General Cycling Discussion - Newbie Advice!

Hi all, great forums you've got here. Loads of information that I have yet to browse through.

Here's my story:

School is starting again and this year I've decided to ride to school since it's less than a mile away. I stupidly decided to go with the cheapest,coolest option I could get at wal mart, which was a Roadmaster mountain bike. Well the problems started to show when the back wheel turned out to be crooked, the back tire eventually got flat overnight, and the right pedal broke off while I was crossing a street. I was lucky enough to get a refund, and I plan on going to the local bike shop and used sporting goods store tomorrow to find something sufficient.

All I really need is for the bike to be a stable and reliable ride, and to be affordable (I can't just drop $250 on a used bike!). I've read some other forums and people say you can get older Treks for as low as $100, but what exactly would you be getting for that price?

There's a sidewalk the entire way to school, but it definitely isn't flat the whole way and I'll have to hop some curbs on occasion. I might take the bike out on trails when the weather is more friendly so I know a road bike is out of the question.

I remember riding bikes when I was younger, and the only problems I had back then were a loose handlebar and the occasional bubble on the innertube. Have I just been out of the bike scene for too long, or do they not make bikes like they used to?

The bike you were riding when you were younger may have been a kids bike (much more simple and less expensive).

In terms of finding a new bike... finding a decent/worthy ride for less than $250 is not going to be easy. Even with older bikes that have been well mantained, you will probably be looking at a price similar to that... but it would most likely be worth it. Cheaper bikes are less safe and will not last as long... think of the purchase as an investment.

hi, I personally don't think walmart bike are that bad, you might just have bad luck. I got myself a walmart bike a few year and I have put more than a thoudsand miles on it and never have any real problems with it. No crooked wheel, pedals flying off or even a flat tire. The only problem is with the shifter which only engage only 4 of the eight gear easily, and 2 of the 10 gears don't engage at all. My longest rides is like 16 miles and the gear problem is annoying but I could put up with it.

With all that say above, you might want to give Walmart another try since those bikes could go as low as $60, it doesn't seem you gonna ride that much so no need spend ton of money.

When I was about 9 or 10, I got a mountain bike..I'm thinking 24", but possibly 26". It was very heavy, but man that thing could take a beating. No idea what brand it was..but I'm thinking it could have been a Huffy, as those were the "it" bikes at the time.

I'm really stuck in a hard place here because cycling to school will help me to stay in shape and it'll cost me nothing, but I'm hesitant to get a cheap bike because they all seem to be made by pacific or whoever makes NEXT. I saw a decent aluminum Schwinn mtb at Academy sports for around $170, but if I throw in $30 dollars I can buy a commuter pass and drive to school everyday.

:(

Well for whats its worth here's what I think...I started riding a couple of years ago on a huffy mtb I found on the side of the road...My first 'upgrade' was a Giant Attraction mtb I found on the side of the road...the first bike I paid for was a 1985 Ken Howard road bike, I spent 46 bucks on it from EBay...I put a lot of miles on that bike and it has been great...however...I just bought a 2005 Specialized Allez...for around 700 bucks. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar the Specialized is the best bike I have ridden so far. I firmly believe that you get what you pay for. Did the found bikes from the side of the road work? Of course they did...and they would work for your application. I bought my sons bikes from WalMart last year for their birthdays...I really regret it... they have been nothing but trouble and I would never do it again. Shop around and buy the most bike you can afford. You will be happier in the long run. I assure you.