ESL Podcast 213 – Buying a Bicycle

I went to the bike shop on Saturday morning to buy a bicycle.

Clerk: What kind of bike are you looking for?

Lance: I’m really not sure.

Clerk: Well, let me show you what we have. We carry road bikes, mountain bikes, beach cruisers, and racing¹ bikes.

Lance: I’m going to start biking to work. I’ll be riding mainly on the road, but I want something versatile² enough for anything.

Clerk: Well, the road bikes are for everyday use. They have heavy frames and tires. The seats are comfortable and so are the handlebars. The mountain bikes are very sturdy for off-road cycling and have wider tires. Beach cruisers have just one speed, so you won’t be shifting any gears.

Lance: Okay. Are the brakes hard to handle?

Clerk: No. You either have foot brakes, like on the beach cruisers, or you have hand brakes. They’re very easy to get used to. If you want to keep it simple, I would either go for a road bike or a mountain bike. Those are the most popular.

Lance: If I get a bike, what other things do I need?

Clerk: I usually recommend an air pump, a bike lock, and a helmet.

Lance: Okay, I’ll take a look around.

Clerk: Sure. Just let me know if you have other questions.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

2 versatile   

adj.通用的，万用的；多才多艺的，多方面的

参考例句：

• A versatile person is often good at a number of different things.多才多艺的人通常擅长许多种不同的事情。
• He had been one of the game's most versatile athletes.他是这项运动中技术最全面的运动员之一。