 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Affordable Bike Repair Appleton, WI
Affordable-Bike-Repair.com
| Are you looking for affordable bike repair in the Appleton, Wisconsin, area and surrounding Fox Valley? I have over 25 years of experience repairing and maintaining bicycles. Give us a call to discuss your repair and maintenance needs. Happy Cycling, Tim Lutz and Family |
| my cell phone: 920-428-7824 |
| copyright since 2007 Affordable Bike Repair website by Sandhill Website Design |
| Bicycle Drawing by Jacob Lutz |
Choosing a proper bicycle for your child can be a daunting task. With my 20 plus
years experience in the bicycle world, I would like to think I picked up a few tips
along the way. Children are different than adults or older teens, because you
have the factors of growing out of a new bike. In the blink of an eye, children tend
to abuse their equipment since they have not yet developed a sense of respect like
most adults for their equipment. And children tend to lack the common sense
gene that says "this bike doesn't have properly working brakes, I should get this
fixed."
I have sold "The Bike Shop Bike" for most of my life. And guess what, I didn't
always tell the parent you need to buy my $200 bike-- there are times when the
department store bike will do fine. My thoughts are the bike shop bike is lighter,
stronger, will fit better, and will be assembled and adjusted a million times better...
but lets look at how and who will be riding the bike.
Is the bike for a boy or a girl? Sounds sexist but girls tend to take better care of
their equipment, boys are pretty rough and may require a tougher bike. Is there
someone to hand-down the bicycle to? It is not uncommon for a old Schwinn to be
handed down through 3 kids and then going to the cousins for another round of
abuse. Do not expect a department store bike to last for more than 2 kids. Is
this a bike to be ridden around the block or will it be doing actual Mountain Biking?
years experience in the bicycle world, I would like to think I picked up a few tips
along the way. Children are different than adults or older teens, because you
have the factors of growing out of a new bike. In the blink of an eye, children tend
to abuse their equipment since they have not yet developed a sense of respect like
most adults for their equipment. And children tend to lack the common sense
gene that says "this bike doesn't have properly working brakes, I should get this
fixed."
I have sold "The Bike Shop Bike" for most of my life. And guess what, I didn't
always tell the parent you need to buy my $200 bike-- there are times when the
department store bike will do fine. My thoughts are the bike shop bike is lighter,
stronger, will fit better, and will be assembled and adjusted a million times better...
but lets look at how and who will be riding the bike.
Is the bike for a boy or a girl? Sounds sexist but girls tend to take better care of
their equipment, boys are pretty rough and may require a tougher bike. Is there
someone to hand-down the bicycle to? It is not uncommon for a old Schwinn to be
handed down through 3 kids and then going to the cousins for another round of
abuse. Do not expect a department store bike to last for more than 2 kids. Is
this a bike to be ridden around the block or will it be doing actual Mountain Biking?
If your budget says $200 is too much, ask your local shop to look at their trade ins. They can be a great deal, as it is not
uncommon to find an awesome $200 plus bike being sold for $75. Plus they usually give it a $40 tune-up and a small
warranty. You can probably trade it back in for $40, and the bike will be nicely fit for your child. If you can't find a decent used
bike and still need to do the department store route, talk to your dealer about giving a quick tune-up on the new department
store bike you will buy. A good mechanic can't 'make a silk purse out of a sow's ear' (or whatever that saying goes) but at
least they can make it safe and properly adjust the bike for your child. You need to remember, the person that mass set-ups
your department store bike is not a trained mechanic but usually a "kid" that gets paid $8 a bike to put your bike together--
quantity supercedes quality with department stores. So if you think the bike will not be abused, or not ridden all that much,
and the budget says $200 can't happen, the department store bike can have its place, just make sure it is safety
checked.
If you have decided a quality bike is the route for your child, money is still usually an issue, and you do not want to be buying
another new bike a year from now. So buy big; explain to the salesman you want the biggest yet still safe bike he
recommends. These are my tips: with the seat all the way down make sure that the child can still touch their toes, (ask the
salesman to do the 'seat clamp flip', to gain another 3/4"). Make sure when the child stands over the top tube they can still
have both feet (heels) on the ground. If they are leaning you towards a 24" wheel bike, be sure you also try a 26" wheel but
with the smallest frame available, usually a 13" frame. This will give you at least an extra year of growth. Make sure the
brake levers have "reach adjustment" as smaller hands will eventually grow with time.
The bike shop bike will come in a vast array of wheel and frame sizes, so hopefully you can find the combination that allows
the most amount of growth, and still be safe. Don't forget the bike shop bike has much better components that will shift
better and stop the bike noticeably better, and combined with a quality mechanic, the bikes will be so much safer now and in
the long run. I remember seeing kids with brakes that didn't function ride all summer long. The kids just drag their feet to
stop, and parents didn't seem to notice-- mine didn't (haha). It is amazing Huffy didn't get sued more, I am sure tens of
thousands of kids got hurt on a poorly set-up bike from a department store. I don't want anyone to get hurt, and if a kid
comes to me I will always do a free safety check and at least fix the brakes to work until a proper tune-up can be done.
My last tip is on choosing a reputable bike dealer. Trust me, you want to buy a bike from someone who loves bikes and
rides bikes, not someone who just profits on selling bikes. If they're simply seeking the highest profit out of you, you have
to question their underlying customer service. I'd recommend that you ask the dealer what bike THEY personally like to ride
and how MUCH they ride. This will give an indication how much they love bikes and would love to help you get into cycling,
too. It comes down to passion and great customer service.
So hopefully I have given you a few points to ponder, since I am doing this late at night, I am sure I missed a few points, but I
think most of the info is here. If you have a question, feel free to e-mail me at heyitstimmer(at)yahoo.com and I will try to get
you an answer. I love bikes, I ride bikes, I race bikes, I dream bikes. Keep the rubber side down.
Tim Lutz
uncommon to find an awesome $200 plus bike being sold for $75. Plus they usually give it a $40 tune-up and a small
warranty. You can probably trade it back in for $40, and the bike will be nicely fit for your child. If you can't find a decent used
bike and still need to do the department store route, talk to your dealer about giving a quick tune-up on the new department
store bike you will buy. A good mechanic can't 'make a silk purse out of a sow's ear' (or whatever that saying goes) but at
least they can make it safe and properly adjust the bike for your child. You need to remember, the person that mass set-ups
your department store bike is not a trained mechanic but usually a "kid" that gets paid $8 a bike to put your bike together--
quantity supercedes quality with department stores. So if you think the bike will not be abused, or not ridden all that much,
and the budget says $200 can't happen, the department store bike can have its place, just make sure it is safety
checked.
If you have decided a quality bike is the route for your child, money is still usually an issue, and you do not want to be buying
another new bike a year from now. So buy big; explain to the salesman you want the biggest yet still safe bike he
recommends. These are my tips: with the seat all the way down make sure that the child can still touch their toes, (ask the
salesman to do the 'seat clamp flip', to gain another 3/4"). Make sure when the child stands over the top tube they can still
have both feet (heels) on the ground. If they are leaning you towards a 24" wheel bike, be sure you also try a 26" wheel but
with the smallest frame available, usually a 13" frame. This will give you at least an extra year of growth. Make sure the
brake levers have "reach adjustment" as smaller hands will eventually grow with time.
The bike shop bike will come in a vast array of wheel and frame sizes, so hopefully you can find the combination that allows
the most amount of growth, and still be safe. Don't forget the bike shop bike has much better components that will shift
better and stop the bike noticeably better, and combined with a quality mechanic, the bikes will be so much safer now and in
the long run. I remember seeing kids with brakes that didn't function ride all summer long. The kids just drag their feet to
stop, and parents didn't seem to notice-- mine didn't (haha). It is amazing Huffy didn't get sued more, I am sure tens of
thousands of kids got hurt on a poorly set-up bike from a department store. I don't want anyone to get hurt, and if a kid
comes to me I will always do a free safety check and at least fix the brakes to work until a proper tune-up can be done.
My last tip is on choosing a reputable bike dealer. Trust me, you want to buy a bike from someone who loves bikes and
rides bikes, not someone who just profits on selling bikes. If they're simply seeking the highest profit out of you, you have
to question their underlying customer service. I'd recommend that you ask the dealer what bike THEY personally like to ride
and how MUCH they ride. This will give an indication how much they love bikes and would love to help you get into cycling,
too. It comes down to passion and great customer service.
So hopefully I have given you a few points to ponder, since I am doing this late at night, I am sure I missed a few points, but I
think most of the info is here. If you have a question, feel free to e-mail me at heyitstimmer(at)yahoo.com and I will try to get
you an answer. I love bikes, I ride bikes, I race bikes, I dream bikes. Keep the rubber side down.
Tim Lutz
| Choosing a Bicycle For Your Child |
There are several places to look at for bike repair in Appleton. You not only want
to consider price, but service. Are the staff interested in your safety when riding,
as well as your budget? The people and places that stand out in the area of bike
repair in Appleton are those that have a lifetime of experience with bicycles as
well as a concern for your ultimate safety.
Enter the independent bicycle repair guy-- aka Tim Lutz. Tim has nearly 25 years
of experience working with, selling, repairing, and racing bicycles. Even though
he is a full-time firefighter with the Appleton Fire Department, he has the time and
commitment to offer you great service in bike repair and maintenance.
So, when you're looking for quality bike repair in Appleton, or the surrounding Fox
Valley area, at a reasonable price, Tim is your guy. Give him a call to discuss
your bike repair needs today. Wouldn't you like your bike fit and ready to hit the
road on these great summer days?
to consider price, but service. Are the staff interested in your safety when riding,
as well as your budget? The people and places that stand out in the area of bike
repair in Appleton are those that have a lifetime of experience with bicycles as
well as a concern for your ultimate safety.
Enter the independent bicycle repair guy-- aka Tim Lutz. Tim has nearly 25 years
of experience working with, selling, repairing, and racing bicycles. Even though
he is a full-time firefighter with the Appleton Fire Department, he has the time and
commitment to offer you great service in bike repair and maintenance.
So, when you're looking for quality bike repair in Appleton, or the surrounding Fox
Valley area, at a reasonable price, Tim is your guy. Give him a call to discuss
your bike repair needs today. Wouldn't you like your bike fit and ready to hit the
road on these great summer days?
| Tim's old shop in Little Chute, WI. Valley Bike and Sport. |
| Service Tips: "Keeping Your Chain Clean" "Tire Pressure" |
| Mention that you saw this website and receive another 10% off your bicycle service order |
| also check out: BicycleTutor.com |
| Tim at the YMCA |
