Bicycle Buying Information

August 9, 2004 11:13 AM

I think I want to buy a bicycle.

Ideally, I'd like to pick up a used mountain bike (from ebay, the classifieds, a bike shop, wherever) for about $250. It needn't be fancy or ultra-lightweight.

My ideal bike needs to meet only two conditions: First, it should be ugly enough to be unattractive to thieves (paint chips that lower the sale price are a boon). Second, since I have been hard on forks and crank arms (I'm clumsy), a really rugged bike with rugged components would be a blessing.

My problem is that (on ebay alone) there seem to be hundreds of different bikes in my price range. My questions (and feel free to answer unasked questions):

1. Is there a particular sales channel that I ought to pay extra attention to?
2. Are there certain brands (or component brands) that are noted for their durability?
3. I often see good frames for cheap. Is building one's own bike a worthwhile pursuit?

posted by trharlan to shopping (16 comments total)

Might be worth your while to post a thread in the forums at the MN Offroad Cycle webpage. A lot of bike commerce happens over there.

Building your own's not too tough; if you're used to working on cars, bikes should seem like child's play.

Oh, and I've heard that Cannondale frames don't age well.... they're supposedly prone to failure on the downtube. I've never actually seen that happen, though, so it could just be rumor.
posted by COBRA! at 11:35 AM on August 9, 2004

1. Is there a particular sales channel that I ought to pay extra attention to?

Craigslist

2. Are there certain brands (or component brands) that are noted for their durability?

Specialized makes tough frames, and I've never had a problem with Shimono components.

3. I often see good frames for cheap. Is building one's own bike a worthwhile pursuit?

Definitely! It might be more expensive, over all, but you'll know how your bike works inside and out, which'll help you keep it in top shape.
posted by cmonkey at 11:43 AM on August 9, 2004

I'll second Specialized. I picked up a (very) used RockHopper years ago for dirt cheap, and it's still going strong. Plus, it's a great bike disguised as a beater, so very few people are going to want to steal it.

As to building your own, I'd say that unless you're sure that biking is going to be something you want to pursue enough to make that expense worthwhle, get a cheap used bike, ride it for a few months to see how much you really like biking, and then decide to go all-out on a really good bike if you want to.
posted by biscotti at 11:57 AM on August 9, 2004

Bicycle Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair is a great book to have handy for keeping your bike ridable.
posted by cmonkey at 12:12 PM on August 9, 2004

I just bought a Trek brand new for about that, and it's fantastic. I like the Trek brand too. You could ummm, scruff it up... :-)
posted by xammerboy at 12:19 PM on August 9, 2004

I used to get stuff stolen off my GT Tequesta until my dad painted it black with anti-rust paint to cover the paint chips and rust spots. Now it looks plainer and you can't tell the make of the bike. Also, no more stolen stuff.
posted by KathyK at 12:38 PM on August 9, 2004

Flat black spray paint is a good messenger's trick to make a bike look old. Primer looks grungy, too, and some people go so far as to simulate rust.
posted by Shane at 12:54 PM on August 9, 2004

Just a note, trharlan, as you noted fear of theft.

I had my front wheel stolen this week. It was a quick-release, so I guess I had it coming. Make sure a wrench is required to remove the wheels and seat. Some bike-thieves are well-prepared, but I don't think the guy who ripped me off was carrying a wrench. He didn't bother to take the back wheel, even though that was a quick-release as well, probably because it takes a minute or two to disengage it from the derailuer and chain. Lazy bastards.
posted by scarabic at 1:22 PM on August 9, 2004

You'll often find killer deals on the bulletin boards of bike shops patronized by hardcore cyclists, who cast off their old bikes. Although they're good deals, they may be out of the $250 range, but it doesn't hurt to look. I've also had good luck with rec.bicycles.marketplace on usenet.

A can of gray primer can do wonders to ugly-up a bike.

As long as you're not buying at the bottom of the market these days, most bikes are pretty darned good. Advances in metallurgy, Taiwanese robots, etc, have all made it so that a cheap-ish bike today is better than an expensive-ish bike 20 years ago.

Buying a bare frame and building it up is a fine option if you have the tools or a friendly relationship with a bike shop--they may let you scavenge their cast-off parts bins to build it up, too. Otherwise, it may turn out to be more expensive.
posted by adamrice at 1:34 PM on August 9, 2004

I'd try the bulletin boards at Freewheel (on Cedar a or two block from Riverside).
posted by Utilitaritron at 2:16 PM on August 9, 2004

that's "a block or two", obviously.
posted by Utilitaritron at 2:16 PM on August 9, 2004

Your local newspaper/classified ads paper is often a good place to start, and don't underestimate yard sales. Amazing how cheaply some folks are willing to part with that "old bike" that was ridden twice three summers ago before being forgotten at the back of the garage. With shipping costs sometimes $50 or more, what might seem a bargain on ebay can quickly turn into a poor deal.

In terms of general quality and reliability, any of the well-known brands are going to be very similar. With Shimano's monopoly on mid-level components over the last few years, they're pretty much all using the same stuff, anyhow. If robustness is a big criteria for you, a steel (rather than aluminium) frame might be a better choice. If you're not doing hairy-chested off-road riding, find a bike without suspension - less to go wrong, lighter, less maintenance and you don't need it, anyhow.

Building up your own frame is very doable and very satisfying - no amazing mechanical qualifications required. Don't count on it being a one-afternoon job, though. Nor will it be cheaper than buying a complete bike. Be prepared to spend a fair amount of time being frequently confused by the plethora of competing thread standards - especially if starting with an older frame. Exploit your local bike shop for advice if you get stuck. A little research goes a long way. Mr Brown and Mr Zinn should cover just about everything you need.

Another old messenger trick: Cut old innertubes into long strips and wrap your frame tubes with them. Makes your nice bike look like crap and protects it as well.
posted by normy at 2:37 PM on August 9, 2004

While we're on the subject of uglification techniques: when the nice, black, spandex coating of my gel seat wore out, I didn't replace it. The layer underneath is where all of the padding is, and it's all discolored beige with some black paint irregularly sprayed on - presumably to make the bottom of it match the spandex on top. If I ever replace it (I doubt I will) I'll immediately rip that stupid layer off.
posted by scarabic at 5:04 PM on August 9, 2004

My bike was stolen off my front porch this weekend. It wasn't a mountain, but a hybrid and I loved it dearly. A Bianchi Boardwalk, one of the steel models from a few years ago. Unless you actually plan on taking it off road I'd really reconsider a mountain bike. The hybrids are much better for the road with slimmer smoother tires and lighter frames and are often more comfortable to ride. Good luck with the anti-theft measures.
posted by jmgorman at 7:59 PM on August 9, 2004

I wish I'd spraypainted my bikes; three of them were stolen here and I'd imagine it would have helped.

I think you're doing the right thing to buy a mountain bike; I always found them more comfortable than road bikes for practical getting-around-town sorts of things. However, you might consider a hybrid unless you actually plan to do serious offroading (i.e. not cutting across the lawn); the wheels are still pretty robust and they're the main thing you've got to worry about fucking up, but the thing is lighter and moves quicker.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 9:57 PM on August 9, 2004

Re: Hybrid vs Mountain Bike

I made the switch to hybrid and it is much better for getting around efficiently. However, I had a nasty spill caused in part by cornering with excessive speed which the mountain bike could have handled. The hybrid, with lower friction tires, let me down (literally). It took 4 weeks for the cracked ribs to heal.

I felt really stupid for falling off my bike. Then Lance and the boys on OLN made me feel better.
posted by srboisvert at 9:05 AM on August 11, 2004