Need a new bike

[resident]

My advice is to spend at least 350-400 bucks, whether the bike is used or brand new.

I got a new Giant Yukon for around $400 when I started at ISU in 2004. I used it for biking around campus and some singletrack riding through 2009 when the SR Suntour (not a great brand of fork but typical for entry level mountain bikes) finally blew out. I replaced it with a $200 Marzocchi fork from Bike World, put on a new chain, and rear cassette and used it on a spring break MTB trip to Colorado and Utah. It got me through a team 24 hr mountain bike race in Boone and lots of rocky singletrack riding around KC over the last 2 years. Finally this spring, I decided to upgrade to a full-suspension Giant Trance X2 because my riding style had outgrown that bike. It is still perfectly ridable for beginners or on less rocky terrain.

Moral of the story, any $100-200 Wal-mart bike would not have survived the abuse I put that bike through. Spend a little extra and you will get a lot more.

 

[CyLoboClone]

I put in 500 for a commuter bike, but new chains, gears, shoes and clip pedals, thick torn tubes and kevlar tires and other small gear have pushed it to 1000 for the hobby. Whatever bike you get will most likely end up cosing double- from cheapo to top-flight. (forgot the computer- you will want one of those too.)

 

[VeloClone]

I love my Bicycle.

So it was you that stole my ride!

 

[colbycheese]

Does anyone know where you can get a used road bike in ames for biking to and from class?

Craigslist

 

[colbycheese]

1st - Nashbar. Last time I shopped there their website got hacked and my credit card number got stolen along with about 2 million other peoples cards. I don't shop there anymore.

2nd - Hybrids look like mountain bikes, and often come as a hardtail (as defined earlier) and can handle any recreational trail. They won't do well on an off road trail though. It sounds like you'd be better off with a mountain bike. If you find that you are on road surfaces almost all of the time, throw on a pair a slicks for tires. Some mountain bikes even let you "lock-out" the suspension (turns off the shocks essentially) which would be good for smooth surfaces.

If you want only one bike, and you potentially ever want to do RAGBRAI, get a cyclocross bike (cross bike). You can always replace the knobby tires with traditional road bike tires and have a bike that will do well for long rides.

For store-brand bikes, if you are close to an REI, their brand (Novara) is actually, nearly 100% built by Giant, but most models are several hundred bucks cheaper. We almost bought my wife one until I found a Trek that was two model years old yet never been riden. We bought that for 1/2 the original price of the bike.

 

[CyLoboClone]

ps- this is my ride. I put on 20miles every two weeks. Certainly not hardcore- great for commuting, not so great on gravel.

 

[Irresponsible]

Just remember you get what you pay for.

And sometimes you get a great deal. I've got over 2500 miles on my bike I bought at Goodwill for $10.

Whatever you do, don't order a bike with a kick stand. I've been told I ride pretty well "for a guy with a kick stand." D-bags

 

[CtownCyclone]

And sometimes you get a great deal. I've got over 2500 miles on my bike I bought at Goodwill for $10.

Whatever you do, don't order a bike with a kick stand. I've been told I ride pretty well "for a guy with a kick stand." D-bags

Do you also rock a milk crate in the front so you can put a puppy or kitty in it and take it for rides?:v_SPIN:

 

[VeloClone]

And sometimes you get a great deal. I've got over 2500 miles on my bike I bought at Goodwill for $10.

Whatever you do, don't order a bike with a kick stand. I've been told I ride pretty well "for a guy with a kick stand." D-bags

That's right up there with saying I don't want a bike with wide/narrow tires. Just like you can quickly change out tires to what you want and will more closely match the surface you will be riding on, you can remove a kick stand if you don't want it in about 45 seconds.

 

[leroycyclone]

Harley Softtail.

 

[CyTom]

Go to bikesdirect.com and get yourself a 29er for a bit more. Gravity 29point1 is right around $400. 29er wheel will roll a lot better than traditional mountain bike. You'll get front suspension and a much better drivetrain than on a Walmart/Target bike. Similar specs on a Trek would cost you about double. There are also numerous single speed 29ers if you're only riding 2-3 miles that will suffice such as the Windsor Cliff 29.1 that you can upgrade to gears at a later date.

 

[MNclone]

Go to bikesdirect.com and get yourself a 29er for a bit more. Gravity 29point1 is right around $400. 29er wheel will roll a lot better than traditional mountain bike. You'll get front suspension and a much better drivetrain than on a Walmart/Target bike. Similar specs on a Trek would cost you about double. There are also numerous single speed 29ers if you're only riding 2-3 miles that will suffice such as the Windsor Cliff 29.1 that you can upgrade to gears at a later date.

I'm confused, is 29er a brand, or just a slang for a mountain bike that doesn't have knobby tires?

edit: never mind. Upon further research, a 29er is referring to a 29" wheel instead of the more traditional 26"

 

[clone2011]

I'm confused, is 29er a brand, or just a slang for a mountain bike that doesn't have knobby tires?

edit: never mind. Upon further research, a 29er is referring to a 29" wheel instead of the more traditional 26"

Obviously you've answered your own question, but just to add some confusion there is also a very solid brand of "29er" bikes made by a company called "Niner". And some people do call all 29ers, regardless of brand, a niner.

Not to be confused with these Niners though:

 

[cyspike]

And sometimes you get a great deal. I've got over 2500 miles on my bike I bought at Goodwill for $10.

Whatever you do, don't order a bike with a kick stand. I've been told I ride pretty well "for a guy with a kick stand." D-bags

I started on a cheapo and put 1500 on it (and got in pretty good shape). Then I got a better bike and could tell a big diff. just in ride quality, made me want to ride more ect... Ride what you can afford and then get a bike for about $400. Don't let these guys in their tight bike shorts and $300 sunglasses make you feel bad. They think the added "pounds" of a kick stand will slow you down. They think when you ride it's always a race. I'm sure it's the same thing these guys wives think in bed.

 

[Torn]

My kick stand is at least 8".

 

[cyspike]

My kick stand is at least 8".

That's why you want to keep it. Alot of these bikers would also cut off those 8" if it could save them a little weight on their bike rides.

 

[nrg4isu]

If it's not this bike don't buy it.

Seriously though, you can't buy much of a bike for 150, but it doesn't sound like you need or want much of a bike. You sound like you just want something to get from point A to point B. If that's the case, go the goodwill route. Don't even bother buying a bike lock. In my opinion if you want to buy a quality bike, don't even look at anything under $500.

 

[Cy4Patriots]

If it's not this bike don't buy it.

Seriously though, you can't buy much of a bike for 150, but it doesn't sound like you need or want much of a bike. You sound like you just want something to get from point A to point B. If that's the case, go the goodwill route. Don't even bother buying a bike lock. In my opinion if you want to buy a quality bike, don't even look at anything under $500.

I'm going to get a Giant Roam 2