bettybl

Sorry, I wasn't sure which forum to post this question in.

I'm looking into purchasing a bike and on the bike it says "RST C1 COM1 C4". Does anyone know what that means and whether it is good or not? Thanks.

XO1

i'll assume it is written on the fork or rear shock. RST is a generic brand of suspension, and should be regarded as such. IE, it will probably work fine for cruising around the hood, but should not perhaps be used for serious off road use. that said, if you are buying from a brick and mortar store, which you should be, why not ask?

Bianchigirll 

it might help if we knew the brand of bike is it amountain road bike?

LarDasse74

RST is, in fact, not a 'generic' brand. They have primarily made 'budget' suspension components, but have also made quite a few decent entry level forks that compare favorably to the entry level offerings from more well known manufacturers.

As for the RST Com1 C4, I seem to recall a similar marking on a fairly good quality hybrid fork they made. Adjutable preload, about 2" of travel, not too heavy. I was considering getting one a few years ago but decided to leave my bike rigid.

I would also like more info on the bike, where you are planning on buying it, etc.

bettybl

It is a Trek 7200 hybrid bike and I am purchasing from craigslist. The information is imprinted on the bike itself, but seller doesn't have any other info. Is this good enough to use on bike paths?

Also, it says the bike's rear wheel shows a bit of wear. Since these are bontangue wheels, are they expensive to replace? if it is, it might turn a good deal into a raw one. Thanks so much.

JiveTurkey

More than good enough.

I wonder what part of the "wheel" is showing wear? There's a good chance the seller is talking about the tire; ask them. If it is the tire, then it's an easy and inexpensive replacement (tires are a regularly wearable, disposable, and replaceable part). If it's truly the wheel, it could mean at least a couple things, most commonly: 1) the bearings need replacing (not too much trouble as long as it's just the bearings and not other parts surrounding them) or 2) the rim where the brakes touch is wearing thin (in which case the easiest/cheapest option is a whole new wheel, which is not so cheap).

bettybl

[/quote]I wonder what part of the "wheel" is showing wear? [/quote]

I went back to read the description and it says the thread of the wheel, so I guess that is the tire. Are these cheap to replace? Does it affect the quality of the brand name wheel if i replace the threads with a generic thread? Sorry, I don't have much knowledge about bikes at all. Thanks for your help.

LarDasse74

The correct term for the item in question is the 'tread,' which is part of the tire... when the tread on the tire is worn out you replace the tire. You can buy a new tire for between $12 and $150. The $12 tire is not the best but will work, and the $150 tire is purely for racing. For around $30 - $60 you can find a good quality tire that has good resistance to punctures, rolls smoothly and fast, and is reasonably lightweight. Tires for hybrid bikes are called '700C' tires and are very common.

A bike shop will probably charge you $10 - $15 plus the price of a tire to install a new tire. You can also learn to do it yourself fairly easily.