If I only have 100-200 bucks to spend now but might invest more long term, what would be the least bad kinda...
I'm feeling a little crazy typing this on a page filled with 1000 dollar plus bikes but bear with me a bit.
I'm a dad with a kid just getting old enough that we can bike around together. I've been using a 10 dollar bike I got from a garage sale but it's just rusty junk at this point. Our other kid is still going to need to be in a back mounted seat for another year or two so I don't want to bother investing in a nice bike for me that is going to get busted up just from the mounting of the child seat.
So if I only have 100-200 bucks tops to put into a bike, what type of bike is least bad when it's cheap? I've picked up that the "full suspension" bikes are just horrible on the cheap bikes (and that's all that my walmart seems to have), but what about the just full body solid road type bikes? I'll be spending 95% of the time just piddling around on gravel roads and maybe light gravel trails. Nothing on mountains but also no need for real speed.
Hopefully this makes sense, I really appreciate it guys and gals!
road-bike
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
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I'm feeling a little crazy typing this on a page filled with 1000 dollar plus bikes but bear with me a bit.
I'm a dad with a kid just getting old enough that we can bike around together. I've been using a 10 dollar bike I got from a garage sale but it's just rusty junk at this point. Our other kid is still going to need to be in a back mounted seat for another year or two so I don't want to bother investing in a nice bike for me that is going to get busted up just from the mounting of the child seat.
So if I only have 100-200 bucks tops to put into a bike, what type of bike is least bad when it's cheap? I've picked up that the "full suspension" bikes are just horrible on the cheap bikes (and that's all that my walmart seems to have), but what about the just full body solid road type bikes? I'll be spending 95% of the time just piddling around on gravel roads and maybe light gravel trails. Nothing on mountains but also no need for real speed.
Hopefully this makes sense, I really appreciate it guys and gals!
road-bike
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
New contributor
PetterJhon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I'm feeling a little crazy typing this on a page filled with 1000 dollar plus bikes but bear with me a bit.
I'm a dad with a kid just getting old enough that we can bike around together. I've been using a 10 dollar bike I got from a garage sale but it's just rusty junk at this point. Our other kid is still going to need to be in a back mounted seat for another year or two so I don't want to bother investing in a nice bike for me that is going to get busted up just from the mounting of the child seat.
So if I only have 100-200 bucks tops to put into a bike, what type of bike is least bad when it's cheap? I've picked up that the "full suspension" bikes are just horrible on the cheap bikes (and that's all that my walmart seems to have), but what about the just full body solid road type bikes? I'll be spending 95% of the time just piddling around on gravel roads and maybe light gravel trails. Nothing on mountains but also no need for real speed.
Hopefully this makes sense, I really appreciate it guys and gals!
road-bike
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
New contributor
PetterJhon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm feeling a little crazy typing this on a page filled with 1000 dollar plus bikes but bear with me a bit.
I'm a dad with a kid just getting old enough that we can bike around together. I've been using a 10 dollar bike I got from a garage sale but it's just rusty junk at this point. Our other kid is still going to need to be in a back mounted seat for another year or two so I don't want to bother investing in a nice bike for me that is going to get busted up just from the mounting of the child seat.
So if I only have 100-200 bucks tops to put into a bike, what type of bike is least bad when it's cheap? I've picked up that the "full suspension" bikes are just horrible on the cheap bikes (and that's all that my walmart seems to have), but what about the just full body solid road type bikes? I'll be spending 95% of the time just piddling around on gravel roads and maybe light gravel trails. Nothing on mountains but also no need for real speed.
Hopefully this makes sense, I really appreciate it guys and gals!
road-bike
road-bike
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
New contributor
PetterJhon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
New contributor
PetterJhon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
New contributor
PetterJhon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
asked 4 hours ago
PetterJhon
261
261
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PetterJhon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
PetterJhon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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Check out our Code of Conduct.
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1 Answer
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I'd recommend another used bike. It might take some time to find a suitable one that fits your budget, but garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even Craig's list are good places to find good used bikes that would fit in your budget.
A couple of recommendations:
- Don't buy a bike without seeing it.
- Bring a set of decent tools to do a good inspection (Don't use cheap tools on someone else's bike...)
- Loosen and remove the seat post, look inside for bad rust/corrosion
- Do ALL the parts that are supposed to rotate/move smoothly? (A rusty chain is no big deal - it can be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- See if you can loosen the pedals from the crankset
- Remove and replace the wheels - you're going to have to replace tires and tubes eventually...
- Check cables and brake pads (no big deal, they might well need to be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- Loosen the handlebars and headset
Obviously, you'll have to be able to return the bike to its original condition.
If you can't do any of that without damaging the bike, it's not a good bike to buy. For example, if you can't get the seat post, pedals, or headset loose, there's probably way too much corrosion or rust.
If the seller doesn't want you to check out the bike like that, don't buy it.
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
add a comment |
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1 Answer
1
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
I'd recommend another used bike. It might take some time to find a suitable one that fits your budget, but garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even Craig's list are good places to find good used bikes that would fit in your budget.
A couple of recommendations:
- Don't buy a bike without seeing it.
- Bring a set of decent tools to do a good inspection (Don't use cheap tools on someone else's bike...)
- Loosen and remove the seat post, look inside for bad rust/corrosion
- Do ALL the parts that are supposed to rotate/move smoothly? (A rusty chain is no big deal - it can be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- See if you can loosen the pedals from the crankset
- Remove and replace the wheels - you're going to have to replace tires and tubes eventually...
- Check cables and brake pads (no big deal, they might well need to be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- Loosen the handlebars and headset
Obviously, you'll have to be able to return the bike to its original condition.
If you can't do any of that without damaging the bike, it's not a good bike to buy. For example, if you can't get the seat post, pedals, or headset loose, there's probably way too much corrosion or rust.
If the seller doesn't want you to check out the bike like that, don't buy it.
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
add a comment |
I'd recommend another used bike. It might take some time to find a suitable one that fits your budget, but garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even Craig's list are good places to find good used bikes that would fit in your budget.
A couple of recommendations:
- Don't buy a bike without seeing it.
- Bring a set of decent tools to do a good inspection (Don't use cheap tools on someone else's bike...)
- Loosen and remove the seat post, look inside for bad rust/corrosion
- Do ALL the parts that are supposed to rotate/move smoothly? (A rusty chain is no big deal - it can be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- See if you can loosen the pedals from the crankset
- Remove and replace the wheels - you're going to have to replace tires and tubes eventually...
- Check cables and brake pads (no big deal, they might well need to be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- Loosen the handlebars and headset
Obviously, you'll have to be able to return the bike to its original condition.
If you can't do any of that without damaging the bike, it's not a good bike to buy. For example, if you can't get the seat post, pedals, or headset loose, there's probably way too much corrosion or rust.
If the seller doesn't want you to check out the bike like that, don't buy it.
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
add a comment |
I'd recommend another used bike. It might take some time to find a suitable one that fits your budget, but garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even Craig's list are good places to find good used bikes that would fit in your budget.
A couple of recommendations:
- Don't buy a bike without seeing it.
- Bring a set of decent tools to do a good inspection (Don't use cheap tools on someone else's bike...)
- Loosen and remove the seat post, look inside for bad rust/corrosion
- Do ALL the parts that are supposed to rotate/move smoothly? (A rusty chain is no big deal - it can be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- See if you can loosen the pedals from the crankset
- Remove and replace the wheels - you're going to have to replace tires and tubes eventually...
- Check cables and brake pads (no big deal, they might well need to be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- Loosen the handlebars and headset
Obviously, you'll have to be able to return the bike to its original condition.
If you can't do any of that without damaging the bike, it's not a good bike to buy. For example, if you can't get the seat post, pedals, or headset loose, there's probably way too much corrosion or rust.
If the seller doesn't want you to check out the bike like that, don't buy it.
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
I'd recommend another used bike. It might take some time to find a suitable one that fits your budget, but garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even Craig's list are good places to find good used bikes that would fit in your budget.
A couple of recommendations:
- Don't buy a bike without seeing it.
- Bring a set of decent tools to do a good inspection (Don't use cheap tools on someone else's bike...)
- Loosen and remove the seat post, look inside for bad rust/corrosion
- Do ALL the parts that are supposed to rotate/move smoothly? (A rusty chain is no big deal - it can be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- See if you can loosen the pedals from the crankset
- Remove and replace the wheels - you're going to have to replace tires and tubes eventually...
- Check cables and brake pads (no big deal, they might well need to be replaced, but count that in your budget)
- Loosen the handlebars and headset
Obviously, you'll have to be able to return the bike to its original condition.
If you can't do any of that without damaging the bike, it's not a good bike to buy. For example, if you can't get the seat post, pedals, or headset loose, there's probably way too much corrosion or rust.
If the seller doesn't want you to check out the bike like that, don't buy it.
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
answered 2 hours ago
Andrew Henle
98146
98146
add a comment |
add a comment |
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