Geoff Wile has a 24-speed, $1,160 Specialized Stumpjumper at left,
while Randal Okada's low-tech Schwinn Cruiser Deluxe has only
one speed and costs about $250 for a restored used model.
Photo by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin

As most serious Hawaii cyclists have discovered, owning one ''do-everything'' bicycle is not possible.

''I have three bikes and make good use of them all,'' said triathlete Cliff Rigsbee, who serves as a Honolulu firefighter.

Rigsbee has one bike set up for triathlons, another for pure road racing and a fat-tire mountain bike for commuting and transportation to track workouts.

Even Waianae's Masaru Morikawa, who is 76 years old and has been biking seriously for 13 years, has two high-tech racers.

''Accidents can and do happen,'' said the retired Waianae farmer. ''You never know when a spare bike is needed.''

Newspaper photographer Dean Sensui, an avid cyclist and participant in the 134-mile Oahu Perimeter Ride on July 28, plans to use two bikes on the trip.

''I'll start off riding on my light-weight Kestrel road racer, from the start at the Ko Olina Resort all the way to Mokuleia where the paved road ends,'' he said.

There, Sensui has arranged to meet a friend carrying an all-terrain mountain bike atop her car.

''I'll make the switch from road bike to mountain bike for the six miles of Kaena Point trail riding,'' he said.

After the swap, Sensui's pal plans to drive, via Wahiawa, to the Waianae Coast, hooking up with him once again.

''I'll change back to the road bike for a fast ride to the finish,'' Sensui said.

Like other serious bikers, Sensui would never allow his sophisticated and very expensive road racer to be subjected to Kaena's rocks and mud.

''On the other hand,'' he explained, ''I couldn't imagine riding a heavy fat-tire mountain bike the entire 134 miles.''

As any bike shopper can tell you, two-wheelers come in a variety of types, sizes and prices.

Bikes range from used single-speed cruisers for $50 to state-of-the-art road and mountain bikes costing $3,500 or more.

''An avid cyclist,'' said recreational biker Roland Tan, ''should own at least three bikes - a good lightweight road bike for touring on pavement, a quality mountain bike for trails and an old single-speed clunker for cruising the beach.''

Biker Bill Arnemann, owner of several solo bikes, believes no cycling family is complete without one tandem bicycle built for two.

''There's no such thing as an 'all purpose' bicycle,'' said Faye Saiki, owner of The Bike Shop chain of Oahu stores. ''But there are ways of making one bike serve several terrains - that is, to switch tires.''

For participants using mountain bikes in the Oahu Perimeter Ride, Saiki suggests riders change from their knobby off-road tires to street tires that offer a smoother ride.

Mountain bikes outsell road racers about 9 to 1 at local stores. And two-wheel off-roaders continue to enjoy steady growth, said both Saiki and Bike Way owner Jill Wheatman.

The average bike price runs between $350 and $600. Top of the line mountain bikes boast 24 speeds. The fastest road machines have 16 gears, while a beach cruiser gets by with a single speed.

''Cruisers are fine for short rides on flat terrain,'' Saiki said. "but I wouldn't want to ride one around the island.''

Retro cruisers - replicating bikes of a half-century ago - suddenly have caught on.

A one-speed 1950s-styled Schwinn Cruiser Deluxe, complete with chrome fenders and whitewall tires, is available at The Bike Shop for $410 new or $250 used.

The Bike Way has an restored Swiss army bike that's authentic down to its weapon-toting gear.

''An old rusty cruiser that no one will steal is best for the beach,'' Tan said.

Oahu, with its large automobile population and its miles of bumpy roads,is hardly a biking paradise. ''We have a ways to go, but we're working to make Honolulu a more bicycle-friendly city,'' said Chris Sayers, the city's bicycle coordinator.

On Sunday, in conjunction with the Mayor's Sunday on Wheels, the city opens its Pearl Harbor Bike Path extension. Oahu riders are encouraged to participate.

Cyclists should gather at the Neal Blaisdell Park by 9 a.m. The ride of six miles is free.

Bike paths were opened recently at Pupukea on Oahu's North Shore, along Kapahulu Avenue bordering the Ala Wai Golf Course and at Kailua and Lanikai.

Marked bike lanes recently surfaced along Kalakaua Avenue bordering Kapiolani Park.

''Any effort that makes local cycling safer indeed helps,'' said Eve DeCoursey, the Hawaii Bicycling League's executive director.

Oahu has approximately 100,000 registered bikes, with an estimated equal number unregistered.

What: Opening of the Pearl Harbor bike path extension in conjunction with the Mayor's Sunday on Wheels. Approximately six miles.
Where and when: Neal Blaisdell Park, 9 a.m. Free to all cyclists. Wear a helmet!
Information: 527-5044

JULY 28

What: Two Oahu perimeter rides will take place - a 134-mile counter-clockwise loop of Oahu, and one of 70 miles taking a partial turn of this island.
Where and when: Both events includes traversing Kaena Point's rugged coastline. And both events start and finish at Ko Olina Resort near Barbers Point. Rides start at 6 a.m.
Cost: Entry fee is $20 if mailed and postmarked no later than tomorrow. Late registration ($25) will be accepted on the morning of the ride.
Information: Call Hawaii Bicycling League at 735-5756 for perimeter ride, or for details on other recreational cycling events.