I want to get a roadie to start commuting back and forth to school with. But, i don't want to spend too much money on it, i've been looking through craigslist and most of the bikes on there are going for 1974 schwinns going for $180.

I did see a 2008 bianchi pista going for $350, is that a good price? and it's a fixed gear, i want a multi gear, is it possible that i can change it to a multi gear bike?


and one more question

can you ride a road bike through the grass? on my way to school i take a short cut, and i cut through the park, will i still be able to do that with a road bike and the tires?

Please help guys, this will be my first bike and i don't want to f*** up too badly

I don't know what model Schwinn that is, but in 1974 a brand new Schwinn Super Sport was $137. It seems these "vintage" bikes (as if they somehow get better with age!) cost more than they did when they were new.

If you want a geared bike, don't get a fixie with the intention of converting it. That'll end up costing you a lot more than just getting a geared bike.

You can ride a road bike on short, dry grass, but if the grass is too prickly or if there is anything on the ground with thorns, you may get a flat. Forget about riding on grass with road tires if the ground is wet.

How far is your commute? Do you plan to do it every day year round, or just when the weather is nice? There are lots of nice commuting bikes which aren't too expensive. You might want to start with the Commuter Bicycle Pics thread on this forum to get a better idea of what people ride and what you'd like to ride.

My commute is around 8 miles (13km) and it's sunny about 90% of the time so i can get a lot use out of the bike.

thanks for the advice

Bide your time, wait for the right bike, and then strike. IMO, getting a 'good' road bike at the start will make a world of difference if it's performance you're looking for. If you get a nice roadie, you may find that you don't want to take the shortcut anymore (depending on distance of course) I started on a 15 year old Peugeot ($15 - thift store) and then moved up to a Trek 1000 (lbs) In my situation, both bikes were beautiful machines - I went from zero to 50km a day on the Peugeot which simply proves than vintage bikes don't lose a lot with time. Yes, the 2005 Trek was a world of difference but in terms of performance, that's where you come in...BOL in your search.

As Trekker just said, "Bide your time..." With a road bike, it's very important that you ride before you buy. Fit and handling can only be tweaked a little bit (compared to other styles), so you'd better be sure.

Road bikes tend to be more expensive than MTB's or hybrids (mostly because of lightweight and/or sophisticated components - i.e. brifters), so you're essentially paying for speed that you might not really use. Also the ride on a "roadie" is more harsh and nervous than on a longer-wheelbased bike.

I have a full-Ultegra, 853-steel road bike that I love. I've done centuries on it, and commuted with it too. Still, my everyday bike is a cyclocrosser. The fatter tires make a huge difference in comfort and it handles with a bit more stability. It will accept a rack and fenders when I need them. It's about 90% as fast as my RB...

Just a suggestion: Think about a cyclocross bike as you search for your new ride.

First, I think you either need to give up on the idea of the shortcut, or give up on the idea of a road bike. If you want to do that, I guess you could get a vintage road bike with 32mm wide tires, instead of the modern 23mm tires. (skinny) 32s would handle grass OK, as long as there isn't anything too rough in it. If there are thorns, any bike you have will get a flat.

Cyclocross is a good option. It is a ruggedized road bike with slightly bigger, slightly knobby tires, a higher bottom bracket, and more clearance for fenders usually. But they're not cheap, and there won't be a ton of them available used, since they're a pretty recent creation. If you get an older road bike, you can convert it to mostly cyclocross.

What is your budget?

Don't forget flea markets, estate sales, and garage sales. The reason it is so hard to find a good deal on Craigslist is because anyone can surf it while sitting on his butt. The other options take more effort, so you have better odds. You can also look for a bike co-op in your area or ask the police when/where they auction off abandoned bikes from the local bike racks. Maybe check the Classifieds here too.