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Buying a cheap bike is tough... Help!
Cognisseur
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So... I'm a poor graduate student living in NYC hoping to find a bike to commute on.
I'm thinking I should get a bike with mountain tires or hybrid tires, because I'm worried I'm just puncture the road tires way too often. Reasonable concern? I plan to ride it on sidewalks and roads, some of which aren't the best quality.
I'm looking to spend less money preferably, like $100, but I could spend a bit more possibly.
Essentially, my options seem to go like this, listed from cheap-> expensive.
1. Police auctions: most of them are buy as-is with no refund. Do you guys have experience with this stuff? Will I likely get screwed?
2. Salvation Army/Goodwill: I've never been to one, no clue how they work. I guess they wouldn't intentionally screw me but I don't know what their prices are like and the working-condition of their bikes.
3. Craigslist: I seem to be able to find bikes in the $50-70 range here, but I have no real way of telling if I'm being sold a lemon or even just basic things like tweaking the something-or-other, which I don't know how to do.
4. Cheap stores like Walmart: I think I can get some bikes in the $80-120 range. The bikes would definitely wouldn't be lemons, but I'm told the parts are absolute crap, the suspension doesn't do a thing, and they're quite untuned. I don't know if that's just snobbishness or what though, any experiences?
5. Used bike shops: Looks like the bikes are $100+ around here. I imagine the bikes would be tuned up, but I can also imagine someone doing their best to rip me off.
6. New bike shops: They'd be tuned and quality and all that jazz but I'm betting quite outside of my price range, right?
So what do you guys suggest I do?
I'm thinking I should get a bike with mountain tires or hybrid tires, because I'm worried I'm just puncture the road tires way too often. Reasonable concern? I plan to ride it on sidewalks and roads, some of which aren't the best quality.
I'm looking to spend less money preferably, like $100, but I could spend a bit more possibly.
Essentially, my options seem to go like this, listed from cheap-> expensive.
1. Police auctions: most of them are buy as-is with no refund. Do you guys have experience with this stuff? Will I likely get screwed?
2. Salvation Army/Goodwill: I've never been to one, no clue how they work. I guess they wouldn't intentionally screw me but I don't know what their prices are like and the working-condition of their bikes.
3. Craigslist: I seem to be able to find bikes in the $50-70 range here, but I have no real way of telling if I'm being sold a lemon or even just basic things like tweaking the something-or-other, which I don't know how to do.
4. Cheap stores like Walmart: I think I can get some bikes in the $80-120 range. The bikes would definitely wouldn't be lemons, but I'm told the parts are absolute crap, the suspension doesn't do a thing, and they're quite untuned. I don't know if that's just snobbishness or what though, any experiences?
5. Used bike shops: Looks like the bikes are $100+ around here. I imagine the bikes would be tuned up, but I can also imagine someone doing their best to rip me off.
6. New bike shops: They'd be tuned and quality and all that jazz but I'm betting quite outside of my price range, right?
So what do you guys suggest I do?
Cognisseur on
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4) No. WalMart bikes are pretty much crap. They'll get you where you're going but like you said any "suspension" is pretty much for looks and they won't hold a tuneup (spokes get out of adjustment, brake calipers aren't the greatest etc...)
5) Is probably your best bet for a quality bike at a good price (outside of getting lucky elsewhere). Make friends with the guys at the shop, do some research on bike brand names that they have.
6) You can get a good deal on a bike new from the shop if you're willing to pick up one of last years models. On the plus side, most bike shops (well, out here anyway) offer a service package on new bike sales, replacing tires/adjusting spokes and the like as needed for the first year or so.
Really, the key is to build your own knowledge of what makes a good bike then see what is available.
I'd go the used bike store and test ride stuff to get an idea of what kind/size bike to get and then buy on craigslist and change out parts that needed changing. Though if you find something you like at the bike store, jump on it, if NYC is anything like Austin used bike inventory turns over very quickly. Craigslist is nice because you're going to see a very wide variety of bikes for sale.
I knew dick about bikes when I got one used, but within the week I had replaced half the parts on the bike (some for safety, but mainly to get the fit right as I bought a frame that was a bit small for me) and know how to adjust my brakes and do basic maintenance. The guys at the local bike shop are very helpful, just be sure to pay it back by buying some parts from them.
If you're looking for what to look for in a used bike check this out.
Look for a frame with little to no rust. If there is rust everywhere on the bike, it's been left outside and the rest of the components are probably no good. If there is some rust on the frame but the rest of the bike is clean you'll probably be ok.
Drivetrain:
Make sure the gears on the back (the cassette) aren't rusted or worn down. Moderate/expensive to replace.
Make sure the gears on the front (the chainrings) aren't rusted or worn down. Moderate/expensive to replace.
Look at the derailers, make sure they aren't rusted and are in working condition. Moderate/expensive to replace.
Check the cables for rust. Cheap to replace.
Take it for a ride, make sure it shifts well through the entire range of gears (poor shifting can usually be fixed with a tune up)
Check the chain for rust/wear. These aren't too expensive to replace.
Wheels:
Check the rims, make sure they aren't dented or warped. If you see a wobble when spinning the wheel (watch the space between the brake pads and the rim) that just means the wheel is out of true. Easy fix.
Check the tires for wear. Easily replaceable if worn. Moderate cost.
Make sure the wheels spin freely with little effort. If they don't there is a problem with the hubs and they'll need to be rebuilt/replaced. Moderate cost.
Check for bent/broken spokes. Cheap to replace but will require a wheel truing/rebuild.
Brakes:
Check the brake calipers. See that they work well. These can be adjusted if they are a little off, but if they don't work at all you may need to replace them. Moderate expense.
Look at the brake pads, check the wear. These are easily replaced. Cheap.
Check the cables for rust. Cheap to replace.
Other:
Look for rusted bolts/screws. Cheap to replace. Can be a problem if they are rusted right into the part.
Edit: Also be aware that after you get a bike you're going to have to spend another $50-100 to get a helmet, bike lock and lights.
Take it to someone who knows bikes, and worst to the worst, take it back to the dump.
I'd be very wary of Wal-mart bikes, especially if you don't know how to do basic maintenance and repair. There is a very strong possibility that there will be something wrong with it out of the box.
Avoid rear suspension unless you're spending four figures minimum on a mountain bike. Front suspension and disc brakes are not a great idea either on a cheap bike because they tend to be of woeful quality while also being heavy and eating into the budget, lowering the quality of the rest of the parts.
I would say the best bet for getting something decent for cheap is the used bike place. Police auctions and charity shops can yield incredible bargains, but you have to know what you're looking for.
Anything you pick up for $100 from any store used or new is going to be a piece of shit. $200 is much more reasonable for a cheap bike.
Two stores you might want to check out if you're in the city:
the bike shop on 3rd ave around 81th street. My google fu is failing, but they have a shit ton of used bikes and really know their shit.
Also, paragon sports by union square can be pretty expensive, but they have a decent low end selection as well.
Though if you're serious about using it for commuting you should really spend more then $100 for a bike that's going to be putting on serious miles and which will share the road with cars/trucks. New brake pads and brake lines are going to run you $20-$30, which you'll likely have to replace on a neglected bike.
Don't ride on the sidewalk. Sidewalks are for pedestrians. Go here http://www.nybc.net/ to learn more about how to ride properly.
Salvation army/craigslist for you it is.
You might luck out at one of those stores with a late model bike. Usually once the new models come out, the previous years get a deep discount.
$100 will not get you a bike that isn't a total piece of shit through anything except sheer, pure luck. Like, grandma happens to clear the garage and you walk by when she tosses a bike luck. Even then, you're almost guaranteed to get something that will need $200 in repairs a month after you get it.
seriously... get something that tracks straight and isn't rusty from craigslist, and replace the tires/tubes and call it a day... and the uglier you can make it, the better for its longevity
<edit> Proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbklkFuFk-4
it'll get stolen b/c no one cares about it being stolen, even in broad daylight, in a crowd
BAM Perfectly serviceable bike for a casual rider.
If that's the case it must suck that no one has anything other then a PoS bike in NYC. I know in Austin my bike is probably the cheapest thing on the rack (I spent about $250 altogether on the bike and new parts).
You should definitely store it inside unless you want to spend more time and money maintaining and replacing parts. A couple of bike hooks at home depot will set you back $2-3 and then you can store it inside even if you've a small place.
$100 or less will get you a bike fine for tooling around or to take to the pub, I wouldn't want to put serious mileage on one though.
^^^ This.
I've had my Walmart cheapo-deluxe mountain bike for the better part of 4 years now and it's stood up quite well.
These kinds of places don't generally sell cheap bikes, though. If you've only got $100 to spend, you might as well get a bike from Target (or Walmart, fine). A Target bike will get you from A to B and last you 2-3 years depending on how you take care of it.
Having said that, I don't recommend it, unless you're doing what I did - get a cheap bike from Target, and save up over the next 2 years and buy a real bike.
The reason they don't last very long, in my experience, is while the frame might be rust-resistant material, almost every other part has enough iron to be a rust magnet, and it's typically just painted, so if the low-grade paint starts to chip/crack, well, enjoy your rust. Yes, this includes the gears (which is the point at which I replaced my beater).
So what you have is a bike, put together in a hurry by someone who doesn't really give a shit and probably doesn't know what to give a shit about. The actual hardware, while not nice by any stretch, will usually do it's job for a few years without major trouble when assembled and maintained properly, and not ridden too hard. This is usually (overwhelmingly, just shy of always) not the case when buying a dept store bike.