Is the headlight on your Tern electric bike not turning on? Here are my top 3 things I check on a Tern bike if the headlight isn’t turning on. These tips would cover the Tern Vektron, Tern HSD, and Tern GSD.
What Bike Tools I Carry On Every Bike Ride – My Everyday Bike Carry
With the hope of helping you be a great bike owner, here is what I suggest as a basic every ride carry to take on every bike ride. The key to this is to know what you are willing to do, and what is just silly to carry since you won’t use it anyways. A cell phone with a reliable friend on the other end is also totally fine!
BIKE TOOLS ITEMS MENTIONED
Mechanic Gloves
Tern Tool
Tubes
PDW Ninja CO2 & Pump
Topeak Morph Pump
Tire Levers
Green Guru Bags: https://bit.ly/3kLUkYA
Banjo Bros Seatbags
Let me know what you want to be covered in this Bike Ownership 101 series!
MY DISCLAIMER: Some products are provided at no charge for review. I’m not paid or bribed for reviews, and they will be as honest as possible. Additionally, some links are to affiliate advertising where I may make a few pennies from your purchase.
The Best Winter Bike Commuting Tire: Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus Studded Tire Review
Are you looking for the best winter bike commuter tire that is flat-resistant and going to help you get through snow and ice but also ride on the pavement? The Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus studded bicycle tire may be the perfect one for you.
Should You Wait for Next Year’s Bike?
Typically the bike industry releases new product information the end of the summer into the fall about the next year’s new product. It is about this time every year I am asked if it is worth waiting for the next year’s bike. I have 4 questions that I ask every customer to help them decide their outcome.
Is the new bike that MUCH better?
Sometimes the upgrades are small. The color is updated or the parts slightly change. Sometimes the upgrades are slightly bigger. For example in 2020, Bosch is releasing a new cargo specific motor that has a lot of people asking this question to me.
One more thought on this, the price increases each year so you really have to analyze if the bike is truly that much better.
How long do you have to wait for the next model?
If the new bike is available immediately this often makes the choice a bit harder. If the bike isn’t going to be available for months then I often ask the customer the next question…
Do you have a substitute to ride for now?
Most of my customers are looking at new cargo bikes. Do you already have a cargo bike? Would that cargo bike fit immediately in your life now or are you planning for a baby that isn’t born yet? Pretending that you don’t have a substitute, that leads me to the final question…
If you were to purchase the current model while waiting for the next best thing, how much money would you lose?
Let’s pretend you don’t have a substitute so you potentially could purchase a current model at $5k. All your accessories would move over and you wait 6 months for the new version of your bike. You sell your old bike and “lose” $1,000 after selling your first bike used. Your 6 month lease on the bike cost you $167 per month. Personally with my kids being so small (4 & 2), if I really had to have the newest model then the $167 per month would have been worth it to live the cargo bike life for 6 months earlier than waiting without a bike.
In conclusion
There is no right answer. For my specific cargo bike customer it really boils down to your budget, your needs, and how quickly you want a bike. Each person will result in a different end solution! As always feel free to contact me if I can help in anyway.
Until next time,
-BSG
Fall Cycling Tips for Everyday Biking
Bike riding in the fall is my favorite, and you can enjoy it a bit more with a few top tips for everyday biking in the fall weather.
Looking for winter biking tips? Here are all articles covering winter biking.