Though I live in the city, I work in a suburb. A few of my colleagues take the train but most drive to work. I am the only bicycle commuter.
Every so often someone will ask me what bike to buy. I used to explain about frame materials, components and the relative utility of different kinds of bikes. Even when I made it as simple as possible I'd watch the bike shopper's eyes glaze over. So I boiled it down to one concept: Avoid False Economy.
Most non-cyclists find it shocking to learn that riders think nothing of spending thousands of dollars on a fine bike. The same holds true for many other sports and hobbies. What I have learned from bike touring is that you can get 80% of the enjoyment and function of a top-of-the-line bike for a fraction of its cost. In fact, if you're willing to drop $600 you can get a bike that's at least 90% as good as a $2,000 ride.
The secret is to shop at a real bike store. One with more adult bikes than kids' bikes. One with lots of drop-bar "racing" bikes. Most Americans buy their bikes at department stores instead. That's a false economy. Department store bikes look nice but are built with cheap parts that are difficult to service. They are put together by 15-year olds with plumbing tools. Bike stores, by contrast, are staffed by people who love bikes and know how to work on them. The cheapest bicycle at a real bike store will last longer and ride better than the fanciest bike at a department store. But few non-cyclists I speak to want to spend the (relatively few) extra dollars to get a bike shop bike that will work well and last years longer than the cheap ride. That's false economy.
Home exchange can be false economy too. It is an investment in others, not just a way to save a few bucks on hotel rooms. Home exchange can, in fact, cost far more than just paying for lodging. It operates on the "you break it, you bought it" principle. Unless you are ready and willing to leave a check for as much as it takes to replace the Ming vase you bumped into, home exchange is not for you.
You will get a lot more out of your bike shop bike than a piece of junk from a department store. Your home exchange vacation is certain to be more enriching than a motel stay. In both cases, more is required of your than the easy, mass-market solution relied upon by most people. The reward may be exponentially greater.
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