jlynn74

Yes, noob here.

I'm looking to buy a bike. I know nothing of buying bikes. Derailers make me think of Amtraks latest accident. Forks are something I eat with. I am 5"4, 27 inch inseam. I own two old bikes. An old heavy Raliegh and an old heavy peugeot. The peugeot has a broken front derailer, or at least thats what Amtrak told me. Its a ou-18, at least that is something I learned here on this forum. The problem for me is that these bikes are old, very heavy and strenous to ride - even on flat surfaces. So I want a new bike.

I have been looking at the deals on ebay for a new bike. It's not that I don't like my LBS, its just that my budget is limited. I would comfortably spend about 300 for a bike - including shipping. So, my budget is limiting me to motobecane's or some dawes cycles out there. I have read alot of bashes on those bikes here - this makes me weary of the purchase. The thing is - I do not plan on becoming an avid cyclist. I just love riding bikes. I will ride my bike on bike paths. I like to go fast on those bike paths. I want to trust my brakes. I don't care much for gears as I will be riding flat. I don't want a nice expensive bike since I live in Boston and my co-city-inhabitants like to steal nice expensive bikes. In short, I want something new, light, fast, reliable, and pretty. Oh, and something that won't need alot of work to fix up - meaning, I don't really want to buy used. I would have to trust the seller completly, cause lets face it, I wouldn't know any better buying a used bike.

I have been looking at the $250 bikes on ebay. Motobecanes and the Dawes cycle look good to me. The Dawes cycle ads looked weird because the listed a website that www.dawescyclesusa.com which looks bogus to me because doing a google search brought up https://www.dawescycles.com/ which is a much different site. Am I being duped by these brand new bikes/sales on ebay? For my type of riding, are these bikes reasonable?

Oh, and one more stupid question - I happen to like the extra brake levers on u-bars - the ones on the flat part? I don't use the the proper way - I like holding the bars on the side, with my palms facing eachother. When I ride like that, I can use those dummy handles to break. Can any drop bar break system be made to have those extra levers?

Oh, another thing - I hate flat bars. Hybrids won't work for me. I just like the drop bar style.

Any and all adice is appreciated, but please, I can't be distracted by reading arguments amonst youselves on whose opinion is wrong. Just practical advice from experienced cyclist. I think I provided you with too much information on what I am looking for, so please, if I left something out, please yell at me and confirm my ineptitude

grahny

Well, I'll try and help out a little here... from the little I know, the brake levers you're talking about I believe are usually only set up for cantilever brakes, which are commonly found on cyclocross bikes and mtn bikes. My suggestion, albeit I don't know how to do it for $300 with shipping, would be to get a low level road bike and change out the calipers for canti's and add the brake levers on the top of the bar. The Giant OCR 3 runs around $600 I think... canti's cost around $40 for something like an Avid Shorty 4, plus then the cost to have an LBS set it all up for you...

-or-

Giant also has a messenger style bike (bowrey I think it's called)... 1 hand brake, single speed (fixed or freewheel)... around $500...

-or-

get something like a bike path specific bike/urban bike and just have your local LBS switch out the flat bar for drops... Trek has the 7.2fx for around $400

I guess what I'm saying is there's an infinite amount of ways to do something like this, but I think more importantly you should go to the LBS and ride some bikes to see what's comfortable and what fits you before going right to ebay. Also, buying from your LBS you could get some sort of deal around maintenance (I paid $60 for 5 years of unlimited tune ups when I bought my bike... not too shabby... they'll also do anything else to my bike and won't charge labor... parts only... all under the same plan).

I say shop around and try bikes out first.

Good luck!
-Steve

Richard Cranium

I figure your too lazy to become a good consumer, so some how you expect some great results by tossing crap around the Internet. Maybe you don't even really want a bike, just a chance to tell everyone that you don't like trying to learn anything about buying a bike.

If you have any friends, then use one of them to listen to your whining, then have them make a decision, then you have someone nearby to blame for your eventual dissatisfaction.

You can thank me later......

jlynn74

Wow. That hurt. I didn't post to waste your time. I'm confused as to why you took the time to reply if my post was such a waste of time to begin with. But thats your problem, not mine.

As they say...

Who and what I am is my journey, What others make of me, that is theirs....

Your journey sucks if your wasting your time on condeming me.

In any event, I was asking for help. Thanks Steve for your comments. It sounds like I really need to visit my LBS. I appreciate your feedback since I am really concerned about being over-sold since I don't know that much about bikes. Also, the limited budget is holding me back. Your advice leads me to believe that I am not going to find something for under $500? I don't think I am out of line for looking for a suitable bike for my needs. I have read these forums and found that the bikes I am looking at on ebay are crap to some, but great for others. This leads me to believe that maybe "suitability" comes from the style of riding one is doing. I don't think that i need to go over-kill with my purchase since my style is casual. But given your comments, it looks as though I may have buy something other than these particuliar "cheap" bikes I am looking at.

dirtyphotons

STUNG

seriously though, for serious practical advice, internet forums are almost always the wrong place to go.

the ebay bikes are neither great nor terrible, but you can't ride before you buy. big mistake for a first time buyer. your butt will tell you what kind of bike to buy.

the side levers to which you are referring are nicknamed suicide levers, and they're called that for a reason. a man much smarter than myself describes them as extension levers here. in general, they are not compatible with newer components. you can get the same hand position by using a shorter stem, and riding with your hands on the brake hood. this is probably a safer option.

once you've got your bike, and are ready to have it mocked by anonymous strangers, come on back!

jlynn74

Thanks dirtyphotons.

I have visited Sheldons site when searching for advice. Funny you brought him up as I am planning on visting his bike shop this weekend to get "fitted". I'd like to know all the measurements prior to buying something online. Of course, if I found something in his bikeshop (only a few miles away from me) I would certainly buy it. Stupid of me, but his website exudes knowledge which makes me trust his shop. I was looking for advice here to learn a bit more before going to the shop - you have all been helpful -well...err, most of you.

Thanks again.

john bono

Frankly, for a first bike, I'd stay away from ebay or anything mail order. It isn't that the bikes are going to be junk. The problem is that you won't be able to tell whether or not the bike is good for you until you ride it. I bought a used Panasonic bike off ebay once. The bike was a good bike, shifted well, the wheels were true, and overall, it was an extremely nice bike which I bought for the princely sum of $50 including shipping. There was just one problem--it was built for someone about 5' 3". Not knowing anything about bike sizing at the time, I bought a bike that was just too small. I still have the bike, and I'm giving it to my sister for her birthday(she's a walmart bike victim). If you are looking for a bike, you are better looking locally for something used that you can test ride.

However, I wonder if it might not be better simply to take the raleigh and the peugeot to your LBS(Local Bike Shop), and have them take a look at them to see which is worth keeping. You might even be able to cannibalize one bike to make the other fully functional. From your description, they both sound like road bikes with drop bars, and that might be a cheaper way to get started.

"It's not the bike, it's the engine," is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot on these fora. It refers to when people buy the newest latest bike, and found out that even after spending 5 large, they still get their hat handed to them by some kid on a clapped out walmart special. I'd say your best option is to see how ridable both your current bikes are, or can be for little $$, then, once you are comfortable riding those bikes again, think about spending more money on a better bike.

jyossarian

Well, if you're not a bikesdirect shill and you live near Harris Cyclery, ask 'em for help getting into a bike within your budget. They may have some used or NOS stuff that might be suitable for you. And don't expect the fitting to be free. It might be free if you buy the bike from them, but if not, they'll probably charge you.

jlynn74

Ahh, see thanks for this. I am/was looking for my size to be a determining factor in my purchase. More importantly, I have thought about upgrading/improving my current rides. Thing is, is last year I dropped $125 buying a new seat, lock, getting the handle bars adjusted, brakes adjusted, new tires and tubes AND a new (forgive me) but the err, long part of the back quick-release replaced because my back tire was falling off. I stilll need the cables front derailers, and brakes replaced. For this kind of money, I could buy one of these new bikes, see what I'm saying? The big part for me is the weight. My experience with these older bikes tells me that I want an aluminum frame - lighter the better, right? (for my type of riding anyway) Your all helping out tremendously - your advice is giving me thought. Sometimes us noobs don't know how to pose our questions correctly until we read the replies and investigate some more.

Thanks again.

jlynn74

Oh, and just to thank you guys for offering your advice to someone who doesn't know as much as you about bikes, I can offer computer advice in return...thats my knowledgeble area...just private mesage, we don't want to go off topic.

jyossarian

There's a guy in Foo who can't delete spam...don't ask him for bike advice though.

Richard Cranium

Your right about one thing - this thread is a waste of time, my point, was that I knew it.........

domestique

Whoo there Richard..... suffering from saddle sores?

jlynn74, like others have posted go to a local bike shop (LBS) . They will be able to help you with everything you need.

I apologize for some people's comments here but at first glance your post looks like a "trolls". But, maybe you are truthfully just starting out. Anyways, I would stay away from ebay and online stores.... you can find great deals but if you have no idea what a derailleur is then you are going to have no clue how to face a bottom bracket. At a LBS they will be able to give you a proper fit and match a bike to your specific needs and budget.

Have fun!