I am very new to biking haven't truly ridden in years. However due to wanting to get in shape and healthier I am looking to buy a bike. My needs are few, a simple bike to go back and forth to the store, and my work which, is local also preferably something under $200. I am female and 115 at 5'6 and I honestly dont even know what size frame I should be looking for X_X

If i keep up with biking I would want to buy a better bike down the road. Due to living in south Fla I was thinking towards a single gear bike, also I live in the smallest town ever and the only store is a Walmart. A good bike place would be a 2-3 hour drive for me so I dont want to waste time if I dont know what I am looking to buy. I also not knowalgeble to look on craiglist.....

I was looking at the craptastic looking Thruster Fixie as I can repaint it and change out the tires. The reviews I see on it are decent and I think it would be ok for what I want it for but I just dont know. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

P.S love the looks of the old vintage bikes but not enough knowledge to know whats a good deal and what isnt.

Bikeshop people will help you figure out what size bike you need ,
drop by some times.
They may have a decent used bike, perhaps a consignment from a previous owner.

Thank you for your advice. I just dont want to waste a sells persons time as I can not spend over my set limit. However if I go in and explain my position I hope I can find someone to help me.

I recently was laid off of the IT position I had for years, and the job I have now pays less than half of what I was use to making, so I have to watch my bottom line.

Thank you again.

Honestly, for a bike, I think a 2-3 hour drive would be worth it as long as the shop has a decent reputation. They will be able to answer a lot of questions for you and help you figure out sizing, and in all likelihood will help you figure out what you are/should be looking for. If they carry used bikes, as previously mentioned, they may have something in your price range. Unfortunately, there isn't a frame size that fits everyone that is 5'6", there are many variables, including the type of bike. As a former bike mechanic, who specialized in fit, I could never in good conscious recommend a size online.

If you must buy from somewhere other than a bike shop, I'll suggest bikesdirect.com, as their bikes tend to be much better quality than the Thruster, but still affordable. You won't find anything for $200, but if you save up a bit more I think you'll find it worth it. They have a nice cross bike single speed as well as a fixed gear road bike. I've ridden both and like them both.

Don't be afraid of Craigslist. Even if you don't feel knowledgable, you can make a list of things to watch out for:

-Wheels spin straight without wobbling
-Tires have tread, and sidewalls not disintegrating
-Parallel spokes are firm and only give a little bit when squeezed (when I was looking for a CL bike I found a few vintage rust-buckets where I could squeeze spokes until they touched)
-No major rust issues (a tiny spot or two where paint has chipped may be okay).
- No dents or bends in the frame or fork
-Brakes responsive and smooth. Brake pads shouldn't touch the rims at any point when you are not braking. Also, check that the brake pads are not disintegrating at the surface where they touch the rim to brake.
- Gears (if any) shift smoothly
-For a single speed: chain-line looks straight (and chain doesn't skip or fall off during a long test ride). Chain should also not be sagging at all.
- No clicking, scraping, or other bad noises from the bottom bracket (where the crank arms rotate)
-AND importantly: you feel comfortable, and confident after a long test ride.

And another thing with CL: often you get a good or bad feeling about a seller so trust your gut.

How long is your ride to work?

Do you have any hills to climb?

Seely
I will check out the bike shop I know has a good rep in Miami. I love the site bikesdirect.com, but $200 is my utter limit I am currently going back to school for a different degree and thats a 2 1/2 hours drive one way 4 times a week so there goes most of my money. Also I am paying for my school with no damn student loans so things are a bit tight.

SpunkyJ
Thanks for the list printed it out for future use. I am not afraid to go I would be bringing my hulking best friend that looks like a linebacker. So I doubt I would be hustled.

Z90
My work is a 15 min walk away and the store is about a 40 min walk away, at a leisurely dog walking pace that is

Slim
South Florida no hills just heat humidity and bugs

I think with a hard $200 limit you're not going to find anything new, at a bike shop or online.

Honestly, I'd look for an old rigid mountain bike on craigslist. Look for something listed as around 15 inches and made by Trek, Giant or Specialized. If you find one of those and it is in decent shape (i.e. all the moving parts move smoothly and nothing is rusty) you should be OK. You should be able to find something like that for around $100, though you might need to drive to a larger city to get it.

Alright then Kitsky!

You have three options as I see it at that pricepoint:

1) Patiently search Craigslist for an old '80's chromoly steel bicycle. It doesn't matter what speed it is...
Try to find a bicycle co-op in your area. If there are none (and I don't think there are any), try to find someone who is knowledgeable about bicycles. Take this person (the expert) with you, when you go to buy your prospective bicycle. You must make certain that the welds at the joints are perfect. There should be no rust issues anywhere on the frame. Since you're female, you might just try to find a female frame. However, women ride male frames all the time. If it's a good bike and properly fits, ride it! Try not to pay over $100....You're possibly gonna need something extra for the LBS to get it back up to speed.

2) You could buy this single speed bike online thru Nashbar.com....It's called, The Hounder ~ $200
www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_504148_-1_202339

* This bike is made of chromoly steel and is very reliable. It will arrive 95% assembled already. You'll just have to place the finishing touches on the assembly, in order for it to be complete.

This link should assist you in the completion of the final assembly:
www.bikesdirect.com/instructionhelp.htm
(Watch the video a whole bunch of times if need be)

3) If you must go to Walmart, don't get the Thruster! Get either the GMC Denali or the Schwinn Varsity. Any Schwinn that costs over $150 OTD, would be marginally borderline begrudgingly reluctantly acceptable. That's only if you're absolutely bankrupt!

Good Luck!

- Slim

+1


This is the best option yet. Decent quality and a reliable bike for the price.

I really like the Nashbar you linked!!! I can definitely swing that. I chose to live without having any credit cards, and nearly everything paid off in full, bought my car brand new cash in hand *chevy Malibu maxx*, and I pay a mortgage of what most people send on rent. I have it where I can retire at 40 if I want to but I am too much a workaholic to do so, not bad for a 30ish yrd
Now with the hounder could I put a basket or a rack on the back? Thank you so much for your help!!!

Oh I also like this one... any thoughts??? I wish I had a friend that was into bike so I would drive all of you insane *sorry*
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...60_-1___202383

Welcome to Commuting, Kitsky! Bike commuting is very addictive and a great way to live.

+2 Slim rider's recommending "The Hounder".

The Hounder does look like a good option (name aside ), and it does have the necessary braze-ons (holes) to mount racks. Geometry looks nice too -- more "roadie" than "track," so it should feel stable with a load and not squirrely. Nice that it comes setup with a freewheel, but has the option to do fixed as well.

I say go for it. Being 5'6", I think you'd probably either want the 52 or 54 cm, depending on your build.

Ok about to buy the hounder should I buy any extras *pedals, brakes anything******************************?

Nope - comes with everything you need. This bike seems to get decent reviews, and for $200 it's prob your best bet (after Craigslist which can take patience). Remember, it will require some assembly, but being a single speed it won't take lot to set it up....a couple simple tools and an hour (conservatively) and you should be rolling. Ask on here and you can get help if you get stuck.

Get a rack and some grocery panniers. By "40 minute walk" I'm guessing it's about 2miles to the grocery store for you. Honestly, you could ride just about anything you like. If you buy a new bike, the stock pedals and brakes should be fine.

extras - helmet and blinky lights, u-lock and cable lock, would be minimum. I'm in Miami -south- if I can help, let me know.

Buy an allen wrench set so you can assemble it! Sounds like there isn't much around you so a METRIC set may be scarce. You'll need a 4, 5, 6mm, and possibly a 3 or 2 mm for brake adjustments. An 8 mm is also good to make sure the crank bolts are secure.

Other than that, the only other think you'd need is possibly a 15 mm or adjustable wrench for the axle nuts. There are other things that should be adjusted, technically, but you can probably get by without doing them for now as they aren't safety related.

Hi Kitsky. You found the right place to ask for advice!

That Hounder is a nice looking bike. $200 for a single speed will go further than $200 for bike with gears. And it has a lot of good reviews. Please invest $20 in a helmet. All cycling helmets sold in the US have to be certified so even the cheapest one will work. The more expensive ones are lighter, more comfy and better ventilated, which won't matter that much. That's the minimum you need to ride the bike. Buy other accessories as you need them. A floor pump to keep tires inflated is probably a must have. When you get a flat, you'll discover you need a patch kit and tire levers, which is cheaper than a new inner tube. If you want to fix flats on the road, you'll need a bit more: a frame pump and perhaps a seat pack to hold these items. Or you can toss them in a back pack.

Yes. I would trust the reliability of a new $200 single speed over a new $200 multigear bike anytime.

I would use a sizing chart before ordering the bike. I would also find my correct inseam measurement. In order to determine the standover height, just measure from the ground, up to the horizontal top tube. Your inseam should be greater than your standover height, by about 1-2inches.

In order to find your inseam measurement, tie a sinker or heavy earring to four feet of fishing line or thread. Place the sinker end on the floor while you're stand up, holding the line. Now take a grade school math book, open it to the middle page and place the line near the back of the spine of the opened book. Now close the book, leaving only about five inches of line, hanging outside the book. Now slide the face of the book up your leg and stop just before you get to your genitalia.

At this point, you'll need another person to make certain that the book is perfectly perpendicular to the floor. Have this person pull down on the over hanging fishing line, until the sinker just barely touches the floor. Now with a pair of scissors, cut the line along the edge of the book from which the line is hanging.

Tape the end of the line and the end the sinker, to the kitchen counter top. Now measure the total length of the line plus the sinker. That's your inseam measurement.

Alternatively, you could just follow these instructions, instead:
www.ehow.com/how_4672747_choose-right-size-bike.html

Furthermore, to get an even better idea:
www.rei.com/expertadvice/learn/bike+fit.html

Try to give Nashbar.com a call concerning bike size and fit tomorrow, due to the fact that some lines of bikes have their sizings set up differently.

1-(877)-688-8600 ---> NB Customer Service

- Slim

PS.

If you must error, error on the small side, NOT the large side. Bikes too large get sold to the higest bidder. We can always make a few minor adjustments for bikes just a tad too small.

Thanks everyone so much!!!
I bought the "Hounder" in 54cm last night, and really look forward to getting it. I am not completely cycling illiterate. Ten years ago I use to mountain bike in the Appalachian mountains pretty much all the time. However getting nearly run over and knocked down a mountain I gave up biking.

I am going to look for grocery panniers, and a rack else where I didnt see exactly what I wanted on Nashbar. Tools I wont have a problem with my friend owns a pawn shop so I can borrow whatever I need

Justadude thank you I will contact you if I need anything.


My dad is a light cyclist but not knowledgeable on bike brands he just goes to a shop and buys whatever the tech suggest :/
I know he has patches tubes and those odds and ends at his vacation house a few mins away from my house.

Great thread. I think you'll have fun assembling the Hounder. When you get it, look in the instructions and see what tools they say you need. Get those tools from your friend or dad before you even start; things will go more smoothly. Also, a pair of latex gloves will help keep you clean while assembling.

I wouldn't worry so much about the stuff to fix flats on the road. My commute to the train station is 1.8 miles, so if I get a flat during that, it would almost certainly be easier to walk it home and fix it.

I think you'll have fun on that bike, althought it looks like it is going to put you in a forward lean; not sure if that's what you're after.

Remember that for such a short commute, the rack is optional. You can use a messenger bag instead. Messenger bags can be worn lower than backpacks, so they don't make your back sweaty. If you do get a rack, either get one that is designed to have the special bags latch into it, or make sure you do a really good job securing the load with bungee cords or a bungee net. Otherwise, you'll have stuff falling off, and if something goes in the spokes, it could get ugly.

Let us know how it goes and post some pix when you have it built!

Not much of a slope to that top tube. I hope it fits you ok at 5'6".