you guys know anything of bicycles?

Tuomas · Mon 27/09/2010 18:23:11

Here's why:

I got my salary, and have had problems with my bikes for 2 years now, broken tires, breaks, chains, you name it. Also, it's going to be snowy soon, so everythings really cheap now. So I've been to a couple of stores, smaller ones really, there aren't big markets in the city, and I can't go all that way.

So the Sportsverein in the centre's got these, and shitloads of them for 399â,¬ each: http://www.scott-sports.com/us_en/product/10058/55829/218074

Another, a bigger place only specialised in bicycles sells basically just Insera, from which the Tronic 28'' 24V (399â,¬) and MG-8 28'' 8V (499â,¬)

Other than that, well, I'd probably have to go further. Of course, both places say that their bikes are awesome, and you really don't need anything else. what do you think?

Baron · Tue 28/09/2010 01:05:28

New tires, tire irons and air pump: $30 max, cheaper if you look around. New chain, or chain link removing tool + white grease: $20 tops. Brakes just slow you down, and bikes are made to GO! But seriously, are the pads broken or wires snapped or something? All of that can be fixed/replaced without too much trouble. Any decent small-time bike shop will sell material/tools to you at decent prices, or even hook you up with used parts from wrecks they've inherited.
I would never spend anything like $400 on a bike. The only bicycle I ever purchased was for a cool $20 at a police auction -they usually have these 1-2 times a year to get rid of all the bikes they've seized from bike thieves (owners don't come forward or can't identify bike if it's been painted, etc.). I say find a cheaper bike, and save your money for small-time indie adventure games!

Phemar · Tue 28/09/2010 07:47:37

My bike has been through the wars, but I still ride it everywhere. Tires are fucked, chain's fallen off twice, the pedals are falling off, the gear changing thingy has snapped off and the bike's completely out of alignment.

But I love my little baby

I need to get some of those rubber tires though, mine keep getting punctures and it's really annoying.

Tuomas · Tue 28/09/2010 08:59:07

Quote from: Baron on Tue 28/09/2010 01:05:28
New tires, tire irons and air pump: $30 max, cheaper if you look around. New chain, or chain link removing tool + white grease: $20 tops. Brakes just slow you down, and bikes are made to GO! But seriously, are the pads broken or wires snapped or something? All of that can be fixed/replaced without too much trouble. Any decent small-time bike shop will sell material/tools to you at decent prices, or even hook you up with used parts from wrecks they've inherited.
I would never spend anything like $400 on a bike. The only bicycle I ever purchased was for a cool $20 at a police auction -they usually have these 1-2 times a year to get rid of all the bikes they've seized from bike thieves (owners don't come forward or can't identify bike if it's been painted, etc.). I say find a cheaper bike, and save your money for small-time indie adventure games!

Well, on my first bike the centre fell of and the paddles weren't attached to anything then. On the second one I've changed the tired 15 times within a month, the hoop is crooked, so it hits the break on every round and slows me down, then the chain broke and fell. On my current bike, some idiot kicked the saddle unsitable, and then someone stole it along with the tube, which apparently is wider than anything they have in stores, and I'd need to order it from the factory for many monies. PLus ste gearsystem is too ols, a couple of springs don't return the handlees to their positions, so I can only use 3 different gears. Bascially I'd have to buy a new saddle+tube, gears & breaks and wires. And the tires are wide as hell. It's like paddling in a swamp when you're on flatland.

Baron · Tue 28/09/2010 21:14:12

Well, gears are hard to diagnose online, but your wheel is just out of true. If you get a spoke wrench you just need to tighten/loosen spokes until they pull everything back in line. To test the line you need a straight line that doesn't hit the axle between the two sides of the rim -there's a special tool for this, or you could just rig a 2x4 with some blocks. The trick is to rest it on the axle so that the blocks on the edges just touch the rim, then spin it to see where the rim is out of true.
But I see your point -once there's enough wrong with a bike/car/computer, etc., you're probably better off to cut your losses. But $499? Seriously? That's more than I paid for my first car.

Tuomas · Tue 28/09/2010 21:33:22

I'm not bbuying a car though, so I'll be needing a form of transportation. One that'll last for some time too.

Baron · Wed 29/09/2010 03:43:16

QuoteI'm not bbuying a car though, so I'll be needing a form of transportation. One that'll last for some time too.

But.... But..... A car has thousands of very complicated, very sophisticated parts! A bicycle I can take apart and reassemble in a day! Why would you, in a moment of sanity, ever consider spending $499 on a very simple piece of transportation technology? My advice is look around: police auctions, garage sales, classifieds or online trade sites (Kijiji, Craig's List....), and find a decent used bicycle. You can't tell me a $499 new bicycle runs 5x as fast or will last 5x as long as a $99 used bicycle (which is still too pricey, but acceptable if you don't want to do any work on it). Unless you have money to throw away, I would not spend it on an overpriced bicycle.
I guess if you were into biking down mountains or into tour racing you'd want the most up-to-date features, but just to get to work and back? I biked the whole winter of 2003/2004 to work 8km away (in Canada) on a $30 bike - and I still use it! Just keep it greased and it'll be fine. Spend the other $469 on attending Mittens or impressing your girl or donating to the Snakes of Avalon Team -anything!
But I've said my piece -if you're really set on getting that top-of-the-line bike then I guess the wild rantings of some internet guy aren't going to dissuade you.

giochi · Wed 08/12/2010 13:43:38

I recommend the website bikester.co.uk. You can get everything you need for your bike at a decent price, and they deliver quickly. I've ordered loads off stuff from them and I haven't been disappointed yet...