Buying & Selling Used Bikes and Parts

Winter still has a firm grip on Southern Ontario but rest assured that we are winding down to the last few weeks. If you’re like me you’re spending more than enough time in the garage looking longingly at your summer recreational equipment that has been in hibernation for much too long. That of course includes your cycling equipment.

What better time to take a look at your gear and do a bit of preseason maintenance. Remember that slow leak you decided to fix in the spring, or the low gear that slips out of the sprocket on steep climbs; now is the time to get your cycling fix by carefully going over your bike part by part so it’s ready to go as soon as the snow leaves.

Perhaps you’ve found some damaged parts or you have a twisted frame from that last fateful fall ride. Whether your buying or selling there is a ready market for used bike parts and you can often generate a lot more cash by selling parts than by selling, or trading in your old bike.

I stumbled across a great article that discusses this topic in detail and thought the best way to get you the information you need is to share this link with you http://tinyurl.com/d3o7uf

The article talks about the pros and cons of buying and selling parts online. You’ll learn what to watch for and where to look.

Take heart; it won’t be long now and you want to be sure your bike is prepped and ready to go when the weather breaks in Southern Ontario.

Lloyd

Should Winter Cycling Be Banned in Southern Ontario?

The headline in the Ottawa Citizen reads ““City Considers Ban on Winter Cycling”! A small Quebec town wants to enforce a ban after a man was killed while cycling this winter. Every year the debate rages throughout many regions of Canada, especially large cities where high traffic density is the norm. Let’s take a look at this from a practical perspective.

I know, it’s environmentally friendly, healthy, and inexpensive transportation; but should it be allowed? Is it worth your life? Most cyclists are cognizant of winter hazards and I have to believe that those venturing out on winter streets tend to be the more experienced of the lot. But there are a few things to consider:

• Winter streets can narrow by as much as 10 feet in total by mid-winter.
• Four lane streets can quickly become one lane streets.
• Cars immerging from side streets cannot see because of high snow banks.
• Black ice is often hidden under the snow.
• Traffic becomes even more congested as over cautious drivers refuse to pass a cyclist.
• Cyclists cannot possibly be aware of everything going on around them and navigate slippery, slushy roads at the same time.

There is a time to stand on principle and a time to revert to common sense. If you wind up in a collision with a car or truck you will loose. At that point things like right of way, environmentally friendly, and a good workout don’t really seem to matter much any more.

I’m not sure if banning is the right approach, mostly because I think we’re regulated to death in this province anyway, but I would ask that you give serious thought to whether or not it’s worth the risk.

Myself, I can’t wait till those first warm spring days so I can dust off the bike and head to the trails. But until then I’ll be sticking to 4-wheeled transportation.

Get our and enjoy our great Southern Ontario Outdoors this winter, but maybe limit your cycling to browsing photos from last summer.

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