Buying/General Info Bicycle Thread

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:27 pm

I am in the market for an inexpensive road bike (thinking <$300).

Will mainly use it for riding around town.

Any folks of 5AF have experience with this?

Postby **Clams Herbert** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:39 pm

I mean, I wouldn't ride around town on something that cost $300 lol

EDIT: Totally thought this was a motorcycle thread. I am not a smart man.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:48 pm

http://www.sadtrombone.com/

Postby **count2infinity** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:48 pm

I have a Canondale Quick (I think it's a 4)... love it. It's kind of a hybrid between road and mountain. It's pretty much just a commuter bike. It's great (especially now that I have a 2.5 mile bike path that essentially runs from my front door to my office.

Postby **Craig** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:52 pm

Troy Loney related.

Postby **Algernon** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:52 pm

Unfortunately a bare minimum decent road bike Is 900$

Postby **ExPatriatePen** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:54 pm

You may want to consider buying a used hybrid.

$300 isn't going to get you much in a new bike, but if you find someone "trading up"...

If you can handle basic bicycle mechanics, look on CL and other "penny saver" type publications (maybe garage sales?). If your aren't good with wrenches, consider talking to a local bike shop and they may have something in stock, or know someone wanting to trade up and buy a new bike from them, where they don't want to buy the persons old bike, and they may be willing to broker a deal.

I've found that for a basic "kick around beater" bike, college towns at the end of the semester are full of good deals.

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Tue May 26, 2015 12:58 pm

I am in the market for an inexpensive road bike (thinking <$300).

Will mainly use it for riding around town.

Any folks of 5AF have experience with this?

If you are only going to ride around town, look into a commuter bike or city bike vs a full road bike. Road bikes are good for long distances (think 30-100 miles). Of course, they are also much lighter but you are limited to the amount of gear you're able to strap on it if that's a concern. Road bikes will also cost you more I believe.

Don't skip out on bike fit. That's the #1 essential thing to getting the right bike. A good bike shop should measure your fit on a bicycle, and also adjust the bike for you after you purchase it. Seat position, handle position, seat height, frame height are all important factors.

I had a good experience at Biketek in Squirrel Hill if you live in the burgh.

Also, I think we should have a biking thread on 5AF. I motion for a name change to the thread to a more general topic. Agree?

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Tue May 26, 2015 1:01 pm

You may want to consider buying a used hybrid.

$300 isn't going to get you much in a new bike, but if you find someone "trading up"...

If you can handle basic bicycle mechanics, look on CL and other "penny saver" type publications (maybe garage sales?). If your aren't good with wrenches, consider talking to a local bike shop and they may have something in stock, or know someone wanting to trade up and buy a new bike from them, where they don't want to buy the persons old bike, and they may be willing to broker a deal.

I've found that for a basic "kick around beater" bike, college towns at the end of the semester are full of good deals.

Doesn't REI do free bike maintenance workshops for members? I've never been to one, but I've always wanted to.

Postby **dodint** » Tue May 26, 2015 1:14 pm

A pair of cyclocross bikes have been on my to do list for a few months now that I live in the Bicycle Capital of America. We have some really great rails to trails stuff that run through our town.

Postby **Silentom** » Tue May 26, 2015 2:28 pm

They cost that much?

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue May 26, 2015 2:53 pm

They cost that much?

Road bikes are expensive. You can a plenty decent hybird for under $500. I have a Fuji that I bought in September 2013 for about $400 that I've been commuting to work with at least 90% of the time and have had no issues.

I'm not sure who the road bike is exactly best for, but I used one for a few months and had back pain resulting from that. I don't think I'd suggest anything but a hybrid frame to people, and if you are using it on concrete, go with Hybrid Frame and Road tires.