A bicycle for college?

[ed21x]

Greetings, fellow AT'ers (hopefully fausto sees this )

I live a good 25 min walk to campus and I'm thinking of getting a bicycle in the $300 range that might be able to cut down significantly on the time...

basically it has to be one that can last for a LONG time cuz i'm a poor college student and really can't afford to have things break on me, and it can go up and down relatively steep hills (think san francisco)- so probably need gear shifts or something like that. I'm willing to sacrifice another $50 if it makes a huge difference. Oh and since i can't really go anyplace to pick something up, hopfully it can be shipped to me from some online retailer.

all help will be greatly appreciated, =P

~Ed

 

[Aquaman]

When I was going to college I was in the same prediciment as you (except for the hills) I went to a couple second hand stores & I fouund some great deals on used bikes. Just an idea I thought I'd pass by you.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[klah]

Check out the Gary Fisher Tarpon (~$200). I would suggest you find a local bike shop as opposed to buying online; if you have any problems they will probably take care of it for free and are more likely spend time helping you in the future.

 

[amnesiac]

If you're going to school at UC Berkeley, I'd suggest a hybrid or a road bike.
First, they'll often have a higher range of gears, good for hill climbing.
Second, they're a LOT LOT less susceptible to theft; mountain bikes are the number one target of thieves.
And don't skimp on a lock. Get a good U-Lock with a chain for your front wheel, especially if it's quick-release.

Bikes get stolen WAY more than they break, and even if they do break it generally costs next to nothing to fix.

 

[ed21x]

Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
If you're going to school at UC Berkeley, I'd suggest a hybrid or a road bike.
First, they'll often have a higher range of gears, good for hill climbing.
Second, they're a LOT LOT less susceptible to theft; mountain bikes are the number one target of thieves.
And don't skimp on a lock. Get a good U-Lock with a chain for your front wheel, especially if it's quick-release.

Bikes get stolen WAY more than they break, and even if they do break it generally costs next to nothing to fix.

this might sound kinda dumb, but what's a hybrid bike?

 

[klah]

A hybrid is between a mountain bike and a road bike. They usually have a solid front fork and a more upright seating position. Most of them have flat handlbars also.

 

[Fausto]

I really didn't see much online that's anywhere near your price range. It's honestly pretty tough to find a new bike under $300 that isn't a total boat anchor. Your best bet is to find a used bike that's in good shape and go with that. My commuter bike is a 10 year-old aluminum framed mountain bike with equally old Shimano XT 7-speed components and slick tires instead of knobbies. I probably couldn't get more than $200 for it if I sold it, but it's an excellent commuter bike.....light, maneuverable, and I don't have to worry about it rusting if I ride it in the rain.

Pester local shops and see if they have any "mechanics specials" sitting around. These are typically bikes that were brought in for repairs and then abandoned. You can occasionally work a deal with the shop to have them outfit one of these with spare parts (bike shops almost always have a big box of random parts sitting around too) and sell it to you for a reasonable price. Most shops also have "for sale" post-it boards as well.

 

[ed21x]

hmm... then i guess it'd be a good idea to research what i'm looking for in a bike before going to the store, eh? So far, things that are considered desirable on a bike of my needs are: hybrid (mountain/road) and aluminum frame and um... (help me out here )

~Ed

 

[vegetation]

Frame material should not matter for your price range. A cheap Al frame is going to be as heavy as steel. If considering a mtb, a solid fork would be desirable just because it would cut down on weight a whole lot more than a cheap suspension fork (solid fork=1-2 pounds, cheap susp. fork= 5 lbs, you get the idea).

 

[snooker]

My Suggestion........


find a good used trek 1200. Excellent bike with 14 speeds. It is more of a speed bike then a mountian bike but it is light and has 14 gears for those hills.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I agree with the used concept. You can get a much better bike that's used. It was about 2000, 2001 that they really started putting 9 speed rear cassettes on bikes so look for those. If you get an 8 speed, use the lack of 3 gear combinations to drop the price more. Go with a major brand like Trek, Gary Fisher, Giant, Raleigh, Schwinn, Cannnondale, etc. I would stay away from Walmart bikes.

 

[alm99]

I have a Trek, I can't remember the model number I bought my senior of college. It was about $300. Very light, aluminum frame, 14 gears, Shimano rapid fire gear changer(highly recommend) its a great bike, mountain/road hybrid. I don't ride it much now because I have since graduated college and I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: snooker
My Suggestion........


find a good used trek 1200. Excellent bike with 14 speeds. It is more of a speed bike then a mountian bike but it is light and has 14 gears for those hills.

I wouldn't really recommend a road bike. The are light and fast, but you're way more prone to getting pinch flats with those skinny tires....this will be especially true in a campus situation where you're going to need to hop curbs and such occasionally. A mountain bike with slicks or a hybrid will be much more practical.