European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Bicycles of All sorts from Mountain bikes to racing models fill the showroom of the mar sports Center in Mainz Kastel West Germany. By Norm Zeigler travel outdoor writer years ago buying a Bike was easy. You went Down to the store picked out a Schwinn or Raleigh in a color you liked got on it to make sure you could reach the pedals and Rode it away. These Days it s much More complicated. From Little 12-Inch one speeds with training wheels to the a Handlebar chopper style models and 22-Speed Mountain bikes there s a mind boggling variety of styles sizes and designs. But despite the seemingly limitless assortment there Are Only two Basic categories Road bikes and Mountain or All terrain bikes. Mountain bikes Are hot Selling items but they May not be right for everybody says Charlie Bur Chinle at the mar sports Center in Mainz Kastel West Germany. He helps customers choose the Type of Bike that Best suits them. Quot the first thing you look at is what kind of Riding they do Quot he says. If they will be mainly Riding through towns or up and Down the Rhine he advises them to buy a touring Bike a the Light Skinny tire Model that we called an Quot English racer Quot when we were kids. They Are Ideal for cruising on smooth pavement and come in a wide Choice of gear arrangements. They Are Best for covering Long distances at relatively High speeds. Their weak Points Are that they cannot take the punishment a Mountain Bike can they Are ineffective to useless in most off Road conditions. Most touring bikes have 14 gears Burc Hvale says. Other Road bikes Are racing bikes built mainly for Speed and so called recreational bikes which Range from those old one Speed models to three Speed and five Speed machines. Racing bikes tend to have More compact frames than the touring bikes making them Ideal for sudden bursts of Speed but less comfortable Over Long distances. The recreational models Are probably Best for those who will Only be using them to go to the store or Riding across town to the softball Field. They usually have Large Well padded seats and Are designed for slow and steady rides. Quot if they re a More aggressive rider then you go to a Mountain Bike Quot Burc Hvale says. The name May suggest that Mountain bikes Are Good Only for scaling the Alps but they actually Are built to be used in a wide variety of conditions. For those Uncertain about the Type of Riding they will do Burc Hvale recommends a Mountain Bike instead of a touring Bike because of the Mountain Bike s versatility. He Calls it Quot a much better Bike for around  Quot you can buy a Mountain Bike with an on off Road tire Quot Burc Hvale says. This makes them equally Good whether Riding on pavement or the mud gravel and grass of Mountain slopes. Off Road tires Are also available for those who will do most of their Riding on unpaved surfaces. They Are wide and Knobby for improved traction but Are a hindrance in towns or on paved Bike trails. After determining the Type of Riding a customer does the next most important Factor in choosing a Bike is making sure the Frame is properly fitted to the person s body. Burc Hvale recommends a space of two to three Finger widths Between the crossbar and the rider s body. Unlike some Bike experts he advises against buying frames that Are any smaller. Franz Hergert owner of Fahr Rad Gartner in Darmstadt West Germany agrees but adds Quot you should be Able to touch the ground with your toes while sitting on the  another important Factor in Choice of bikes is the Cost. The most expensive Bike sold at the Mainz Kastel shop is a Cannondale 2,000 series Mountain Bike which costs $1,250. Next is the Raleigh alien for $930. The top of the line at Hergert s shop is the Bridges tone mb1 Mountain Bike priced at 2,200 Marks $1,300, or $1,170 without the 14 percent value added tax. Burc Hvale says his most popular bikes Are the Cannondale 400 series of Mountain bikes priced at $465. Also a Good seller is the Cannondale 800 series at $674. Both come in Frame sizes from 16 inches to 22 inches. In Hergert s shop a Quot Good Quot Mountain Bike costs around 1,000 Marks $600 including vat. An example is the Staiger Civetta which costs 1,180 Marks $715burc Hvale says a Bike need not be expensive to be right for your needs. The Mainz Kastel store is expecting a shipment of Quot everyday Riding bikes Quot that will sell for around $200. An equivalent Model a five Speed Staiger costs 450 Marks $270 in Hergert s shop. Personal taste is also a Factor. Hergert agrees. Quot it s like a car Quot he says. Quot if i have a passion for porsche i m not going to buy a  Bobbie Acree of cafes sports stores says Mountain bikes have become a craze and a lot of people waste Money unnecessarily because they buy More Bike than they need. For those who Are not going to become avid off Road bikers but want the Comfort and stability of a Road Bike Acree suggests a hybrid like the new Peugeot Model a Cross Between a Road Bike and Mountain Bike that Sells for $255. Cafes sports stores sell the Huffy All terrain Bike an Economy Model that costs $110. Burc Hvale estimates that 75 percent of the people who buy bikes plan to use them for exercise. This year he says there has been an Early surge of interest in bicycling. He attributes that to the poor 1989-90 ski season in Europe and a warm Winter with an Early Spring. Burc Hvale says the most important piece of advice he would give to every potential Bike buyer is Quot Don t be afraid to spend an extra $50.&Quot Hergert agrees. Many people he says go to a Bike store and say they saw a Bike Quot just like this Quot in the department store downtown for 100 Marks $60 less. What they Don t realize is that the Quality of the parts and materials is very different. If they buy the cheap one it May be Fine for a year or two and then Start falling apart. A Good Quality Bike should last 10 or 12 years if properly maintained. The exception he says is a bicycle for a child. Parents should t spend a lot of Money on bikes for Small children Burc Hvale says because they grow out of them so quickly. The Bike should fit the rider stripes Magazine May 10, 1990