Although bicycles aren’t as popular on the road as they used to be, they remain a very economical and efficient way to get around town. In essence, the transition towards greater car ownership has made bicycling even easier and enjoyable than ever before. To get started bicycling, we’ll discuss your bike buying options.
It all boils down to what type of bike you’re looking for, but in Beijing you can purchase all types from mountain, folding, electric, road, fixed-gear, and to any type imaginable. You can even find retro Mao era style bikes if that is something you’ve always wanted to get. Prices for the most basic bikes range anywhere from 100-300 RMB and can be had for even cheaper if you can find a second-hand bike from a mutual friend or online. Fixed-gear or "fixie" bikes start around 500 RMB. Specialized road bikes can sell for upwards of 25,000 RMB and even more for top of the line models.
If you fancy getting a colorful track/road and/or fixed-gear "fixie" bike, they are becoming more popular and several stores around the city specialize in these types. There are bike stores around the city that are dealers specializing in one brand of bike like Giant or Merida. They offer personalized service and authorized parts and quality. You may also visit large department stores or hypermarkets like Carrefour that also house a sizeable stock of bicycles that are sometimes on sale. If you search online, you can visit sites like JD.com or taobao.com and find the same type of bicycles on sale for even cheaper, although you may have to end up assembling your bicycle yourself. Not to worry, you can always take your bike after roughly assembling it yourself to a bike mechanic and have it tuned there.
Bikes are inexpensive to buy in Beijing, but you should always purchase a good lock and remember to utilize them correctly. The best bike locks are almost as expensive as the cheapest bikes, but they will help deter thieves if thieves realize it’s not worth the extra hassle as the next victim bike. When buying a bike, make sure to purchase a decent lock as well and negotiate with the seller if you can get it thrown in or discounted. Buying a bike is a satisfying experience and riding them around Beijing is even more so.
