Years ago I had a Raleigh Grand Prix 10 speed with a 23.5" frame.
Is there anything of comparable quality available for about $350?
I don't need to ride off-road, but a wider tire would be okay if it's designed to ride smooth on pavement.
I have also had some experience riding a mountain or all-terrain bike, a Stump Jumper Sport 15 speed, but my main dislike was that I could put my hands on only one spot on the handlebars.
I'm a 5'10" male and not a kid anymore.
Any suggestions/hope for a bike within my budget that sounds like a match?
Years ago I had a Raleigh Grand Prix 10 speed with a 23.5" frame.
Is there anything of comparable quality available for about $350?
I don't need to ride off-road, but a wider tire would be okay if it's designed to ride smooth on pavement.
I have also had some experience riding a mountain or all-terrain bike, a Stump Jumper Sport 15 speed, but my main dislike was that I could put my hands on only one spot on the handlebars.
I'm a 5'10" male and not a kid anymore.
Any suggestions/hope for a bike within my budget that sounds like a match?
There's a slight chance that the $200 Schwinn Varsity now sold at some larger Wal-Mart stores could be an acceptable fit, but I don't know what its dimensions are, and they're only carrying one size. A better choice might be the Kent Yukon available in three sizes via the Wal-Mart website for $330; it has upgraded kit which moves it from the trash class (occupied by the Kent Denali) to the trailer-park class. The Yukon has STI shifters, which tend to be temperamental IMLE, but are more tolerable than the abominable twist-grips of the Denali. None of these is going to have anything approaching proper attention to detail in assembly; you'll have to fiddle with the brakes, seat position, and shifter adjustments yourself, as they're pretty much guaranteed not to be right as received...and it's a rare Wal-Mart that employs a bike assembler who can get a roadie together without looking at the pictures. -- Typoes are a feature, not a bug. Some gardening required to reply via email. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
Years ago I had a Raleigh Grand Prix 10 speed with a 23.5" frame.
Is there anything of comparable quality available for about $350?
If there's a decent used bike shop in your town, that could be a really good option for you -- for $350 you should be able to get a pretty nice refurbished bike. From what I've seen, the better used bikes seem to go for $300 and up.
You might also visit a good LBS and see if they allow customers to post classified ads. Lots of people buy bikes with good intentions and then resell them in a year or two. There are also gear-heads who have to have the latest machine every year -- but those aren't likely to go for $350.
Of course, there are always the newspaper classifieds. If you go that route, I strongly recommend having the bike checked at a reputable LBS before you put money on the line.
