Urban bicycle purchase tips.

March 11, 2005 6:03 PM

I want a bicycle for casual, here-and-there riding on city streets. I want to spend under $150 CDN (~$125 USD). I don't mind buying used. What should I look for? What should I know before I go shopping? I know nothing about bicycle repair & maintenance. Bonus for Vancouver-specific tips. (Other Bicycle threads were for different needs/budgets).
posted by ori to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (24 answers total)

I know you mentioned previous threads, but this is still a good one, with lots of advice.
posted by smackfu at 6:16 PM on March 11, 2005

You won't find anything worth buying new for that price. I would look for a used Schwinn single speed bomber. They are kind of cool in a retro way and built like tanks. OK, that also means they weigh about the same as a tank, but for casual errands and short trips they are great. Everything is bolted on so locking up is simple. If you start adding gears then it will be harder to find something that won't fall apart, or hasn't already fallen apart for the price. In your neck of the woods you may be able to find a used fixie or single speed mountain bike for close to that price. At that price it won't look pristine but most of these are rugged, light and fun.
posted by caddis at 6:17 PM on March 11, 2005

Also, if you are on a tight budget, you should realise that you should make allowances for things like a lock, helmet (optional but wise), and lights (if you ride at night - so cars can see you), reflective doodads (night safety), etc. So, if you go used, you might get a 'deal' with all these thrown in. If you go new, you'll have to buy them in addition. Other things you may want to include: pump, repair kit. mudguards/fenders, lube (it's cheaper to do basic repairs/fixes/maintainence yourself), basket (for carrying stuff).

Cheap bike deals can sometimes be had at police, university, etc., auctions, where they sell off used/confiscated/abandoned property. Also, at the end of the university year, students sometimes sell things off cheaply.
posted by carter at 6:53 PM on March 11, 2005

I strongly disagree that you won't find anything for that price. I got a used Specialized Rock Hopper in Toronto for $160 (okay, $10 more) a few years ago and it's still going strong - great to ride, extremely durable and looks like a beater so nobody wants to steal it. I recommend looking for a mountain bike of a good make, they last forever. If you're in Toronto, try Sport Swap at Yonge & Davisville, that's where I got mine. Definitely get a helmet.
posted by biscotti at 7:03 PM on March 11, 2005

Craigslist Vancouver has a category of bikes for sale, many in your price range.
posted by NickDouglas at 7:03 PM on March 11, 2005

Best answer: I find a lightweight road bike (eg the "10-speed" style rather than the mountain bike style) is much easier for city cycling. I'm not in the same area as you, but I've noticed that old 10-speeds are usually considered worthless junk compared to modern racing road-bikes, and sold cheaply - even really good (though old) racing ones that are reletively unused.

Garage sales and thrift stores also tend to have cheap bikes - you're looking for the kind where the owner has bought a better bike, their old one has been sitting in the garage for a few years, they eventually come to realise they're never going to use it again and just want to get rid of it because it takes up so much storage space :-).
You also get good deals on bikes that need a minor repair (ie part replaced) - people can't be bothered fixing them.

Some other signs that a bike is in good condition or a good bike: The brakes work well, the gears change properly, absense of rust around the cables, nothing rubs when you spin a wheel (ie it's not warped), the wheels don't have any side-to-side give or wobble or grinding noise (bearings are good), it's lightweight, etc. Check there is not slack on the chain, and look at the gears (pedal and axle) to see if the teeth are worn to nubs. Either of these needs fixing else you risk the chain slipping while in the middle of an intersection in front of an oncoming truck. (Been there many a time - I'm slack at maintenance so I generally ride bikes into the ground :)

Don't buy or use a used helmet. They are easy to damage and a damaged one is identical to a good one. You should also check its certification. I hope BC prohibits the sale of sub-standard helmets, but lobbiests are powerful :)

Get the blinking LED lights, front and rear. They catch driver's eyes better, and the batteries don't die on you, and they're lightweight (every bit matters going uphill :-). A lamp is a nice addition, but I always get a front blinky first :-)
posted by -harlequin- at 7:25 PM on March 11, 2005

Get up early Saturday and hit the yard sales in a pleasant neighbourhood, like Kits or Dunbar. I paid $50 for a mountain bike that was $800 new. It's in perfect shape. Owner was just moving up to a better bike, and wanted to get rid of it. I could tell from talking to her that it wasn't stolen.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 7:33 PM on March 11, 2005

I second the advice about used helmets (not worth your life or brain damage to save $20), and if you can find a used Rock Hopper for US$120 in good mechanical shape I would grab it.
posted by caddis at 7:45 PM on March 11, 2005

If they sell them in Canada, buy a Huffy for the equivalent of US$80. If it's just for casual use, that will easily fit your needs. Just because it doesn't have a snooty name doesn't mean it can't do the job. If they don't sell Huffy in Canada, buy whatever they have on sale at Canadian Tire.
posted by Doohickie at 7:56 PM on March 11, 2005

I had so many Huffys as a kid.

I have a Giant Cypress DX now, comfort/hybrid bike. It's awesome, but wasn't cheap.
posted by corpse at 8:01 PM on March 11, 2005

Yup avoid used helmets - sorry, should have made that clear. Also make sure the helmet fits (i.e. not to small that it perches, not too large that it rolls about on your head).
posted by carter at 8:27 PM on March 11, 2005

i've also gotta disagree with the caddis' statement that You won't find anything worth buying new for that price. over the past ten years i've put thousands of miles on two bikes: neither cost more than $50. the best kind of commuter bike is a cheap one, one that won't be a target for thievery. honestly, one of the real joys of bicycle commuting is searching for, finding, and riding a bike that's more-or-less re-cycled; how much greener can you get? i can almost guarantee you that any one of your local bike shops has a few well-used-but-functional bikes in the basement that they would be willing to sell to you, for casual, here-and-there riding on city streets for a price that's well within your budget. just wander in (don't call) and talk with them. bike folks love to proselytize those genuinely seeking conversion.
posted by RockyChrysler at 8:51 PM on March 11, 2005

Jeez, don't buy a new Huffy or Murray or any bike from a big box retailer. They are 'assembled' by pimply faced teenagers. Your safety is worth more than that. You are much better off with a used bike shop level bike, which will have higher quality components. Comb the garage sales, flea markets, consignment shops, etc. Recruit a bike savvy friend to go with?
posted by fixedgear at 3:43 AM on March 12, 2005

I do city commuting on cheap bikes - all have been second hand for under 50 quid, and I can usually rely on them being stolen within a year or two... So what I do is get the cheapest I can find (uni noticeboards are good for this - especially at the end of term when visiting foreign students dump their stuff) then:

• replace the brake cables and blocks with cheap new ones
• replace the saddle (having a women's saddle makes all the difference)
• maybe replace the tyres (slick tyres are worth the investment on a mountain bike)

As others have said, don't forget to add in the cost of new lock, lights and if you don't have one, helmet. Something really bright to wear helps too - I have a luminous yellow workman's waistcoat-like thing which makes me look like a fool. But a visible fool.
posted by handee at 4:06 AM on March 12, 2005

Most big cities have a bike rescue operation somewhere. I used to volunteer at a place that pulled bikes out of dumpsters and brought them back to usefull life. We gave them away for free. These rehabbed bikes were far superior to the new ones in Kmart.

And listen to -harlequin- s/he knows what s/he's talking about.
posted by recurve at 4:19 AM on March 12, 2005

Jeez, don't buy a new Huffy or Murray or any bike from a big box retailer. They are 'assembled' by pimply faced teenagers...
Recruit a bike savvy friend to go with?

If you have bike savvy friends, let them look over the Huffy and make sure the pimply-faced teenager put it together properly. Assembling bicycles isn't rocket science anyway; you could probably do it yourself with a couple of cheap adjustable crescent wrenches and the enclosed directions.
posted by Doohickie at 8:42 AM on March 12, 2005

My experience with bicycles is that the big box names are generally adequate for most urban and light off-road (trail) riding. They may weigh more than the really expensive ones, and the derailers (shift mechanisms) may not work as smoothly, but the Huffy bikes get the job done.
posted by Doohickie at 8:47 AM on March 12, 2005

Another tip - a quick-release mechanism on the front wheel is absolutely indispensible for stuffing your bike into the back of a car when you are without a bike rack, and makes puncture repair a lot quicker too. The corallary is that it is also indispensible for a theif looking to steal a front wheel, so if bike theft is a problem in Vancouver, a quick-release means you should also pass the chain through the wheel when locking the bike. However, I doubt wheels are worth stealing unless they are really good (I've only ever heard of expensive wheels being taken), so this may not be a problem. I've noticed that bike theft changes dramatically city to city, country to country, and haven't spent long in Vancouver, so I wouldn't know what it's like there. (I've never had a problem with wheel theft even with really nice rims, and the advantage of being able to instantly make the bike fit in a car is more than worth it to me, but I still try to lock the wheels as well as the frame).
posted by -harlequin- at 10:13 AM on March 12, 2005

Another place you may want to check for bikes is at rental places. They usually sell off their stock at the end of the season and get new stuff for the following year. I got my bike (Giant ATX 760) that way for about half the price of what it would've cost new.

As for the "big box store" bikes, I've also ridden those and find that the quality of the components (brakes, gear system and cables) is fairly low. Those bikes are cheaper, but you get what you pay for IMHO.

I'd also recommend staying away from the mountain bikes if all you'll be doing is city-type driving. Get a road or hybrid bike instead -- they'll let you sit more upright and be easier on the back than a mtn. bike.
posted by aedra at 11:36 AM on March 12, 2005

My experience with bicycles is that the big box names are generally adequate for most urban and light off-road (trail) riding.

Good luck with that.
posted by fixedgear at 2:41 PM on March 12, 2005

You may or may not have read the horror stories about bike U-locks . . . but even if you have a cheap bike, buy a chain & lock or a cable lock. (I use the cute python one, though I'm sure it's not the world's best.) Weave it in a figure-8 around both wheels, the frame, and the bike rack or other stationary object.

Make sure the bike is the right size for you, and this will save you aches and pains.

Reflective tape is cheap and will also help your visibility.

The nice thing about an inexpensive-looking bicycle is that thieves will not be nearly so tempted to steal it!
posted by oldtimey at 4:40 PM on March 12, 2005

Old 3-speeds are findable at garage sales for good prices, tend to be built extremely well, and are extremely low maintenance. If you're lucky enough to find one with hub brakes (pretty unlikely), you've got an all-weather steed which will just keep on working.
posted by scruss at 5:32 AM on March 13, 2005

My experience with bicycles is that the big box names are generally adequate for most urban and light off-road (trail) riding.

Good luck with that.

That article doesn't point to any fault in bicycle design or quality, but rather talks about improper torque of the quick-release hub on the front wheel. That can happen on any bike, regardless of how expensive it is.
posted by Doohickie at 7:28 PM on March 13, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I ended up buying a mountain bike from the Bike Kitchen, my university's not-for-profit co-op bike shop. I recommend them highly to any Vancouverite who might be reading this thread in search of similar advice.
posted by ori at 2:16 PM on March 18, 2005