General Cycling Discussion - is this bike any good?

im just getting into bikes, mainly coz its cheaper and much quicker to get in and out of central london via bike.... i live 4.5 miles away and need to go in and out a couple of times a week.. right now, coz im just tryin it out, im looking for something cheap that'll do the job (i dont wanna spend too much and then only use the thing twice or it get stolen when locked up in the middle of london).. ill get something better if i really get into it....

for now i want your advice on this bike ive found for sale... its a 'falcon venom' from 1996 and has had one owner.... i cant find anything about the bike.. but the guy doesnt want much for it so it might be worth a go....... any ideas if its any good?

this should be a pic of the bike:

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2666/bike14nu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Can't tell much from the pic... General guidlines:
1. Bolt-on wheels? Usually found on cheapies
2. Frame material. If it's marked "hi-ten" steel or something similar, likewise. Better would be Cro-Mo (Chrome Molybedenum) Aluminum, etc.
3. Components. Better grade of Shimano bits, like Acera or better, generally indicate a better bike.
4. Are the other parts steel or aluminum? Steel stem, seatpost, hubs, etc. again indicate a cheapie.

Just because it's not a brand name that jumps out at you does not mean automatically that its junk; lots of small makers put their names on decent bikes. We have a Novarra that we found abandoned. Looks like a junker, but all LX components, Cro-Mo frame, etc. A decent-quality bike.

i cant get a look at it.. ive just got this pic and any questions i wanna ask and then say if i want it or not..... i was hoping somebody might have heard of this model from 96 or have an old review or something.... (cant find anything online except a kids bike with the same name by the same company!)

i dont know much about bikes and this will be my first go at having a bike as an adult... im assuming its a nothing special bike.. its got 15 gears apparently!

thanks for the help

The Falcon range are pretty basic and cheap so you shouldn't expect too much re the quality of components. It could be ok for getting about but if you were planning on keeping a bike for any length of time it makes sense to go for better quality. However for what you want over sich a short distance this would do the business. Don't pay to much however as you can pick up one of these for around £40/ £50.

he's offering it for £35 plus throwing in a lock and front and rear lights... so not bad...

thanks for the info

hey guys

ive found another possibility by a company called 'huffy'
never heard of them... are they any good?

here's the bike:

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/4712/141b1wh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

hey guys

ive found another possibility by a company called 'huffy'
never heard of them... are they any good?

here's the bike:

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/4712/141b1wh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Nope.

so its bad then?
it looks quite cool...
is it worse than the first one?

what about this one?


http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/209/8d1b0os.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

back again...

all those bikes have been too big for me (ive figured out what size i need now)...
i had no idea this would be so complicated!

another option... but this one has an odd look to it, a little bit cruiser, a little bit hybrid..... anyone got any ideas what this is? it says emmelle champion (or maybe champian or grampian) on the frame... looks kinda fun...

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/4540/8a1b8zp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/9964/a31b0zd.jpg (http://imageshack.us)