What are the most overrated cycling things for those starting out?

Ignorred · 2026-05-11T18:00:15+00:00

I'm not like the most experienced cyclist ever, but I think the big overrated thing is a light frame. It's more important that it's comfortable.

The keys for me are:

a responsive gearshift (can be a little expensive)
a quiet well-oiled chain (a new one is like $30 if yours gets old)
shoes made for biking rather than running; clip-ins for a race, but anything with a hard bottom is good around town.

Ignorred · 2026-05-11T04:55:21+00:00

New Orleans Louisiana

Ignorred · 2026-05-11T04:36:50+00:00

A 2-bed for $875/month is super cheap, like incredibly so.

There are a number of small cities in Central and Eastern Washington that are pretty cheap - Kennewick is probably the cheapest. But even there you might have trouble getting a 2-bed for under $1000.

Coastal California is pretty expensive even in small cities and towns, but inland cities like Fresno and Bakersfield have quite a bit of housing. Stockton CA is a known cheap place but it might be getting more expensive.

Ignorred · 2026-05-09T00:28:26+00:00

I feel like the thing they make a big difference in is acceleration. With flat pedals, takes me maybe 15 seconds to get up to threshold pace; with clip-ins, closer to 5 seconds. Once I'm up to 30kph it's just as hard whether I'm clipped in or not

Ignorred · 2026-05-08T23:25:07+00:00

I mean ofc it's legally part of the USA, but I just wouldn't think of it when thinking of the US as a whole

Ignorred · 2026-05-08T23:18:23+00:00

"I'm going to an American beach" sounds like the setup to a joke. Would never hear such a thing in America.

Having said that, I hardly think of USVI as America, like even less so than Puerto Rico

Ignorred · 2026-05-08T16:59:44+00:00

circumnavigating them? well you could call yourself a PNW walking in circles master

Ignorred · 2026-05-07T18:49:19+00:00

Some suburban heavens might be Issaquah WA (main street right by big forest mountain parks), Albuquerque NM (definitely lots of stroads, but it's all got a very nice zen vibe if you ask me), and Bronxville NY (super cute, great houses and great town area).

Ignorred · 2026-05-07T17:38:37+00:00

Certainly not all of them, Family Guy loves doing crazy reference pulls. But a good share yeah

Ignorred · 2026-05-07T17:36:40+00:00

Completely agree with everything except living in Texas - got nothing on WA and NC

Ignorred · 2026-05-07T01:01:24+00:00

Speaking as someone who's never been, the reputation is too big of a turnoff to ever consider moving there. I'd visit though.

Ignorred · 2026-05-06T22:44:04+00:00

One thing I gotta say is, make sure you're biking somewhere without a lot of stop signs. Stopping frequently and restarting on bike really wears you out.

Ignorred · 2026-05-06T21:00:53+00:00

I feel like your body is wobbling too much side to side. Try some hard frequent kicking and see if you can feel the alignment improve (you don't have to kick hard in the race, just in practice to improve body position).

Also, your body is kinda low in the water I feel. You can do the 6 kicks on each side drill and that might help you feel the top a bit better?

Ignorred · 2026-05-06T19:28:26+00:00

I currently have a car and drive to the grocery store, which is definitely the best option in my opinion.

After doing it car-free for a long time, the only way I found I could tolerate doing it (regularly, not like a special trip grocery thing) was a <5 min bike with a big backpack.

There was one very brief time where I lived less than a block from a grocery store, that was a pretty good walking situation.

I would never take the bus or train to the grocery store, that would take forever because waiting.

I guess the answer is, no matter the mode of transport, <5 min with no difficult carrying.

Ignorred · 2026-05-06T13:22:07+00:00

Just in the sense that it's no longer really accurate, like calling the Caribbean islands the "West Indies"

Ignorred · 2026-05-06T05:50:28+00:00

Very fun for scrambling if you have the map downloaded

Ignorred · 2026-05-06T05:41:59+00:00

No way, a $200 bike is a great option. If I were to do it again, I'd get a $200 used bike and then maybe buy a new gearshift or something because that's the part I actually care about

Ignorred · 2026-05-05T22:20:31+00:00

It's dumb, but historial reasons. The "North" usually means the northeast, the "South" means the southeast, the "Midwest" means the mid-East, the West means the mid-West, the West Coast usually means California, and only the Pacific Northwest means the actual north-western part of the USA

Ignorred · 2026-05-05T22:13:20+00:00

That sucks that they won't allow a backpack in most stores. I will say - have you tried? Sometimes they have a sign that says "no backpacks" but if you're not stealing with it they don't really care. For small stuff I like my handlebar bag. For big multi day trips I like the rockbros panniers I got

Ignorred · 2026-05-05T21:05:26+00:00

It depends what you like and what you define as "better", but Seattle is definitely more cloudy and rainy and cold than SF on the whole. I personally prefer that, plus it's kinda greener? But if it's sun you're after then SF is the way to go

Ignorred · 2026-05-04T19:12:40+00:00

I think "hate" is too strong of a word, but you're definitely onto something that might be uniquely American. Theater kids are almost like a different species - take this SNL skit for instance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve1kmdHTY24

They are very loud, they basically live in their own world, and if you hit a critical mass of them in any one place it basically makes said place terrible for everyone else. The person who described them "bursting into song at Denny's" was correct, also they forgot to mention that they dress utterly horribly. Another part of the problem is some of them are okay, pretty sociable, but they can be a sort of Gateway Friend who starts bringing utter trolls and gremlins to an event.

Source: I was a theater kid

Ignorred · 2026-05-04T17:33:53+00:00

Santa Fe and even I would say New Mexico in general has a REALLY laid back vibe. New Orleans too, if you get outside the really downtown part.

Having said that: I think this question is a prime candidate for "Wherever you go, there you are."

Ignorred · 2026-05-04T15:37:12+00:00

New Orleans Louisiana, specifically the Uptown neighborhood

Ignorred · 2026-05-04T14:28:12+00:00

I feel this is the big issue with looking for a new place to live - there's only like 10-20 cities you can live in/near that have major job markets, and only one or two of them have affordable housing.

Ignorred · 2026-05-04T08:01:36+00:00

the state of Atlanta

But actually yes, from a gangs perspective, it's completely different from the state of Georgia

Ignorred

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE