artesc

Hey everyone. I'm new to these forums, so give me break. I'm a student in Boston and 1) I really want to get into bicycling, 2) i need a good entry level bike to get around. Like I said, I live in Boston and I need a good bike for getting around school and the city. I need to carry a moderate amount of stuff. The vast majority of the riding I do is on the streets and sidewalks. Right now I'm using an old Raleigh Rapide (circa 1980's) that I got off of craigslist for 35 bucks. I've been looking around a bit and I found these bikes. i am fairly used to riding with the drop-down style handlebars, the raleigh i have has them, so that's not too much of a concern. i'm also looking to put some fenders and a luggage rack on it? how can you tell what's compatible with what?
never heard of the brand, but as an entry level thing, are they ok? is quality good? remember, i'm completely new so i don't know what to be looking for.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...cane_elite.htm


https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy.htm

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/lttour.htm

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ellington3.htm

this of course is my dream bike...but way out of my budget (300-500) dollars.
https://www.dirtragmag.com/blogarific...leigh-sojourn/

one more question. in terms of components, what are quality items? what should i be looking for? if i want to upgrade the components on a bike, how do i make sure they are compatible?

thank you so much!

Andy_K 

The big thing with Bikes Direct is that you need to be able to judge the size you need from the geometry specs, and you need to be able to do some assembly work yourself. If these things don't scare you, you're probably OK with those bikes. If they scare you even a little, you might want to try an LBS.

Look at the Kona Dew or Jamis Coda.

uke

Jamis Coda ftw.

Andy_K 

Oops, I missed your other questions.

Look for braze ons on the seat stays and extra holes on the frame and fork around the axels.


Quality of components is easiest to judge (for me) if they're Shimano. Shimano makes a wide range of parts from great to tolerable.

For road components they rank like this:

Dura-Ace
Ultegra
105
Tiagra
Sora
2200

For mountain components (which you'll often find on the bikes in your price range) they rank like this:

XTR
Yumeya
Saint
Deore XT
Hone
SLX
Deore LX
Deore
Alivio
Acera
Altus
C-series/Tourney

I'm not quite sure how the two lists compare, except that Deore and Tiagra are about equal. I might have some of the low end in either category out of order, which is unfortunate because it's what you're likely to see. Most of this list I mention mostly for future reference, because most of these will be out of your price range.

When you're looking at other brands, SRAM is decent like Shimano. I don't know how they match up. Maybe somebody else know their scale better.

Looking at brakes in your price range, you'll probably see Pro Max, Tektro and maybe Shimano. Pro Max is the worst of these and Shimano probably the best (but not always). Tektro are OK.

On new bikes, you have a lot of possibilities for upgrades. A lot of things can be made to work with enough adapters within a type of component.

Beyond that, ask questions about specifics. It will get subjective pretty quickly.

BigDaddyPete

I purchased this https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...m_cross_cx.htm

takes a rack, cx tires handle beat up new england roads a little better. I like it. Good luck though, I too love that Raleigh

artesc

hey, I never saw that one. well, it seems like a pretty good deal although i noticed that it didn't come with pedals. how much do pedals usually run? are they basically universal, or are they part-specific? thanks

one more question, as far as the quality is concerned with these "bikedirect" bikes, how do they compare with things from Trek, Cannondale, Specialized, etc? why are they so much cheaper than comparably spec'd bikes from other companies? is it just because they are truly "factory direct" or is it the quality? thanks.

BigDaddyPete

pedals are basically universal....any lbs will stock them as do nashbar.com, performancebike.com or bikeisland.com.

I'm sure there are other sites I'm overlooking but that gives you more than enough to work with. You'd probably want really basic pedals with straps as opposed to clipless to start, although there are those who will "correct" me I'm sure.

resipsa

First off, welcome to Boston! Where are you going to school? Depending on the area, people on here (myself included) can possibly recommend a good LBS to you.

I can't speak to the latter part of the above post, but pedals are pretty universal. There are some odd sizes of pedal axles out there (especially from the past), but they're rare enough to dismiss entirely. People's pedal preferences are diverse enough that they really need to make them interchangeable, something hinted at by the aforementioned lack of pedals.

As this is going to be a college commuter (where the chances of you biking to a party are somewhat high), you'll probably want to go with either plain pedals or platforms with clips and straps. Either way, it's not expensive unless you're going for crazy track pedals. For metal pedals (plastic is slightly cheaper), you're looking at $15 to $25 for the pedals themselves and maybe that much again for a pair of metal clips and straps (plastic is cheaper here too).

Hope this helps and welcome!

artesc

I'm actually a Sophomore at Boston University so i'll be using the bike for the foreseeable future. at first i was considering getting a moped, but bikes are just so much more elegant, plus infinite gas mileage and no emissions! Thank's for the info on the pedals (daddypete, resipsa). i've looked at a couple of bike stores (landry's on comm ave) but what they have in my price range (<600) is very limited. That's why I went online. I've looked on craigslist, but I don't feel comfortable enough yet in judging the value of a bike to spend 300-400 on something there that I don't know will last. i really like that bike that daddypete linked to, the motobecane fantom cx, but i don't know about the quality of the brand. if you can recommend any lbs around here, that would be great. Thanks. looking forward to riding (a decent bike).

artesc

the best i can guess at on craigslist here in boston is something like this...

https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/bik/835004255.html

but again, I am no expert.

dwr1961

The Motobecane is a better quality bike for the price than what you'll (generally) find in a shop. That's because of the lower overhead that the internet seller has in this case. It's a good versatile starter. If you (or a knowledgeable friend) can do a little assembly from the box and can make some adjustments to the cables, etc. as you break her in, then I'd strongly consider going that route.

A bike shop will (usually) fit you properly on your professionally assembled chosen machine, swap out seats and/or stems if needed and adjust everything for a specified period as you begin cycling. The cost for their services is reflected in the higher price you'll pay.

As far as the brand goes, well most bikes in the price range are built in the same handful of factories in Taiwan or China. It's so similar to it's competitors that we bike nuts will focus more on components rather than the frame itself (which is the only thing that makes it a Motobecane).

Motobecane, by the way, was a French manufacturer that went belly-up many years ago. Someone bought the rights to their name (they had a good reputation) and now all of their bikes are made in Asia. Same thing with Masi and several others, too.

Hope that helps a little.

dscheidt

Does the Raleigh fit you? I'd be shocked if a 70's or 80's Rapide couldn't take fenders and a rack. If it's in basically in good shape and fits you, it's likely to be cheaper to add them to it, and make a few sensible upgrades to the bike.

no1mad 

Go to an LBS. You'll be better off. Bikes Direct is best for those people who have the knowledge/tools to do their own wrenching OR people that live where they would literally drive at least 2 hours one way to the nearest LBS.

artesc

well, it does fit me and it has a rack(that's why i know that I want to be able to put a rack on my new bike) but the bike itself is in pretty bad shape. when i got got it i basically took it completely apart and tried to clean some of the components because they were pretty rusty. the bolts and screws are rusty. the bearings in the tires are shot, the pedal chassis (is that what's called) is pretty bad. i changed out the brake pads and changed the cables for the brakes and the gears. i suppose it is adequate, but i really want to get something decent that i will be able to use for a while and plus i really want to get into riding. so. that's basically my reasoning for wanting a good bike. = )

resipsa

I am a B.U. alumnus myself. For you, in addition to Landry's, which I'm so-so on, there's Boston Bicycle over on Beacon, towards Kenmore from Audubon Circle (essentially across the street from An Tua Nua). I haven't been there, but I have been to its sister shop, Cambridge Bicycle, which is pretty good. Cambridge Bicycle has a bent towards fixed-gear bikes, but has a pretty good selection of road racers and commuters, and I'd think that Boston Bicycle would be the same. In any event, they're pretty knowledgeable, and I think that they might have some bikes in your range. You can also check out Back Bay Bicycles on Comm. Ave. and Mass. Ave.; I wasn't that impressed by the people there, but they did have a pretty good selection of bikes. If I were you, though, I'd take a commuter rail from the Back Bay station out to Harris Cyclery (right at the West Newton stop). They will treat you right and will either have the bike you want or will get it for you. Oh, and if you're not a vegetarian, the second best BBQ in the Boston area is right there too: Blue Ribbon BBQ (second only to its sister shop in Arlington).

Just my two cents.

Boston Commuter

For a good selection in your price range, you should check out Bikes Not Bombs in Jamaica Plain. Their retail store is right by the Green Street stop on the Orange line. It's a unique place, worth the visit even if you don't buy your bike there.

They take in donated bikes to ship to Africa and Latin America. But they also pick out some bikes to recondition and rebuild with new components, and sell at their store. They have quite a few to choose from in your price range. They can also build up a new frame for you if it's in your budget (I know they sell Surly's).

Welcome to Boston! Be sure to pick up the Boston Bikemap at your LBS.

artesc

thank's for the tips. I'll probably be checking bikes not bombs out. see what they have there. = )

lil brown bat

Second BNB, it's a great way to go. Oh, and stop riding on the sidewalk -- it's just not a good idea in Boston.

thehum

Hey, I'm a BU junior. As for carrying stuff, I use a rear rack and shortened Milk Crate zip-tied to the top of it, along with a bungee net. This way I can just throw my backpack and whatever in my basket and go. If you go this route, there are a ton of milk crates behind Warren as of yesterday for the taking (not that i'm encouraging you to take any ). I was also considering the collapsable grocery baskets that mount on the sides of the rear rack but found the milkcrate for free first. Here's what milkcrate looked like on my old bike:



People on these forums who love the Jamis Coda convinced me to get one, But I found the '04 Fuji Silhouette I own now for a good price on CraigsList. Cambridge bicycle carries the Coda, where you can go and try them out. I went, and they are a very smooth ride.

I was pretty close to convincing a friend to buy from BNB but she wanted a bike NOW and BNB were closed when she finally decided she was ready to buy (we went to cambridge cycles)

Also, I'm working on handing out bike safety tips pamphlets around BU soon to give pointers on biking in the city, bike locking, bike parking at BU, etc. I started a thread about it over at the Advocacy and Safety forum. Oh, and be wary of that new bike lane.




from my experience:
-Landry's staff is friendly and mechanics knowledgable but everything is overpriced.
-Cambridge bicycle. Very friendly with knowledgable mechanics. Salespeople are hit or miss knowledge-wise.
-Boston Bicycle. a sister shop of cambridge bicycle. Whenever I've been there a guy who's always a complete d*ck. And they seem to always be understaffed and backed up with repairs.

Hmm I'll remember to convince some friends to make the trek out to Blue Ribbon sometime

artesc

yeah man, that place is a nightmare to get across. on my current bike, i've almost been hit twice there, even when I had the green light. I was going through the intersection and cars coming up from storrow drive just turn right without even looking, only luck and quick thinking saved me. i actually think i recognize that bike, because of the handlebars. lol. small world. I'll definitely be checking out bnb cambridge bikes and harris cycles (blue ribbon bbq... ; ) )

artesc

Hey, sorry to bother you all again and I've found (what I think) is a decent bike on craigslist. Here is the description. Selling for 600 plus 50 more for extra cyclocross tires and fenders.

Cannondale Cyclocross Bike, 50 CM, comes with Ritchey WCS bars and stem, Shimano Ultegra STI shifters, Tiara front derailuer, 105 rear derailuer, Trutativ Elita cranks, Felt carbon seat post and seat, Mavice CXP22 wheels.

what do you all think?

artesc

hmm, no thoughts then. I think i'm going to go ahead with it. thanks!

njm

artesc, how are you liking the new bike? I hope it worked out for you.

I was going to chime in with more bike shop comments if you're still looking for info...