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Need advice on buying a new bike

Old 02-04-20, 06:21 PM
  #1  
MotoBacone
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Need advice on buying a new bike

Hello! I am new here so hopefully this is the right place to post this.
The head tube on my daily commuter (Motobecane Super Mirage) just rusted through completely so I’m looking for a replacement. I ride it to work, class, the gym- basically everywhere I go in town. I'd like whatever bike I buy to stick with me for a long time. Leaning towards vintage road bikes for $250 or less. I already have a nice Bianchi road bike for more serious rides but I don't want to have to leave that locked up all the time in Eugene.
I don't have enough points yet to post links to bikes, otherwise I would link a list of bikes I'm currently considering. Instead, what should I be looking out for (brands, models, considerations, etc)? Links to bikes for sale in the Eugene or Portland Oregon area would be very helpful too! There are just so many considerations and weird specifics with old bikes it's a bit overwhelming. Thank you in advance!
Also I am 6 feet tall.
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Old 02-04-20, 06:37 PM
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Don't ever use this work-around "https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/1193306-need-advice-buying-new-bike (add .html to make link work.)"

Also don't do "https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/1193306-need-advice-buying-new-bike. h t m l" or any other workaround.

You seem to know your stuff. My only advice is don't buy French or Italian (weird threadings and BB specs) and also, old Raleighs 9which I tend to love) have proprietary BB specs on some models.
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Old 02-04-20, 07:05 PM
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Typically can't go wrong with 80's - 90's japanese, Trek, Giant, Spec.
Typically quality products, standard sizes and parts, easily upgradable if desired.
Another common commuter base for a commuter "build" is a steel hardtail mountain bike.
Commuting - look for rack mounts, fender clearance, good fit. Most anything else can be replaced to suit with new or used parts.

Stuff like this (not Eugene tho)
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/bik...067625289.html
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/bik...052113282.html
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/bik...064898583.html
https://madison.craigslist.org/bik/d...058968043.html

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Old 02-04-20, 08:32 PM
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See if you can find an old ItalaVega or UniVega--they are great.
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Old 02-04-20, 10:20 PM
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1988 Centurion Ironman
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Old 02-05-20, 05:20 AM
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Maelochs
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Old Univega and a favorite of mine, old Bridgestone ......
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Old 02-05-20, 05:39 PM
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Have you considered doing a drop bar conversion on an old rigid frame mtn bike? I hear they make awsome around town bikes.

I have an old Trek 850 I've used to ride myself back into shape before I'd jump on the ole Team Fuji.
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Old 02-09-20, 05:12 AM
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My go to suggestion for commuter bike is a early 2000s cyclocross frame , two wheel sets , one for snow ice or off road, one for road .
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Old 02-09-20, 11:48 AM
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Old Fuji's, Raleighs &, Schwinns are the best beater bikes around for cheap. And, these are also the bikes most often given away by previous owners too.
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Old 02-14-20, 11:08 AM
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At 6' tall you most likely want a bike around 58cm. A 56 or 60 would likely work too. But if you already have a bike that you like the fit of, see if you can find a bike that is similar in size - general wisdom says that the top tube length is the most important dimension (the other commonly used dimension, seat tube length, is less important because you can easily adjust seat height), so you might want to bring a tape measure when you go to look at bikes. If the bike is newer (less than ~20 years old) then it might have a sloping top tube, which confounds measurement a bit. The solution is to measure a horizontal line between the centre of the top of the head tube and the seatpost... this is called the 'effective top tube' length and can be compared with the top tube length on traditional 'level top tube' road bikes.
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