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Old 05-18-22, 10:15 AM
  #14  
ClydeClydeson
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There has been one major substantive change to bikes since that one was made (relying on big chainring's assessment of the bike's age because I can't see the image). Modern bikes have a 'freehub' style rear hub where the ratchet mechanism is built into the hub, allowing the bearings to be placed further outboard on both sides, while older (and inexpensive modern) bikes have a 'freewheel' rear hub - the ratchet mechanism is a separate part threaded on to a narrower hub body, and the drive-side bearing is located much closer to the middle of the axle, and this makes the drive side of the axle prone to bending and breaking, esp on bikes with more than 6 speeds. If you are lighter and don't ride to hard then this might not be an issue, but from your description of your riding, you might be wise to find a bike with a freehub.

Freehubs started showing up on high-quality bikes at the end of the six-speed age (late 80s) and were on pretty much every good quality bike after 7 speed was the norm (early 90s). Anything from the last ~25 years (since mid 90s), apart from the most inexpensive bikes, will have a freehub. Here's an article on this and how to tell the difference:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

Otherwise, a bike is a bike. Keep the tires pumped up and a bit of oil on the chain and the simpler the bike the less likely it is to go wrong.
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