So I'm 18 and have this really awesome 2001 red mustang gt that I bought and been modding...only 1 problem...gas prices. When I baby this thing I get 18 mpg and when I drive it how I want to I get 13. I live in Smithfield, RI which is rural suburbia heaven () so public transport is not an option. Therefore cycling seems to be the best and most fun option. Now keeping the theme of an economic alternative (i'm a bit frugal) I'm looking to spend between $200-$300 on the bike itself. I've read the tips for newbies so I'm shopping around for the accessories I will need. Basically I just would like some suggestions on what type of bike would work best for me. I would be using it mainly to commute 6 miles round trip to work and 10 miles round trip to school. Thanks in advance.

actually an interesting development...i was rootin' around in the garage and found a 1976 Nikishi. My dad said he bought it new in '76. He hasn't riden it in years but he bought new tires for it years ago that just need to be inflated and it's got a pretty nice gell seat with shock absorbers on it

^^^ nice

is it close to your size? stand over the top tube. you should have an inch or two clearance between the tube and your parts.

- air up the tires, check to see if they're really dry or ok and if the tubes are rotten. garaged the whole time?
- clean and lube the chain
- turn it upside down resting on the seat and bars and spin through all the gears while turning the crank
- clean the rims
- check the brakes; adjust as necessary

all the info you'll need is out there on the interwebs. somebody here will probably suggest a favorite maintenance site. search for the name "sheldon brown".

if everything seems ok, hop on and spin around the neighborhood. raise/lower the seat for comfort. ride more.

have fun.

yea it was garaged the whole time and suspended on a bike wall rack actually...dunno if that's a benefit or not

+ 1000 Sheldon

Great find I hope its size fits
Ride-Ride-Ride !!

o the sizing is fine...im 6' 2" and my dad is 6' 1" so couldnt ask for a better fit...what psi should I inflate the tube to?b

1. Make sure it fits you.
2. Make sure it fits you before you start spending time fixing it.
3. Make sure it fits you before you start spending money fixing it.
4. Make sure the wheels are serviceable. Flip the bike upside down and attach a pencil to the a part of the bike with a rubber band so the pencil is very close to the rim(not tire, rim). Spin the wheel. I bet they need to be trued.
5. Check the tires for cracks. I would replace the tires with something commuter worthy anyway. Something that resists punctures. Make sure you buy the right size tires. There is a chance that bike has either 700C tires or 27 inch tires. There is a difference.
6. New tubes, regardless of how the old tubes look and feel, get 2 new tubes and use the old ones as spares.
7. Clean everything with some degreaser. I like the orange stuff.
8. Regrease the bottom bracket and wheel hubs. Google "how do I ______ ?" for good info from various websites. Park tools has an excellent "how to" section. Park tools also sells a good general purpose grease.
9. Relube the drivetrain with some quality oil. I like the thick bike lube that comes in a drip bottle. All weather something something...
10. Ride it till you feel like you know what your next bike is going to be.

I'm sure I forgot something. "Zinn and the art of Road Bike Maintenance" is a great book. Check it out at your local library or pick up a copy for $20.

it should say on the tire what psi its rated for. if they are skinny road tires, it will probably be anywhere between 90 - 120psi. since u are 6'2" and probly weigh north of 180lbs, you probly want it inflated on the higher end of the range.

actually im 175 on a good day with barely 7% body fat haha...it's near impossible for me to put on weight because of my ridiculous metabolism...ill check the tires again but when I do replace them what is recomended for solid commuting on your average pavement?

panaracer pasela tourguard is a popular well-priced tire. thats what i run, at about 100 psi. i'm very happy with it. i use size 700c x 32 but you may need to check what size works with your wheel. there's a sizing chart here. imho, for commuting the wider the tire the better cuz it will absorb bumps better. my next tire will be a 700c x 35.

the tire is probably marked with a min/max psi. if you know the tire size (27", 700c, whatever) and the width (1.25", 32mm, whatever) we can guess better.

you were making friends here with your old school nikishi 'til you went and said a stupid thing like that.

I've had good luck with Specialized Armadillos. Get a set with reflective sidewalls and it's pretty much a perfect commuter tire. Make sure you check and see if you have 27 inch tires or 700c. Avoid the 700x23c Armadillo elite, they aren't as good as the ones with the maroon sidewall from my experience.

hahahaha yea i had a feeling...i have to lift 5 times a week just to maintain weight...but that's with my wicked skinny legs...i can't directly work out my legs because of a ciatic nerve problem in my right leg...for whatever reason biking doesnt aggrivate it...if i work out my legs by commuting enough i bet i could get to be a solid 180-185

haha. definitely keep that information to yourself justingt; it quite offensive.

i'm going to go riding now; gonna burn some calories off to assist my not-so-ridiculous metabolism.

yea i just checked em out and my buddy came over and we pumped em up but the psi gauge on his pump is broken so we just did it till the tire felt firm...they are 27" x 11 1/4 what is the 11 1/4 the width?

Ride the Nishiki to start with. I started with 1500 miles on a used 83 Nishiki.
Got a Felt F-80 on Sale after I got in shape .
You will still most likely need new tires and tubes.
Look for tires on sale. Found $10 tires and put them on. Had No Flats.

27 x 1-1/4 inch tires.

yeah, but it's probably 1 1/4 (inches) which is a pretty standard size. if they're holding air, that's your first good sign. (though, like somebody said, new tubes ($5 each) is a must and new tires is probably a good idea, though there may be nothing wrong with the tires you have.)

how is the chain? what is the gearing setup and where are the shifters? (downtube?)

BTW, post pics! And I mean of your bike, not your skinny a**!

27 inches by 1.25 inches(width). They make armadillos in that size. You can use 700c x~23-28 tubes with your 27 inch tires but you cannot use 700c x (anything) size tire on those wheels.

edit: geez, 3rd in line with that answer...guess that's what happens when I try posting while watching TV.

yea ill def post pics tommorow...probably after i clean it it looks like ass right now haha

o and it has downtube shifting which im not sure if im a fan of or not yet cuz i havent really riden it yet...is it expensive/impractical to change that to bar end shifting?

Plenty of good tires out there for 27" rims. Any x-mart will have tubes that will fit. DON"T get the 'slime filled' ones...they're more trouble than they're worth. https://www.bikeisland.com has tire liners to help against flatting(everyone's common enemy). You'll need a seat bag, tire levers, multi-tool...not a Leatherman, but one that's bike specific, patch kit, chain tool(more important than one would think..Park makes a nice compact one for about 15.00), frame pump(get a Topeak Road Morph w/guage...it's the ONLY pump for a daily bike commuter).

If your bike still has the old school solid axle in the rear, you'll need a small(6") crescent wrench, too. May seem like alot of stuff, but you'll use everthing I've listed at some point. Carry at least one extra tube w/you. BTW, bikeisland has all the stuff at reasonable prices, don't charge shipping and you'll have your stuff in 3-4 days.

So, take the 2-300 you were going to spend on a bike and you'll have a fully tricked out commuter rig. If you're going to ride at night get 2 Planet Bike Superflash blinkies and a Niterider Trailrat Headlight. It's 10W...plenty of power and is available for 99.95 at https://www.brandscycle.com They don't charge for shipping when you spend over 50.00. And like another poster said...have fun!

God Bless all the newbies!

You're probably looking at something like this for bar ends. I'd ride it a while and see if it makes any difference to you, but I do love me some bar ends. Still, your $$ might be better spent on some of the tools of the trade as per the previous post. There's nothing fundamentally wrong w/downtube shifters; it's just that there is something fundamentally right about bar ends.

+1 to no slime anything. People have ridden bikes for a long time w/o the need for slime-spurting contraptions. Patches are so easy, spare tubes so cheap, I can't imagine who buys this stuff. (Let the pro-slime flames begin.)

Clean the chain with some simple green and lube lightly with something you get from a bike shop. Then wipe off all the lube with a rag, b/c you only really want it in the linkage parts.

Since you're asking about shifters, I assume you haven't switched out to fixed-gear/single speed on your way to full hipster glory. Otherwise, I'd say you'll have to buy a Brooks saddle and some honey bar tape with shellacked hemp whipping. Or, as I keep seeing around here more and more, take off the bar tape and ride the metal. Is that a hipster trend anywhere but Austin? They must be parking those whips inside, b/c those things would be hot as welding torches out in the sun!

(100 actual degrees at 5:30 pm today while I was cleaning bike chains in the backyard. Holy S***!)

Get a little seat bag thingy for the tools and tube you'll need to carry until you figure out what kind of bag/pannier setup you might want. Don't buy anything you don't absolutely need until you know exactly how you want it to work -- buying this junk once is expensive enough, but buying it twice really kills.