PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES LALONDE

This article is written by Jack Sweeney and originally appeared on BikeCommuters.com. BikeCommuters.com provides news, articles, product reviews, and how to’s on anything that is related to bike commuting. Readers can enjoy an up-to-date selection of information that will help commuters from the grocery getting person to the guy that has a 60 mile commute.

We get a lot of “which bike do I buy?" questions submitted to us…a LOT. While we absolutely love to help guide bike purchasers toward suitable commuting bikes, this is an incredibly difficult question to answer without relying on a bunch of generalities…with dozens of great commuter bikes and literally hundreds of other bike models on dealer floors at any given time, there’s a lot to wade through, especially for the novice bike enthusiast.

So, I thought it would be a good idea to distill some of those generalities down into a handy “starter guide" for folks to use. I won’t be naming any specific brands or models – that’s not the point of this exercise. Rather, this is intended to get bike shoppers thinking about what they need and expect out of a new bicycle.

Many people go into the bike purchasing experience with only one thing in mind: price. Price is important, of course, but it is only one of many aspects to be considered when selecting a new bicycle; different needs require different features.

Generally, when asked “what bike do I buy?", I answer the question with a series of my own questions. In no particular order, they are:

–What is my price ceiling?

–Do I plan to use the bike for recreation purposes as well as commuting?

–How long is my commute?

–Is my area flat or hilly?

–Do I plan on hauling books, groceries or other cargo every now and then?

–How comfortable am I with the various gearing and braking systems on modern bicycles?

As you can see, the answers to those questions help narrow the field down – a sleek fixed-gear or singlespeed road bike might be great for a fast, flat long-distance commute but terrible at hauling groceries and children around town, while a sturdy, clunky “grocery getter" would be great for around-town utility purposes but might not be suitable for some recreational uses. Complicated gearing and braking systems might be daunting for the novice bicyclist and utterly unnecessary for someone in a flattish urban environment.

Concerning the price ceiling – be flexible with this. A little more money can mean a lot better of a bike. If this means putting off your purchase for a few more weeks to save up some extra dollars, do it…but don’t forget that a more expensive bike does not mean a more suitable bike for you, merely that it probably has better-quality parts and accessories than a lesser-priced model.

One of the best pieces of advice we can give folks shopping for a new bike is to check out their local bike shops. Walking in and saying, “I’ve got X dollars to spend…what do you have?" is an exercise in futility. But, prepared with the answers to the above questions, you and your local shops can help pinpoint something that’s actually suitable for your needs. Still, any old local shop won’t do – they must understand your needs and be receptive to letting you try different models at different price ranges. No one likes the “hard sell" – if a dealer is trying to push you toward a specific model that doesn’t do EVERYTHING you need a bike to do, you’re probably in the wrong shop and should exit gracefully! Visit as many shops as you can…this gives you the opportunity to test and evaluate a whole range of different bikes (and find a trustworthy shop in the process).

The other critical piece of advice we like to share is this: buy the bike that you look forward to riding…comfortable, pretty, feature-packed, whatever. Being excited to ride your new machine is half the battle…and you’re far less likely to be excited by something that doesn’t feel good or doesn’t do what you need it to do.

Buying a new bike is a daunting process; there’s no doubt about that. Arming yourself with some answers and a bit of personal research under your belt can make the whole thing a lot easier to stomach.

If your stomach is known to scream “FEED ME” when you’re out on bicycle adventures, then the Snack Sack and Lunch Box are just what you need aboard your bike to calm that appetite. The Snack Sack (43 cu. in.) and Lunch Box (74 cu. in.) top tube bags are ideal for stashing ride snacks, your phone, keys, wallet, first aid kit, and a map.

Adventure Cycling Association's third annual Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign raised more than $50,000 for the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) during this year’s National Bike Month in May.

Established in 1973 and headquartered in Missoula, MT, Adventure Cycling Association is a nonprofit bicycle-travel organization. The 44,500 members support the organization’s mission to inspire and empower people to travel by bicycle. Among other things, Adventure Cycling produces cycling routes and maps, leads guided tours, and provides many trip-planning resources for bicycle travelers.

In addition to all the wonderful ways that the Adventure Cycling Associations encourages and supports adventures by bike, they have been diligently working to establish the U.S. Bicycle Route System which will establish a network of officially numbered interstate routes that connect America’s cities, suburbs and rural areas. When completed, the USBRS will be the largest official cycling route network on the planet.

To make this bicycle super highway a reality, the folks at Adventure Cycling spent the month of May raising funds to support the creation of the USBR. More than a quarter of the fund raising came from business sponsors, which included Adventure Center, Giant, Primal Wear, Stan's No Tubes, TeamEstrogen.com, Sun Bicycles and Origin-8, Ortlieb, and WomanTours. Walz Caps, Razoo, Bikeflights.com, BOB Trailer, Brooks, Hans Bagworks, Moots, Osprey Packs, and Planet Bike provided in-kind support.

"We're so grateful to all of the generous donors and business sponsors for their support of the U.S. Bicycle Route System," said Development Director Amanda Lipsey. "These funds are essential to growing the USBRS. They will help us create a best practices guide to assist states implementing U.S. Bicycle Routes, and bring on additional staff support."

In the midst of the campaign, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering approved two new U.S. Bicycle Routes during its spring meeting in Traverse City, Michigan: USBR 35 in Michigan and USBR 45 in Minnesota. To date, the AASHTO has approved U.S. Bicycle Routes in Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Maine, New Hampshire, and Alaska.

"Section by section, this official national network of cycling routes is becoming a reality," said Ginny Sullivan, special projects director and coordinator of the USBRS project at Adventure Cycling. "State and local transportation agencies are working collaboratively with the cycling and trail community to choose routes that will connect cyclists with the places to which they want to travel. It's thrilling."

Learn more about the U.S. Bicycle Route System on Adventure Cycling Association's website and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter, @usbicycleroutes.

What do moths, mosquitos, ticks and bicycles have in common?  The answer is that they are all on the mind of Planet Bike’s new SUPERCOMMUTER Dr. Julian Shepherd.

A SUPERCOMMUTER rides through every season, in all types of weather, day and night. Choosing the simplicity, health and pleasure of bicycling, a SUPERCOMMUTER simply prefers to ride a bike instead of driving a car.

Dr. Shepard lives in Binghamton, NY where he is an Associate Professor of Biological Science at SUNY-Binghamton specializing in the behavior and ecology of arthropods.  He has made commuting by bike a part of his life for the past 48 years! Despite the fact that Binghamton is known for excellent bicycling facilities and trails, the weather in the southern tier of New York state is not always so pleasant.  As a year-round commuter, he deals with cold, snowy winters and warm, wet summers typical of the north branch of the Susquehanna River.

Julian’s colleague Dr. Matthew Johnson nominated his friend for this month’s SUPERCOMMUTER distinction and recounts, “The only time I saw him not go to work on a bike is when there was so much snow that he skied to work instead.” That’s a prime example of the kind of dedication a SUPERCOMMUTER embodies.

Dr. Shepherd has been a fan of the bicycle’s simplicity from a young age. He started riding bicycles as a child in England and has continued his pedal-powered passion for decades. While he never felt the urge to take up any racing or touring, Dr. Shepherd has always loved using his bike as transportation.

What started in 1964 as an easy and inexpensive way to get around while in grad school has become a nearly everyday ritual. That’s right, Dr. Shepherd has been commuting by bike since 1964! The bikes and the scenery have changed since then, but the invigorating morning ride remains the same.

These days Dr. Shepherd tackles his daily 7 mile commute aboard a Jamis cyclocross bike. He says the most difficult part of his commute is “crossing multiple lanes of traffic.” That’s a sentiment most all bike commuters can get behind.

Dr. Shepherd isn’t against cars, but he often lets the auto commuters he shares the road with know why he’s riding his bike. He says, “I like to wear a t-shirt designed by Earth Day students which has ‘ONE LESS CAR’ printed across the back. Not great English, but it sure gets the point across.”