Embarrassing question

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

Second-hand for sure..
Shogun, Apollo, Mavern Star, etc.

You can also get some great brands that are simply
old - most people know about them though and pinch
them for ss/fixie projects :-)

Go into your local smack converters and see what they have..
Do any of your LBS's stock second-hand bikes?
Ebay has cheap new and used bikes fairly regularly.
Trading post is often good for old bikes and check:
http://bicyclingaustralia.com/classifieds/XcClassified.asp

Perhaps formulate a list of what's available in your price
range and come back to us and we can tell you just how
[censored] it is? :-)

hippy

Tamyka Bell said:

Hi all,

Read below for the rant on usage, etc., but here's the question:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

Shogun, Avanti, Merida. They don't have the 'cool' factor that pushes up the price of other quality bike makers' low end offerings.

Also look second hand. The resale value of bikes in Australia seems really low, and new bikes have pretty much halved in price over the last five years. People are often asking more than they'll ever get - half of what they originally paid is often more than the current new price - make them an offer they can get back to you on when they give up waiting for their hoped for price.

quote='Huw'Tamyka Bell said:

Hi all,

Read below for the rant on usage, etc., but here's the question:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

Shogun, Avanti, Merida. They don't have the 'cool' factor that pushes up the price of other quality bike makers' low end offerings.

Also look second hand. The resale value of bikes in Australia seems really low, and new bikes have pretty much halved in price over the last five years. People are often asking more than they'll ever get - half of what they originally paid is often more than the current new price - make them an offer they can get back to you on when they give up waiting for their hoped for price.[/QUOTE]
<evil twin personality>
No, I'm sorry, you're all wrong - it's either Huffy, Kent, Dunlop, Husky or BV purple and orange. They are REALLY good, especially if they have triple-clamp forks, disc brakes, more frame tubes than needed (esp. of ordinary cheap steel) and URT rear suspension. Get her one of those! It's kill or cure! She won't enjoy it, but she'll get fit if you make her ride it at over 20 kph!

</evil twin personality>

BTW, maybe someone can donate a BV bike to your friend?

(runs away rapidly as solid objects are hurled)

</residual evil twin personality>

M "my mum told me I'd come to no good if I worked in the bike industry for too long" H

mfhor said:

<evil twin personality>
No, I'm sorry, you're all wrong - it's either Huffy, Kent, Dunlop, Husky or BV purple and orange. They are REALLY good, especially if they have triple-clamp forks, disc brakes, more frame tubes than needed (esp. of ordinary cheap steel) and URT rear suspension. Get her one of those! It's kill or cure! She won't enjoy it, but she'll get fit if you make her ride it at over 20 kph!

And she'll probably stuff her knees in the process.

Agree with Hippy on this, either that to piece together a reasonable rig from various components. Look for a mid-late 80's early mtb, ok, they had funny gear ratios but are far better than current low-end [censored] produced from muck metal. They had a higher quality of muck metal back in the 80's.

(ducks for cover)

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

Second-hand for sure..
Shogun, Apollo, Mavern Star, etc.

You can also get some great brands that are simply
old - most people know about them though and pinch
them for ss/fixie projects :-)

Go into your local smack converters and see what they have..
Do any of your LBS's stock second-hand bikes?
Ebay has cheap new and used bikes fairly regularly.
Trading post is often good for old bikes and check:
http://bicyclingaustralia.com/classifieds/XcClassified.asp

Perhaps formulate a list of what's available in your price
range and come back to us and we can tell you just how
[censored] it is? :-)

hippy

i had a shogun trailbreaker something or other which i got new for $320 or
so back in 1997..
was heavy & slow (much like me) but it had shimano running gear and
everything worked perfectly well.
i'd go for one of those over a kmart special..at least the
hubs/shifters/other components are a brand that are known and fixable.

"Dej" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

Second-hand for sure..
Shogun, Apollo, Mavern Star, etc.

You can also get some great brands that are simply
old - most people know about them though and pinch
them for ss/fixie projects :-)

Go into your local smack converters and see what they have..
Do any of your LBS's stock second-hand bikes?
Ebay has cheap new and used bikes fairly regularly.
Trading post is often good for old bikes and check:
http://bicyclingaustralia.com/classifieds/XcClassified.asp

Perhaps formulate a list of what's available in your price
range and come back to us and we can tell you just how
[censored] it is? :-)

hippy

i had a shogun trailbreaker something or other which i got new for $320 or
so back in 1997..
was heavy & slow (much like me) but it had shimano running gear and
everything worked perfectly well.
i'd go for one of those over a kmart special..at least the
hubs/shifters/other components are a brand that are known and fixable.

My brother had a Shimano Trailbreaker which he got a lot of use out of
before he gave it to me.
I used it for about seven years before finally giving it to a friend who
often comes riding with me. It has the Rockshox Mag21 shockies on the front.
That bike is truly remakable for enduring the stuff it's been through. I
don't think you'd find a much more durable bike than that.

Marty

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi all,

Read below for the rant on usage, etc., but here's the question:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

<Begin Rant>

I have a friend who has decided she wants to get mega-fit. She's not big
on the cardio stuff (it's all about circus for her) but given that she's
carrying a bit of extra weight and that starting running can be
demoralising that the best of times, I don't want to throw her into
running too much.

I want to take her cycling but I don't really have enought time to train
myself let alone train someone else, and while I'm happy to lend her a
bike while I'm with her, I don't really want to permanently loan it so
she can go for a few rides a week.

So I wanted to get her a second hand bike that's dirt cheap, that she
can ride on bike paths (and quiet back streets) only. Firstly, if anyone
in BrisVegas is selling, let me know.

And here's the embarrassing bit where I ask about bikes for beginners...

Given that neither of us have any money, I'd be looking at the really
cheap, crappy bikes, given that she won't go over 20km/h and it's really
just a temporary measure (I figure if she likes cycling she'll buy a
good bike and if she hates it she'll throw the bike in the river)...

<End Rant, return to question>

T, who will probably end up buying her friend a Learsport, if she
doesn't get good replies.

Tamyka, Some of the cheapest ways to get a used bike is possibly garage
sales, I know it means time to go scouting but usually if you look in a
local based paper, people normally list bikes if they have them. Go with
some cash, say $50-100 and bid hard if you see something that might be worth
while, be prepared to walk, 75% of the time they'll call you back if they've
seen you have the money in hand.You can get a good learners MTB for less
than $100 if you scout around, try ebay, I've seen bikes go for as little as
$25 with no bidders....or Trading post, the local Brissy version.
If you look at brands like Repco, Malvern Star and Gemini, they should be ok
strength wise.
Most bikes at garage sales, if they have good paint and tyres, haven't been
ridden much and are probably a result of a New Year Resolution a few years
back.

Regards
DJ

Tamyka Bell said:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

What about one of the entry-level Giant MTBs.
You should be able to get one for ~ $300, my
dad has one, it's pretty good for the money.
Now the US$ is down, you might even be able to
get a better deal... *shrug*.

-kt

--
Kingsley Turner,
(mailto: [email hidden])
http://MadDogsBreakfast.com/ABFAQ - news:aus.bicycle Frequenly Asked Questions

Tamyka Bell said:

Hi all,

Read below for the rant on usage, etc., but here's the question:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

<Begin Rant>

I have a friend who has decided she wants to get mega-fit. She's not big
on the cardio stuff (it's all about circus for her) but given that she's
carrying a bit of extra weight and that starting running can be
demoralising that the best of times, I don't want to throw her into
running too much.

I want to take her cycling but I don't really have enought time to train
myself let alone train someone else, and while I'm happy to lend her a
bike while I'm with her, I don't really want to permanently loan it so
she can go for a few rides a week.

So I wanted to get her a second hand bike that's dirt cheap, that she
can ride on bike paths (and quiet back streets) only. Firstly, if anyone
in BrisVegas is selling, let me know.

And here's the embarrassing bit where I ask about bikes for beginners...

Given that neither of us have any money, I'd be looking at the really
cheap, crappy bikes, given that she won't go over 20km/h and it's really
just a temporary measure (I figure if she likes cycling she'll buy a
good bike and if she hates it she'll throw the bike in the river)...

<End Rant, return to question>

T, who will probably end up buying her friend a Learsport, if she
doesn't get good replies.

$ 200? All new bikes that price will be [censored]. Buy one second-hand from
the trading post, a BS that sells second hand bikes, or as hippy said,
from your local smack converters.

Most important thing is a bike that fits. (No need to tell you how or why.)

Things to look for in a cheap bike:
- alloy rims
- QRs on both front and back wheels
- cantis/v-brakes, not calipers (on non road bikes)
- seat allen-bolt adjusted, not bolts on either side of the
seat/seat-post connection

If it's got them, then the rest of the bike will be decent quality for $
200.

Extra points to look out for:
- alloy not plastic brake levers
- bolted not rivetted chain rings
- rear derailleur that mounts to the frame rather than being attached to
a bit of mild steel that's clamped onto the chain-side drop-out
- alloy not steel bars.
These bits aren't a guarantee of decent quality on their own, but they
add up.

All said, I think the most important things are
- a bike (whatever quality) that fits
- toe-clips and straps, and a firm injunction to never pedal at less
than 80 rpm.
The most whizzo bike will be uncomfortable and unrewarding, otherwise.

My 2c.

Bruce

ps: When I read the subject, I thought this thread was going to be about
Canesten or Baby Cream :^0

Tamyka Bell said:

Hi all,

Read below for the rant on usage, etc., but here's the question:

"What brands make good lower end bikes, either hybrid or mtb? And I'm
talking low as you can go."

<Begin Rant>

I have a friend who has decided she wants to get mega-fit. She's not big
on the cardio stuff (it's all about circus for her) but given that she's
carrying a bit of extra weight and that starting running can be
demoralising that the best of times, I don't want to throw her into
running too much.

I want to take her cycling but I don't really have enought time to train
myself let alone train someone else, and while I'm happy to lend her a
bike while I'm with her, I don't really want to permanently loan it so
she can go for a few rides a week.

So I wanted to get her a second hand bike that's dirt cheap, that she
can ride on bike paths (and quiet back streets) only. Firstly, if anyone
in BrisVegas is selling, let me know.

And here's the embarrassing bit where I ask about bikes for beginners...

Given that neither of us have any money, I'd be looking at the really
cheap, crappy bikes, given that she won't go over 20km/h and it's really
just a temporary measure (I figure if she likes cycling she'll buy a
good bike and if she hates it she'll throw the bike in the river)...

<End Rant, return to question>

T, who will probably end up buying her friend a Learsport, if she
doesn't get good replies.

Nowhere near you.. but I was wondering.. how cheap and nasty is cheap
and nasty

Dave

well, speaking of buying bikes for significant others...

My s.o. is in need of a new steed and i stumbled across a sale at Goldcross here in Melbourne, and managed to pick up a small-size GT Avalanche 1.0 for $400. Quite chuffed with that purchase... Of course, given that it's Melbourne sale it probably doesn't help you much! :o Just rather chuffed and felt the need to share...

eddiec said:

well, speaking of buying bikes for significant others...

My s.o. is in need of a new steed and i stumbled across a sale at
Goldcross here in Melbourne, and managed to pick up a small-size GT
Avalanche 1.0 for $400. Quite chuffed with that purchase... Of course,
given that it's Melbourne sale it probably doesn't help you much! :o
Just rather chuffed and felt the need to share...

--
eddiec

where by "share" you mean "rub it in" ..?

:-)

T

quote='Tamyka Bell'On Fri said:

well, speaking of buying bikes for significant others...

My s.o. is in need of a new steed and i stumbled across a sale at
Goldcross here in Melbourne, and managed to pick up a small-size GT
Avalanche 1.0 for $400. Quite chuffed with that purchase... Of course,
given that it's Melbourne sale it probably doesn't help you much! :o
Just rather chuffed and felt the need to share...

--
eddiec

where by "share" you mean "rub it in" ..?

:-)

T[/QUOTE]

Well, just a little 😄

Eddie (who so rarely gets to buy new bikes that he has to make a bit of a song & dance when he does!)

eddiec said:

Tamyka Bell said:

eddiec said:

well, speaking of buying bikes for significant others...

My s.o. is in need of a new steed and i stumbled across a sale at
Goldcross here in Melbourne, and managed to pick up a small-size GT
Avalanche 1.0 for $400. Quite chuffed with that purchase... Of

course,

Quoted message said:

given that it's Melbourne sale it probably doesn't help you much!

:o

Quoted message said:

Just rather chuffed and felt the need to share...

--
eddiec

where by "share" you mean "rub it in" ..?

:-)

T

Well, just a little 😄

Eddie (who so rarely gets to buy new bikes that he has to make a bit of
a song & dance when he does!)

--
eddiec

Having bought 3 bikes in the last 2 years, I'll let you have your small,
small victory ;-)

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 at 06:04 GMT, Tamyka Bell (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

eddiec said:

Eddie (who so rarely gets to buy new bikes that he has to make a bit of
a song & dance when he does!)

Having bought 3 bikes in the last 2 years, I'll let you have your small,
small victory ;-)

Only 3? I met someone the other day with 14 bikes in his shed. Lights
and racks etc on all of them. One for any purpose.

His newest is a tandem.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
A debugged program is one for which you have not yet found the
conditions that make it fail. -- Jerry Ogdin

"TimC" <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 at 06:04 GMT, Tamyka Bell (aka Bruce)

Quoted message said:

eddiec said:

Eddie (who so rarely gets to buy new bikes that he has to make a bit of
a song & dance when he does!)

Having bought 3 bikes in the last 2 years, I'll let you have your small,
small victory ;-)

Only 3? I met someone the other day with 14 bikes in his shed. Lights
and racks etc on all of them. One for any purpose.

His newest is a tandem.

In the last two years? That's pretty good if it is..

hippy

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 at 06:23 GMT, hippy (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

"TimC" <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 at 06:04 GMT, Tamyka Bell (aka Bruce)

Quoted message said:

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005, eddiec wrote:
> Eddie (who so rarely gets to buy new bikes that he has to make a bit of
> a song & dance when he does!)

Having bought 3 bikes in the last 2 years, I'll let you have your small,
small victory ;-)

Only 3? I met someone the other day with 14 bikes in his shed. Lights
and racks etc on all of them. One for any purpose.

His newest is a tandem.

In the last two years? That's pretty good if it is..

Maybe not in the last 2.

OK, so for all I know, Tam might well have gotten 12 more in the past
6 years.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
Just don't create a file called -rf. :-)
-- Larry Wall in <[email hidden]>

TimC said:

Only 3? I met someone the other day with 14 bikes in his shed. Lights
and racks etc on all of them. One for any purpose.

Damn!

Let's see...
5 bikes currently...
add;
tandem
downhiller
trials bike
tri-recumbant
carbon 'bent
pursuit bike (make it a BT...)
fully CF bike
fully lugged steel bike
fully wooden bike

"flyingdutch" <[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Let's see...
5 bikes currently...

<snip>

Oh, really? Wanna part with some dough? I have a mint
Zebdi going cheap.. coz no [censored] wants to ride street
any more.. "Meh.. ooh.. we don't go to bashguard any
more.. we're too good for that.." Bleh! Go to hell
grommets!

<snip #2>

Don't ask for much do you! :-P

packing hippy