The spring thaw is in full swing, inviting the return of those that give up cycling for the winter, as well as the Midwest Bicycle Show and Sell. Madison’s wealth of cyclists is a distinct part of what gives the city its character, with bike paths and lanes that serpentine throughout the isthmus.

My friend, Marcos Lozano, is new to Madison and had to leave his bike in NYC for economic reasons. So it was that Friday afternoon on March 13, the first day of the three-day event, when we drove my giant SUV to the Alliant Energy Center, where the expo is held annually.

While Marcos was adamant about finding the perfect new bicycle in his price range, I was most curious about the new tech and designs from the dozens of brands represented. I was expecting to see high prices as most of the product would be new, but with local stores needing to move last year’s product, I was hoping they’d at least be marked down.

First of all, everyone that Marcos and I encountered was helpful and enthusiastic. At the door we were given maps, told about the events and how to navigate the huge buildings. We quickly realized that finding his new bike would not be an easy task. Upon entering the first building we were met with hundreds of quality bikes, and after a few minutes of relaxed browsing we oriented ourselves and found our way to the even larger Arena Building, where thousands of brand-sparkly-new bikes from dozens of manufacturers were lined up in rows, ripe for the picking.

Surprisingly, in the three hours we were there, the total number of browsers and customers never grew more than a few dozen, which was beneficial because the representatives from Madison’s bicycle shops and outlets were ready to assist. Marcos was on the hunt for a mountain bike that would be speedy and rugged. It needed shock absorbers and to be versatile yet comfortable. There was a plethora of trek bikes, which seemed to be the most abundant and affordable of the brands represented.

I left Marcos alone for a while and went in search of cool tech. I saw lots of mountain bikes with the usual suspension systems and road bikes with sleek designs. Traditional choices for kids and adults were abundant with prices ranging from the low to high hundreds. There were, however, many in the thousand to several thousands of dollars range. As mountain bike sticker prices climbed, suspension systems and chassis construction began to look more and more complex and exciting.

I spotted a mechanic under the Breezer tent and asked him if he could point me in the direction of the coolest, most exciting tech, and he pointed to the rack of bikes next to us. He took one down and introduced it as Breezer’s Repak Expert. It was awesome. Not only did the chassis and suspension system seem incredibly well designed and engineered, but it’s said by Breezer to be the most advanced mountain bike in the world, allowing its user to ascend and descend tough hills at high speeds, and adjust any number of settings on the fly. It retails for more than $3,000.

When I met back up with Marcos he was certain he’d found his bike – a Trek Marlin 7 for more than $100 less than the MSRP. After the representative helping Marcos had him try out at least three other similar sport hybrids, he remained resolute that he’d found what he was looking for. After some quick paperwork and a look-over by a mechanic, we checked out and left. Exhausted, but satisfied.