Hi Everyone,

I've been reading threads for the past few days trying to figure out what kind of bike I should get for my needs and would like to ask for some advice.

I live in a hilly area (central arkansas) and would like to get a bike to commute to school (8 miles away) and just ride the bike trails and run errands around town.

I'm on a tight budget so nothing above $500. Really nothing above $300 would be nice. First, I was thinking of getting something vintage, to save some cash and get a solid bike. I really like the looks of older raleigh 3's, schwinn's, and the old english 3 speeds, but I'm not sure it would be that practical for hills and speed. I would like some gears though.

Isn't there something vintage that collectors aren't buying?

Someone is selling a Bridgesone MB3 on https://littlerock.craigslist.org/bik/2408665781.html craigslist, but again that would be only SS. I'm pretty sure that I would need some gears for the hills.

I'm open to any ideas, especially from others who live in hilly areas.

Go with the MB3. You'll most certainly want a new saddle, and then use the rest of your funds for some new tires (a bike shop will help you pick out the right ones for your commute), and then get a tune up to get it running smoothly. You may have some $ left over for fenders, which would be nice. Bridgestones are great bikes.

I did it backwards, I got my bike, then, I found bikeforums.

I had a minor advantage though, I had been car free for about 5years (many years ago), so I had a pretty good idea what I was looking for.
I also knew that I was going to have an Xtracycle. I hadn't heard about the Big Dummy at that point.

If you are just starting out cycling, then your assumption that you would want gears to help dealing with those hills is a valid one.

Don't know what brands are available local to you, so I'll mention the big 3 that are almost everywhere.

Giant- take a look at the Escape and Via lines.
Specialized- Sirrus base.
Trek- 7.1 FX is about the only thing they got in your budget.

If you could find a Kona or KHS dealer close by, then those have some true bang for the buck models.

Under $500? Here you go---steel framed Motobecane road bike with rack and fender mounts for $299.95 with free shipping.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...e_xi_steel.htm

There's another thread about this bike on this forum. It seems like a great deal. Plus, you'll have money left in your budget for fenders, a rack, panniers, and even lighting.

That's a smoking deal on the MB3. $125 for the MB3 and the Schwinn Caliente would be pretty difficult to pass up.

Downtube shifters, shortish chainstays, and a 12-25 cassette for a newbie in a hilly area??

OP is on a budget. Trying to find the right bike via BD is going to be a difficult task. Better to buy locally- to test ride and get follow on service help, than to buy from BD. BD is great for people who know their style and fit.

12-25 cassette, yes, Guess you missed the fact the Mirage has a triple. Gearing won't be an issue.

The Mirage looks like a nice commuter/sport tourer. Yes, the chainstays are a bit short, so if the OP has big feet, heel strike with panniers could be an issue. Yes, it has DT shifters, but those are much more reliable than cheap brifters at the OP's price point. I used DT shifters for a decade, and my first road bike had them. They're not difficult to use. Still, $299.95 for a brand new bike with a decent steel frame is hard to ignore. OP can always upgrade as the cheaper parts wear out.

OP is going to have a hard time finding a new bike suitable for his commute at his LBS on his budget. An 8 mile hilly commute, to me, says "road bike". Especially the hilly part. But that's just my particular bias. If he can find a decent older MTB with rack mounts(fender eyelets would be nice, but not necessary), a pair of slick tires would put him in good shape.

He's looking at bikes on Craigslist, but then he's dealing with an unknown quantity----a used bike could need a new chain, new chainrings, new brake pads, etc. And if OP isn't skilled, he's going to have to deal with an LBS who's going to charge him.

I'm quite certain the OP is capable of searching online for "bike fit calculator", taking his measurements, then comparing those to the measurements of a BD bike. But in a perfect world he'll find a killer deal on an old MTB or road bike and be set. eBay occasionally still has good deals, but commuter bikes seem to get snapped up for inflated prices---then there's the added cost of shipping.

Good luck, OP. There are TONS of options out there. $500 will find you a good used bike, if you're patient and know what you want.

Fine, we'll agree to disagree, as what works for you or for me won't necessarily work for the OP.

OP- Best thing you could probably do is go to the LBS and test ride the various types. You probably won't find anything with a drop bar in your price range, but go ahead and try a few of the entry level ones out. Tell the staff your leaning more towards the endurance or sport/touring types rather pure competition. Take notice of what size frames feel good. If you like the drop bar style and are comfortable, then shop online.* Better to get the feel of a bike before buying than having to ship it back or sell it yourself at a loss.

*I don't exactly like promoting this practice. However, I find it more crucial that the future cyclist have a better understanding of what works for him/her.

The Bridgestone looks like it has gears to me so it might be worth checking out.

Defintely get the Bridgestone. It's not a singlespeed. One can see both deraileurs clearly in the picture. Forget the Schwinn...it's got a one piece crank which means it was a lower end roadbike for it's day. Don't fully agree about replacing the saddle as it looks serviceable enough for a 16 mi rt commute. Money better used in getting new tires. Mtb specific street tires come in widths as narrow as 1.5". That'll give you less rolling resistance. The knobbies will have to go as they really slow one down on asphalt. You'll want to get Mr. Tuffy tire liners as well to reduce your flat rate. Fenders, rack, frame-pump, tire levers, multi-tool, chaintool, lights, etc. for a safe, enjoyable commute.

https://www.bikeisland.com has everything I mentioned about accessories at very reasonable prices w/no shipping or taxes. You'll have your stuff in 3-4 days. Would recommend the Park MTB-3 multi tool(it includes a chaintool), Topeak Road Morph w/gauge frame-pump(it's like a miniture floor pump), Planet Bike fenders, etc. Did a price check for a complete commuting accessory buy and everything came in at under 350.00, including extra tubes and great tires. If you're interested PM me and I'll send you list of what I picked out. I've got an mtb that's being set up for commuting, so it was like a dry run for me.

The Bridgestone looks fine. However for 8 miles I would start looking into more hand positions, so you can add bar ends to see if that helps or possibly trekking bars. Also, put on some slicks, rack, fenders, and you have a pretty versatile machine there.

The most important thing is fit. If you let us know your height we will be able to give you some size ranges to look for.

Good luck .

I emailed the person selling the Bridgestone and they informed me that the frame is 47cm. At 5'10, 160lbs I guess its too small?

He mentioned some rust mostly on the brake and shifter cables.

I used to ride a Trek mountain bike that size and I am 5'10. Its got a long stem so I think it would be fine.

It's most likely too small. You should try for a frame that is around 54cm, although you can make a smaller frame fit with a long stem and long seatpost.

I agree with SouthFLpix that it sounds to small. At 5'10 you are looking around 54-56cm road bike size or 17-19" MTB size (+/- 2). The craigslist in your area has a few bikes that might work:
https://littlerock.craigslist.org/bik/2403195372.html
https://littlerock.craigslist.org/bik/2398265285.html
https://littlerock.craigslist.org/bik/2396320075.html
https://littlerock.craigslist.org/bik/2380677487.html
https://littlerock.craigslist.org/bik/2368710212.html

I'll just point out that 47cm is 18.5 inches.

Also if you are still interested in the Bridgestone some questions you can ask are:

Is the bike rideable?
Does it shift and brake well?
on a scale of 1-10 what kind of shape is it in?

Some people will say stuff is in great condition and you get there and its average at best. Sometimes I buy anyway because its what I am looking for, but be ready to walk away if it seems junky. If you don't know what to look for ask and we can give you some tips.

Some of those newer bikes Exile posted for more money might be better if you feel you don't know what you are looking at when it comes to the mechanical condition of bikes.

Your right monsterpile , I should've checked the numbers before I posted . Your best bet timn420 is to go and test ride it.