Cheap bicycle?

Question

I want to buy a cheap bike for quite regular use but mostly on roads/paved surfaces.

Any recomendations?

Answer 1

Rubbish question. How cheap do you want? I would say a £500 bike is cheap, you might be looking to spend £50.

Answer 2

I think cheap bikes are getting nicer, and if you don't need a lot, just go to your local department store and get a Mongoose or a Schwinn. Department store bikes really aren't that bad, and they tend to need less maintenance than high-end bikes.

If you are talking about a relatively cheap performance bicycle, go to a good bike shop and find what you want, then buy the same bike on an internet bidding site. Trek and Specialized make some nice models that aren't too expensive.

Answer 3

If you buy a cheap bike, especially from a store that sells basketballs in the next aisle, be ready for a poorly made, improperly built, heavy, cumbersome piece of junk that won't do you much good for longer than two months.

Go to a REAL bike shop and get an inexpensive bicycle with a warranty and a service contract. Sorry if $300 is more than you want to spend, but it will outlast ten $100 Wal-Mart Specials and be far more comfortable.

Answer 4

Whatever you do dont buy a full suspension bike, they are heavy and break very quickly. Get something with no suspension at all if you are only cycling on roads as the money then goes towards important components on the bike. Do not buy disk brakes as they generally suck on sub £350 bikes.
Ebay has loads of bargains if you dont mind using them. Type in Kona or specialized for a good deal.

Answer 5

Go to your local bike shop. Ride several bikes. If they don't have a large selection, try several shops till you find a good staff and selection. Also ask about service and warranties.

Several years ago I bought a hybrid/city bike for under $300 on sale (most shops have a big sale in the spring) and it included free lifetime service for routine maintenance and tuneups. I still have it, it's a Raleigh SC30, recommended.

Good luck,
Scott

Answer 6

Stay away from the big box chain stores like Wal Mart and Target. Go to your local bike shop, explain to them what you're looking for and your price range. They will be able to fix you up with something, plus they will be there for repairs and maintenance.

Answer 7

desire extra low-fee - visit hdb rubbish bin centre, make friends with the cleanser, he will hv a number of bicycles deserted by skill of citizens. he's keen to grant u 4 unfastened. i've got been given 2 by skill of this technique. haha!! dont enable loose this 'secret' cpu - maximum inexpensive continues to be simlim, funan. mustapha won't be so!!?

Answer 8

In an effort to save money, please avoid toy departments. Those bikes break quickly and do not give an experience you'd look forward to.

Go to a bike store. They don't sell toys, so price does not have much merit. (All of the stuff works and will work for a long time).

I'd suggest you check out a Raleigh Passage, Diamondback Maravista, Specialized Sirrius, Trek FX, and Schwinn Super Sport just to find out what our most modern (and small price) bikes are like.

The test drives are free. Do as many as possible!! This will make it clear what you should have.

The bikes mentioned above are the fitness class hybrid bikes. They (and most bikes) aren't capable of club racing without extra price wheels. But, they'll do distance touring with great comfort, ride the trails, see the sights, transportation, bike camping, and many wonderful adventures.

For road bikes, Purpose=bike club rides:
The handsome navy blue Trek Women's Specific design version of the basic Trek 1000, has a shorter reach, and half the price of Specialized Roubaix, despite very similar comfort + speed engineering that makes both have greater leverage and easy long rides.
For a road bike to be enjoyable, shop for a short reach (WSD or Roubaix design).
Plan on an extra $35 for a reasonable 80mm to 90mm stem (hint QBP catalog, Profile Designs brand) instead of the factory overlong stems that predominate the market (and steer poorly)--replace.
A road bike also comes with slow wheels and junk tires at this price range. Before you spend a mint on flats, get some "Serfas SECA RS" tires. Those are high priced, but the only long lasting, anti-flat, bona fide, race tires (no flats, easy hills).
Later, try to find some race wheels with double butted spokes (skinny in the middle) from 20 to 24 on the front--not less, not more. At a minimum price, but without expensive "undershooting"--Performance.com's Forte Gemini will do a great job when they're back in stock. I make fine wheels, but I can't touch that bang for the buck.
The resulting navy blue colored machine (Trek WSD), with the medium length stem (Profile Designs) for leverage, the wonderful tires (Serfas SECA RS), and the skinny little wheels (Performance.com's Forte Gemini or similar) will gladly club race without effort or discomfort--at one heck of a low price for such performance.
This road bike is the minimum price to be successfully included in the club race (road club) sports. There are many other options, but this is success at the least price.

Bike store, Test drive:
Your bike will choose you. Nobody can do this for you. It is based on fit. Fit is required for enjoyment--absolutely required.

This does not affect price, but one bike that fits is certainly less expensive than eighteen bikes that don't fit. So, don't be afraid to go on many, many test drives at several different stores.

P.S. If two bikes are very close, when it is time to finally decide, get the faster one that also has a shorter (easier) reach for the handlebars, because it will keep you healthy.

P.P.S.
The least expensive non-toy bike is the Mountain Comfort Hybrid, and a prime example under $270 is the Diamondback Wildwood. None of this class of bike will participate in road or mountain clubs with any success. However, the silly thing can tour well, if a bit slowly on the road.
Next up is the Comfort Hybrid, and there's no reason to buy one when it doesn't go any faster than it smaller, less expensive, mountain sister.
Next up, in the $350+ range is. . .
Capable of decent, but slightly outdated performance is the modern Road Hybrid, Trek FX, Diamondback Maravista, Raleigh Passage, Specialized Sirrius, and Schinn Super Sport--with the comfort of a cruiser and a speed faster than anything in its price range.
At about the $700 range is the "beginner" road bikes. Trek WSD has the newest engineering, most comfort and most leverage, and yes, a man can ride it too, if he has the need for speed, but can't spare the pocket change for Specialized Roubaix. It is possible to add "micro rim climbers" wheels (Starting at $180) to "beginner" road bikes so that they can, indeed, participate fully in road bike sports, such as bike clubs for enjoyable weekend vacations, almost every weekend.
For reference, those same wheels can accelerate the "Road Hybrid" for club use, but the appearance of flat handle bars causes road cyclists to disparage. ;)

Answer 9

Have a look on Ebay but be sure to check your size before purchasing:

http://sports.search.ebay.co.uk/bicycle_Bikes_W0QQcatrefZC12QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQga10244Z10425QQsacatZ123470QQsaprchiZQQsaprcloZ

Also have a look in your local bike stores sometimes they have offers on certain bikes, they can also advice you on the best bicycle for your needs.

Hope this helps.

Answer 10

Get a 'hybrid' type of bike. They are a good compromise between track & road bikes. Plenty of good used ones on ebay. Also; check 'Gumtree.com' and your local paper.