TFS Jake

74 posts and we missed one? haha

hairnet

=D Off to watch time trials

TFS Jake

*reposting because it was on the bottom of page 3

The LBS had a Scott Sportster for 349, is that a decent deal? I get 10% off all accessories with the purchase of a bike.

caloso

D'oh!

trinamuous

Oh to go back in time 4 months, with the knowledge I have today, and re-live the OP's situation. Except mine was slightly different: I had no bike. I agree with the many posters about waiting on getting a new bike...story below explains.

- New job 9 miles from home. Good biking trails everywhere. Have great idea to bike to work.
- Research forums. General consensus leads me to buy 2009 Trek 7.2 FX for commuting and fitness rides. Avoid used due to insufficient knowledge and patience.
- Start riding. Like it. A lot. 2 months to "train" before commuting starts.
- A month rolls by. I continue to read bikeforums and sheldonbrown obsessively. Want to go faster.
- Change to narrower tires, bar-ends, lower stem, blah blah. Sad that my cranks are cheap.
- 3 months after: bring home 1986 Schwinn Prelude (nice steel road bike) from dad's garage. It goes faster. Me like.
- Now: Schwinn, with rack, is my nice-weather commuter. Trek demoted to rainy weather and lazy riding.

- Moral of story: wait until you know what you want out of a bike before you buy. Learn more so you can get more for your money in the used market. Given what I know today and assuming I had no awesome bike to inherit...I would not have purchased the Trek. You need to decide what you want a bike for before asking what to get, IMO.

TFS Jake

I have an uncle that may have an old (1970's) 10 speed, I am trying to talk to him about it right now.

TFS Jake

So I biked today. My bike is terrible. I don't know if I really want to anymore. It's so much more dangerous on a bike. Sorry guys, but I think i'm going to keep driving.

QuickityJacks

Aw, give it a bit more time, bud. Also, play with your route a bit. Start to have fun with it, find quieter streets along the way if you can. Also, the more you ride the more safe you'll feel on roads.

TheLifeOfBryan

None of us like crappy bikes. That's a large part of why we're here, trading tips and tricks and showing off our various upgrades. But if nothing else, crappy bikes give you a deeper appreciation for better bikes later.

Well, you've already done the hard part, which is getting started. After that it just gets easier. As for the safety issue, that's multi-faceted. Part of it is route selection, part of it is some rather counter-intuitive skills and habits (taking the lane where appropriate, asserting yourself, etc.), and the rest is confidence. Oh, and a mirror. Get yourself a mirror. If I had to ride to work without a mirror I'd piss myself halfway there.

jeffpoulin

My advice... Treat yourself to a nice bike this winter and start again in the spring. Perhaps part of the problem is you're starting at the wrong time of the year. Winter commuting is tough! I couldn't imagine trying to start bike commuting in the winter. If you start in the spring, then by the next winter, you'll be a hardened cyclist and winter commuting won't seem that bad. You may even welcome the challenge.

jyossarian

Winter is a great time to start commuting. Fewer issues w/ sweat management, you can wear whatever you want, etc. Getting comfortable in traffic takes time, especially if there's no other people riding bikes where you are. Drivers won't be used to you and will choose between passing too close or giving you wide berth. Pick a slower, less traveled route if you can. Ride on sidewalks where appropriate and always at a speed that's safe to you and those around you. Most of us ride in the street, but I'll jump on to the sidewalk when I have to.

TheLifeOfBryan

I'll second that motion! It was only by sheer bloodymindedness that I made it through last winter. I'm much better prepared now, so if Al Gore lets the temperatures drop to where they should be in December I won't suffer like I did last year.
But seriously, you are jumping in on the tough end of the spectrum. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you should factor that into your calculations. Also, colder air is denser, so you've gotta work a little bit harder for the same speed.

TFS Jake

Ugh, maybe I bite the bullet and pay 350 for the new bike? I really don't have another option, I can't get my uncle's bike and no one has any for sale here on CL. How much can I resell the bike for if I don't put too many miles on it?

TFS Jake

There is a Trek for sale locally, 350 dollars.

It is a 2007 TREK 7.3 FX, ridden very lightly. Is 350 a good price?

crazybikerchick

For buying a new bike, and resale value, its best to buy last years model that a LBS might have on sale for 30% off the current years model. Of course their selection of said bikes may be limited and there may not be one in your size. If you buy a bike at full msrp I'd count on at least 40% drop in resale if its in pristine condition. If you chip up the paint or parts need replacement (unlikely at < 2000 miles) adjust accordingly. Also depends on your local market for resale, if not many people bike its going to be harder.

If you are new to bikes and biking I'd caution against the used private market. Its nice to have the service that comes with buying a new bike, both in terms of mechanical adjustments and also in terms of fit adjustment. When you buy a new bike you want it to feel like it fits you perfectly!

envane

You can find the MSRP on the company websites. A new 7.3FX is $640.

The Scott Speedster, assuming its the lowest end model (P6), is MSRP $430.

The Trek is the nicer bike.

TFS Jake

Yeah, but the Trek is "old". Would that still make it worth it? It is a 21.5" frame, how big is that?

TFS Jake

???

exile

A 21.5" frame is roughly for someone over 6 feet. I say roughly because not all manufacturers and people measure the bike the same way. I applaud your enthusiasm TFS Jake, but sometimes patience is the best practice. From your posts it sounds like your current bike is a bit small and possibly requires a bit of maintenance. I know you said you can wrench, but sometimes bringing it into a shop and asking a professional to look at is the best thing.

Right now may not be the best time to shop used. In my experience you will find better deals right around the beginning of spring and into the summer. You can also find some decent deals around fall as well. During these times people are looking to get a new bike and want to get rid of the old one, or tried it and didn't like it as much as they thought they would. I recently took a look at my craigslist just to see and I believe the only thing posted were for kids bikes.

Possibly hold off till Christmas to make sure your finances are straight. Or if you have any buddies see if they would let you use thier bike. Also, since you drive, there is nothing wrong with checking out the Birmingham craigslist since they have more variety. Just make a day trip of it or something and look at a couple of bikes. I drove about 3 hours to Philly to find my LHT. I spent about 4 months looking and test riding bikes (September thru December) before I decided.

TFS Jake

Okay, I will be more patient. In the meantime I am going to sell all of my crappy bikes to add to my good bike money.


https://huntsville.craigslist.org/bik/1497849310.html

I just found this while posting, good deal? Maybe... idk

Thanks everyone that has posted so far, you don't know how good it feels to have people that know what they're talking about.

colleen c

Are you sure you want a road bike? Your previous post was a Trek that was not a road bike. You may want to decide what type of bike your needs require first. So far, you looked at the Trek and the Bianchi on CL. Both bike have their difference being one is a Commuter and the other is a Road bike. Find what style of bike you prefer than start searching for a decent price. However if he type of bike does not matter to you then you are doing fine in your research.

accordionfolder

Figure out your general fit first. This is SO important, you might feel too high or awkward at first but it will pay off.

https://www.ehow.com/videos-on_2069_fitting-bicycle.html

https://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1614.asp

https://www.billbostoncycles.com/bicycle_fit.htm

I'm not trying to give your LBS the bird, but if you can wrench even a little bit go to www.bikesdirect.com . Browse around, they have excellent deals on bicycles. Under MTB's the outcast 29'er will fit 700c tires and would make a quick no maintenance SS commuter. Any of their Single Speed (SS) or Fixed gear bikes are very well made and quick also.



ala: https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=3054645&page=2

Also use https://www.parktool.com/repair/ it is an invaluable resource for newer bike mechanics FOR FREE, but I would also recommend Zen: and the art of Road Bike/Mtn Bike maintenance book for newer bike owners.

TFS Jake

Thanks accordionfolder. I really like that bike, I really prefer a mountain bike look over a road bike. But I'm not going to turn down a good deal on a road bike either.
I will look into all of those links you sent me.

TFS Jake

What about this bike?

https://www.walmart.com/Schwinn-700c-...ReviewTitleBar

Yes, it is a Walmart bike. But it is only 50 dollars on CL right now.

LongIslandTom

Buyer beware. The specs at Walmart says that bike weighs 32 pounds-- That's almost as heavy as a suspension mountain bike!

Also, the shifters are separately mounted on the transverse grips on that bike (not on the top of the drop bars)-- Higher-end bikes have the shifters built into the brake levers (so you can downshift while you brake).

I would also be suspicious of the drivetrain components-- Chances are they use the cheapest Shimanos available... I would look for something that has at least Tiagra-level components.

On top of all that, you have no way of knowing if that bike is the right size frame for you.

I think you'll do better to visit a bike shop and get a bike that's fitted to you.

Just my $0.02..