Looking for a bike on the cheap

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

Quoted message said:

I'm going to go down to a pawn shop Monday to look for a basic
touring-type bike. Can anyone give me any pointers for finding a
decent pawn shop bike? Maybe brands to avoid, if I can spot it on the
decorations? I certainly don't want to end up with a cheap Wal-Mart
brand and get a cracked frame or wheel coming off when I hit a pothole.

Sorry it has to be a pawn shop but (1) there's no bike shop here, this
is just a large town, (2) I am just getting started with 10- and
20-mile rides and (3) my SO will never approve a $500+ purchase unless
I'm biking regularly. I'm just looking for something to get started
with on a couple of hundred dollars that will be durable enough for me
to progress to something better later on should everything click.

And hey, if there's a mail order solution here for a starter bike I'm
all ears.

Tim

Well if you are doing 20 mile rides now, a mountain bike or cruiser is not
going to hack it very long, so you would want to look for a old ten or 12 or
14 speed road bike instead.
All the Pawn Shops I have seen tend to have overpriced used bikes. Way too
expensive for a old road bike at the pawn shops around my area.
I like to check out the flea markets, garage sales and drive around on
garbage day in different neighborhoods looking for throwaways.
Usually I need to put on a new set of rim strips, tubes and tires and maybe
a chain too. Adjust and tune, and if the cables aren't very good put on new
ones.
I did notice a while back that the local Goodwill store had some old road
bikes. A little work needed though.
I figure a old ten speed is either free or maybe $20 bucks. The chain,
tires, tubes and rim strips from Wal-Mart for maybe $40 bucks.
I got a old ten speed that only needed air in the tires and a good chain
lubing for free at a garage sale. The guy was starting to pack up and put
the bike out by the garbage can.
I stopped and asked him about it, and he said if I pick it up it is mine as
he doesn't want it. 🙂

Quoted message said:

Usually I need to put on a new set of rim strips, tubes and tires and maybe
a chain too.

If the bike has a derraileur gear and you replace the chain it is very
often necessary to replace the rear sprockets as well. If the chain
has any wear at all then the sprockets will have worn to match the
chain. A new unworn chain will skip on the sprockets.

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Usually I need to put on a new set of rim strips, tubes and tires and
maybe
a chain too.

If the bike has a derraileur gear and you replace the chain it is very
often necessary to replace the rear sprockets as well. If the chain
has any wear at all then the sprockets will have worn to match the
chain. A new unworn chain will skip on the sprockets.

Normally, that is very true, but not if it was a relatively new bike with a
rusty chain.
Many people get a bike, pedal around some, and decide it is too much work,
and quit.
Then the bike sits in the garage until it gets full, and then the bike sits
out in the backyard propped up against the fence or something.
Then the bike gets put out in a garage sale, and if no one buys it, they
throw it away eventually.

Tim said:

I'm going to go down to a pawn shop Monday to look for a basic
touring-type bike. Can anyone give me any pointers for finding a
decent pawn shop bike? Maybe brands to avoid, if I can spot it on the
decorations? I certainly don't want to end up with a cheap Wal-Mart
brand and get a cracked frame or wheel coming off when I hit a pothole.

Sorry it has to be a pawn shop but (1) there's no bike shop here, this
is just a large town, (2) I am just getting started with 10- and
20-mile rides and (3) my SO will never approve a $500+ purchase unless
I'm biking regularly. I'm just looking for something to get started
with on a couple of hundred dollars that will be durable enough for me
to progress to something better later on should everything click.

And hey, if there's a mail order solution here for a starter bike I'm
all ears.

Tim

You might want to check out the sales at some of the major online bike
stores.

www.Performancebike.com

www.nashbar.com

www.rei.com

Usually, you can find a decent new bike. I am still not quite sure
what you want, but it would give you a range of possibilities to check
out.

You need to be sure the bike "fits" you, or your riding could be very
uncomfortable.

Also, you might check out

www.Craigslist.com

or ebay, although much of their cheap stuff seems comparable to WalMart
to me.

Quoted message said:

Normally, that is very true, but not if it was a relatively new bike with a
rusty chain.
Many people get a bike, pedal around some, and decide it is too much work,
and quit.
Then the bike sits in the garage until it gets full, and then the bike sits
out in the backyard propped up against the fence or something.
Then the bike gets put out in a garage sale, and if no one buys it, they
throw it away eventually.

That is also very true, and if the sprocket teeth look like they are
still the original, as new, shape it is certainly worth trying a new
chain before you buy a new sprocket set.

Colorado Bicycler said:

Tim said:

I'm going to go down to a pawn shop Monday to look for a basic
touring-type bike. Can anyone give me any pointers for finding a
decent pawn shop bike? Maybe brands to avoid, if I can spot it on the
decorations? I certainly don't want to end up with a cheap Wal-Mart
brand and get a cracked frame or wheel coming off when I hit a pothole.

Sorry it has to be a pawn shop but (1) there's no bike shop here, this
is just a large town, (2) I am just getting started with 10- and
20-mile rides and (3) my SO will never approve a $500+ purchase unless
I'm biking regularly. I'm just looking for something to get started
with on a couple of hundred dollars that will be durable enough for me
to progress to something better later on should everything click.

And hey, if there's a mail order solution here for a starter bike I'm
all ears.

Tim

You might want to check out the sales at some of the major online bike
stores.

www.Performancebike.com

www.nashbar.com

www.rei.com

Usually, you can find a decent new bike. I am still not quite sure
what you want, but it would give you a range of possibilities to check
out.

You need to be sure the bike "fits" you, or your riding could be very
uncomfortable.

Also, you might check out

www.Craigslist.com

or ebay, although much of their cheap stuff seems comparable to WalMart
to me.

Sorry, it appears that www.Nashbar.com is no longer selling bicycles,
although they have a category for them on their web page ???

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

Quoted message said:

I'm going to go down to a pawn shop Monday to look for a basic
touring-type bike. Can anyone give me any pointers for finding a
decent pawn shop bike? Maybe brands to avoid, if I can spot it on the
decorations? I certainly don't want to end up with a cheap Wal-Mart
brand and get a cracked frame or wheel coming off when I hit a pothole.

Sorry it has to be a pawn shop but (1) there's no bike shop here, this
is just a large town, (2) I am just getting started with 10- and
20-mile rides and (3) my SO will never approve a $500+ purchase unless
I'm biking regularly. I'm just looking for something to get started
with on a couple of hundred dollars that will be durable enough for me
to progress to something better later on should everything click.

And hey, if there's a mail order solution here for a starter bike I'm
all ears.

Tim

My Nishiki is available for $25. I use to keep it as a spare but I have 2
others. 23-25" frame Black and Yellow. 12 speed. New cork tape. Surrey,
BC

Tim said:

I'm going to go down to a pawn shop Monday to look for a basic
touring-type bike. Can anyone give me any pointers for finding a
decent pawn shop bike? Maybe brands to avoid, if I can spot it on the
decorations? I certainly don't want to end up with a cheap Wal-Mart
brand and get a cracked frame or wheel coming off when I hit a pothole.

Sorry it has to be a pawn shop but (1) there's no bike shop here, this
is just a large town, (2) I am just getting started with 10- and
20-mile rides and (3) my SO will never approve a $500+ purchase unless
I'm biking regularly. I'm just looking for something to get started
with on a couple of hundred dollars that will be durable enough for me
to progress to something better later on should everything click.

And hey, if there's a mail order solution here for a starter bike I'm
all ears.

Tim

Check with your local cop-shop. They may have an auction of the stolen
bikes that they've recovered.

How far are you from a larger town/city? Could you take your SO there
for the day and do some bike shopping?

Jeff