The Go-To Bike Guy

Tom Reingold wears many hats, but lately, his bike helmet is the one that fits best: he’s a collector, mechanic, refurbisher and cycling advocate.

Like any true cyclist, he loves a challenge. Last Friday, he rode from Hoboken to Prospect Street. “That was insane, but a great adventure,” he commented. The 16-mile ride took almost two hours because of the heavy traffic in Jersey City. And as a collector, he has a favorite bike of the five he uses. It’s a 1971 Raleigh Super Course. He found the frame in the garbage, but all the other parts have been replaced. “It looks ordinary, but it’s great. It’s not quite as relaxed as a touring bike, but not as aggressive as a racing bike,” he said.

As a mechanic and refurbisher, he has a collection of junked bikes that he works on in his basement. He’s gathered them from police auctions, Craig’s List, and friends who know he will either fix them, give them away, or sell them at a fraction of their value to someone who really needs wheels. Just the other day, a German graduate student who attends Columbia University and lives in Maplewood got in touch with him. She’s from Berlin, where biking is the preferred way to travel, and she doesn’t have a car. Reingold had the perfect bike for her, but is still working on it. “I have a certain amount of pride, and I won’t let it go ‘till it’s ready,” he said.

Whether biking for exercise, environmental reasons, to save gas money or for the sheer pleasure of discovering the world from two wheels, Reingold believes the safer you are, the more fun you’ll have. Here are his tips for safe and enjoyable cycling:

1. Don’t be afraid of being hit by a car from behind. It generally doesn’t happen. Keep focused on the road ahead.

2. If you can only ride occasionally, do so, because the more you ride, the more you’ll want to ride. Gauge how you feel—estimate where your energy is at the halfway point, so you have enough energy to ride back.

3, Be assertive. If you command respect, you’re more likely to get it.

4. Turn your head around to let drivers know that you’re aware of their presence.

5. Ease out and look to your left when you are passing a parked car. Leave enough room so that you can’t be hit by a driver’s side swinging door. Maintain that distance from the curb—don’t swerve in and out.

6. If there’s a long stretch of road with no parked cars, ride to the curb.

7. Use a low gear to avoid pedaling hard uphill. Using a super-low gear, though, will interfere with getting stronger. Try standing up on the pedals—this is good for both strengthening and making the climb a bit easier.

8. Each hill has a perfect pace for your body. Try to find a pace that you can maintain all the way up the hill. This takes practice.

For bike repairs, refurbished bikes, or to find a good resting place for your old bike, Tom Reingold can be reached at: noglider@pobox.com