Okay, so I am going to be living 1 mile from work and I've decided to start riding a bike. I don't own a bike though and I really don't want to spend too much money if that is possible. At the same time, I would like this bike to last for a few years.

Is that too much too ask? Do I need to spend more than $300?

All I want to do is ride to work (all paved) and ride on the greenways around town. I live in Nashville, TN if anyone has any bike shop recommendations.

Are the bikes at Wal-Mart complete crap?

What is a good brand for less expensive bikes?

11/9/2005 10:35:48 AM

I bike about 12-20 miles per day every week day.

Do NOT get a wal mart bike if you plan to keep this up for more than a month with one exception, a simple single speed 10 year old boys bike (you'll look really dumb on it, but it wont fall appart too easily). I bought a landcruiser (simple fucking bike) from K-mart when I lived in Austin, Tx for a summer and it fell apart in about 3 weeks. If you want a decent adult bike you'll need to spend around $250 to get a decent hybrid (don't get a mountain bike if your going to be on paved roads and or sidewalks) and get it from some place other than Walmart/Kmart/Target (go to a bike shop, REI, Dicks, etc...).

Sorry, I don't know low end bike brands so I can't give you a specific recomendation. Just don't get department store huffys or schwinns

If you ever get to where you need to commute 5+ miles I'd recomend spending some real money to get a true road bike. When you consider the bike clothes, the bike, lights, pumps, etc... you're looking at anywhere from $700 to $3000

[Edited on November 9, 2005 at 10:44 AM. Reason : .]

[Edited on November 9, 2005 at 10:44 AM. Reason : .]

11/9/2005 10:42:04 AM

Yeah, Wal-Mart bikes totally blow. If it's only one mile, you can walk that in 15 minutes.

Quote :

"don't get a mountain bike if your going to be on paved roads and or sidewalks"

Why?

[Edited on November 9, 2005 at 10:46 AM. Reason : ]

11/9/2005 10:45:48 AM

Mongoose is a pretty sturdy brand. You can guy them at Dick's Sporting Goods for a few hundred dollars.

11/9/2005 10:47:23 AM

look for a bike that is specifically designed for what you're looking for (commuting)

it should have flat bars like a mountain bike, but thin tires like a road bike
also, if you're really looking into using a bike for transit, make sure it has eyelets for luggage racks on at least the seatstays (sorry for using such technical lingo) so you can get some bags and such

i'd say look into http://www.walkbikenashville.org/ and see what information they can give you about reputable shops in the area

and a quick google search turned up several bike shops scattered around the city, so you should be able to find one near you, and check that site above to find out if they're worth dealing with


and please

do NOT buy a walmart bike

for a varied multitude of reasons

buy a good used bike before you buy a walmart special

11/9/2005 10:47:32 AM

Quote :

"Mongoose is a pretty sturdy brand"

they're one of Pacific's low end brands now right?

they're a step above Huffy at this stage

thank God GT didn't get shoveled to that route after the bankruptcy

Quote :

"don't get a mountain bike if your going to be on paved roads and or sidewalks"

Quote :

"Why?"

if all you're doing is road, you don't want a large contact patch giving you more rolling resistance

if two bikes are the exact same except for tire width, you'll really notice the difference that a narrow road tire makes over a fat clunky mtb tire

buying a road bike was something i now wish i had done YEARS ago

11/9/2005 10:50:45 AM

My husband, who's a cyclist and manager of a bike shop, purchased a Mongoose for me from one of his friends. Unfortunately it's a mountain bike, but it gets me to and from school, which is about 2-2.5 miles away from my apartment. It's sturdy and has lasted a few years.

I have a road bike as well, which I would strongly recommend because they are fantastic and a lot easier to commute on, but tend to be more expensive...and it will get very expensive to buy all the clothing and special shoes needed.

11/9/2005 11:03:28 AM

for $300, any real bike shop will be able to get you something perfect for your needs

you need no bells and whistles, special features, etc.

$300 should also include some form of service offer if the shop is worth a damn

11/9/2005 12:13:22 PM

I recently bought a mountain bike, but I plan on getting a set of road-tread tires for it so I can swap them out depending on my riding conditions.

11/9/2005 12:23:12 PM

why do you need to be spandex man to ride ONE mile

11/9/2005 12:26:16 PM

I love my old Rockhopper. Go used.

11/9/2005 12:27:45 PM

I have a road bike that I love, it cost $300 used. Personally it is my favorite type of the main three (road, mountain, hybrid)

Try to get a road bike if you can, especially if your route is hilly. They are much faster and it's way easier to go up hills. Road bikes are more expensive, but a used one shouldn't be too bad. A new one will run about $600 at the very least. The cost might scare you, but remember that a bicycle is worth spending some dough on. It lasts for years and you will be using it daily. You might as well get a good one.

However if the road on your route is bumpy and pothole filled, or if you think you'll do a lot of curb hopping or riding in the grass, you should stick with a mountain bike. Road bikes are stiff, you feel EVERY bump while riding them, even sidewalk cracks. Also you might find the upright position of a mountain bike to be more comfortable.

Personally I hate hybrids. They combine the two other types of bicycles and make them suck. The advantage of a road bike is that it is light and fast. The advantage of a mountain bike is the shocks and knobby tires. Basically a hybrid takes a road bike and makes it heavy, and takes a mountain bike and removes the shocks and knobby tires. Hybrids are made for grandmothers to ride around the block.

Whatever kind you decide to get, make sure to tell the people at the shop that you are a beginner and will use the bike for commuting. They will help you to pick out one that suits your needs.

11/9/2005 12:33:29 PM

I am not going to be wearing any type of spandex. I'm moving into a nice little area where everything I need is within one to two miles.

I'll be riding to work but also to lunch, to the grocery store for small items, over to Target across the street, etc.

I just went to a local Trek shop, their mid-quality commuter bike was $370 before the bike rack, tire repair kit, helmet, etc that I will need. I am going to go to REI after work to see what they have.

Anyone know if Cannondale is more or less expensive than Trek before I drive to their shop?

11/9/2005 12:35:27 PM

I like the versatility of mountain bikes. On the whole, they don't seem as fragile, and I can ride them both on the road and on trails. I got a $67 Roadmaster bike at Wal-Mart, and it's pretty much the biggest piece of crap I've ever ridden. Everyday it has a new ailment, and I think the original brake pads were made of the same material as pencil erasers. I knew it was crap to begin with, but I am waiting to get a good bike until I move somewhere with a lower theft rate. I don't want to be stuck saying "Nigga stole my bike!" I just hope this thing holds together until the end of the year. GARBAGE.

11/9/2005 12:56:10 PM

^^Cannondale is more expensive.

11/9/2005 1:10:32 PM

Yeah, if you buy anything over $300, keep it indoors!!!

11/9/2005 1:10:45 PM

I would say a Trek bike is going to be the best bike you are going to get in the $300 range, although you might luck out and find a Gary Fischer on sale somewhere for a little more.

11/9/2005 1:12:32 PM

I really like the look of the Trek bike. I do not have the model number in front of me though. I am probably going to end up getting it around Christmas, and then buying the racks and fenders as I can afford them over a couple of months.

Until then, I'll just be walking.

11/9/2005 1:22:37 PM

I have a gary fisher mountain bike... I bought it to commute 1mile AND mountain bike... I commuted for 1 week and then got sick of being the sweaty smelly guy in class after biking UP avent ferry... So now I leave earlier and walk again... I use it now for mountain biking though so I don't regret spending the money...

I bought the cheapest mongoose from dicks... it tried to kill me, the handle bars rotated on my to where the brakes were vertical as I was going down a hill and I flipped over the handle bars when I tried to slow down... I was wearing a helmet nad the bike went back the next day and I went to an actual bike shop and ordered a real bike

11/9/2005 1:26:17 PM

Quote :

"It's sturdy and has lasted a few years. "

yours might be a pre-name-sale mongoose
back when they were mid-tier bikes like diamondback etc

Quote :

"and it will get very expensive to buy all the clothing and special shoes needed."

as stated, dude doesn't need fancy clothes and shoes

toe clips still work fine, not every ride calls for clipless pedals

and nobody is going to get saddle sore from a two mile round trip (at least not after the first couple of trips )

Quote :

" Basically a hybrid takes a road bike and makes it heavy, and takes a mountain bike and removes the shocks and knobby tires. Hybrids are made for grandmothers to ride around the block"

while nerdchick brings up a good point or two

for health and well being, yes get a road bike

for commuting short distances go with a hybrid

but i agree, go used
check http://nashville.craigslist.org/bik/

since thats where you are

11/9/2005 2:11:14 PM

i've been riding a walmart bike to centennial from harrelson and back twice a week all semester and it hasn't fallen apart yet...probably not the healthiest thing to ride, but a cheap and easy to maintain mountain bike it is...

11/9/2005 2:22:21 PM

Quote :

"for health and well being, yes get a road bike"

What do you mean by that? Is the hybrid "unhealthy?"

11/9/2005 2:25:51 PM

I agree that in the future I may get a road bike or perhaps have multiple bikes for multiple needs. When I move back to Raleigh, I would like to live and work where I can bike most places/use the train (if there is a train). That is a long way off though.

For now, I just want to spend $300-$400 and test the waters. Down the road, I can better justify a $1000+ bike if this becomes something I do long term.

I am really bad about getting very excited about an idea like this, buying a lot of equipment, and then forgetting about it all after a month.

11/9/2005 2:31:10 PM

I've been thinking about fixing up my old Trek 820 mtn bike or buying a new bike, since I now reside in NYC.

My only concern is storage. Of course I'd keep it inside, but there isn't anywhere to put it in the apt!

Actually a second concern would be navigating the traffic

11/9/2005 4:17:00 PM

I use my older DiamondBack to get to centenial and just around campus daily
bike's about 5 or 6 years old now, bit too small for me, getting a little worn, but solid as a rock.. no issues that weren't caused by user-error as of yet, its just a good bike..

my roommate's ~year old mongoose broke atleast once every three weeks last year..
he got a new one, one of their more expensive models, and its been better

11/9/2005 4:51:32 PM

I think used is a good way to go if you can find a good one. I went to a good bike shop that sells a lot of used bikes that they had originally sold new, so there wasn't any risk of buying something online, or not knowing what kind of condition it was really in. I got a $600+ cannondale for $200 used and it has been great.

I don't know that I can add much to the good suggestions you've gotten so far. I would just say that your riding conditions are probably going to be the most important consideration. I got a mountain bike for riding around campus. Even though it's mostly pavement riding, I didn't want to risk wrecking or tearing up a road bike curb hopping or riding through grass. I ride several miles a day without any trouble and even though it would probably be easier on a road bike, I like not having to worry about cutting through some grass or jumping a curb. A mountain bike would be more rugged, but if you're only going to be riding on smooth pavement, a rode bike should work well for you.

11/9/2005 4:59:01 PM