Newbie.. needs advice for cheapy bike

Hey ppl,

I just need something to knock around on, up to the shops and around my
suburb ect, any opinion on which of these to looks better?

cheers,

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....0718&rd=1&rd=1

http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/moun...pension-black/

Harqy wrote:
Hey ppl,

I just need something to knock around on, up to the shops and around my
suburb ect, any opinion on which of these to looks better?

cheers,

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....&sspagename=ST...

http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/moun...dual-suspensio...

For what you say you'll be using it for, and the budget you're
planning, my advice would be to steer clear of dual-suspension bikes.
The cheapies that I've ridden (and I patched up a couple of 1-year-old
ones while I was in Fiji last month) were pretty poor.

In your case I'd recommend getting a front-suspension-only MTB from
Big W or K-Mart, and spend an extra $15 on a seat with springs *if you
need to*. And get one of those $20 Huffy alloy racks while you're at
it.

You'd be better off again by visiting an actual bike shop, but you'll
probably suffer from sticker shock if you do.

If you buy it from Big W or K-Mart, it's easier to return for warranty
service if something fails than if you bought it from Ebay.

Where are you located geographically? It's possible that there's a
"bicycle recycling" type place near you, which would be substantially
cheaper.


BTH

"BT Humble" wrote in message
oups.com...
Harqy wrote:
Hey ppl,

I just need something to knock around on, up to the shops and around my
suburb ect, any opinion on which of these to looks better?

cheers,

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....&sspagename=ST...

http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/moun...dual-suspensio...

For what you say you'll be using it for, and the budget you're
planning, my advice would be to steer clear of dual-suspension bikes.
The cheapies that I've ridden (and I patched up a couple of 1-year-old
ones while I was in Fiji last month) were pretty poor.

In your case I'd recommend getting a front-suspension-only MTB from
Big W or K-Mart, and spend an extra $15 on a seat with springs *if you
need to*. And get one of those $20 Huffy alloy racks while you're at
it.

You'd be better off again by visiting an actual bike shop, but you'll
probably suffer from sticker shock if you do.

If you buy it from Big W or K-Mart, it's easier to return for warranty
service if something fails than if you bought it from Ebay.

Where are you located geographically? It's possible that there's a
"bicycle recycling" type place near you, which would be substantially
cheaper.

Yeah I guess K-Mart isnt a bad way to go. I havn't bought a bike for years
which is why I used the 'newbie' title.
I'd actually be more than happy to pay for a decent bike. The problem now is
I live in a small apartment near the beach (east subs) so it has to be
chained outside and will get hammered by the salt air and high theft risk if
I get something good.

I'd be more than happy with a single suspension bike. I point blank refuse
to go to 'Theft' Converters or any other hock shops. Do you know of any 2nd
hand bike shops handy to the East subs?

Cheers.





BTH

Harqy wrote:
Yeah I guess K-Mart isnt a bad way to go. I havn't bought a bike for years
which is why I used the 'newbie' title.
I'd actually be more than happy to pay for a decent bike. The problem now is
I live in a small apartment near the beach (east subs) so it has to be
chained outside and will get hammered by the salt air and high theft risk if
I get something good.

I'd be more than happy with a single suspension bike. I point blank refuse
to go to 'Theft' Converters or any other hock shops. Do you know of any 2nd
hand bike shops handy to the East subs?

Eastern suburbs of where? My local Eastern Suburbs include Watson,
Hackett, Fyshwick and Pialligo, which probably aren't the same as
yours...

Contrary to popular belief[1], Australia exists outside of Sydney[2]
too! ;-)


BTH
[1] Within certain parts of Sydney.
[2] My best guess based on the "Salt air/Eastern suburbs" reference.
Although you might be talking about Brisbane.

"BT Humble" wrote in message
ups.com...
Harqy wrote:
Yeah I guess K-Mart isnt a bad way to go. I havn't bought a bike for
years
which is why I used the 'newbie' title.
I'd actually be more than happy to pay for a decent bike. The problem now
is
I live in a small apartment near the beach (east subs) so it has to be
chained outside and will get hammered by the salt air and high theft risk
if
I get something good.

I'd be more than happy with a single suspension bike. I point blank
refuse
to go to 'Theft' Converters or any other hock shops. Do you know of any
2nd
hand bike shops handy to the East subs?

Eastern suburbs of where? My local Eastern Suburbs include Watson,
Hackett, Fyshwick and Pialligo, which probably aren't the same as
yours...

Contrary to popular belief[1], Australia exists outside of Sydney[2]
too! ;-)


BTH
[1] Within certain parts of Sydney.
[2] My best guess based on the "Salt air/Eastern suburbs" reference.
Although you might be talking about Brisbane.

Haha.. sorry.. So Sydney Centric.

Harqy wrote:

I'd be more than happy with a single suspension bike. I point blank refuse
to go to 'Theft' Converters or any other hock shops. Do you know of any 2nd
hand bike shops handy to the East subs?


Dont know the Eastern Suburbs but you could try Cheeky Monkey Transport
King Street Newtown (www.cheekymonkey.com.au) or City Link Cycles on
Ramsay Street Haberfield.

Parbs

Harqy wrote:

I'd actually be more than happy to pay for a decent bike. The problem
now is I live in a small apartment near the beach (east subs) so it
has to be chained outside and will get hammered by the salt air and
high theft risk if I get something good.

My take on this (possibly a bad choice of words given the context):
If your bike looks new and shiny, and is chained up outside in the same
spot regularly, then sooner or later it *will* be stolen/stripped/trashed,
even if it is only a K-mart cheapy. And possibly even it looks old.
Consider getting a compact bike stand so you can put it inside your unit or
at least in a common inside area such as stairwell or laundry. Or maybe
consider a folding bike.


--
beerwolf

BT Humble wrote:

Contrary to popular belief[1], Australia exists outside of Sydney[2]
too! ;-)

Naah, those are just the trendy outer SW suburbs of Sydney




BTH
[1] Within certain parts of Sydney.

Yer, anything east of central.

beerwolf wrote:

My take on this (possibly a bad choice of words given the context):
If your bike looks new and shiny, and is chained up outside in the same
spot regularly, then sooner or later it *will* be stolen/stripped/trashed,
even if it is only a K-mart cheapy. And possibly even it looks old.
Consider getting a compact bike stand so you can put it inside your unit or
at least in a common inside area such as stairwell or laundry. Or maybe
consider a folding bike.

Alternatively, give it a really bad paint job with a few different colours.,

beerwolf wrote:
Harqy wrote:

I'd actually be more than happy to pay for a decent bike. The problem
now is I live in a small apartment near the beach (east subs) so it
has to be chained outside and will get hammered by the salt air and
high theft risk if I get something good.

My take on this (possibly a bad choice of words given the context):
If your bike looks new and shiny, and is chained up outside in the same
spot regularly, then sooner or later it *will* be stolen/stripped/trashed,
even if it is only a K-mart cheapy. And possibly even it looks old.
Consider getting a compact bike stand so you can put it inside your unit or
at least in a common inside area such as stairwell or laundry. Or maybe
consider a folding bike.



Nah just get some big-arse hooks and hang it on the wall. Hey presto -
transport and art in one

--
//Adam F