morgothaod

I really want to spend no more than $150. The bike shop near me doesn't have new bikes for that price but they do sell used bikes that they do a check list of things on before they sell them. Is spending twice as much on a new bike really worth it? I really just want to dedicate an hour a day riding my bike around the neighborhood.. flat terrain).

Gresp15C

While I admit that I just bought a new bike, in all honesty a used bike in good condition from a shop is a fine way to get a bike as well. Things to consider: Is it the correct size, and comfortable to ride?

morgothaod

What if the used bike has rust on it? Should I steer clear of that?

twodownzero

If the bike shop has a used bike that fits you doesn't have a crank gear stamped from a stop sign for $150, you should buy it immediately.

SkyDog75

Unfortunately, $150 doesn't buy you a whole lot of new bike. At that price, you'll be looking at department store models, which are typically built from lower-quality, heavier components than the bikes you'll find in a bike shop. I realize you're not looking for top of the line, but it would sure be nice to have a bike that stays in adjustment and brakes well.

On the other hand, $150 can buy you a good used bike. The catch is that you need to figure out what a "good used bike" is. You can get a great bike at a bargain, or you can overpay for a lemon. If your local bike shop sells inspected and adjusted used bikes in your price range, it could be a good option for you. They could also help you find a bike that fits well, which is WAY more important than most novice cyclists might realize. A poorly fitting bike won't be much fun to ride and could be uncomfortable enough to make you think cycling might not be for you.

morgothaod

When looking at used bikes, are there any brands that I should look for and avoid? Also do you think I would have a much better bike if I changed my maximum amount to $200?

NormanF

I would recommend that you save up to least $1000.

That gets you a mid-entry level bike and not a lot of extras.

$150 buys a big box store one size fits all bike which is basically throwing away money.

A good LBS quality bike will be lighter and stronger and this is where a larger budget really pays off.

deex

No one has asked yet, what type of bike are you login to get? Road, hybrid, mtb? Let's start there.

Pricing on used bikes also depends on where you live.

morgothaod

Well, I prefer being in an upright position and I would like a lighter bike because I'll be moving it up and down stairs. As for gears, I don't know if I'll need them since my bike is for recreational use. Would a certain type of bike make it easier for me to pedal for an hour without getting tired? That is my goal for each day. I'll be riding on a flat surface. I live in FL (St. Pete)

ShadowGray

Sounds like you want a hybrid/flat bar road bike (upright seating position, skinny tires for long distance riding)

If you're willing to up the budget a little bit for a new bike, sign up for Nashbar's email list and wait for one of their 20-30% coupons to come out (happens almost weekly). $15 shipping for bikes. If you can work a hex key these bikes aren't a bad deal:

AT1 Mountain Bike ($220 before discount, $176 with 20%):
Nashbar AT1 Mountain Bike

Flat Bar Road bike ($280 before discount, $225 with 20%):
Nashbar Flat Bar Road Bike

Trekking bike ($350 before discount, $280 with 20%):
Nashbar Trekking Bike

If you're willing to up your budget to $300, I think the Nashbar trekking bike is the sweet spot (you can get it for $280 shipped if you buy it during their 25% off discount). Altus/Acera groupset, 700x35c tires and fairly decent parts.

I wouldn't really look at the mountain bike for your needs but it's a decent new bike that's in your range.

deex

Check Craigslist in your area. You may have lots of used options. Since it is a hybrid/mtb that you are looking for perfect fit is not essential.

Good luck.

NormanF

Its not just the bike.

OP has to set to aside money for assembly, upgrade and accessory expenses.

It doesn't just stop with a bike purchase.

spdracr39

Reality of getting anything current or reasonable for $150.00 is not there. I would love to get
a Corvette for $500.00 but it ain't gonna happen.

morgothaod

I think I may up my limit to $300. Besides lightweight, upright seating position (curved handlebars?), and easy to pedal; I would also like a lever to quickly release the wheel for easy car transport. Would I be able to find something decent with those features in my price range? For riding on the street and sidewalk, does the width or type of wheel make a difference? Example mountain bike tires vs 700cc or whatever those really skinny tires are called.

ShadowGray

I find curved handlebars to be uncomfortable. That's something you will have to decide on your own from riding. For road riding, bigger wheels give you more momentum and better road absorption. 700c is ideal because they're large and skinny; you only want fatter tires when dealing with mixed terrain. Easy to pedal... You may want something with a lower bottom gear.

The levers you're talking about are called qr (quick release) axles. Most bikes should come with qr axles.

Check out the trekking bike I linked above. Look at the specs. You will probably want to look for something in that profile. You probably won't need a suspension fork. 28t bottom front crank (low gear for easy to pedal in hills and with loads), 700x35c tires, and Altus group set which is a good entry level set.

Do you work in retail/military? There are also online discounts if you are in those industries.

fietsbob

100% of a New Bike is New .

Beach cruiser with a coaster Brake would do (?)

Beach Cruisers

bikeclub

I think you can find a good used bike for $150 in almost any market, with enough time, effort and knowledge. If this is not a serious hobby for you, then definitely compromise on some of the advice below:

1. Craigslist or private party transaction versus a bike shop: many posters on this forum (myself included) spend a disproportionate amount of our time searching for CL bargains. Bikes can be even cheaper when people don't know what they're selling, i.e. In the garage and estate sales section, rather than in the bikes section. Again, this takes more time and knowledge.

2. Bike shop, like any dealer, is going to charge you more and will not sell an underpriced bike, but you get the confidence of knowing that it has been serviced and they should stand behind the bike.

Therefore the best route would be to look for a good solid bike, find it underpriced at $75 and get tuned up at shop for another $75 It's not impossible, but this takes the most time and knowledge. Otherwise, buying used at a shop might be your easiest route.

jefnvk

If you've got a Performance Bike near you, they often have city cruiser type bikes in the $150-200 range new, and not too much over that for other urban-type offerings. They are the same (more or less) company as the Nashbar bikes referenced above. For hour long strolls on flat ground, anything that you are comfortable on should fit your needs.

I haven't bought bikes from Goodwill specifically, but I do shop thrift shops frequently. I bought my Le Tour for $28 from a Salvation Army, only needing a good cleaning and consumables. The Collegiate was something like $24, in a bit rougher shape (and to be honest, still sitting around waiting for new parts to be tacked on). I also bought an old Columbia 10-speed for $20 because I wanted the fenders, and ended up keeping the derailleurs, brakes and handlebars/levers.

It is rare I see a bike over $100, and those tend to be like-new "name brand" box store stuff (Mongoose, Schwinn, etc). There was an old Specialized Rock Hopper that stuck around my local shop for a few weeks priced at $30. Another had a beautiful Fuji ladies bike for $7, I would have bought it for parts but I decided to leave it for someone that actually needed a bike. I've missed out on a couple separate Miyata 310s priced at $30 (if a bike is sitting around with a sold tag, I always peek at the price), and found a nice old Fuji touring bike for $70, that would have went home with me if only I was about 8" taller to fit on it.

I think it is easy for people on this forum to forget that many people who own and ride bikes are not going to see much actual benefit from buying bikes north of four digits. I got into old vintage bikes because they were cheap and filled my needs. I was turned off by the four digit prices I was quoted when looking for a first road bike, and after a year of riding them, I am just now to the point where I am comfortable enough with the sport to know more precisely what I want that I can start to look at more expensive bikes. There are a lot of bikes at $500 or below that will suit most people's bike riding needs.

digibud

When I saw the title of the thread I thought it was the dumbest question ever. Of COURSE you should buy a new bike ! Then I realized it was new vs old. My answer reflects some above. If you have bike repair skills and can replace cables if needed or at least recognize when you're seeing a good deal which includes knowing the wheels, brakes, drivetrain, headset etc are in good shape, then buying a used bike will always be a LOT less expensive and get you a much better bike for your money. An hour a day on flat terrain doesn't take a high quality bike so I'd suggest spending some time looking at bikes on craigslist and going to bike shops that have used bikes and looking around. Eventually you'll find somebody selling a good bike for cheap. Real cheap. I just saw two pretty decent bikes at the dump, simply being thrown away.

alathIN

In my area, there are a couple of bike mechanics that refurb used bikes on the side, operating mostly off of Craigslist.
You can often get a decent used hybrid for less than $200 from these kind of guys. My wife got a very decent one for $125 that she still owns and uses.
As a brand new cyclist, you are likely to run into things like flat tires, things that need lubricating/adjusting, etc.
Most craigslist seller/mechanics while not giving the level of service/warranty that you'd get from an actual bike store, will at least try to help you out if something goes badly awry.

It would help if you're reasonably mechanically handy - if so, you can search YouTube for just about any kind of basic bike maintenance job and get at least 11 different opinions about how to do it.

Other initial purchases to think about: 1) helmet 2) some way to secure your bike in place

I would not spend too much time agonizing about what kind of bike to get. Just get something affordable that gets you out riding. Then, after a few months, you'll be posting on here about how you want a mountain bike or a road bike or whatever. Hybrids are a very serviceable first choice.

In answer to one of your questions above, I would not freak out about rust spots per se in a $150 starter bike. However, to whatever extent rust spots reflect neglect or abuse, I'd certainly expect the price to reflect that (lower). For a starter bike, you want everything to work reliably off the bat.

ironwood

Try the metal pile in the local dump. My favorite bike, or at least a lot of it came from the dump. For a couple of years I rode a bike that was 100% dump sourced.

Try yard sales. The season is just starting in some parts of the country. Amazing what you might find.

If there is a college nearby, check the dumpsters when this semester ends as some idiot college students often just toss their bikes.

Check out a book on bicycle maintenance from the library and learn to repair an old bike.

blue192

You could buy a cheap used bike for 150$ and use it for a month or two and try to get 100$ for. That way when you go to buy the nice bike you will know exactly which brand, comfort/mtb/road type bike etc. So is money well spent.

I-Like-To-Bike

Agree 100%. There seems to be a contingent of posters who are ALWAYS touting "buy product from an LBS" regardless of cycling needs or circumstances. If it is not possible to buy a new mucho $ bike from an LBS, the next recommendations are that all purchasers of used bikes at least throw some business to an LBS with a tune-up, check-up, fitting or an armload of accessories.

I-Like-To-Bike

No question that it would do for the OP's stated purpose unless the weight of the bike is too much for carrying up and down a flight of stairs

obed7

I must say I disagree with this big time. No matter the type of bike you are looking at, a correct fit is of prime importance.
Perfect is not a word I would use, but correct is. A correct fit will help reduce any needless injuries, and will allow you to ride more comfortably (even in a upright position) and assist you in using your energy and efforts much more effectively.
Reading the OP's questions and assumptions, I would venture to say that the OP does not have the knowledge or experience to be able to correctly size a bike off line or craigslist and I would definitely suggest the bike shop route.