Well there's so many different sections to this forum, I'm not quite sure where to post this. I'm a newbie looking for a commuter bicycle so I thought this forum would be my best choice. School is about 3.5mi away on a hilly road or 5mi on flat road. Looking to get a bicycle to ride to school and back to save on gas. The problem is I have no idea what to get.

I understand bikes can be extremely expensive but I'm fairly sure I won't be a very serious rider. So a cheap one would be most desired. I'm about 6'1" ~170lb. Anything else you need to know about me to make a suggestion?

Thanks a lot guys! If this is in the wrong section, can an admin move it?

You did say cheap, but can you be more specific on your budget? "Cheap" is a very relative. When I bought my "cheap" commuter I spent $400 dollars on a Specialized Langster (which I love), plus another hundred on blinkies and front lights. For some people that I know "cheap" means $50 bucks X-mart special.

A perfect college bike is a 3 speed. Something like this should work:

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=3060



$229 and equipped with fenders and rack, and excellent Sram I-Motion 3 speed hub.

Oh sry, by cheap I meant no more than $200-300.

I am by no means a bike expert, but doesn't that bike look a little ragged? Ah well, what can you expect for $229 right?

When I was in college a few decades ago I bought an English 3-speed very much like the Schwinn in K6-III's picture. I rode it all over St. Paul/Minneapolis, including a five mile commute each way to my part-time job. It was utilitarian, simple, and rugged. Check the want ads, Craigslist, thrift stores, and police auctions for a decent used bike at a good price.

Something tells me masterchief819 has his eye on a full-suspension mountain bike...

You might think that Schwinn Coffee looks ragged, but really it's everything you need. Do you want something that looks flashy, but that'll suck to ride, or do you want something that's understated, but will get you and your crap around town comfortably?

True, + this bike won't attract thieves like my new daily commuter Specialized carbon road bike... sheesh.

masterchief819:

1. What kind of bike do you have now, OR, what kind of bike have you ridden before, OR, what kind of bike do you most like the looks of?
2. How do you intend to carry your junk? (The Coffee, above, has a rack you can strap stuff to.)
3. "Oh sry"? Is your keyboard broken?
4. Do you ever, ever forsee yourself driving in the evenings or early mornings?
5. Where do you live? What's the climate and traffic like?
6. How will you get to and from school when (if) you don't use your bike?


The bike that's been mentioned above, while not exactly what I personally would want (I'd prefer more gears), looks to be an excellent one for the price for someone who's commuting. It just needs lights.


This bike, for what it's worth, requires a little more maintenance and costs a little more than you want to spend, but looks less frumpy.

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=24141&subcategory_ID=3040

I like this https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/.../messenger.htm, a little out of your price range, but cool, simple, and upgradeable.

Add $60 or so for the fenders and rack that come standard on the Schwinns pictured earlier.

At your height, it is important that you make sure the bike is big enough. You wont find one at Walmart. When you sit on the bike you should be able to rest your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke, with you leg stretched straight. This may seem to put you too high, but you should either lean the bike to the side when you stop, or move forward off the saddle.

Well, looks don't really matter I guess. I just would like a bike that won't go all wobbly on me when cars pass at 40-50mph. I'm in school usually from 8am-6pm. So it's just breaking daylight when I go, and the sun is just setting when I come home. Driving in the dark might become an issue at certain times of the year. Traffic isn't that bad at all and the climate is usually bearable at the times I listed.

I have a car (that gets terrible gas mileage ) for the cold/rainy days though.

I'll look into those Schwinns though, thanks guys.

Ragged? Three-speed internal hub (little or no maintenance required), chain guard and fenders to help keep your clothing clean, comfy saddle and upright riding position, rear rack...that bike looks elegantly simple and efficient to me.

If you are riding to school - I would recommend something used. Shop craigslist / local classifieds for a used bike. I picked up a used hardtail mtn bike for $25. No one would give it a second look on a school bikerack. Look for something that can take a bike rack and fenders. A 3.5-5 mile commute is easily doable on mtn bike or hybrid.

If you will be sharing the road with cars doing 50mph, make sure you have good lighting for evenings. I would wait to buy anything new. Save your money until you have a clearer idea of what you want - what your personal riding style is.

Good luck.

You will have to add lights. Budget at least $40 for front and rear lights; REI, Performance Bike, and other places have "sets". Don't buy the cheapest you can find.

Find somebody in your area who knows bikes. Had you told us where you live, we could have helped with that.

That Schwinn will be great for you. I'd call the look "retro" rather than "ragged". It'll be more comfortable and efficient to ride than most dual suspension mountain bikes, VERY easy to maintain, and gives you a means to carry your stuff. I'd call that perfect. If you were here in the UK, I'd probably recommend buying a real classic, the type of bike that this is supposed to look like, for about 1/3rd the price, but I know that's not always so easy in the States.

See if you have a local bicycle co-op, they often have some of the higher end manufacturers pretty cheap. I got a Bianchi Advantage that looks brand new for $80 from my local co-op.