You can get two here for $150....
https://columbia.craigslist.org/bik/3626109226.html

So Im looking for a first bike and indeed something cheap. I planned on buying something cheap to get me through the season, save up and really invest next year. If I cans find one of these for under $60, I'm in. I can throw an extra $40 into it and have a decent starter.

I scored one of these for 35 a few weeks ago, they didn't last long. i got it as a beater/cheap project. Here it is so far. I just sanded and painted over the clear coated decals. Since the pic I've been grinding off the useless tabs and making some of the welds look half way decent.

You probably shouldn't grind the weld dude.

noted. cleaning up a weld is perfectly safe. especially if it wasn't done or done right the first time. there are a couple of spots that are going to be re welded.

Some of welds on mine are sub par. It isn't so much that they are ugly, but they do have some undercutting, which on thin wall tubing is a cardinal sin and a sign of an unskilled welder.

Good luck with your re-weld project.

Here it is after I just threw it all back together after a half assed paint job. I'm happy with it for a cheap spare. Left the hub green on the front wheel as a reminder of the original scheme and because I didn't feel like painting it. Just need to adjust a few things now.

Well, at least she looks way better!

That's for sure. Like a $35 bike with about a few hunnert bucks of TLC thrown at it. Shows what people can do with raw materials. Probably cheaper and better to have dressed these welds and such at the factory.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-2013-R4-...:B:SHOP:US:101

Looks like the R-4 is 190 bucks at the Amazon.

did a little painting and a "new" back tire. i think im up to 45 bucks including tax

Is that the stock rear wheel, what did you paint it with?

sanded, cleaned and sprayed the wheel with rustoleum flat black i think it was. it should hold up pretty well. it was a pita

The results were worth it....................now the front.

Just got one of these beauties off of craigslist... Looking at doing a cosmetic overhaul. Does anybody have a beater stem laying around that they could part with? I would like something in silver that is more flat than the stock stem....

If you want to lower you handlebars, you could try inverting the stock stem.

That is a definite option. Might be a little steep, but an instant, free option.

where do you take measurements to find out the reach for the brakes? ive read a couple of web sites and found conflicting info. Id like to swap out the brakes on this bike asap, theyre pretty much worthless.

Dangit....now I'm gunna hafta run to Target just to see what they got,LOL! For under $70,I might get one myself (now that we-2 weeks ago-just moved back close to town and I'll be riding more)

My local Target had none of these,at any price (and said they'd not had any "fixe gear-type bikes" at all)

They will have no idea what fixed gear is... They call them hybrids at Target... I have called about 10 different stores and they all called them that... I would say "do you have the hybrid that is white with green tires?" and they would usually know what I was talking about...

LOL,yeah,I kinda know that,Target being a dept store (ours specifically not having any cyclists employed there that I've met in th elast few years). No bikes with green tires,no hybrids with one speed,not "in the last 2 years" (their words) anyways

Much has happened since I last posted a picture of my bike here. Much has improved as well.

Kinda of.

I've changed a number of things on it. The stock seatpost, although heavier by like 15 grams, was switched out because the stock wasn't long enough. I very recently got a Botranger Race Lite front wheel (paired spoeks!!1!one!) , so I put the 25c red amazon tire that's been serving me well on there. Had to use tire levers for that one, I've never had to use them with the stock rims. I've also now got a 28c Thickslick in the back, which I oddly got a flat with on my first ride with that tire.

That's pretty much all the major stuff, I flipped the stem for dat extra aero, took the kickstand and lock off, and now I've got it down to 25 lbs! It's so much nicer and lighter then when I bought it, and I love riding it! Here's a picture, I apologize for the 'HDR' effect, was messing with my phone and forgot to turn that off.


Now for the bad things. Nothing's actually fallen off or exploded on me, which is a good thing when according to Strava I'm doing 35mph (dohoho im goin so fast guies), but at first I though I had a loose rear wheel since my chain tension would be a little off after every ride, I discovered today that my entire crankset is actually jiggling a couple centimeters. I'm pretty sure this is the BB, and I'm pretty sure I need to replace the entire crankset before it explodorzes. It's nothing TOO major, but does get annoying when I'm trying to slow down and that couple cm of play comes in before I can slow down my rear wheel.
Actually, how bad is this? I honestly don't know myself.

Anyway, that's pretty much it. Here's some more pictures I took of my ride today. Some 14 year old on a Cinelli fixed gear and his friend passed me today on my favorite Strava segment and that pissed me off. Also, I dunno, here's my Strava in case anyone wants it, I'm lonely. https://app.strava.com/athletes/1706605

How do you like that saddle? I was thinking about picking one up for a cheap conversion project off of amazon - the reviews are pretty solid for how inexpensive it is.

Sorry to hear about your bottom bracket.