Michael Calore: To spend quality time with you, of course.
Lauren Goode: Oh, stop it. But aren’t you supposed to be Bike Calore? I mean, you’re a bike guy.
Michael Calore: I have been known to be a bike person, yes.
Lauren Goode: And as much as I want to be a bike person, I’m not totally converted. And maybe I should be.
Michael Calore: I think we will get you there over the next 35 to 45 minutes.
Lauren Goode: I should probably start with an actual bike though, right?
Michael Calore: Yes. We’ll work on that too.
Lauren Goode: Let’s talk about it.
[Gadget Lab intro theme music plays]
Lauren Goode: Hi everyone. This is Gadget Lab. I’m Lauren Goode, I’m a senior writer at WIRED.
Michael Calore: And I am Michael Calore. I’m a senior editor at WIRED.
Lauren Goode: Aka Bike Calore.
Michael Calore: It me.
Lauren Goode: And WIRED senior associate reviews editor Adrienne So is here, or at least she’s here on Zoom. She joins us from Portland, Oregon. Hey, Adrienne. Welcome back to the show.
Adrienne So: Hi guys.
Lauren Goode: So we’ve talked a lot about bikes on this pod because we generally like them, a lot. And many of us happen to live in areas where getting around on bikes is possible, but for some people, bikes are daunting, terrifying, expensive, or just not feasible where they live or all of the above. So considering that May is National Bike Month, we thought we would do our annual Bike Calore episode. I really think that’s probably what we’re going to title it. If they would let us. All right, in the second half of the show, we’re going to talk about ebikes, which might be a better solution for some people, and I think people are curious about. But first, let’s start with the basics. Should you be commuting by bike? What kind of bike should you look to buy? And what’s all the other gear that you need? So Adrienne, what would you say people really need to start rolling or riding?
Adrienne So: So Mike and I have bonded over this in the past, but my own personal road bike is just a complete beater, it’s the Surly Cross-Check, and it’s the color of newborn diarrhea. And I love it, I love it so much. If you’re just peddling around your neighborhood, I say, just go find an absolute banger in the color that you absolutely love. Let it be like steel, get some thicker tires on it so you’re not fumbling around all over the place. A couple of the good midrange brands, I guess I’d say Surly, Kona, Marin—I think that’s local to you guys. So yeah, I would expect to spend somewhere around $400 or $500. I got my bike off of a Facebook buy/sell trade group, and your best bet is a bike in an absolutely revolting color, so that is my suggestion.
