Congrats to your Hubby on his new job, reduced commute, and resolve to join the dashing, intrepid, healthy, eco-conscious, and yes, occasionally smug ranks of Seattle cyclists. I have been commuting to work exclusively by bicycle starting this past summer and have been dealing with the question of what bike is right for me and where do I get it from since then.
One thing I have discovered, both through experience and an obsessive reading of bike blogs, is that people often buy a bike and then figure out that it’s not quite right for them, therefore, buying a used bike is a good idea even if saving money isn’t a primary consideration. Basically, you buy a used bike that should be right for you, you ride it a while, you figure out where it doesn’t work for you after a couple of months riding, and you make a much more informed decision when you go to buy the perfect bike .
Craigslist is full of good deals; it is also full of people who don’t know how to measure their bike, or how to properly describe it, so what you save in money you can often lose in time and just general fussing. A store that sells used bikes on consignment is often a good idea, though I would question the motivations of any used bike store that has more new bikes than used, or that devotes as much floor space to spandex clothing as they do to their spare parts section. Certain bike shops in town seem to have a condescending attitude towards anyone who has a pussy, luckily this should not be a problem for your husband. Bikeworks is a non-profit in Columbia City that sells refurbished donated bikes, I 110% support their mission but unfortunately haven’t been able to find the “just right bike” there (but my needs are very specific at this point.)
An important consideration is fit, here is a chart http://bicycling.about.com/od/howtoride/a/bike_sizing.htm
You will note that inseam is a key measurement, as leg length can vary greatly among individuals of the same height. Here is an article about bike fit with good instructions for measuring inseam (they call it PBH or Pubic Bone Height) somewhere about the middle of the page. http://www.rivbike.com/Articles.asp?ID=247. I have a long torso for my height and I have found the bigger bikes keep me from having that “my knees will bump into my chin” sensation. Here is a good video on basic bike sizing, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6pUGA1mtTo. I have found bikes designed to be touring bikes tend to have a long wheelbase and long rear stays which leaves a lot of room in back so your heels don’t bump into your panniers, which drives me nuts.
As far as equipment: I have read that two front white lights are safer than one because it allows the viewer better comparative information on the bike’s speed and direction; a rear red light is required by law after dark but I put one on each pannier, too, to indicate the width of the whole package when riding at night; he will NEED fenders unless he just loves getting wet; for 2 1/2 miles no special clothing should be necessary, although jeans get uncomfortable because of the mega-seam at the crotch; any old breathable waterproof jacket is good enough, many people favor the safety colors; he will need a rack for panniers, which are more useful and flexible than baskets. Ortlieb Back Rollers are the king of panniers, waterproof, adjustable sized, adjustable connections, durable and they tend to stay upright, which is great when you are loading them. Pricey, though.
Some good local bike blogs: Seattle Bike Blog http://seattlebikeblog.com/ Kent’s Bike Blog
http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/ Velo Bus Driver
http://velobusdriver.com/And of course, if you ride in this town, sooner or later you will need something Cascade Bicycle Club offers, they have all sorts of classes and all sorts of rides.
http://www.cbcef.org/classes-bike.html
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