strangeseraph

Didn't know what to title this. I'm very close to the end of the month, and narrowing my bike purchase down to several options. Anybody who read my intoductory post knows I've been considering which bikes to buy based on a couple factors. I'll be going shopping with my bike so it needs a basket, preferably a rear basket. I also like to bike casually, and will be using it for transportation around my area as opposed to using a car since I can't drive and currently use the bus system. You know, biking to the library, the doctor, and so forth.

So anyhoo, I found a couple bikes at my local Zellers, one of them might do, they're from Sportek, a Canadian brand that I can't find a website for, so I thought I'd run the bikes past the 'experts' first. I was looking at them both, but concerned because Zellers is not a bike shop, its just a department store, so I don't think I'd get any special add ons like repairs or whatever if I bought one of these.

Here's one, https://shop.hbc.com/webapp/wcs/store...CachePage=true

Big long link. Here's the other. https://shop.hbc.com/webapp/wcs/store...CachePage=true

Those were the only two bikes that were anywhere near what I was looking for. Basically everything else was a kid's bike or a mountain/men's bike. The Artistry bike was closer to my height, and my favorite color, but the handle bars seemed really odd. The Spellbound is a bit tall, I suppose the seat height can be adjusted, but it was actually rather nice, and the handles were proper. The Artistry is meant more for girls, but its height was closer to my 5'4 than the Spellbound, and its the color I like. I dunno. I guess its not a matter of which bike would suit my needs more.

What do you think? At least the store is close to me, as opposed to an hour bus ride away. Heheh. I'm also gonna check out a sports shop that is in the phone book on my end of town, and see what they have, but this is what I dug up so far in my area.

Other than that I've been splunking the used bikes on kijiji.ca and thinking about them too. Hm. So hard to decide.

stevage

For such a tiny budget, you seem to be agonising a lot. IMHO, if you care at all about this, you should be going to a bike shop, and getting their advice, and going with that. Such a cheap bike is going to need work relatively soon, so you're going to spend time at a LBS sooner or later. With the Zeller's thing, you can't even see what components it has. It's um, telling that "steel frame" and "handlebar brake" are listed as features. You would get much more bike for your money on eBay or craigslist.

Don't forget you're going to need to buy the basket ($25 ish) and lock ($25-50) and probably lights ($30-50).

So, um, agonising over which crappy department store bike to buy with your $100 doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me - or asking the "experts" here to help you pick.

Steve

strangeseraph

Sorry, don't recall having said anywhere I only had a hundred dollars. I said these are the bikes I've seen so far that I like, are they the type of bikes that would be good for commuting or shopping, or are they more fitness based bikes for cycling buffs?

I also didn't ask for any comentary on the monetary value of the bikes or whether they were 'crappy', I would think losing the sarcasm would be the golden rule here. Of course I plan to buy a lock, a good one, and a helmet, and all of that. Of course I'm spending money. I'm not asking if the bikes are ritzy or 'cheap' I'm asking if they are the right 'type' for my needs, IE: Not a mountain bmx bike or stunt bike.

Sorry if that wasn't clear. I'm pretty sure I made it clear in my first paragraph the sort of information I needed. But I guess I'll have to make my posts more clear and less friendly and personal in the future.

Edit: Also, I did say in my first post that I would be visiting a bike shop this week to see what they had. Didn't say I wasn't going to try visiting them before making a decision.

Thanks for your help though

somebadlemonade

It might help if you tell us your budget, since you have already said what you are going to use it for.

You should get a decent U-lock, and make sure the helmet fits properly.