What kind of bike should I buy?
May 17, 2010 6:37 PM Subscribe
Should I get a new bike, or a used bike? (Bonus points if you are in the Tremont area of Cleveland!)
I have a Pacific mountain bike I picked up at a yard sale a few years ago for $50. The rear wheel is bent from some kind of hard impact, but other than that it's in pretty good condition. It's not perfect, but it serves its purpose, and I've certainly gotten my $50 out of it.
My car recently went kaput, and in an effort to save money and get in better shape, I decided to go carless for as long as I possibly can. That means a 3-mile commute to and from work every day on city streets, plus whatever other riding I may need to do when I can't use my wife's car or take public transit.
Over the weekend I went to a local bike shop chain, Century Cycles, to pick up some essential commuting gear: fenders, rear rack, and panniers. I brought my bike so they could get me the right equipment. The guy there put it up on the rack and told me it would probably need about $200 worth of work to be in really good shape for the season. This included a new rear wheel, new tires (because he said the current tires are dry-rotting and cracked), flushing the gear shifts, and a general tuneup. He implied that the bike is probably not worth that much and I might be better off getting a new bike that doesn't need any work. Here's the bike I looked at while there that seems to be my best choice: Diamondback Insight RS, $449 on special. They did not have any bikes under $300. I ended up not buying anything, including the gear I originally wanted.
Today after work I stopped at Shake Cycle in Tremont, my neighborhood. Shaker Cycle is a dirty, cramped, stuffed full of old gear, old school bike shop run by a guy who is kind of weird but, from all accounts, really knows his stuff. He did a tuneup on my mountain bike last year and managed to get a good bit of the bend out of the rear wheel. Today, first he belittled me (goodnaturedly) for going to an "expensive bike shop" where he said I would get ripped off for a bike that was made in China. According to him, all bikes are made in China, usually at the same factory, no matter what the brand name. Then he told me the tires on my bike are fine, and he put it up on the rack and tweaked the back wheel a little more, and sprayed some WD40 into the gear shifts. And he didn't charge me.
He wants to sell me a 30-year-old Japanese bike that he thinks would be perfect for me. It's a shorter frame with 27" wheels (I'm 5'6" and stocky), and he says it's got excellent gears (biopace? oval? I know nothing) and pedals. He also says it's made out of steel and will last me forever. He's not done tuning it up yet, so I didn't get to test ride it, but he wants $275 for it.
So do I get the new bike or the used bike? I need something that can stand up to repeated city street riding, something that is reliable and strong, and something that is fun to ride. My current bike is serviceable but if there are better options out there, I think I'd like to trade up. What do I do?
I have a Pacific mountain bike I picked up at a yard sale a few years ago for $50. The rear wheel is bent from some kind of hard impact, but other than that it's in pretty good condition. It's not perfect, but it serves its purpose, and I've certainly gotten my $50 out of it.
My car recently went kaput, and in an effort to save money and get in better shape, I decided to go carless for as long as I possibly can. That means a 3-mile commute to and from work every day on city streets, plus whatever other riding I may need to do when I can't use my wife's car or take public transit.
Over the weekend I went to a local bike shop chain, Century Cycles, to pick up some essential commuting gear: fenders, rear rack, and panniers. I brought my bike so they could get me the right equipment. The guy there put it up on the rack and told me it would probably need about $200 worth of work to be in really good shape for the season. This included a new rear wheel, new tires (because he said the current tires are dry-rotting and cracked), flushing the gear shifts, and a general tuneup. He implied that the bike is probably not worth that much and I might be better off getting a new bike that doesn't need any work. Here's the bike I looked at while there that seems to be my best choice: Diamondback Insight RS, $449 on special. They did not have any bikes under $300. I ended up not buying anything, including the gear I originally wanted.
Today after work I stopped at Shake Cycle in Tremont, my neighborhood. Shaker Cycle is a dirty, cramped, stuffed full of old gear, old school bike shop run by a guy who is kind of weird but, from all accounts, really knows his stuff. He did a tuneup on my mountain bike last year and managed to get a good bit of the bend out of the rear wheel. Today, first he belittled me (goodnaturedly) for going to an "expensive bike shop" where he said I would get ripped off for a bike that was made in China. According to him, all bikes are made in China, usually at the same factory, no matter what the brand name. Then he told me the tires on my bike are fine, and he put it up on the rack and tweaked the back wheel a little more, and sprayed some WD40 into the gear shifts. And he didn't charge me.
He wants to sell me a 30-year-old Japanese bike that he thinks would be perfect for me. It's a shorter frame with 27" wheels (I'm 5'6" and stocky), and he says it's got excellent gears (biopace? oval? I know nothing) and pedals. He also says it's made out of steel and will last me forever. He's not done tuning it up yet, so I didn't get to test ride it, but he wants $275 for it.
So do I get the new bike or the used bike? I need something that can stand up to repeated city street riding, something that is reliable and strong, and something that is fun to ride. My current bike is serviceable but if there are better options out there, I think I'd like to trade up. What do I do?
Response by poster: I have not checked out the Co-op yet, but it's pretty much on my commute, so I should go there.
posted by starvingartist at 6:52 PM on May 17, 2010
posted by starvingartist at 6:52 PM on May 17, 2010
A solid used steel frame is a good way to go, the equivalent quality new would be much more pricey. Got my current one from a used place in Boston called Bikes not Bombs, it's been great.
posted by sammyo at 6:59 PM on May 17, 2010
posted by sammyo at 6:59 PM on May 17, 2010
FWIW, the 70's and 80's era Nishkis (err, what Shaker guy said) are super hot right now with ALL the kids in LA. They're sturdy with a fixed gear, uber-functional, and they way they paint them all neon and use really big colored rims these days they look, in the nomenclature of our times, tight. The going price for a tuned-up, totally refurbished older Japanese-fram fixie around here is ~$300, so as long as you trust your bicycle repairman to know what he's doing around the non-fixie gears, I'd say you're getting a pretty good deal.
posted by carsonb at 6:59 PM on May 17, 2010
posted by carsonb at 6:59 PM on May 17, 2010
Response by poster: I was doing a little more research, and I remembered that he said the frame of the Japanese bike is Cro-Moly.
The Diamondback is aluminum.
posted by starvingartist at 7:13 PM on May 17, 2010
The Diamondback is aluminum.
posted by starvingartist at 7:13 PM on May 17, 2010
I highly recommend a steel steed. I used to ride a Nishiki that I converted into a fixie (how I miss you Johnny5) and every time I took it out for a spin it felt like I was riding on butter. Aluminium is light and cheap but it's a very harsh ride. You'll feel every bump and crack as you ride over them.
$275 seems a bit steep to me for an old steel bike. It's garage sale season and you can usually find some pretty sweet bikes for a good price that people have no use for any more. Take a friend that knows a thing or two about bikes with you. I love helping my friends find new two wheeled transportation.
Bikes will break, like anything, but a properly made alu. or steel bike kept clean, dry, lubed and free from accidents will likely last you a very long time.
posted by talkingmuffin at 7:24 PM on May 17, 2010
$275 seems a bit steep to me for an old steel bike. It's garage sale season and you can usually find some pretty sweet bikes for a good price that people have no use for any more. Take a friend that knows a thing or two about bikes with you. I love helping my friends find new two wheeled transportation.
Bikes will break, like anything, but a properly made alu. or steel bike kept clean, dry, lubed and free from accidents will likely last you a very long time.
posted by talkingmuffin at 7:24 PM on May 17, 2010
The only thing that matters is if you like riding the bike. It should fit you, be in good to great mechanical shape and be FUN to ride. A bike that you want to ride will get ridden!
posted by amanda at 7:25 PM on May 17, 2010
posted by amanda at 7:25 PM on May 17, 2010
I'm riding a mid-80s Miyata. Bought the bike on Ebay for <$200 but have easily spent double that on tune-ups and upgrading (with vintage) components. No regrets but the only thing I'd say about 27" wheels is that there isn't the variety of quality tires available that there are in 700c (at least not in Toronto).
posted by dismitree at 7:42 PM on May 17, 2010
posted by dismitree at 7:42 PM on May 17, 2010
It's true that almost all bikes are made in a handful of factories in China or Taiwan. That doesn't make them bad.
$275 for a 30yo bike that probably wasn't anything special new is a lot. Steel is not indestructible—I'd be surprised if it didn't have some rust on it. But I wouldn't get too worked up over the frame material.
Get the bike you enjoy riding more, especially if you're going to have the bike for a long time.
posted by adamrice at 7:43 PM on May 17, 2010
$275 for a 30yo bike that probably wasn't anything special new is a lot. Steel is not indestructible—I'd be surprised if it didn't have some rust on it. But I wouldn't get too worked up over the frame material.
Get the bike you enjoy riding more, especially if you're going to have the bike for a long time.
posted by adamrice at 7:43 PM on May 17, 2010
Whoa, the biopace oval is kind of a weird old thing that almost nobody uses anymore. I don't think it should really be a particular selling point for you as a beginning cyclist. Cro-Moly just means a steel frame and I agree with the above people that $275 is kind of a lot for a 30 year old bike. You could probably find one on craigslist for less than $200 ex: http://cleveland.craigslist.org/bik/1745367543.html
posted by ghharr at 7:55 PM on May 17, 2010
posted by ghharr at 7:55 PM on May 17, 2010
I think $275 is a fair price for a 30 year old bike that's completely tuned up. You may be able to find one on Craig's list for $100 less, but who knows the last time its hubs were greased? You'll have to spend the money you save getting it tuned up anyhow.
posted by hannahelastic at 8:45 PM on May 17, 2010
posted by hannahelastic at 8:45 PM on May 17, 2010
starvingartist: "sprayed some WD40 into the gear shifts"
I don't know what it means to "flush" a gear shift, so maybe he's totally correct, but I was generally taught not to spray WD-40 around unless I needed something loosened. It's a very light, volatile substance, so it's good for getting into frozen crannies and lubing them up for a few minutes, but it doesn't stay on long enough to lubricate. In fact, it can displace the existing lube and leave the part stickier than before, which is why you're supposed to follow up with something heavier. So it's a bit of a red flag that he just sprayed WD-40 into your gear shift and handed the bike back.
Can someone who knows more about bicycles comment on this?
posted by d. z. wang at 8:51 PM on May 17, 2010
I don't know what it means to "flush" a gear shift, so maybe he's totally correct, but I was generally taught not to spray WD-40 around unless I needed something loosened. It's a very light, volatile substance, so it's good for getting into frozen crannies and lubing them up for a few minutes, but it doesn't stay on long enough to lubricate. In fact, it can displace the existing lube and leave the part stickier than before, which is why you're supposed to follow up with something heavier. So it's a bit of a red flag that he just sprayed WD-40 into your gear shift and handed the bike back.
Can someone who knows more about bicycles comment on this?
posted by d. z. wang at 8:51 PM on May 17, 2010
RE: the quality of the older bike, without more details it's difficult to tell whether it's a not-so-great buy or a steal. You could be getting something decent but low-end, or it could be a mid- or even high-end touring rig. I really like BioPace stuff (and 80s Japanese bikes) myself, but I don't think the drivetrain or vintage or metallurgical content of the frame should determine which bike you buy.
More importantly, if you're seriously considering the older bike, take it for a ride first. If it has drop handlebars, your riding position will be a bit different from a straight bar. If the older bike has drop bars and you're uncomfortable riding with your hands on the brake hoods, keep looking for a different bike. The tires on the older bike will probably be narrower than those on your mountain bike, and that will make a difference too. Shift it a few times to make sure it shifts smoothly and that you're comfortable moving your hand off the bars to shift (bikes of this era typically have the shifters on the stem or the down tube -- if the shifters are on the ends of the handlebars, it's probably a touring bike and a nice one at that).
If you test out the older bike and are comfortable with the way it rides, I'd say go for it.
posted by cog_nate at 9:32 PM on May 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
More importantly, if you're seriously considering the older bike, take it for a ride first. If it has drop handlebars, your riding position will be a bit different from a straight bar. If the older bike has drop bars and you're uncomfortable riding with your hands on the brake hoods, keep looking for a different bike. The tires on the older bike will probably be narrower than those on your mountain bike, and that will make a difference too. Shift it a few times to make sure it shifts smoothly and that you're comfortable moving your hand off the bars to shift (bikes of this era typically have the shifters on the stem or the down tube -- if the shifters are on the ends of the handlebars, it's probably a touring bike and a nice one at that).
If you test out the older bike and are comfortable with the way it rides, I'd say go for it.
posted by cog_nate at 9:32 PM on May 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
Regardless of what you buy, ignore Shaker Cycle's "all new bikes are made in the same Chinese factory' scare tactic. There are both excellent and crappy new bikes on the market, regardless of where they're made. This was true 30 years ago as well; the oldies were not all goodies. I'm charmed by old-school bike shops (though it's probably been 20 years since I visited Shaker Cycle), and I have a great deal of respect for the deep reservoir of knowledge that accumulates in the heads of such old bike nuts, but the (perhaps only implied) notion that new bikes are all junk is just wrong.
Job#1 is finding a bike that fits you. The wrong frame size will never feel right.
Like cog_nate, I wouldn't sweat much over the difference between steel and aluminum frames. Aluminum can be lighter, but the tubes are fatter so the ride is supposedly stiffer. You'll never notice the difference in your short rides.
A bike with smooth road tires on lighter, narrower wheels will let you go further faster. The only downside is that there's less rubber and compressed air protecting the wheel, so they're easier to damage if you're careless about the potholes and curbs. I'd look at hybrid bikes, which are marketed as being able to do both on- and off-road riding. They don't really work well for off-road stuff, but they are good for urban environments.
Fixies (single-speed, fixed gear bikes) are popular now for reasons I find hard to fathom. In certain moods I can appreciate them in an aesthetic way, but they're impractical if you'll be riding up and down hills. A fixie would be fine in your immediate neighborhood, but if you ever rode it down into the Flats, you'd be walking the bike back up the hill.
Biopace -- meh. I had a biopace crank on my mid-80's Nishiki back when it was actually the mid-80's. I wanted to like them, because they were all the rage (designed with the aid of a computer!) but I never really did. I'm back to round chainrings, and happier for it.
When you're ready for a rack, trunk bag,etc., your money will go much further online, esp. on eBay or a discount bike site like Nashbar. Century Cycles is really expensive.
posted by jon1270 at 2:53 AM on May 18, 2010
Job#1 is finding a bike that fits you. The wrong frame size will never feel right.
Like cog_nate, I wouldn't sweat much over the difference between steel and aluminum frames. Aluminum can be lighter, but the tubes are fatter so the ride is supposedly stiffer. You'll never notice the difference in your short rides.
A bike with smooth road tires on lighter, narrower wheels will let you go further faster. The only downside is that there's less rubber and compressed air protecting the wheel, so they're easier to damage if you're careless about the potholes and curbs. I'd look at hybrid bikes, which are marketed as being able to do both on- and off-road riding. They don't really work well for off-road stuff, but they are good for urban environments.
Fixies (single-speed, fixed gear bikes) are popular now for reasons I find hard to fathom. In certain moods I can appreciate them in an aesthetic way, but they're impractical if you'll be riding up and down hills. A fixie would be fine in your immediate neighborhood, but if you ever rode it down into the Flats, you'd be walking the bike back up the hill.
Biopace -- meh. I had a biopace crank on my mid-80's Nishiki back when it was actually the mid-80's. I wanted to like them, because they were all the rage (designed with the aid of a computer!) but I never really did. I'm back to round chainrings, and happier for it.
When you're ready for a rack, trunk bag,etc., your money will go much further online, esp. on eBay or a discount bike site like Nashbar. Century Cycles is really expensive.
posted by jon1270 at 2:53 AM on May 18, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses so far! This is a lot to think about. I have a few responses to some questions raised here (implied or otherwise.)
1. My current bike and the new Diamondback both have straight handlebars. The Japanese bike currently has drop handlebars but Mitch (the guy) said he could change them out.
2. The Japanese bike has shifters on the front tube, which is something I'm totally not comfortable or familiar with, but again Mitch said he can move them.
3. I'm not interested in a fixie. I need gears.
4. Mitch said the Japanese bike probably cost $500 - 600 when it was first made. I have no reason to doubt him. I'll try to find out what kind of bike it is. I'm probably going back on Wednesday to try a test ride.
posted by starvingartist at 3:37 AM on May 18, 2010
1. My current bike and the new Diamondback both have straight handlebars. The Japanese bike currently has drop handlebars but Mitch (the guy) said he could change them out.
2. The Japanese bike has shifters on the front tube, which is something I'm totally not comfortable or familiar with, but again Mitch said he can move them.
3. I'm not interested in a fixie. I need gears.
4. Mitch said the Japanese bike probably cost $500 - 600 when it was first made. I have no reason to doubt him. I'll try to find out what kind of bike it is. I'm probably going back on Wednesday to try a test ride.
posted by starvingartist at 3:37 AM on May 18, 2010
FWIW, I'd look at this one on Craigslist. It's in Lakewood.
posted by jon1270 at 3:40 AM on May 18, 2010
posted by jon1270 at 3:40 AM on May 18, 2010
Here is a very nice-looking road bike.
Backing up a bit, you should put Google to work and get your head wrapped around proper frame sizing. Just by measuring the distance from your crotch to the floor (standing straight-legged, in shoes) and doing a few simple calculations, you'll be able to make a good guess as to which bikes will and won't work for you. That will make it much easier to sift through the hundreds of bikes on Craigslist.
posted by jon1270 at 3:59 AM on May 18, 2010
Backing up a bit, you should put Google to work and get your head wrapped around proper frame sizing. Just by measuring the distance from your crotch to the floor (standing straight-legged, in shoes) and doing a few simple calculations, you'll be able to make a good guess as to which bikes will and won't work for you. That will make it much easier to sift through the hundreds of bikes on Craigslist.
posted by jon1270 at 3:59 AM on May 18, 2010
By the way, another source for some pretty good used bikes is Oberlin, not TOO far away from Tremont (about 30-40 min by car, if memory serves). The police department there has a regular bike auction, and some of the bikes are really nice, and go for peanuts...
posted by bardophile at 4:31 AM on May 18, 2010
posted by bardophile at 4:31 AM on May 18, 2010
Yup, I'm in Oberlin now. The bike auction is held in the fall, when students return to campus. Right now there are (departing students') few bikes for sale but I doubt it's worth the trip from Tremont.
posted by jon1270 at 4:49 AM on May 18, 2010
posted by jon1270 at 4:49 AM on May 18, 2010
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posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:46 PM on May 17, 2010