Bike recommendations

[Insomniator]

This thread confirms that cyclists are some of the most elitist group out there, probably only surpassed by the e46 m3 crowd.

I was thinking the same thing reading this thread. $500 minimum for a bike to ride on a 3 mile trip... lol.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

i worked at a shop with some of the most experienced riders working there.

you are totally clueless. if you want to ride road, a road bike is definitely the fastest and most efficient. but a lot of people want to ride upright, like this guy, on the road. a good hybrid is the best answer in those cases.

recommending a mountain bike for someone who just wants to ride on the road but upright is totally stupid. they have lower gears, knobby fat tires that are stupidly inefficient on the road, etc... now that is horrible advice.

just cause you made a crappy choice on a hybrid, doesn't make the entire category a bad one. stop spreading such stupid advice. it's really bad for potential bikers because for many, a good hybrid IS their best choice.

what kind of hybrid did you get?

and to the OP, you need to spend approx $500 to get a decent bike. from one of the major brands like Jamis, Cannondale and Trek for example. don't do walmart specials, and don't do Schwinn, they went downhill quality wise.

the Jamis Coda series of hybrids are good, being steel they absorb a lot of the bumpiness from the road compared to an aluminum frame. the coda series has 3 bikes at 3 price points - $540, around $750 and at around $1k.

Cannondale Quick hybrids are good, and the Trek FX series is good. start with those. a used one would be fine too.

if its for commuting you want a bike that has the mounting holes for a rack, which nicer road bikes wont have but hybrids will. jamis also makes cheap alloy commuter bikes with racks and fenders (also essential if you have to ride in the rain occasionally) and single gears in the front

 

[spacejamz]

Yeah everybody here seems to be missing that this guy is just riding a few miles back and forth to the gym. Anything will work for that. Just get a simple single speed or maybe 3 speed if you have some hills, city bike. The things that look like something your grandmother would have ridden. Nobody will bother stealing it and it will be comfortable for the few miles you are on it.

guess you didn't read my post

 

[ch33zw1z]

OP asks for suggestions on a bike to ride a 3 flat miles in an area with extremely high crime, and says he is prepared for it to get stolen.

Suggestions: giant, jamis, 29er, LBS, trek, cannondale, disc brakes required. No hybrids cuz they aren't hardcore has to be full out MTB or dedicated road bike don't look at any other options.

If you don't find that hilarious then I don't know what to tell you.

He/she needs a cheapo walmart/sporting goods $100 bike. Not a worn out LBS craigslist $300 bike that's going to get stolen anyway.



The m3 analogy is a sort of ubiquitous term for this type of elitist attitude..

3 kids trying to get to waitress job = e46 m3 and do maintenance yourself
Commuter in snow = e46 m3 with 2nd set of tires
Gravel road = e46 m3 with strut brace
Camping car = e46 m3 with roof rack

still nothing of substance. at least your consistent.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I was thinking the same thing reading this thread. $500 minimum for a bike to ride on a 3 mile trip... lol.

I got my hardrock for under $400 on craigslist, was mint...

The bike makes all the difference.

If the OP is happy with a $100 Huffy, that's cool. Not everyone is. I take mine on 4-8 mile rides, I'm not easy on it. It takes the beating, while that $100 bike wouldn't.

It doesn't take an elitist to recognize a difference in quality.

SA will shit on bike threads no matter what members are posting.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I'm pretty sure I said above that any bike will do. Hybrids are an abomination. Don't listen to what "I worked here and fixed bikes for x amount of years say".

Hybrids aren't an abomination. You're very ignorant but keep on posting like you know something.

OP, needs to be a used bike and needs to take it to a bike shop to get tuned-up. Based on the distance, a hybrid will be fine. A mountain bike unless you put thinner tires on it(slicks) will be slow as the knobby tires are wide and use much less air pressure. Road bikes, even a used one will be more than you want to spend if you're worried about it getting stolen.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

still nothing of substance. at least your consistent.

Pot... Kettle...

<snip>

SA will shit on bike threads no matter what members are posting.

There are ironically many comparisons between the stereotypical m3 elitist and road cyclists. Between thinking they own the entire road, breaking laws they don't like, etc etc. Granted not literally every one of them are like this.. But, this is not the thread for that discussion.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Pot... Kettle...






There are ironically many comparisons between the stereotypical m3 elitist and road cyclists. Between thinking they own the entire road, breaking laws they don't like, etc etc. Granted not literally every one of them are like this.. But, this is not the thread for that discussion.

Reported. Get your thread-crapping, anti-bike racist ass out of this thread.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I got my hardrock for under $400 on craigslist, was mint...

The bike makes all the difference.

If the OP is happy with a $100 Huffy, that's cool. Not everyone is. I take mine on 4-8 mile rides, I'm not easy on it. It takes the beating, while that $100 bike wouldn't.

It doesn't take an elitist to recognize a difference in quality.

SA will shit on bike threads no matter what members are posting.

you definitely dont want a $100 bike. the shifting and gearing with be so cheap that it will end up causing you a lot of trouble that you dont want if youre dependent on it every day. a giant escape or a sirrus is only like $380, they have slightly wider tires than road bikes so they are better for putting racks on (wider tires also means you dont have to add air every time you ride it the way you have to with a road bike). a coda is steel, which is preferable in my opinion, and its only a little more expensive

 

[ch33zw1z]

Pot... Kettle...
There are ironically many comparisons between the stereotypical m3 elitist and road cyclists. Between thinking they own the entire road, breaking laws they don't like, etc etc. Granted not literally every one of them are like this.. But, this is not the thread for that discussion.

I provided plenty of substance from my own experience and take on the ops situation... I will keep reporting your posts in this thread. Maybe the mods will start to care.

 

[Insomniator]

Do you have a costco membership? Anyone know if this is any good? Been thinking about it for the ~1.5 mile ride downtown.

http://slickdeals.net/f/6859890-diamondback-edgewood-hybrid-men-s-bike-costco-199-99-s-h

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Do you have a costco membership? Anyone know if this is any good? Been thinking about it for the ~1.5 mile ride downtown.

http://slickdeals.net/f/6859890-diamondback-edgewood-hybrid-men-s-bike-costco-199-99-s-h

for street riding you dont want something with suspension and you want something with more that 7 gears. also as some of those people mentioned, costco only carries one size and its unlikely that it will be a good fit, something that is important with a bike. unless youre a manlet youre gonna need something bigger than 17". diamondback isnt as good as giant or specialized and you can get escape or sirrus for like $380, thats only a small difference but much better bikes

 

[ch33zw1z]

for street riding you dont want something with suspension and you want something with more that 7 gears.

I'm not going to disagree, but it's a choice. Suspension will absorb some of the energy you're putting into riding. Front suspension absorbs less, and rear suspension absorbs much more.

If the roads you ride are rougher, getting something with front suspension may be something the op wants.

In terms of gearing, the OP has said it's 3 miles, mild incline. He may just want a single speed. Hop on, pedal....done.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Just get a cheap generic bike. You can probably find something on craigslist for $50-100 that will do what you want.

 

[spacejamz]

Folding bike for $99...just stuff inside gym locker???

http://www.bargainoutfitters.com/net/cb/16-folding-bicycle.aspx?a=549840

 

[_Rick_]

for street riding you dont want something with suspension and you want something with more that 7 gears.

Three to five gears are plenty. Most city bikes come with maintenance-free hub transmissions.
These bikes also come with sufficiently wide and thick tires, that suspension is a non-issue at normal speeds.
As most have said, a used one will run you less than 50$.
In most of Europe you can usually get them for less at the local Police auctions, where lost/stolen bikes are auctioned off, if they aren't collected by the owner.

Since there are less bikes in the States, I suspect they may be slightly more expensive, but just get one that is mechanically sound and safe.
Working brakes (good pads, adjustable screws, well-soldered terminators on the pulleys, which don't rip off when you use the lever) are important, and straight wheels are the difference between a good deal, and a worthless bike.
If there's still some profile on the tire, and they're not flat spotted, that's great too. Lighting is nice to have, but also easy to replace with stick-ons.

The foldable one looks nice too, but I somehow can't trust collapsible frames. And a new bike should come with proper lighting.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Folding bike for $99...just stuff inside gym locker???

http://www.bargainoutfitters.com/net/cb/16-folding-bicycle.aspx?a=549840

thats a good price, although folding bikes arent very durable and parts are probably hard to find when a repair is needed. also not good for commuting ona daily basis

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Three to five gears are plenty. Most city bikes come with maintenance-free hub transmissions.
These bikes also come with sufficiently wide and thick tires, that suspension is a non-issue at normal speeds.
As most have said, a used one will run you less than 50$.
In most of Europe you can usually get them for less at the local Police auctions, where lost/stolen bikes are auctioned off, if they aren't collected by the owner.

Since there are less bikes in the States, I suspect they may be slightly more expensive, but just get one that is mechanically sound and safe.
Working brakes (good pads, adjustable screws, well-soldered terminators on the pulleys, which don't rip off when you use the lever) are important, and straight wheels are the difference between a good deal, and a worthless bike.
If there's still some profile on the tire, and they're not flat spotted, that's great too. Lighting is nice to have, but also easy to replace with stick-ons.

The foldable one looks nice too, but I somehow can't trust collapsible frames. And a new bike should come with proper lighting.

if you buy a used bike there are lots of things that can go bad (tires, wheels, brakes etc..) , buying a new bike youre gonna get a warranty for at least a year so your guaranteed to not have to spend a cent more on it. also a used $50 isnt going to be nearly as nice as a $400 new hybrid. i guess im saying a decent new bike isnt that expensive when you take everything into account.

also once you get a bike youre probably going to think its pretty cool and youre gonna want something nicer, like a real road bike, cuz on a cheapo bike youre gonna be watching all the road bike passing you up

 

[WHAMPOM]

I am looking to get a bicycle to ride a few miles to the gym and back. I know next to nothing about bikes other than I like to ride in a more upright position. I would prefer something that is undesirable to thieves as I do not live in a particularly nice area. Thanks in advance.

Don't go nuts looking for a high end bike for your first one, Check out Walmart for an upright bike with fenders, water spray in your face and up your back will really bug you. An eight foot 1/4 chain you thread through the back rim around the frame (loop once around the seat upright) and then through the front rim before padlocking to an immovable object. Leave nothing on the bike to steal! Find a good backpack to carry along your gym clothes, etc.

I remember a TV special on large tired all-weather commuter bikes, you might want to check for these in your area.

 

[FirewolfX]

You could try here http://www.bikesdirect.com/

Problem is you can't really test ride. This site can be polarizing in the cycling community...haha

Hybrid would probably be ok for a short commute or tooling around. For an all-around bike maybe try a 'cross bike, or an aluminum roadbike with a taller headtube.

 

[JulesMaximus]

if you buy a used bike there are lots of things that can go bad (tires, wheels, brakes etc..) , buying a new bike youre gonna get a warranty for at least a year so your guaranteed to not have to spend a cent more on it. also a used $50 isnt going to be nearly as nice as a $400 new hybrid. i guess im saying a decent new bike isnt that expensive when you take everything into account.

also once you get a bike youre probably going to think its pretty cool and youre gonna want something nicer, like a real road bike, cuz on a cheapo bike youre gonna be watching all the road bike passing you up

That's ridiculous. Most bikes hardly get used at all.

Go into a used sporting goods store and see if they have some bikes for sale. I picked up a barely used Trek mountain bike for my wife 12 years ago for $150, it is pretty basic but it looked like it had NEVER been used. She still has it and I think she is still riding on the same tires. We have done literally nothing to it other than put air in the tires.

 

[lord_emperor]

recommending a mountain bike for someone who just wants to ride on the road but upright is totally stupid. they have lower gears, knobby fat tires that are stupidly inefficient on the road, etc... now that is horrible advice.

You know wheels & gears aren't permanently affixed to the frame right? There are plenty of lightweight mountain bike frames and/or hybrid bikes that you can put street tires and differently geared drivetrains on.

Most of the benefit of a road bike comes from the lower riding stance which the OP specifically doesn't want. Therefore the perfectly reasonable suggestion of a used mountain bike with a refurbed drivetrain.

I see dozens of this kind of bike on craigslist for <$100, good bikes with a few years of wear to make them look less appealing to thieves. Throw in $40 for basic road tires and you're set.

 

[JulesMaximus]

don't get a mountain bike. they are extremely inefficient on roads/sidewalks. get a hybrid. upright position, geared more towards road riding.

I threw some smooth rolling street tires on a mountain bike and made a commuter out of it for a while. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[artvscommerce]

You could try here http://www.bikesdirect.com/

Problem is you can't really test ride. This site can be polarizing in the cycling community...haha

Hybrid would probably be ok for a short commute or tooling around. For an all-around bike maybe try a 'cross bike, or an aluminum roadbike with a taller headtube.

I absolutely love bikesdirect. I've bought multiple bikes from that site and I've been very happy with them. It's important to note though, that if you order something with derailleurs (more than 1 speed) they will likely need some minor adjustment once the bike is fully assembled. I found this to be very easy but you could always take it to a LBS for a tune up.

 

[GoSharks]

not only do disc brakes work better in dry weather, they destroy rim brakes in any kind of wetness. which is why you see them on all good mountain bikes - cause disc brakes>rim brakes. period.

i guarantee you i can stop faster with my disc brakes going the same speed as you on a rim brake road bike. easy peasy.

Bullshit. Either that or you have never ridden anything other than off brand rim brakes with off brand pads, or you are being disingenuous by throwing in experience with carbon rims into this low-end discussion.

I can get the back wheel off the ground with my SRAM Rival brakes. It doesn't get better than that.