bike for commuting suggestions-limited funds
 

hey guys
i'm recently bikeless and would like to get another one. both my job and my school are really close to me and i'd like to get by day to day without having to drive and pay for gas(i'm kinda low on funds at the moment). i've only ever bought like walmart bikes and the like so i really dont know anything about the rest of the world of bicycles.

i was looking to spend maybe 300ish bucks on a bike?
preferably a single gear for simplicity but when i asked the guy at the bike shop about single-gears the only thing he showed me was a catalogue full of 700 dollar bikes :notamused:

honestly i just want something that will LAST for the ABSOLUTE cheapest price i can get it.
thanks :DD

http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=bike

If you want to run a rack and haul stuff, get the Kona "Bike". I think it is $449. Has 3 speeds.

or if you are going to haul stuff in your backpack, get this: (looks like you can still run a rack on it, just need to use P-clamps on the seatstay)

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/sst.htm for $299 (includes free shipping)

Both frames will outlast you if taken care of and not done stupid stuff. The components are OK, but not bombproof, but at that price point, nothing is going to be bombproof.

Check and see it there are any bike co-ops in your area. Go to your local shops and ask what they could order, not just what they have in stock. We could suggest stuff all day long (like this from KHS), but most of the major bike brands will only sell through dealers. So your choices will be limited to what shop can order which brand. The used market will be hit or miss. Most of the CL stuff is x-mart objects that the sellers are trying to recoup their losses on- most of the time they are asking for full retail (around here, anyway).

Hopefully you have another local bike shop (LBS) to go to. There are alot of $300 and less single speeds you can order online any day of the week. Here is one you can check out. The Bikesdirect.com bikes listed above are a tempting deal even to a cheap dude like me.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...5_10000_200348

Bikesdirect.com, Nashbar.com, and a few other places will let you get a decent, serviceable bike that isn't a boat anchor. I don't see why you should get a singlespeed when you can get a fully functional 3x8 road bike for $300 or so.

I'm an advocate of cheap bikes, but that's mostly because I do all my own wrenching... take that into consideration. If you can't fix bikes and you buy a cheap one, you will make up the difference bringing it to a mechanic frequently to get adjusted.

Check your local Craigslist for a late 80's/early 90's mountain bike made by Specialized, Trek or Giant. These things are great for commuting, and you can often find them in good shape for around $100. You might want to replace the tires, tubes, cables and brake pads to have it running like a new bike, but even if you have the LBS do the work it'll be cheaper than a low-end new bike. A lot of these can even be converted to single speed (depending on the dropouts). Avoid anything with suspension.

If there is a Performance store in your area, you can probably find something in your price range if you wait for sale prices and use coupons.

We picked up one of these for the other (occasional rider and commuter) in our household: Mongoose Kaldi Double Commuter It's $299 and comes with fenders, Continental puncture resistant tires, and is outfitted pretty well on a nice aluminum frame. And Nashbar is always having some kind of sale or offer - this time it's and extra $15 off.

Oddly, when we bought it, it came in a Mongoose Box with lots of Cannondale logos on all the paperwork (I know, Cannondale, Schwinn, Mongoose & GT are all owned by Dorel Industries)

It's been a great second bike in our home - we just added some blinky LED lights for night riding in the city. Added bonus: the coffee cup holder is just the right size to hold a slurpee cup in warmer weather.

http://www.nashbar.com/images/nashba...2-NCL-SIDE.jpg

Edit: I see that Performance Bike has the same thing for $250 here.

Like Andy K said, a 1980s or early '90s steel frame mountain bike makes a great commuting bike if you stay away from suspensions of any kind. Most of those old MTBs had eyelets for fenders and racks, which is really helpful. In addition to Craigslist, try looking in thrift shops and sports consignment stores. If you don't know much about bikes, find a knowledgeable friend to help you pick something out. One nice thing about these bikes is that you can get them cheap, and replace stuff as you deem it necessary. This is much easier on the wallet than plunking down $300 or more for a bike all at once.

I don't know what you mean when you say you are really close, but to me that suggests that you could walk to both school and work. If so, that might buy you time to save a little more/do some research.

Otherwise, BD has some inexpensive bikes if you can find one that fits you. And there's always craigslist. But fit might be a problem if you are inexperienced, in which case you might need the help of your lbs.

Good luck.

The early to mid 90's MTB's (non suspension) are excellent commuters (Like Andy K mentioned). Otherwise, Craigslist, Coops, Police auctions, pawn shops, LBS that sell used, garage sales and etc. are all places you can find great bikes. Look for name brand like Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc. They may have cheap components, but most of the aftermarket parts should be easy to find, replace, or repair if needed.

You mentioned you go to school. If it is a college go to the police department and ask what they do with bikes they collect that seem abandoned. I was walking around a local campus and noticed police stickers stating the bikes will be confiscated by a certain date if no one picked them up. I have my eye on a few bikes.

Don't forget to get a good U-lock and use it properly. Bikes at schools have a way of wandering off, but there are usually enough poorly locked bikes that a well-locked bike will stay put.

I second the used, rigid fork MTB's recommendations. I regularly see a Trek 800 series for <$150 in my local CL. These are tough bikes and with little mods, they make good commuter bike.

I'm sold on KHS after buying a "Urban-X" for $440.. I love it. See this link at KHS and here is a good review of it.. click here

KHS also has some less expensive ones.. here's a 3 speed for $330 that looks really good click here

When I was looking, the Kona looked good too, but wasn't available through my local dealer.

okay so i'm reeeeally digging the idea of getting something off of craigslist and converting it..
but how can i tell if its able to be converted to a single gear? like, would this work? http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bik/2148636035.html

^^^This! Looks like you're taking the advice to heart:

My advice - call the seller and arrange a test ride right away. That is a decent, well-equipped bike. If the bike fits and nothing feels like it's going to fall off, buy it. Take it to your LBS and pay 50 bucks for a tune up (plus parts, of course). You should have enough money left over out of your $300 budget for a lock (a u-lock/cable combo is a good bet), some lights, and a helmet. If you can afford it slap on some fenders and a rack.

Forget single speed for now; you might just find that you like the gears. You can always switch it to SS when time/money permits, or you can save your pennies for one of those $700 single speeds that the salesman showed you and keep the MTB for backup.

I'm starting an out-of-town work assignment in a few months, and I intend to buy a buy an inexpensive bike for my just-under-5-mile commute. I've settled on this:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ington1_IX.htm

I like having gears, as there will be a little bit of a hill to climb to get back to my apartment, and I hope to do a little bit of touring on the weekends. I've chosen this bike because it has the old-fashioned stem shifters - I currently ride a bike with bar end shifters (Surly LHT) and love them for their reliability.

If you don't mind doing some repairs, you can find some real deals at this police auction website.