It’s a rite of passage that all go through when getting into cycling: making our first “serious” purchase. And many have a first purchase story they wish had gone a bit differently. Some people buy the wrong type of bike altogether, some spend way more than what they actually need, and some start with a cheap supermarket bike that can’t keep up when it comes to riding with friends.
In fact, many people would probably pay good money—not even for the gear, but for advice on what cycling gear essentials to buy in the first place. Griffin is starting out in cycling now, so this advice is what she’s looking for after dredging through biased online bike guides and community opinions.
RELATED: Overcoming the Challenges of Modern Bike Maintenance
If you’re also navigating entering a new cycling discipline—either as a beginner cyclist or starting a new chapter in a different sport like gravel or bikepacking—there are a lot of questions that come to mind: What sort of bike do I need, how expensive does it really need to be, and what cycling gear essentials do I need to buy for the type of bike—like saddle, shoes, pedals, and wheels? Some of the biggest mistakes may not always be related to the price tag, but that the wrong gear was purchased.
Fortunately, on this episode, we’re going to give that advice for free—and we’ve brought in the tech master himself to answer these questions. Lennard Zinn wrote the definitive guide on bike maintenance, and through his own shop, Zinn Cycles, has spent decades helping everyone from beginners to pros find the right gear.
When asked upfront what’s most important for a new cyclist, Zinn doesn’t talk about the bike or wheels. Instead, he goes right to comfort and functionality with the right saddle and a good bike fit. Those two things alone led to Griffin’s personal favorite and most inspirational parts of the conversation—though she can’t say she’d ever thought she’d leave a conversation on bike parts feeling inspired.
So head on down to your local bike shop, and let’s make you fast!
