darkemeralds. (Reply)

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"Good at fitting women," as far as I can tell, means that the shop will gladly a) treat athletic women as true cyclists and b) help them get more speed and comfort out of their touring, road, and racing bikes. And that's fine--my sister, who is such a woman, has benefited a lot from that type of bike shop.

The "Dutch" approach to bikes, which Clever Cycles seems to espouse, is that you get a bike that is generally the right size for your frame and leg length, and then you basically just ride it. Not a hundred miles, just around town. You don't need machine readings and millimeter adjustments to be safe and comfortable on an upright-style town bike.

I haven't had a moment's trouble with my Dutch Workcycles bike, and I go back to Clever Cycles regularly just to say hi (they know me, my name, and my bike there) and check out the new bikes.

As to suburban cycling, I can only imagine. I haven't tried it (I'd have no way to get my bike there!) but I hear that drivers are less bike-aware in Portland's 'burbs than in its center. Do you have a multi-use path or bikeway? Or at least side streets? I depend heavily on side streets, myself.