bcdudley

Hello,

So about 5 years ago, I found myself looking here for a new bike. I wound up getting a 2013 Diamondback Response. It has been a great bike and I have thousands of miles on it that are mostly street and paved bike trails, but also some off-road trails. I typically ride 25-75 miles per week. When I was out riding this weekend, I was just finishing up a 25 mile ride and the chainring literally folded over. It has a small crack in it where it bent so it is pretty much trash. Looking at the teeth, it didn't have much life left anyway. They were all worn down quite a bit on the 2 and 3. I have also been having a problem with the front derailer where a spring broke off last year, keeping me from shifting into 1st easily. The chain needs to be replaced along with both tires (the rear is almost bald and the front is getting there), and it definitely needs a tune-up.The brake pads are also pretty worn down.

I do like the bike. It is comfortable for me to ride and I have obviously gotten lots of use out of it, but is it going to be worth trying to rebuild a 5 year old bike with that many miles. The bike was only about $450 brand new and I am guessing it will be over $250 to try to fix everything on it.

If I do wind up getting a new bike, any recommendations. I am looking for something in the $500 range. I have to many other significant expenses coming up this spring and summer to allow for much more.


Thanks.

prj71

$500 doesn't get you a decent new mountain bike. You need to up your budget to $1000-$1500.

But if you REALLY are stuck in that budget, Jenson has some bikes on sale right now.

https://www.jensonusa.com/Sale/Mount...nType=Hardtail

base2 

Find your local co-op.
Locally used tires are $5, $10 a set.
Rings are $5 each. So $15
Brake pads, new $25 total
Chain, figure $20
Used triple front derailleur, <$10
That's about $80 for the most part of an overhaul/repair. Add in cables, a new bottom bracket & you're still into it for about $120

New bike? Pretty much. You've gotta do the work though. But it's a lot less work than the time spent at work earning money for a brand new store bought bike.

I suppose it comes down to labor cost & tool cost. If you have access to tools, & someone with know-how, it's a no-brainer. Even so, the devil you know...the bike that you buy for $500 new won't be as good as the bike you built for $250 with higher quality components & the knowledge learned is priceless.

How's that saying? Teach a man to fish...

carlosponti

500 can get a nice bike depending on what you plan on riding. I ride cross country trails and my 500 dollar bike doesn't limit me in anyway where I ride. I also suggest that you learn to fix things on your bike. Check ebay for parts and you can probably get them fairly cheaply. RJ the bike guy does videos on bike maintenance that are helpful. a new derailleur chain ring and chain you can find a way to get for around 100 and is easy to replace yourself. Upside for getting a new bike is getting disk brakes I find them better than rim brakes. I have a '18 Fuji Nevada 1.7 29er it was an improvement over my '90 Fuji thrill. Check out local bike shops if you decide to look for a new bike they can steer you in the way of a new bike for your budget.

prj71

Well since this is a mountain bike forum, one would expect he is riding mountain bike trails.

The components on that are why it's a $500 bike

carlosponti

I mean is he riding whistler with jump lines? or single track? there is a wide variety in "mountain bike trails"

where I ride its simple single track and everything works fine on it. I mean it beats bombing down a mountain on an old schwinn with coaster brakes

elpedaleur

Few years ago I had the same idea and wanted a mountainbike for a small price (around 500 euro). My experience is that you cant get a decent bike for that money, I bought one for 450e and a year later I already bought a new one. My advice, if you really like biking wait a bit longer and spend some extra on it, otherwise you are going to end up buying a new one each few years (or quitting)

GrantFlower

I ride cross country trails and my 500 dollar bike doesn't limit me in anyway where I ride. I also suggest that you learn to fix things on your bike. Check ebay for parts and you can probably get them fairly cheaply. RJ the bike guy does videos on bike maintenance that are helpful. a new derailleur chain ring and chain you can find a way to get for around 100 and is easy to replace yourself.

Kapusta

A new cassete, chainrings, chain, brake pads, and new shifter/brake cables/housing and tires are all wear items, can all be had for under $175 (maybe even under 150) That would be for really basic stuff, though it would be at least as good as what the bike came with.

For the front deraileur, I’d get a used one off ebay for $15. Unless something actually breaks, they basically last forever.

These prices all assume you are doing the work yourself. You may have to add money for special tools, though in my experience, basic bike tools always pay for themselves.

IF that is really all the bike needs, I would do it. I mighy even spend a little more and get some better tires than what came stock.

However, if you have not been doing maintenance on the fork, that may be near the end of its useful life. At this point it gets pretty questionable whether it is worth putting more money into the bike.

Darth Lefty 

You can't get a much better bike for $500 than you did for $450 four years ago. $500 about the same as $450 was then.

But $500 put into your existing bike would be amazing! None of the replacement parts you want are very expensive, and that gives you money for one serious upgrade, the fork. You might need a few tools but they aren't expensive either, or better yet you could find a way to borrow them, like from a bike nerd friend or at a co-op. Such a person might also help you find out if these things are all indeed broken and worn, or if they just need a cleaning.

Replacements/upgrades
Crankset - $25-30
Front derailleur $20
Chain $8
Do the cassette while you're at it, $15
two tires $50
brakes $10
...and as someone else noted, that's all new prices, you can find the stuff cheaper used.

You can replace the front pogo stick with a Rock Shox or Manitou fork for ~$250. And your hypothetical new bike at $500 won't have that.

Special bike tools:
Chain whip
cassette socket
crank puller
bottom bracket socket
chain breaker

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Or here's another idea. Get on the classifieds and find one of those $1500 bikes from 5 years ago, pay $500 for it.