Originally Posted by
blowboat
At this time in life I am relegated to the used bike market...and also on the inexpensive end of that market. My hope is to find a decent bike that is rideable, which will allow me to get started and then upgrade it as needed/desired.
I am trying to replace an old Trek Multi Trek 700 that was stolen Thanksgiving. It was nothing special, but I had rebuilt it as a gravel bike and since oir move last year was working on outfitting it to get me into touring...until my financial situation changes and I can afford a new bike.
So, perfect or great is out the window at this time...and the used market with several hours drive is pretty slim.
Inexpensive initially usually means EXPENSIVE in the long term. Again replacing parts right away or soon after can get quite expensive. Large bike manufacturers buy parts in large quantities so they get big discounts so that savings can be passed on to you the consumer. When you are just buying 1 derailleur vs 10k derailleurs the cost is much different. Save up some money and look at some different bikes it will save you long term and get you a better bike and especially if you buy new from say Specialized you get warranties like the lifetime frame warranty they offer to the original owner which does in fact work.