Buying a bicycle.

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I tried buying a bike at ****'s last Christmas. Couldn't even find someone to help me on the bike I was looking at. And in checking out Walmart bikes, their "best" shifters are plastic junk almost like a CVT...lol. You had to wait "seconds" before the shift completed. I can't see those lasting very long. There's a reason they cost $89-$150. So save your time and either go to professional bike shop or search on line for a higher quality bike.

You can follow a couple of simple video's on line to determine your fit. It's not hard. If your first bike is used, and purchased privately, you can at least know if the bike is close to a good fit for you.
 
69GTX,

It is 'Good' in my opinion to consider fair trade into your purchasing decisions. And if you sit there for a minute and think at one of those Wal-Mart bikes it is 'impossible'. A hundred bucks and it has all of this metal that was mined, transported and formed. Many other materials and components. The assembly and the transportation of it all.....the paint, packaging.........And then it is like punishment riding it so it sits in the garage taking up space or on the patio rusting away never getting ridden.



It is SUPPOSED to be fun.
 
As mentioned, go to a real bike shop. My wife's Raleigh doesn't get ridden much since I bought her an electric.
 
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I bought a Raleigh Eva 4.5 for my sweetheart and I bought me a
Raleigh m60
Her bike is I believe a 2014 model the guy bought it for his girlfriend and before he could give it to her she broke up with him and he got tired of looking at it so other than him testing it before he bought it and then riding it to me today he said it's never been riden. I paid $180
Mine is I believe a 97 in awesome shape the original owner bought it to ride it once a year in Florida on vacation then the guy who I bought it from bought it and rode it around his subdivision and to the Katy trail and things like that. I paid 140 . I would guess I may have over paid a little for mine but I think I got a deal on the Eva .
I don't know that much to know how good I did but overall I would assume I did ok. They both ride flawlessly.
 
I bought an 80's road bike, low end, as I wasn't sure if I wanted to get into a road bike. $5 at a fleamarket, was about the right size. Spent the $45 or so on bike fit, bought some tools, attempted to keep it going. It was trashed after 600 miles. But then I knew that drop bars was for me and went for what would pass as an ok low end today (Tiagra components). Totally worth it.

Lots of good advice here. I'd just say, don't rule out old bikes, especially if you are out of shape. Playing devils advocate here: lots of bikes are for sale, cheap, on CL by people who thought they'd get into riding. And didn't.
 
I wouldn't want to be riding a bike at good speed on or off road that was put together by some he kid. Stay away from box stores.
 
My local bike shop has been in business for over 35 years, same location!
Why? Because they take care of their customers and sell quality bikes.
You will spend your bike money now or later, may as well buy the good bike first.
 
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