ATOT bicyclists: need ride recommendations

[Ns1]

oh damn I thought the bike was for the OP. That makes my previous post 309845093458x more offensive.

 

[Carson Dyle]

oh damn I thought the bike was for the OP. That makes my previous post 309845093458x more offensive.

Your posts are always offensive, so don't sweat it.

 

[Ns1]

Your posts are always offensive, so don't sweat it.

Nice - it took me almost 15 years to get the kind of recognize I deserve damnit.

 

[Naer]

almost got a dalhan(sp?) foldable bike. glad I didn't. Wouldn't have used it to it's full potential

 

[Dirigible]

Not the best customer reviews on that Infinity bike from Costco.

http://reviews.costco.com/2070/1000...-bike-reviews/reviews.htm?sort=submissionTime

Those are shitty reviews. And they highlight the concern with cheap new bikes. It can be hard to get things to function at all.

I have assembled hundreds of cheap bikes, and farther in the past they were horrible to set up. Almost impossible to get them to shift/brake right, screws stripping at the slightest touch, wheels ready to go out of true the instant the bike is ridden, all kinds of shit.

More recently, I've assembled some cheap bikes for people and they've actually been surprisingly functional and easy to set up (I don't put bikes together much these days). But now that I think of it, those bikes were probably more like $350 instead of $200.

Good thing for the Costco return policy!

 

[Tattare]

Id check out http://www.commencalusa.com/

pickup a RAMONES 20 YELLOW 2015
& two
UPTOWN MAXMAX 29 for the wife & yourself.

but thats only kinda viable if you live near Carlsbad, CA so you can go pickup the bikes.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Every large city in the country has at least one person who collects and refurbishes used bikes. You can get a great deal because, they generally do it as a side job and not their only source of income. You can find them in small local trade publications like the "dandy dime" or on bulletin boards of craft/sewing stores etc.

 

[glenn1]

Not the best customer reviews on that Infinity bike from Costco.

http://reviews.costco.com/2070/1000...-bike-reviews/reviews.htm?sort=submissionTime

OK, we'll keep looking then, the mixed reviews on those are a big red flag.

Ack, going cross-eyed looking through the CL postings (Wash DC area). Trying to figure out what options will fit our needs is near impossible as there seems to be limited means to sort the options (size, frame material, bike use, etc). Will gladly pay a small finder's fee to anyone who can look through the listings and come up with a few suitable options for the adult bikes.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

OK, we'll keep looking then, the mixed reviews on those are a big red flag.

Ack, going cross-eyed looking through the CL postings (Wash DC area). Trying to figure out what options will fit our needs is near impossible as there seems to be limited means to sort the options (size, frame material, bike use, etc). Will gladly pay a small finder's fee to anyone who can look through the listings and come up with a few suitable options for the adult bikes.

That's a great reason to go see one of the individuals I recommended. They often have 50 bikes or more to choose from.

 

[uclabachelor]

My daughter is ready for her first bike and us parents will be getting ones also. Even though she's young she's also super tall so her first ride is going to be a 20" (with training wheels to start).

Looking for bicycle brand recommendations (whether preferred or avoid) and any features to definitely look for (pro or con). Would be strictly for recreation for the kids and wife, and I'll perhaps be riding to the metro stop approx. 2-3 km away in a lightly urban area. Don't foresee the need to go off pavement much, but don't want something that's completely unrideable if going over a small grassy spot or short dirt patch between asphalt. Would like to remain under US $1,000 for all 3 bikes if possibly but don't mind bumping that up if that's unrealistic.

TIA!

Bikes depreciate like cars so get used ones to see how it goes... when you get more into the sport, get a bike with the options and luxury that you want and need. If you guys are new, any bike brand would do - just find the one you like at a price point you want to spend and start riding.

It's common to see used bikes sell for less than 40% of their new value.

 

[Dulanic]

Go to a bike store and check out Giant brand mountain bikes. Good quality bikes in your budget, they won't be fantastic bikes but better than department store garbage.

Me and my wife went with Giant and are very very happy with what we got for the price.

 

[Dulanic]

This is great advice for kids bikes. The cheap ones are horrendously heavy. Get a light one. Frame should be aluminum, not steel. Look for a used one to save money.



I am a big proponent of balance bikes. They are great. My sons had balance bikes, and then I got them 12" bikes just after they each turned 3. They just got on and rode down the sidewalk with no problems and no training wheels. I have some friends whose kids were riding younger than mine were.



OP: Do try to avoid the training wheels. Get your daughter a bike at a size that lets her put her feet on the ground. Take the pedals off the bike. Have her use the bike as a balance bike until she gets the hang of it.

For you and your wife, it sounds like you're getting something to noodle around on a little bit, but riding far or fast aren't priorities. Get something used. You can get a decent bike for under $200 pretty easily. Make sure the bearings are all smooth, it shifts and brakes, and the gears aren't completely worn out so you don't have to immediately do maintenance. And if you're riding it to the Metro, you won't be too bummed if it's stolen.


And pretty much any decent bike can handle a little offroading. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhabgvIIXik

I missed that this was for a kid at first. I went /w a balance bike for my son who is 2 1/2 and he loves it! Much better than training wheels, they become too reliant on the help. We ended up /w a Haro ourselves and it is a nice bike.

http://www.harobikes.com/kids/

 

[Jaepheth]

On a related note...

Does anyone make a handlebar grip that doesn't disintegrate into a sticky mess?

 

[Vdubchaos]

On a related note...

Does anyone make a handlebar grip that doesn't disintegrate into a sticky mess?

No, why should they if they can sell you the same shit over and over?

It's what happens when people value CHEAP over QUALITY

 

[Humpy]

On a related note...

Does anyone make a handlebar grip that doesn't disintegrate into a sticky mess?

Yes, ODI manufactures most of the best grips available.

If you mean bar tape I'm not as sure. For me it has always torn or gotten so dirty that it gets replaced every few years. I use SRAM tape.

 

[notposting]

What's up with the crappy bike shops?

Bought a bike for myself and got the wife's ancient old bike fixed up a few years back. She told me afterward she overheard them making fun of her bike as they took it back. Realized that the bike I got was totally the wrong frame size - it was generically correct for me (5'10"), but I have stumpy legs, more height in the torso. I can't straddle the damn thing and reach the ground, and crashes are basically permanent birth control waiting to happen.

Started looking up bike shops around our new place a couple weeks back and that one is out of business. Most of the others have reviews that are along the lines of "they hate you if you are not a pro spending mad cash constantly".

[Which to me is insane, you don't want to sell bikes to mom, dad, boys and how many more, and then years of tuneups and overpriced tubes and parts?! Really?!]

Gah.

edit: anyone in Metro Detroit want to check out a bike?
2011 Giant Boulder, M or L size, IIRC. http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/boulder/7305/44110/

 

[Vdubchaos]

What's up with the crappy bike shops?

Bought a bike for myself and got the wife's ancient old bike fixed up a few years back. She told me afterward she overheard them making fun of her bike as they took it back. Realized that the bike I got was totally the wrong frame size - it was generically correct for me (5'10"), but I have stumpy legs, more height in the torso. I can't straddle the damn thing and reach the ground, and crashes are basically permanent birth control waiting to happen.

Started looking up bike shops around our new place a couple weeks back and that one is out of business. Most of the others have reviews that are along the lines of "they hate you if you are not a pro spending mad cash constantly".

[Which to me is insane, you don't want to sell bikes to mom, dad, boys and how many more, and then years of tuneups and overpriced tubes and parts?! Really?!]

Gah.

edit: anyone in Metro Detroit want to check out a bike?
2011 Giant Boulder, M or L size, IIRC. http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/boulder/7305/44110/

This is not a bike shop thing. It's a BUSINESS thing.

It's no different as going to a doctor with crappy insurance or NO insurance. Level of money to be extracted from you drives how you will be treated and what level of service you will get.

Welcome to democracy

 

[Ns1]

[Which to me is insane, you don't want to sell bikes to mom, dad, boys and how many more, and then years of tuneups and overpriced tubes and parts?! Really?!]

Why drop $100 on a tune-up when you can buy a new walmart/costco bike for that much and dump the old one on CL for $20.

 

[highland145]

This is not a bike shop thing. It's a BUSINESS thing.

It's no different as going to a doctor with crappy insurance or NO insurance. Level of money to be extracted from you drives how you will be treated and what level of service you will get.

Welcome to democracy

It's a bike shop thing where I used to go. Arrogant prick mechanics....after the sale, of course.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Used can be attractive, as long as the bike is in great shape. But have a look at what a bike tuneup costs at a bike shop. Typically a full tuneup - drive train, brakes, wheels - will cost a minimum of $75 to upwards of $125 or $150. Most people, if they have the time and inclination, can do some of it, like cleaning and lubing a chain, or adjusting brakes, but things like adjusting derailleurs and truing wheels, take some skill.

I've been looking for a certain kind of bike on the local (and nearby) Craigslists for about two years. In my size, in a certain frame material and geometry, decent condition, reasonably priced. With no luck. That's the thing about Craigslist or eBay. If you want it now, or even this month, what you're looking for doesn't always just magically appear.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Takes a little skill but not much. Youtube has videos that will show you how to do anything you need to do.

 

[Oyeve]

Can't help you kid bike but for you and you wife I strongly suggest you check out single speed free wheel. They ride a lot better than any gear bike within your budget and a lot less things to worry about.

I ride single speed to work 2-3 times a week during warmer months, 12km one way with a lot of climb never have issues.

Is this hipster humor or are you being serious?

 

[Humpy]

It's a bike shop thing where I used to go. Arrogant prick mechanics....after the sale, of course.

Bike shop mechanics are a strange bunch. Most bikes are incredibly easy to work on so they don't need to be very skilled. The few skilled guys that are good at wheel building or shocks don't want to deal with cleaning chains or basic customer service. You never know which type you are talking to.

I'm sponsored (discounts in exchange for wearing their jersey) by one of the large shops in town but would never have them service my stuff. I do it myself or pay a friend with a bigger selection of tools to do it. Of course, not everyone can do it themselves and I sympathize with those folks.

 

[sdifox]

wtf is wrong with you guys. This is ATOT for crying out loud. Op should get custom carbon fiber bikes with racing gears.

 

[sdifox]

Why drop $100 on a tune-up when you can buy a new walmart/costco bike for that much and dump the old one on CL for $20.

cuz that new bike wasn't tuned.