Originally Posted by
TimothyH
- Bike will be outside all the time.
- She will carry lots of books.
- She doesn't know how to spin a wrench. I will teach her the basics like how to take a wheel off, fix a flat, etc. I live 1.5 hours away and am really not into traveling from the burbs to ATL to maintain a bike.
- She likes to speed and wants gears. I mentioned single speed for ease of maintenance. She frowned but gears kinda make sense as the campus is hilly.
- Obviously don't want to spend a lot of money and thinking about a craigslist fixer but not if it is going to cost me more in the long run. I can do any work with the exception of pressing a headset and building wheels.
- Expected lifespan of this bike is 3 to 4 years.
I would look on e.g. Craigslist for an old English 3-speed, like the Raleigh "Sports:"
They're usually available for $100 or less, are virtually indestructible, have an internally geared three speed hub that protects the mechanism from the elements, and require minimal maintenance (a few drops of oil in the hub every month or so, lube the chain a couple times a year, pump up the tires as needed), and have fenders for wet-weather riding. Just add a rack and lights if the one you find is lacking, and you're set.