Originally Posted by
milofilo
Hi all, I know basically nothing about bikes. I live in Chicago and use the bike share bikes to commute to work year round.
I am looking for a bike to start some short touring trips around the midwest on weekends. I am a former thru-hiker so I have ultralight camping equipment and i would like to go on 100-200 mile trips overnight around Illinois/Wisconsin carrying 10-20 pounds. I am pretty frugal so not planning to spend much money unless I can be convinced that it's worth it.
I have a Specialized Allez from around 2000 at my parents house in Maine that I could have shipped out (would cost about $50?). I used it all through high school and it is in decent shape but has always been a bit too large for me so is kind of uncomfortable.
I also found a 70s single speed Jeunet Franche-Comte bike here for $125. It has been fixed up (new tires, brake pads, cleaned insides etc) and is in OK shape (some paint chipping) but is more comfortable/upright than the allez. The downside is steel rim wheels.
I don't plan to live in Chicago forever, so I would possibly end up selling either bike when I move in a couple years anyway.
What is the best option here?
Welcome to the forum! For overnighter's with 10-20 lbs of gear you don't need anything super fancy of heavy duty. Some modified road or mountain bikes would suffice. There are a lot of options in Chicago. I bought my '14 Surly LHT from Comrade Cycles in Ukrainian Village. Amazing shop, personalized service, reasonable prices, and no sales pressure (plus it's worker owned which is important from an ethics standpoint). This is the place to go if you're looking to buy a new bike. If you are looking for a cheaper, more DIY option check out the bike collectives.
The Recyclery
Ciclo Urbano: A Community Bike Shop | West Town Bikes
Working Bikes | Giving old bikes new homes
These sell new and refurbished bikes and offer mechanic classes so that you can fix your bike on the road. Also, if you volunteer at them you can learn the skills, buy parts as you come across them, and build your own bike. It may take longer, but you'll get a better bike for less money and greater sense of accomplishment.
When you're ready to start riding take a look at traillink.com. Open a map and select the "nearby trails" option so that you can see how they all link up. For reviews on some Chicagoland trails check out my site at
https://redandblackhorizons.wordpres...aths-illinois/
Good luck!