and I need to know whether a standard 10 speed or one of these new all terrain bikes that you've been talking about would be appropriate. And the other thing is that one of the things when I used to bike number of years ago, I had whenever it rained I always got this nasty black line up and down my back from the wheel spinning off the water and do they manufacture good lightweight rain guards for bikes. It can be put on them to keep that mess off of my (00:38:35) back. Yes. They do. They make very good fenders nowadays and they're easy to put on and they they will take care of that problem. Not only will they keep the streak off your back, but they'll just keep the bike generally in in in less messy, or I think if you're going to be doing a lot of commuting you will you will probably find the all-terrain bike more fun and more comfortable and and you'll have a sense of feeling safer. And I think you will be safer On The Road Not only is it an easy bike to ride but it is more controllable and traffic you have you have a better sense of of of watching traffic in scanning behind you and you know, seeing where you're going also, it's just going to be an easier bike in terms of Maintenance. You're not going to have to worry about flat tires as much you're not going to have to worry about the bike falling apart like a like a lot of ten speeds can can feel like they're that it's happening with them. Sometimes I go without even taking a flat tire repair kit with me when I go out with my all-terrain bike because I've got good tires and it's a sturdy bike a lot of times when I use my 10-speed down. Our type bike I carry a toolkit with me because I never know when I'm going to get a flat tire in the streets are always full of glass and holes and and such so I would I would go to the shop that you're comfortable with and that you that you feel you'll get good service from and ride a variety of bikes in your price range and find one that's comfortable and that will fit those needs (00:40:15) to move on to another caller who has been waiting. Go ahead you're on with Cynthia MacArthur now. Yes, I would like to say that I'm a pedestrian and I often have to share the bike path with like are the path with bikers and they never notify you or give you any sign that they're coming through behind you fortunately I have good hearing but I adhere strictly to the right and very often these bikers in full gear and everything else are on The Pedestrian path. Especially by Cedar Lake, you know, it's reserved is strictly for prudent pedestrians by the lake and the bike path is up by the road but bikers often are down there and they use abusive language. If you object to their presence there. (00:41:08) Yes, I've witnessed that myself as a pedestrian. I think one thing that you could do is to call the Park Board and encourage them to ticket more people violating the rules on the Lakes. I I see it from both angles as a walker. I don't like to see bikers on the road as a biker. I don't like to see walkers on the bike path. And I think that there needs to be it's a continual process of educating people to to respect what where they can use the roads and and and to accept the the lanes that we are given for for use around the lakes and I think it's Same on the on the street. We I don't know. I think that bikers are in a hard spot because we haven't for years. We haven't been given very much legitimacy on the road. We've sort of been non pedestrians and non Road users and and sort of forced to be in an odd position with that on the other hand. We just because we haven't always gotten a fair Shake on the road doesn't mean that we can be rude and obnoxious when we're sharing the road and that that would be my suggestion is to call and see if there can be some upbeat of enforcement with the violations. (00:42:36) Yeah. It's real frustrating to be on the Walking path and bicyclist come scooting along. (00:42:42) Well, one of the in England or in Europe in the end in England bells are required on bikes and I have but I have bells on all my bikes and it's very handy when I'm riding. On the Lakes I can ring my little bell and I don't have to be obnoxious or loud with other people and it helps a lot. (00:43:01) Let's take some more listener questions for Cynthia McCarthy. We have about five minutes left. Hello. You're on the air. Yeah. I'm a senior citizen who never learned to ride a bike as a child. And now I have I did tried last summer. and it wasn't very satisfactory. I had an old bike and I think it was too big for me and I was discouraged and now I would like to have you tell me what are some of the basic things to look for. I don't need a ten-speed anything like that. Just something some basic things to look for in a small person. (00:43:45) I think that you first of all you want to look for a bike. That's maybe a one speed or a three-speed easy to to understand and feel comfortable with the gearing on it. And then you'd want to get the fit comfortable for you. And I guess I would encourage you to find a in the bike shop that would address your needs and tell them your concerns and tell them your your needs and and have them fit you up with a bike. Sometimes the old bikes fit fine, or they may be enough gears, but they're either Rusty or all gunked up and not adjusted very well. And so they they feel very clunky and hard to ride and if you get a good tune-up on Old clunky bike it might be worth might be just the ticket that you need to make that more. Comfortable and more fun to ride. (00:44:40) Okay, you're next. What's your question for Cynthia today? Yes. I'd like to know a little bit more about type of frame that's called a Mitzi frame. I think it's usually designed for like a female writer. It's kind of a cross between a standard woman's bike an immense frame if they're structurally as their advantages to it or (00:45:00) yeah, the mix T frame is I think kind of an under sold frame in a lot of ways and I think one of the reasons is because the people who are test riding the bikes tend to be men who are very interested in the hot racing sport touring type bikes and so they don't give as much credibility to the mix T frame the the advantages to the frame is that it's very nice for people who are short and can't stand over a standard Diamond frame a lot of times people who have some balance problems or aren't as A5 feel safe on a bike maybe because they haven't ridden for several years and also women who use the bike maybe to go back and forth to work and wear dresses and and also for people who have children and use a car or a child carrier on the back of the bike the the mix T frame allows you to get on and off that bike the advantage of the mix T over the cut frame or traditional women's frame is that it provides a bit more rigidity almost the same rigidity that the straight frame gives you one of the problems with the cut frames is that for people who are using it for touring and lightweight sport riding that cut frame gives too much flex and so a long distance. It's not as comfortable you get more you get tired faster. So the mix T frame is a is a very nice option and I think that the problem is it's just not hasn't been given as much legitimacy as it as it should be. (00:46:37) Have time for a couple more maybe three more as we continue. Hello, you're on with Cynthia MacArthur. Yeah, I called earlier and I forgot to ask one question about purchasing bikes and that is how much would I have to pay for a top quality all-terrain bike and the second question. Have you seen anything about the other it's a brand-new bike one lays Supine and that is on your back and the handlebars are actually underneath you and there's a it's a canted rear wheel. It's really a strange Arrangement that could you comment or discuss that one place. (00:47:12) Well the price that you would need to pay for a very good bike all-terrain bike would be from about 400 350 to 400 dollars and up and that would give you all the special little details and fun things of an all-terrain bike the other bike. I'm not sure if you're talking about a recumbent or But that bike that type of bike is you can see as at Bike Shop shows and some of the specialty shops and you might be able to find one in the cities. I guess you'd need to check around with some of the real bike techies and see see what the if someone's got one in their basement (00:47:59) Cynthia. We have less than a minute left about a half a minute quickly. If you could a few tips on keeping your bike from getting stolen. (00:48:07) The the first thing is, of course to have a good lock and to lock the bike not only by both wheels and frame preferably to a bike rack or to something illegal to park it lock it too. And the second thing is to register the bike in Minnesota. We have the bike register a Minnesota bike registration system, and we should we can go to Deputy registers or bike shops and register the bikes. For six dollars last three years and not only is it nice for for bikes that are stolen but it's good for identifying you if you have an accident and you don't have any identification on you. It's a fast way to get the bike back (00:48:51) and suddenly we are completely out of time. Thank you very much. Thank you Cynthia MacArthur with the Minnesota Community bicycle safety project a 4H outfit and she has been with us answering questions about bicycling today coming up music broadcasting on the Minnesota Public Radio FM networks portfolio a chance to talk about sports with J.G. Preston on ksjn am 1330 in the Twin Cities weekend is made possible by economics laboratory products and services for household institutional and Industrial Cleaning worldwide. This is Minnesota Public Radio a member supported service. And this is ksjn Minneapolis and st. Paul half a minute now past twelve o'clock. What is the temperature up to their Mark? Well, we stand at 86 at last report and we're heading higher well good highs today in the mid 90s in the Twin Cities. So, of course you bicycle in the work this morning, so

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