At least that’s the impression that you would get if you read the “GreenSmart” article in the April 25th edition of USA Weekend magazine.

The article has good intentions. It points out that bicycles are a good solution to the looming issues of global climate changes and soaring gas prices. The problem comes with their bicycle recommendations.

• A Calfee Designs bamboo frame. The frame alone is $2695! You can build it up into a complete bike for, oh, $4000. Perfect for the consumer trying to figure out how to feed their kids. While I love that Calfee is really pushing the limits of bike design, I think that even he would say that this bike is not for every person, nor would it be their primary bike. I certainly applaud the fact that the production of this frame significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions, the production of any bicycle creates a small percentage of the emissions that go into making a car.
• The RevoPower wheel. You remove your front wheel and replace it with a $600 gas-powered wheel.
  • My first worry about this was that it would be equipped with a two-stroke engine, and indeed it is. Two-stroke engines are traditionally quite polluting, but the company’s web site states that it is a new technology two-stroke that is cleaner and meets all federal regulations.
  • It is only designed for mountain bikes right now.
  • It’s vaporware. It’s supposed to go to market sometime this year.
  • Finally, while the company feels that most people will only use the motor when necessary, the wheel adds 12 pounds of rotating weight (as well as some extra friction) to the bike. I think that most will use it all of the time, so there goes the fitness aspect of riding a bike.  
• The Ride bike from Ellsworth Cycles. Once again, very cool. Once again, very expensive. This bike uses a new continuously variable transmission based on a design by Leonardo DaVinci. $3000. On the upside, you can buy the hub for less than $300 if you dig around on the web. 

According to their website, USA Weekend reaches 49.2 million potential readers every weekend. Their stock-in-trade is celebrity, health and food news, and while I don’t expect them to be completely informed on the bicycle market, I would have liked to seem them do a little more research.

In that spirit, I present the Bike World News green bike recommendations. Remember - any bike is more green than even a Prius.:

Your average big box store bike. The picture below is an Iron Horse Maverick 1.5. I found it on sale for $199. There are bikes like this available most everywhere. They’re reasonably equipped, and while a little heavy, they will still get you down to the corner store to buy a gallon of milk.   

The Craigslist special (aka the Garage Sale bike). Someone, somewhere in your area is selling I bike. I found these two for $130 on the Cincinnati Craigslist site:

Still too expensive? Here’s a nice cruiser for $65:

Last but not least, look in the back of your garage or your shed. If you have a bike, pull it out, dust off the cobwebs and take it down to your local bike shop for a quick tune-up.

Ride your bike. Your legs, lungs and grandchildren will thank you.