Things to consider when buying a bike?

Melisandre121

Hi, I'm hoping to buy a bike soon. I'm not going to spend more than €100 so it will most likely be second hand. However I know nothing about bikes! I will be cycling about 20 mins back and forth everyday and some of it is up hill so I know I need a bike with gears.

Just wondering if anyone could
advise me on what questions I should ask and what type of bike might suit me?

Lusk_Doyle

100 won't get you much of a bike.

diomed

Question: Is it stolen?

Lumen

All secondhand bikes will require regular maintenance including replacement of parts like chain, tyres, (and less frequently) bearings in the wheels, bottom bracket and headset.

This applies to a new bike too, but with a new bike you get a few months (maybe a year) grace period before anything needs attention.

A €100 bike is likely to be either fine but in need of immediate attention in some area, or be a total bag o' shíte which is beyond help. Or stolen.

07Lapierre

Proof of ownership... I'd only buy a bike off someone I knew or from a bike shop.

Cee-Jay-Cee

€100 will get you something old and well used or something very very low quality and probably in need of work.

I'd go for a hybrid or a mountain bike as you'll pick up a better quality bike for your budget.

With your budget your choice is going to be very limited and the most important thing to ensure is that the bike fits you correctly and so long as the gears and brakes work, the wheels are true/straight and it has reasonable tyres on it then there's not much else to look out for.

check_six

Don't forget to budget for a decent lock (not a cable lock) and some lights. You can get decent Smart brand rear lights for <€15, and maybe a rubbish front light for something similar. The lock needs investment. Do not skimp!

happytramp

Don't go near anything that has suspension at that price. A lot of cheap bikes are made to look like expensive bikes because people think that if they look the same they must be good. These are commonly refered to as BSO's (Bicycle shaped objects)

Some things to avoid.... (from cyclescene.ie)

* Plastic brake levers and arms (these flex, warp and go out of shape) resulting in brakes that, er, don't brake.
* Grip shifters (The gear changers you twist, similar to a motor bike throttle) are the shifter of choice on BSOs, a great invention but a lot more complicated than a standard lever. A gear shifter needs to make thousands of reliable changes and must hold a consistent position if the gear shifting is to work. BSOs use cheap, poorly made versions; they seize or snap at the first sign of trouble.
* Badly routed cables, wrong lengths - won't work.
* Headsets, bottom brackets, hubs poorly installed, not greased, cross threaded, loose.
* Thin, pressed steel derailleurs, warped and bent, unresponsive; won't hold position, let alone shift a chain.
* Forks installed back to front.
* Handlebars on back to front or upside down.
* Loose, loose - saddles, stems, seat posts, handlebars, grips, shifters, everything.
* Warped, untrued wheels.
* Cheap steel hubs where the axles have collapsed in.
* Rust and peeling paint spreading everywhere after just a short time exposed to the elements.

veganrun

Interesting thread, I'm considering buying a bike too. Like the OP, I don't want to spend a lot of money, €250 max. The bike would just be used for short commuting to work, about 10-15 mins each way, mostly on the flat.

It would also need to be able to support someone in the 16 stone range!

Seweryn

Melisandre121 wrote: »

Hi, I'm hoping to buy a bike soon. I'm not going to spend more than €100 so it will most likely be second hand. However I know nothing about bikes! I will be cycling about 20 mins back and forth everyday and some of it is up hill so I know I need a bike with gears.

Do you have a separate budget for bike lights, or does it have to be all in within your €100,- budget?

Raam

Colour is important.