Q: I am new to riding in New York City and worry about getting hit from behind. I don't like not being able to see what's coming up behind me. Isn't it safer to ride facing traffic?

A: Dear Target,

One of the most common fears among new street cyclists is getting hit from behind by an overtaking motor vehicle. Students at Bike Commuting 101 seminars cite this as a major reason for not riding their bikes to work. For others, this fear leads to riding against traffic in order to see what's coming. Bad idea! Not only is riding against traffic illegal, it's much more dangerous than riding with the flow of traffic. So, what other steps can you take to reduce your fear of getting hit from behind?

Be predictable. Try to eliminate any guesswork for motorists driving near you. Instead of weaving around parked cars, ride in a steady, straight line. If you have to change lanes to avoid a double-parked car or road hazards, signal your movements by pointing down at the adjacent lane you intend to enter. (Always scan and yield to vehicles traveling in that lane since they have the right of way.) Position yourself on the roadway where it makes sense: on a one-way street, ride on the right side if you're making a right turn, on the left side if you're making a left. Also signal your turns.

Be visible. Drivers who can see you are much less likely to hit you. Ride your bike four feet away from parked cars. This will keep you from being "doored" (hit by a car door that's opened into your path) and will make you more visible to drivers approaching from behind, as well as to drivers at intersections or in driveways, where collisions are more likely. If a traffic lane is too narrow to reasonably share with a car while maintaining the four-foot rule, ride in the center of the lane until the roadway widens and you can comfortably resume your position on the proper side. Use lights at night and wear bright, reflective clothing. A red rear light and reflector and white front light and reflector are required by law.

Be confident. Knowing is half the battle! Know that you belong on the road and are privilege to the same rights as motor vehicle drivers. (You're subject to the same responsibilities too, of course.) Know that it's not very likely that you'll be hit from behind by an overtaking motor vehicle. Know that the more you ride in street traffic, the more comfortable you will become. Practice street riding skills under the watchful eye of a certified cycling instructor at a Bike New York Savvy Cyclist: Traffic Skills 101 class soon!

Follow the advice above and we hope to hear from you what many of our class participants have said: "For the first time, I really felt like I belonged on the road."

Q: New York City has gained more than 200 miles of bike lanes in the last few years. Am I safer using these bike lanes?

A: Dear Straight and Narrow,

Whether a bike lane is safe depends partly on how the lane is designed, but mostly on how cyclists use it. Bike lanes are traffic lanes; they still require paying attention, following rules, and making smart decisions. Here are some things to keep in mind.

• Not a two-way street. Ride in the bike lane only in the same direction as other traffic. Riding against the flow of traffic is against the law and greatly increases your chances of having a crash, especially at intersections where pedestrians and crossing traffic are unlikely to see you. Plus, it irritates and potentially endangers other cyclists who have to veer out of your way. If you find yourself in one of the new two-way bike lanes, be especially careful when crossing intersections. Always scan the intersection to make sure that other traffic sees you.
• Avoid the door zone. Many NYC bike lanes, especially the older ones, are located in the "door zone"--that is, within 4-5 feet of parked cars. Riding that close to parked cars is dangerous, because it leaves you vulnerable to getting get "doored" (hit by an opening car door). Instead, either ride in the edge of the bike lane farthest away from the parked cars (at least 4 feet), or ride in the adjacent traffic lane. New York City law stipulates that cyclists should use the bike lane if one is provided, but it allows exceptions for safety reasons. Bike lanes that put cyclists in the door zone are unsafe.
• Handle intersections with care. At intersections, turning traffic may cross the path of cyclists riding straight in the bike lane. Take care to avoid being "hooked" by a turning vehicle:
• Never pass other vehicles traveling in the adjacent traffic lane as you approach an intersection in a bike lane; you will eventually put yourself in the blind spot of a turning vehicle. Temporarily take the adjacent traffic lane through the intersection to stay out of the path of turning vehicles.
• On multi-lane one-way avenues, cyclists who stay in the bike lane are likely to find themselves entangled with lines of turning vehicles at every other intersection. Move into one of the center traffic lanes to pass lines of cars waiting to turn left.
• When turning out of the bike lane, avoid making a left turn from a far right bike lane or vice-versa. Either change lanes or proceed to the other side of the intersection first (while staying in the bike lane), then stop to turn and wait for a green light or a break in traffic in your direction.
• Be predictable and respect traffic signals. If the bike lane is obstructed, plan ahead: signal your intention to change lanes, scan for a safe clearing to move over (remember--other traffic in that lane has the right of way), and then blend smoothly into that lane. Also heed traffic signs and signals, even those in the new separated bike lanes (like the one on Ninth Avenue in Manhattan) that have special traffic signals for bikes.
• Remember, every lane is a bike lane. Cyclists have the rights to use almost any road (with a few high-speed exceptions) both in New York and in all other states. Don't use the absence of a bike lane as an excuse not to ride. If you don't feel comfortable in traffic, take our Savvy Cyclist: Traffic Skills 101 class to practice your skills and learn more.

Q: I don't get along with hills. My chain pops off just as I'm starting to climb. Is it better to just walk?

A: Dear Kansas Transplant,

With proper shifting and some advance training, you'll be able to stay in the saddle even on hills. Here are some tips:

1. Make your bike hill-friendly. If you own a hybrid or mountain bike, you're ready to climb. But some road bikes are geared too high for easy climbing. A quick way to tell if your road bike is hill-friendly is if it has three chain rings on the front crank set.
   
   If you have only two chain rings in front, and the smallest one has 40 or 42 teeth, your legs may feel like they're pulling a truckload of bricks through the Adirondacks when you climb a hill. There are two possible fixes: You might be able to replace the crank set with one that has a smaller chain ring, with 36 or 34 teeth. Alternatively, check the largest cog on the rear wheel. It should have 28-30 or more teeth. Combine a large cog on the rear wheel with a small chain ring on the crank, and you can churn your way slowly but surely over hills. Your bike shop can tell you what's involved in making these changes to your chain ring and crank set.
2. Use the gears you've got. Sometimes cyclists-turned-hill-hikers give up the fight before having shifted into their easiest gear. Make sure you know which gears are for climbing: The lowest numbers on both left and right shifters correspond to your easiest gears. If your bike doesn't have gear indicator numbers, it's still pretty easy; you can climb almost anything when you shift the chain to the left-most (largest) cog on the rear wheel, and the left-most (smallest) chain ring on the crank set.
   
   Use a quiet parking lot or bike path to put your shifters through their motions repeatedly, until shifting becomes second nature. If you aren't able to shift into all the gears, have a bike shop tune up your derailleurs.
3. Use your momentum. Resist the urge to coast all the way through the bottom of a descent and instead keep pedaling in a relatively hard gear, so your momentum will carry you part-way up the next climb. Keep pedaling hard while you gradually shift to easier gears. Your climb will be much faster and easier than grinding it all the way up from the bottom.
4. Those who hesitate, walk. Shift early, while you still have an easy, fluid pedaling motion, and your chain should drop smoothly to a lower gear. If you wait to shift until pedaling is nearly impossible, you'll have so much tension on your chain that it may jump completely off the crank set--forcing you to stop and put the grimy chain back on by hand. Shift early and often to avoid this.
5. Train yourself. Cyclists become good hill climbers . . . by cycling up hills. Resist the urge to walk when your legs feel like they're burning and your lungs are working overtime. Those painful feelings are actually strengthening your muscles and lung capacity. Even if you do get off and walk, set a goal to go a little farther next time . . . then a little farther again. Or start out with that short easier hill, and work your way toward being able to climb the longer steeper ones.

Q: I signed up for the TD Bank Five Boro Bike Tour and need a plan. Is my bike OK? How much training should I do? What else do I need to know to get ready?

A: Dear First-Time Tour Rider,

This is a very common question, as you'd expect from a ride with 30,000 folks. The Tour Program that all entrants receive in the mail is loaded with advice about making sure your bike and your body are ready. Click here for a copy of the training article (2 pp., PDF).

Q: Friends of ours bought a pair of inexpensive new mountain bikes from a "big-box" retailer, to do some riding with us. After some short leisure rides, we all signed up for a 30-mile charity ride. The experience was physically unpleasant and painful for them, and after that the bikes got relegated to the basement. What happened?

A: Dear Biking Buddies,

We hate to hear stories like that, but usually the answer is simple. Your friends probably got bikes that didn't fit, since big-box stores generally sell adult bikes in only one frame size. Just as the wrong size boots will make hiking painful, the wrong size bike will squash the desire to go riding. So if your friends want to enjoy cycling, and grow into longer, faster, or more frequent rides, they need to get the correct bike size. It's more comfortable and safer, too.

Here's some advice on choosing the correct frame size. First, they should determine what style of bike to get, then use these basic guidelines:

• Know your inseam measurement; this is your maximum stand-over height. Bike catalogues and websites usually have a "bike geometry" chart showing stand-over height for each size and model. Consulting these charts can help you determine the correct size.
• When checking out bikes in a bike shop, straddle the bike frame, standing flat footed in front of the saddle. There should be some clearance between the top tube and your crotch, but how much of a gap varies depending on the type of bike you are buying:
• Traditional road bike frames with a horizontal top tube should give 1-2 inches of clearance.
• Hybrids and "semi-compact" road bikes should give a 2-3 inch gap.
• Mountain bikes and compact road bikes should have 3-4 inches of clearance--even more for downhill mountain bikes or bikes intended for aggressive riding with jumps.
• If looking at bikes based on frame size, keep in mind that bikes with the same frame size may have very different stand-over heights. This is because frame size is measured from the bottom bracket, and bikes can have different bottom bracket heights. Always check the stand-over height to be sure.
• Many shops offer professional fitting services to custom fit and adjust stems, crank-sets, and handlebars. Prices for fitting services vary widely, but if you intend to increase your riding a lot, the comfort payoff may be well worth it.

Q: Daylight hours are few and far between, but I still want to ride. Is it safe?

A: Dear In the Dark,

Savvy Cyclist has no problem with after-dark riding, and in fact encourages it, provided you illuminate your ride with lights:

-Riding with lights when it's dark makes cyclists much more visible and gives other traffic much more time to see and react to you. Don't just depend on street-lighting to help you see in the dark; use lights and reflective gear to help others see you.
-Biking without lights at night is against the law, and for good reason: It makes the cyclist invisible, putting him or her in danger and increasing other cyclists', pedestrians', and motorists' chances of being involved in a crash with the invisible cyclist.

-Wearing reflective pant-straps, jackets, vests and other gear makes you more visible to others, as does having reflectors on your bike. But reflectors only reflect under certain lighting conditions, and even then they aren't enough by themselves to be seen at night--particularly on bike paths and other low-light areas.

-Light your bike (or yourself) the same way vehicles have lights: White goes in front, red goes in back.

-LED "blinkie" lights that use re-chargeable AA or AAA batteries are light, inexpensive, and do a great job of making cyclists visible. They may not do a good job of illuminating darkened roads or bike paths. If you need a light that brightens the route ahead of you, look for the new generation of high-power LED lights, powered by rechargeable NIMH batteries.

-A helmet-mounted headlight makes it easy to cast light to the side and alert motorists at intersections.

-Always remember to remove lights after parking your bike in a public place.

-Have some spare time and a creative streak? Visit instructables.com to find many DIY projects that will light up your ride.

Q: My son is about to turn 9. This is his third summer biking (without a tandem). Is it safe to for a child of this age and experience to bike on NYC streets? A pool he and my husband like to visit is a few miles away. The route includes bike lanes but also some streets without bike lanes.

A: Dear Concerned Parent,

That's a tough question, but here are a few thoughts. Is there a good route to your destination that avoids busy, high-traffic roads. Can your son steadily handle a bike on his own, riding in a straight line, and making smooth starts and stops? If so, go for it--and use the riding as an opportunity to teach your child traffic skills. At a minimum, this would mean teaching him what the traffic laws are and how they pertain to bikes:

-Make sure he understands concepts like "yielding" and "right of way" and how to apply them.
-Watch what he's doing at intersections, making sure that he scans in each direction and stops/yields as appropriate. Even at green lights, where you may have the right of way, it's still important to scan for red-light runners or unpredictable drivers.
-Teach him how to use hand signals to communicate turns and stops to drivers and other cyclists.
-Teach him how to ride at least 3-4 feet away from parked cars to avoid dooring.

Basically, you would be teaching him defensive driving well before he's old enough to drive a car. In my experience, cyclists of all ages can use this information, and they become safer and more confident when they cycle in that manner. More information for kids is available in our Bike Driver's Ed class. Adults and mature teens may take Savvy Cyclist: Traffic Skills 101.

Q: Seems like rain is in the forecast every day this summer, and it's killing my commute. How can I get up to speed on rainy-day riding?

A: Dear Fair-Weather Rider,

To ride in the rain or not to ride in the rain? That is the question that dry clothes-loving bike commuters lately have to contend with almost daily. And it turns out that riding in the rain need not be a washout. Take these points into consideration and then give riding in the rain a shot.

• Outfit your bike with fenders (front and back) so that your legs, back, and drive train don't get sprayed by your wet wheels.
• Keep your tires inflated to their recommended pressure level (as listed on the side of the tire in pounds per square inch, or PSI), since flat-causing debris is more likely to get picked up by wet and underinflated tires.
• Pack a small, bright waterproof jacket in your bag in case of a sudden shower.
• Store your gear in a waterproof pack or inside plastic bags on days when rain is likely. Remember to remove your cell phone from any outside pocket before (or as soon as) the rain hits.
• While cycling, feather your brakes to keep your rims dry, since wet rims greatly reduce your stopping power. Give yourself extra time to stop, too.
• Slow down when turning as well as when crossing steel plates, train tracks, white street decals, or piles of leaves, all of which can be slippery when wet.
• When riding in the rain, turn on your front and rear bike lights, even during the day.
• If you find yourself feeling nervous as the rain comes down, wait out the storm under shelter. No one's keeping score. In a pinch, you can even hop on the subway with your bike.
• Keep a positive attitude. It's just rain. And in our over-sanitized world, sometimes it feels good to get a little messy!

Top ^

Q: I want to buy my child a bicycle for the holidays. What bike should I get?

A: Dear Santa,

Bicycles make wonderful gifts! Here are some things to keep in mind as you shop.

Where to buy: Department stores or bike shops?

• For very basic, single-speed bikes with coaster brakes, many department store models will be similar in quality to offerings at a bike shop, but at a better price.
• Purchase more complicated bikes with suspension, hand brakes, gear systems, or trick features at a bike shop. Bike shop bikes will have better-quality parts that last longer and work with fewer hassles than comparable department store bikes.
• Bike shops will have more knowledgeable staff, and the assembly will be more thorough, which is important for more complicated bikes.
• Most bike shops offer free adjustments for one or more years.

Bikes are like shoes: Get the right size!

• Kids' bikes are sold by wheel size, not frame size. Standard wheel sizes for kids' bikes are 12", 16", 20", and 24".
• Don't buy a bike that is too large for your child, thinking that she will "grow into it." A bike that's too big will be awkward and difficult to control, and will compromise your child's safety.
• Your child should be able to stand flat-footed while straddling the bike frame, with at least 1" of stand-over clearance above the frame's top tube.
• For surprise gifts, know your child's inseam length and take a tape measure with you while shopping, to ensure the adequate standover clearance.
• As your teen outgrows the largest youth size (24") wheels, adult bicycles come in two main wheel sizes (26" for mountain bikes and most cruisers, and 700c for road bikes and hybrids). Adult bikes are measured by frame size, not wheel size. Frames are measured from the center of the crank bolt to the top of the seat tube.

Get the right features.

• For children under 10, keep it simple. Most kids will be happy with a basic single-speed bike with coaster brakes (foot brakes activated by pedaling backward).
• Hand brakes may be too difficult for small hands to pull, or not sufficiently powerful for safe stopping if they are designed for small hands.
• Most kids do not need gear systems or suspension systems on their bike.
• After size, getting the right color will be the most important feature for your child.
• Children older than 10 will start to develop their own cycling interest; get the type of bike that fits what type of riding they like to do.
• Most pre-teens, middle-school kids, and teens love BMX bikes. These 20"- or 24"-wheel bikes are great for cruising around the neighborhood. Some BMX bikes, called "freestyle" or flatland bikes, have special pegs and handlebars for learning tricks and doing stunt riding.
• Most major manufacturers offer mountain bikes with 24" wheels; a front shock will be sufficient, while dual-suspension bikes will usually be overkill, heavy, or complicated for this age group.
• For youngsters who want to hang with you on a long road ride, several manufacturers (Redline, Trek, Specialized) now offer youth-sized road racing bikes.

Adjust it to fit.

• Loosen the bolt or quick-release at the top of the frame where the seatpost goes into the frame. Adjust the seatpost up or down, until your child can sit on the seat with the balls of both feet resting on the ground. Or go lower if the child still cannot balance confidently.
• There should be a slight bend at the knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke. If the knee is straight when the pedal is all the way down, lower the seat (or get a smaller bike if necessary). The thigh should be no higher than horizontal at the top of the pedal stroke. If the thigh angles back toward the child, raise the seat (or get a larger bike).
• Don't raise the seat above the "limit line" marked about 3" from the bottom of the seatpost.
• Adjust the angle and height of the handlebar so the child can reach it comfortably.

Give a helmet with the bike. Choose your child's favorite color, and make sure the helmet has a CPSC certification sticker on the inside. (For fitting tips, click here.) House rules: Always wear a helmet when you ride your bike. Parents should set the example!

If your child doesn't yet know how to ride without training wheels, give the gift of balance by bringing him or her to the next session of the free Learn to Ride--Kids class.

Q: I recently started riding to work and want to be sure to take good care of my bike. How often should I inflate my tires, and how much is enough?

A: Dear Pumped-Up Commuter,

You're smart to ask about this. Bike tires gradually lose air pressure, and riding with under-inflated tires makes you work much harder, wears your tires out faster, and makes it much easier to get a flat tire. Here's what you need to know.

How Often
Check your tire pressure and re-inflate about once a week. (If you ride less than once a week, re-inflate every time your ride.)

What You Need

• A floor pump with a pressure gauge is ideal.
• If your pump has no gauge, you can purchase a bike tire gauge from a bike shop. (Note: Pressure gauges for car tires may not work well for bike tires due to valve and/or pressure differences.)
• If your bike pump only works with Schrader valves and your tires use presta valves (see below), you may need to purchase a Presta adapter from a bike shop.

Find the Pressure Rating for Your Tires
Your tire's pressure rating is stamped somewhere on the sidewall. It may say "PSI" (pounds per square inch), "Maximum Pressure," or "Inflate to . . . " and will usually give a range (for example, 90-120 PSI, or 35-60 PSI). Inflating to the lower number in the pressure range will increase traction and make your ride more comfortable. Inflating to the higher number will make your ride more efficient and will decrease your chances of getting a flat tire.

Pumping Up with Schrader Valves
Schrader valves are the same type of valve that car tires have. Inflate as follows:

• Remove the cap on the valve.
• Press the head of your pump firmly onto the valve, and push up the locking lever to form an airtight seal.
• Inflate the tire to your desired pressure within the recommended range.
• When you are done inflating, unlock the lever (push it back down), and quickly pull the pump head off the valve. You will hear a little air escape.
• Re-install the valve cap.

Pumping Up with Presta Valves

• Unscrew the cap from the valve.
• Unscrew the top of the valve (it is not removable).
• Push the pump head all the way on to the valve and push up the locking lever to form an airtight seal.
• Inflate the tire to your desired pressure within the recommended range.
• When you are done inflating, unlock the lever (push it back down), and quickly pull the pump head off the valve. You will hear some air escape.
• Gingerly screw the top of the presta valve down again. Pushing down on the top of the unscrewed valve allows air to escape.
• Re-install the valve cap.

Tips
If you can't get the pump head onto the valve correctly, or if air escapes, try these tricks.

Solution 1: Use the valve-head-locking lever correctly.

Before you put the pump head onto the valve, the lever should be in the unlocked position, which looks like this on most pumps.
Once you have pushed the pump head on to the valve firmly, as far as it will go, lock the pump head so the lever looks like this:

(Some pumps may have a very different locking mechanism. Read your pump's instruction manual or experiment with its locking mechanism so you know how it works.)

Solution 2: Make sure the parts in your pump head are configured to fit the type of valve on your tube. If your pump has two heads, use the larger fitting for Schrader valves and the smaller fitting for presta. If your pump has one, reversible head, unscrew the front cap of the valve head and pull out the two inner parts (a soft rubber cylinder, and a hard plastic object with a point on one end).

For Presta, the two inner parts should be turned so that the narrow hole on the first rubber part points out, and the pointy end of the hard plastic piece points in; these two parts should fit together snugly.

For Schrader, the two inner parts should be turned so that the wide hole on the first rubber part points out, and the pointy end of the hard plastic piece also points out; these two parts should fit together snugly.

Some pump heads have heads designed to fit both types of valves without reversing the inner parts; read your pump's owners manual.

If your tube is a presta, and your pump head is not designed with reversible parts, or you don't want to change the configuration from Schrader, simply use a presta valve adapter with your Schrader pump head; open the presta valve and then screw the adapter onto it. The presta adapter installs so that the threaded end is on top, like the threaded end of the Schrader valve.

Q: I haven't been on a bike since I was a teenager (20 years ago) except for just briefly last year while traveling. I want to get back into cycling, but I'm not sure what is the best (and not too expensive) bike to purchase for me and my teenage daughter. I want something I can use for the Five Boro as well as for recreational cycling. Thank you.

A: Dear Returning Cyclist,

Many new and returning cyclists ask this question. More styles of bicycles are available now than there used to be, which makes choosing even more confusing.

1. First, it is important to shop at a bike shop; you will find more knowledgeable staff and better service at a bike shop as compared to a non-specialty retailer. Also, a bike shop should be able to match your needs to the most appropriate bike and fit you to the right frame size. Even the least expensive bikes at bike shops will be more reliable, with their better quality parts, and will almost always be backed up by the shop's policy of offering free adjustments for a period of time.
   
   
2. Decide how much you can afford to spend on a bike, keeping in mind that you should also include a helmet, lock, and maybe a few health and safety accessories like blinkie lights, a water bottle cage, and a bottle.
   
   
3. Decide what factors are important to you. Consider different demands--cost, weight, speed, comfort, cargo carrying capacity, and off-road capability--and realize that there are tradeoffs. Some bikes are inexpensive and very comfortable, but are not lightweight or meant to move very fast. Visiting the manufacturers' websites will help acquaint you with the different styles of bikes and the features they offer.
   
   Since you are just getting into cycling, and you want to do longer rides like the Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour and price is a consideration, consider choosing a hybrid. Hybrids are versatile bikes that perform well on pavement and smooth dirt trails. They are designed for a comfortable, upright ride. They have a very wide gear range, allowing you to conquer the steepest hills, and they have medium-sized tires making them more efficient on pavement than a mountain bike. The least expensive hybrids start around $250-$300.
   
   You should also consider a category similar to the hybrid that manufacturers call by different names: fitness bikes, flat-bar roadbikes, etc. These bikes are even lighter and more efficient on pavement than hybrids, because they eliminate some of the heavier features like suspension forks and seatposts. They have skinnier tires and a more aerodynamic riding position, which will make it easier to cover long distances but may also be less comfortable to you. A mountain bike also makes a good choice for beginners. They start at affordable prices ($200), are versatile both on and off road (maybe not that fast and efficient on road), give a stable, comfortable, upright ride, and can usually mount a rack to carry anything you want to take with you. If you are staying on pavement, have the shop switch the knobby dirt tires for smooth pavement tires, which will make your 42-mile tour a lot easier.
   
   
4. Finally, if you are getting back into cycling, I would recommend that both you and your daughter take our free, one-day Savvy Cyclist: Traffic Skills 101 class to learn traffic skills, light maintenance tips, and how to lock up your bike securely.

Q: I am pleased to say I have been bit by the biking bug, but boy does my bottom hurt! I have been riding everyday for almost two weeks now and am enjoying the outdoors, freedom, and exercise. I have a standard run-of-the-mill mountain bike and my seat was not very comfortable. This resulted in a sore bottom for a couple of days . . . so I purchased a new "gel cushion" seat to no avail . . . still sore. Do you think a full-suspension bike would help?

I would like something I can ride around NYC/Brooklyn and upstate NY. Any advice would be much appreciated. Please save my butt.

A: Dear Bummed in Brooklyn,

I have some bad news for you: Bike butt is a normal breaking-in process, and you can't totally avoid it when you're starting out. But with the right gear and riding methods, you can minimize or almost eliminate it. Here are some tips:

1. Make sure the bike is the right size for you, and that the seatpost is adjusted to the correct height. Bikes that are too tall or seatposts that are too high will increase pressure on your pelvis as your legs reach the bottom of the pedal stroke.
   
   Bike size: For a mountain bike or hybrid, there should be a minimum of 2 inches of stand-over clearance above the top tube on the frame when straddling the bike flat-footed. For a road bike it can be a minimum of 1 inch.
   
   Seatpost height: The seatpost should be adjusted so that there is a slight bend in your knees at the bottom of the pedal stroke (with the ball of your foot on the pedal). Don't have the seat so high that your knee goes straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Also make sure that the seat is level to the ground (some cyclists prefer a slight tilt in one direction or the other, but your starting point should be level). You can also adjust the seat forwards or backwards a couple inches. It takes some experimenting.
2. Should I get a dual suspension mountain bike? Get that if you plan to ride a lot on unpaved, technical trails. If you are going to be mostly on pavement, that type of bike is heavy and inefficient, and may in some ways worsen the problem by making you work harder to cover the same mileage. Bike butt isn't caused by a bumpy ride, but by most of your weight being borne by a part of your body that is not used to having weight there.
3. Say no to gel. Gel seat covers are heavy and tend to slip around on the saddle, without greatly increasing comfort on longer rides.
4. Should I get a suspension seatpost? Maybe. I've used them before, and found that some designs didn't work very well, because they tended to get stuck, and wouldn't compress with bumps. A suspension seatpost isn't going to work comfort miracles. Suspension seatposts also have a weight and complexity penalty. Carbon seatposts can take some of the rough stuff out of your ride, but they work better with a shorter bike frame, where a lot of seatpost is sticking out.
5. The biggest factor is saddle shape, not padding. Everyone's pelvic bone is different, so one person's favorite saddle will feel like sitting on an anvil to someone else. Try out some models at your local bike shop to see what's comfortable.
6. Good-quality bike shorts help too. If you are not into the skin-tight racing look, you can buy bike shorts that look like regular shorts with padding inside.
7. Alter your position on the bike sometimes during the ride. Standing gets the blood flowing back into numb areas. Stand and pedal when going uphill. Stand and coast for a few seconds on the flats.
8. Bike more, not less. (Of course we bikies are always going to say that!). The more often you bike, the more your body will adjust to being in the saddle and having weight there. People who try to bike any more than a mile or 2 only a couple times a year will continually experience bike butt, and their legs will never get strong enough to make longer trips faster.