ryts100

Hi all, I'm new here and looking to buy a road bike, as it's cheaper than a car. I'm pretty new to bikes, so if anyone could point out a few bikes, or give me some pointers/tips, i'd appreciate it. I'm not really sure what I want in a bike, other than it being affordable- around $300, less if possible. I've gone through the "Intro to Road Cycling:..." sticky and read a couple links in it but there's so much information in it I get kind of lost.

RT

Welcome, ryts. There are a bazillion threads on this, and I thought there was a sticky about sub-$700 bikes. Before you catch too much flak, please try the Search function.

bonz50

a low end used bike from any of the major brands (trek, giant, cannondale, specialized, fuji, etc.). you're not gonna find much new in that price range. craigslist is your friend. consider upping your budget to 400 and you'll find a much greater variety.

Rex81

You won't find anything decent new for that price. You'll be lucky if you can find anything decent used at that price either. Best to save up at least $700 and hit your local bike shop so you can make sure you get the right size, fit, warranty, advice, and free tune-up.

Or save some money, estimate what size you need (there are rough sizing charts for each of their bikes) and spend at least $500 at bikesdirect.com. Get Sora components or better (I think Tiagra is a great value). Something like this would be good: https://bikesdirect.com/products/gravity/liberty_2.htm

Craigslist is great if you know what you're looking for, otherwise it's risky and should probably be avoided by newcomers. There are some really nice 80s Japanese steel road bikes with awesome Suntour components that are way undervalued (in my opinion) and can be had for $200-300, but they're not as lightweight as newer bikes and you have to shift on the downtube (not intergrated with the brakes like new bikes).

Don't forget to ride the piss out of whatever bike you get.

Carbon Unit

My bike is worth more than my car but you can certainly find a bike for less money than a car. I would check out Craig's list first. If you have any local bike clubs, hit their website and see if they have a classified page. Bike Forums also has a classified section.

You need to determine your size. Do a search for bike sizing and there are websites that can help you figure out what size you need.

SlimRider

Welcome To Bike Forums, Ryts100!

Find out if there's a bicycle co-op near you somewhere. If so, join the co-op. Have the co-op leadership assist you in finding an old 80's era chromoly steel road bike frame. You could very well find such a frame or bike in your local Craigslist. Therefore, monitor your local Craigslist very closely. Once you've located such a bike or frame, take someone with you who is very familiar with bikes, so that they can advise you concerning its overall condition. Use the co-op to install needed components and make necessary adjustments, under the advisement of veteran bicycle mechanics.

If there is no co-op, then just make the purchase off of Craigslist, and use your search engine to find videos of specific tasks that need to be performed upon your bike. There are also bicycle repair and maintenance videos in many public libraries.

Good Luck

Rex81

I'm going to respectfully disagree with the idea that this will suit your needs just fine. My fear (and I've seen this happen time and again) is that you'll buy that bike (or something equally crappy) and hate it because it's rough and unreliable. Then you'll have this impression in your brain that riding a bike isn't fun and you won't ever ride again. When it actually is great fun, as long as you have half way decent equipment. I really think the extra $200 (or $400 if you go to a bike shop) will be completely worth it.

If you really only have $300 to spend and nothing more, you should get a friend who knows bikes to help you find one on craigslist.

bikemig 

Agree that the best way to go with a $300 budget is to have a buddy who knows bikes help you deal with craigslist. You can find some great bikes on craigslist if you are patient and know what you are doing. I just bought my daughter a bike for $80 (an older specialized hardrock sport with a rigid fork) that is in terrific shape and which she is riding the heck out of but it took me almost 2 weeks to find the right bike for her. I put on 1.25 slicks, changed out the cables, and overhauled or adjusted the entire bike.



Personally I would not go the bikesdirect route if you don't know bikes well. One thing the OP has not made clear is what kind of riding he wants to do. We need to know that (as well as the budget) before anyone can give you good advice as to which bike to get. The point is that you need to find a bike that works for you and the kind of riding you want to do.

ryts100

I took a quick look in that thread before I left and most of the posts were pretty old. I'll look through it more closely now though, thanks!

ryts100

Oh wow, I didn't realize there were more replies. I thought the sponsors text marked the end of the page. Anyways, sorry for the late reply to everyone. As to budget, I don't have any significant amount of money of my own that I could put towards a bike yet (hoping for a job soon). I'd have to rely on my parents to pay for it, which really limits my budget. Assuming I had $400-$500 for a bike though, what would be some good bikes? I'm planning on going to The Off Ramp or some place similar soon with a couple friends, one of which is also looking to buy a bike. Is there anything I should look for or ask the people about? I'm going to ask to get sized and maybe some recommendations, but other than that I'm not sure.

Rex81

You still haven't told us what kind of riding you'll be doing. Do you value comfort over efficiency/speed? Do you want to be more upright or streamlined? Are you ok with drop (curving under) handlebars, or do you think you want flat bars? Are you looking to put on a lot of miles, or do you just want to cruise around the neighborhood or on a bike path? I'd recommend going to some of the big manufacturer websites to look at what they have and how much they cost. Google Trek, Giant, Cannondale, and Specialized. They all make comparable bikes of good quality. But you won't find any traditional drop bar road bikes for less than $700.

If you're just looking for something to put around on, you could get something like the Specialized Sirrus for $500.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/...name=Multi+Use

But it's not really a "road" bike. I assume you're in this forum because you're looking for something sporty, faster, more efficient.


I googled The Off Ramp and it looks like a shop in Silicon Valley. They carry Giant, Raleigh, and Scott brands among others. Take a look at the Giant Defy.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/....5/9014/48856/

You can get the lowest model for $650. That's about the cheapest you'll find for a real road bike. Find a size that fits, test ride it, and that will give you a good idea of what a cheap road bike feels like. If you like it and can get the money, buy it.

ryts100

I'll be doing a lot (or a not so much compared to you guys?) of road biking, going to and from school, friends, etc. I'm not sure about comfort vs. efficiency, but I don't want to be super uncomfortable. I'd be varying between being rushed and going fast, and taking my time and just rolling along. Right now I'm more comfortable being more upright since I've never really biked before, but I can go streamlined too. Drop bars are fine I think.

mprelaw

Might be worth checking Craigslist for some vintage steel frame road/touring bikes with friction shifters. $300 can get you a lot of bike that way, a much better value than a $300 box store new bike. Good for commuting, and good for your development as a roadie, and much less likely to get stolen if you leave it unattended for a spell. Call the seller and arrange a test ride. Invest $50 or so in a LBS tune-up and any fit adjustments needed. Friction shifters tend to be less temperamental, and it's like learning how to drive on a manual and clutch. Once you master shifting those, indexed shifting will be a breeze. When you're sure you're going to stay with it, and as you save your pennies along the way, then start looking at new bikes. Start around a grand with Tiagra components. Keep the vintage steel bike as a winter/rain/ ride. You can even fit some of them with fenders for bad weather.

fiataccompli

the other thing about a vintage bike is if you take care of it it will probably sell for the same thing you paid for it, so you get that initial investment back out of it to put towards a new bike if you end up buying a new (other, actually) bike.

therh

$300 is a tough budget, though if you look on Craigs list you would be supprised what you find, though makes sure you do as much as possible. I just bought my first race worthy bike, and was was $1,300 on sale for $850 (2011 Fuji Roubaix 2.0 all Tiagra). If you are buying new or use, skip the Sora series and go with Tiagra or higher. The Sora gear set is extremely mushy and has clunky shifting in my opinion. Look for an older bike, from year 2000-2005, and you can run into a great deal.

therh

Oh and to find the size of you will need use this site https://www.ebicycles.com/bicycle-too...izer/road-bike

Rex81

I know I might take some heat here, seeing as this is the road bike forum, but I'm going to recommend you find a cheap single speed instead of a true road bike. They're dirt cheap, and there are loads of them on Craigslist for as low as $100 built up from 70s and 80s frames. No gears means very little maintenance, tuning, etc. and also means you don't have to know much about bikes to buy one used. What you see is what you get. Components grade, quality, brand, etc is less important this way. Find one, check it out, make sure it's a comfortable fit, and ride it. If the tires spin smooth and straight and everything seems to work as it should (i.e. propels you in a forward motion), you're good. It will build up leg and lung strength, and you might find it's very relaxing to not have to think about what gear you're in. Nice for riding around town with friends.

Bikesdirect.com has a ton of new ones too as cheap as $250 shipped.
This one would probably work well. It comes with brakes (some of them don't), steel, relaxed geometry frame for more comfort, and decent entry level wheels.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...steel.htm#size

ryts100

I'm keeping an eye on craigslist to see if anything interesting pops up. I have a friend who is pretty familiar with bikes, and another who really knows bikes. I'm going to clear any options with them before making a decision (for used bikes). I'm planning on going to the Recyclery sometime in the next week with a couple friends to check out what they have.

SlimRider

Good idea, Ryts100!

Just remember to stick with the chromoly frame. I've had mine for almost thrity years...It still rides like new!

alexaschwanden

Cannondale caad10 is a good choice.

ryts100

Hey guys, I've been keeping an eye on craigslist, and found this: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik/3011742261.html
Any thoughts on whether or not I should get it?

fishymamba

Wanna tell me where I can get one for $300? I'll get three please.

fishymamba

How tall are you? Age? That is pretty big sized bike. You have to make sure that the bike fits you.

Otherwise, it looks like a standard bike, components are not that good, but what can you expect for $200.


Like everyone else I recommend that you save up and get a better bike straight from a bike shop.
I got my Cannondale CAAD9 for $850 from a local shop and my friend got a Trek 1.2 for less than $700. Ask your local shop, if they have any floor models that they can sell to you for a discount.

ryts100

I'm around 5'9" - 5'10", 125 lbs, 17 years old. It's tough for me to save up any money right now because I don't have a job. I'll ask about the discounted floor models when I go to a bike shop, hopefully today.
EDIT: How about this one? https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/bik/3013353651.html

Rex81

That bike is way too big for you. There are exceptions, but generally, if you're looking at a vintage bike, you'll probably be in the 54-56cm (or 22", or Medium) range. Don't make the mistake of getting a bike that doesn't fit.

Keep looking, something will turn up.