General Cycling Discussion - Worst bike you'd ride?

If you lost all of your current bikes and a minimal budget to replace them, what is the cheapest bike you'd ride?

My buddy had his Diamondback MTB stolen and had to sell his Simonetti road bike. Money was tight, so he accepted a free Montague folding MTB. We found a 80s vintage Giant MTB in the trash that needed a rear wheel which I had on hand. He's satisfied to ride them.

A: The one tat fit that I could afford.

Sounds like your buddy cares more about riding than about the name on the downtube. Good on him!

as a daily commuter, i'd ride anything that could functionally get me to work and back everyday, ideally at a decently quick pace.

I have a 1995 Walmart Huffy bike that I ride on occasion. It is completely rusted and both tires bobble from side to side and the gears seem to jump all over the place. I'm not sure why but I sometimes enjoy taking it out for spin. I think I like how dangerous it is to ride!

Bare minimum?

I won't ride something where the brakes don't work, where parts wobble excessively or keep falling off.

If it goes and stops, it's good. :)

If it goes and stops, it's good. :)

I don't know why exactly Crowell, but you just crack me up! :roflmao2:

- Slim :)

Yep I'm a commuter too; go, stop, number of bike related injuries not serious enough or numerous enough to prevent me from riding the next day.

If I ever did end up riding a huffy or the like I *would* cover all brand names in reflective tape. Maybe knit myself a bike cozy or something, to make it less embarrassing at least.

I test ride them all, after taking them down from the repair stand.

If all 6 of my bikes went away and I wanted to start again with something that was just basic transportation I'd order a hybrid or touring type bike from BD. I'd be ok with Sora-Tiagra level. I ride Ult-XT level stuff right now.

If it goes and stops, it's good. :)

And fits reasonably well. :)

all but one of my bikes are alt bike experiments and junkers (the good one i don't ride anyway). anything i replaced them with might just as easily be an upgrade.

I think $100 on Craigslist would get me a bike I could be happy enough to commute on. But I'd sooner sell other stuff I own to get a nicer bike.

I have a 80's vintage Schwinn Mirada ATB. It fits perfectly. $25.00 offa Craigslist. It could be my only if needed.

anything would work til I got something better.

yours.










:p j/k

Anything that was comfortable to ride for distances more than 40km.

Large frame Schwinn Varsity with straight rims for less than $50.00 off CL.

My worst bike to ride would be my old Schwinn LeTour. That thing is just sitting in the garage collecting dust.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b396/Gordo_Ruckus/Foo/Picture042.jpg

On holidays I sometimes hire cheap bikes or use those free ones that are really heavy singlespeeds with hub brakes. I still really enjoy using them.
The only bikes I dont like using are the cheapest, nastiest, full-suspension wanabee MTBs

I have always wanted to ride a 70s or 80s steel road bike so anything like that.

I have always wanted to ride a 70s or 80s steel road bike so anything like that.

That's what I grew up riding ... I've still got one in the garage. :)

From experience, I'd have to say it was the Montgomery Ward 10 Speed that I pressed into service a month before I graduated college. My brother had it in high school and it was still parked out on the porch when he moved from our apartment. My dad had bought it and my brother hated it. But before my college graduation, all my bikes had been worn down, needed new wheels and the like. So I pulled that bike off the porch, inflated the tires. (They held air!), lubed her up with some 3 in 1 and rode off.

It ran like a champ till two weeks later, the downtube separated from the bottom bracket. I used baling wire and turnbuckles to torque the frame back together. That got me through graduation and 3 days longer. I stripped off the good parts and threw it in the trash at work.

I've had two Sears Free Spirit 10 speeds. They were later models and both pretty minimalist. One had a seat that was as comfortable as Sheldon Brown's rock saddle. My ex got it in the divorce and the other I gave to a local bike coop.

And then there was a used 3 speed that my Dad bought for my brother and I to share when we were in high school. During the test ride, I knew that mechanically it was sound, but something gave me the creeps. During the time we had it, it seemed to have a penchant for mysterious breakdowns and unexplainable 1 bike crashes. I think it was possessed. In any case, one day my brother left it in a bad neighborhood and walked home. I guess the Montgomery Ward is how my Dad punished him. ;)

My favorite was a Le Prix 10 speed from Korea. I bought it used for $25 from a bike shop who had done me a few favors over the years. But, pump up the tires, knock off the dust (it had been sitting out in the desert for an unspecified period of time) and it was ready to roll. But it was actually very lively and a light frame for steel. It was fun to ride. Sadly, I lost it in the divorce along with the one Free Spirit. Anyone every heard of a Le Prix?????

But for minimal cost? This bad boy was free and has given me nearly 7 years of great service.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/LittleHardRock.jpg