Ride into the Sunset

Lesson #5: Buy a Bike

When living in a (relatively) large city in China, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, claustrophobic and very stifled.  Being from the Pacific Northwest I am accustomed to having the great outdoors waiting for me on my doorstep.  In Hefei, the outdoors are not great and they’re considerably more challenging to find.  When daycations aren’t available, the next best thing is to go for a bike ride and head to one of the many parks in the city.  This of course requires that you buy a bike.  Here is a step by step guide on how to make a successful purchase.

1.       Know what you want.  Shopping for a bike in China is vastly different than shopping for a bike in the states.  In the U.S. the criteria for buying a bike is that it has multiple speeds, a comfortable seat, is moderately stylish and has a good, highly visible trusted brand name.  If you’re on a budget you’ll try to find a good quality used bike, but it better be damn near perfect.  If you have to buy new, you will; this bike is an investment and you want quality.  In China, a new, high quality bike is for idiots.  Flash that name brand around and your bike will be stolen the second you start to dismount.  When looking to buy my first bike my only stipulations were that it worked, and that it didn’t look too new.

2.       Know your price range.  I set my highest price at 100RMB.

3.       Find a busy market area so there is ample competition to help drive the price down.

4.       Take a Chinese person with you.  They will be able to do all the talking, and will also be able to make sure you’re not getting totally screwed on the price. 

5.       Test the bike before you buy.

6.       Make sure you look reasonably disappointed even if the bike is perfect; you don’t want them to think you want it that bad or you’ll never get the price down. 

7.       Buy two locks for it before you get home; if it’s not secured to something it will probably get stolen.  Again.  (If you’re buying a used bike for only 100RMB, it’s a pretty safe bet you’re buying a stolen bike)

8.       Understand that if your nice, used, previously stolen bike does eventually get stolen from you that’s just Karma.

Once you have your new old-previously-stolen bike you get that same liberating feeling that you had the first time your parents left you for an entire week at some awesome summer camp.  The possibilities are limitless.  Having the bike will also make the huge city shrink just a little in size because you’ll be able to see where things start to connect.  And finally, if you’re lucky, you’ll find a bike route that will become your personal ‘Zen ride.’

 In Hefei I discovered a path that followed the river out to the large reservoir on the outskirts of the city.  Anytime I was feeling overwhelmed, or just wanted a little bit of peace and quiet, or a hint of nature I would ride along my path.  While riding on this path I’ve seen delicate trees transform with the changing of the seasons, stumbled upon a vast botanical garden, watched the sun paint the sky with electric shades of pink just before it sunk into the water, and I’ve seen Coy fish that looked like iridescent dancing rose pedals while they were feeding in a hatchery. 

Summary:  Buy a bike.  Find “your path.”  Appreciate the little moments of freedom and beauty that your squeaky bike will give you.  Also appreciate that if you have a bike you can avoid riding the busses that often have decaying wood flooring and are stuffed so full of people that it makes a can of sardines look spacious.