Ebay Bike

HexarDan said:

Hi All,

I want to start riding again and am looking for a cheap bike that will get me around. I am 185cm and 90kgs. As I am on a tight budget I have been cruising ebay and come across this bike. I know that many people here wouldn't touch it with a flagpole but I would only be using a couple times a week and not doing anything to extreme with it. I would like to take it offroad every now and again though.

Here is the link

What do you reckon is it worth it or not. They seem to be selling for around the AU$220 mark.

Thanks in advance
Dan

P.S. Sorry for double posting but I wasn't sure where the best place to put this was.

Hi Dan,

Some things to look out for:
- Quick fire gears are a must - looks like this bike has them but doesn't hurt to check
- The gear derailleurs are low spec - ideally you should looks for Alivio or better but considering the price range it is to be expected
- Bewere of cheap disk brakes as they can be a lot more trouble than a good set of reliable and simple V brakes. Good V brakes offer more than enough stopping power for 99% of mountain bikers.
- Beware of tyres with a lot of tread - its unnecessary for most people, most of the time. Off road trails around Sydney tend to have a firm surface so a good pair of semi-slick tyres is generally better and will make life much, much easier if you're riding on a sealed road surface.
- Looks like the wheels are quick release but again it might be worth checking

In summary - looks like good value for around $200 all things considered especially compared to department store bikes for the same money.

Hope that helps,

Alex

Thanks for your reply. It looks like the prices are blowing out a little. So I might check out the local bike shop before I make a bid.

Cheers,
Dan