Charlie Tan

Well my name is Charlie, I live in NYC and commute from the Bronx to Manhattan everyday for work.(30 miles round trip+ X miles spent in city) In fact I recently got a courier job and have been doing my work on a cheap Walmart mountain bike. This 40+ lb bike is bottle necking the amount of power I can actually produce. I have been long distance street skateboarding for about 7 years now(skated to NJ from the Bronx) and I am pushing this bike to its limits. I love killing the steepest hills of NYC and so I need something that can keep up with me. I would love to begin pedaling and not feel the heaviness of that mountain bike underneath me. I weigh about 170 lbs and am 5'6. I am on a tight budget and could only see myself spending around 500 bucks on my first road bike. Plus this is a good price range because I leave my bike locked on the street for a few minutes while I go pick up packages to deliver. I keep it in my apartment at all times when not in use so I don't worry too much about theft. Here is what I've been looking at:

Save Up to 60% Off Road Bikes - DawesLightning1200 - "Dawes Lightning 1200
Shimano 27 Speed Road Bike"
Save Up to 60% Off Shimano Claris Carbon Fork Road Bikes - Windsor Wellington SL Web Sale Prices - "Windsor Wellington SL"
Save Up to 60% Off Road Bikes - Motobecane Mirage S - "Motobecane Mirage SPORT"
Save Up to 60% Off Disc Brake Road Bikes - Motobecane Turino Disc - "Motobecane Turino COMP Disc Brake"

Any information or redirection would be much appreciated. I need something that will also survive NYC weather and road conditions.

10 Wheels

Moving to Commuting.

Bikeracer123

Why don't you look at used bikes.

mcours2006

A shiny new bike, even one from BD, would attract a lot of attention locked up on the streets of NYC. No lock is going to stop a determined thief.

Your Walmart bike, though slow and cumbersome, isn't going to be a prime target for bike thieves.

A used bike, with some paint scuffs and greased up components, might not attract much attention. Perhaps 8-10 year-old aluminum with Tiagra or even 105's would be well within your budget.

Charlie Tan

Is there any way that I can just dirty up my new bike. Cover stuff up with scratched up skateboard stickers or tape? I don't really care for the look of the bike, and I am not in a position of knowledge to be able to pick out a working used bike for an appropriate price. But I will give craigslist a look and see what I can find.

deapee

Due to your title -- wanting to get serious about biking -- you're going to have issues that creep up, no matter what decision you make. Things you like, things you regret, things you want to change, and things you don't. I'm not some super local bike shop guy, but why not stop in a few and run your concerns/story with the manager/owner and see if any of them seem cool. They're the guys that know people that are selling their old bikes. If they're cool, they really can make the process of getting "serious with biking" much easier on you, and in the long run, easier on your wallet by potentially helping you make informed decisions.

That being said...I feel you on the heavy bike -- just be aware that the bike isn't limiting your power as you said. The weight of the bike is probably making the power you put down propel you up a hill slower than a lighter road bike would. Heavy bikes feel sluggish, no doubt. There's nothing that feels better than a nice first couple of rides on a nice, light carbon fiber bike with road tires...but what happens shortly after that...it becomes the new norm. If a new bike will make you want to ride more and work on your power more, then go for it -- but there are probably a TON of used deals within driving distance that would be a lot better than a department store bike.

Not to mention, if you stop up at a LBS and they seem cool...and don't have anything for you, at the very least, when you do make a purchase and stop up with it for them to check over or whatever, you've already started a relationship there. So anyway, that's my big advice.

Either way, good luck and welcome to the forum...this place is great, but beware...cycling is expensive ;-)

Charlie Tan

This is amazing help thank you. I appreciate all of the input. I will go check out LBS and try to take the more personal approach with them. What should I expect from a 400 - 500 dollar used bike? Any quality parts? Anything that I should stray away from for my type of commuting?

jfowler85

If you buy something off of the internet, take it to an lbs upon delivery - or have it delivered to an lbs - and have them correctly tension the wheels' spokes and make sure it's good for riding. Nearly anything can survive the seasons if it's generally maintained, but the less parts you have hanging off the bike (think of a single speed or fixed gear) the easier and cheaper said maintenance is.

Don't forget to check your local shops for used bikes.

acidfast7

Technically speaking, the amount of power you can produce is the same regardless of the implement being ridden.

You need to consider how to get your power to the ground effectively with the inherent limitation of the style in which you ride.

Consider how you ride ... distance, surface types, duty cycle (does it go inside, does it go up/down stairs), etc... and you should have an answer of what tool you need.

This should be done prior to searching the market as it clouds one's decision making process.

FullGas

patently untrue.

unless the OP wants a state-of-the-art frame and components, cycling can be quite affordable.

deapee

lol good point. It kind of crept up on me.

tsl

The trouble with NYC bike thieves is that they can see right through the camouflage. You're dealing with pros there, not the amateurs we have Upstate. Plus, many times, bikes are stolen for the parts, not for the whole.

Sometimes they'll strip it right there while it's locked up. Snip four cables and loosen three bolts, and you own the bars and shifters. (On older bikes, you need to loosen only one bolt.) Shifters you'll find are a big portion of a road bike's expense.

Your better bet is to talk with the other couriers. You'll find out that the vast majority of them ride "fixies", and there are reasons for that. Other couriers will be able to explain it in realistic, day-to-day, delivery-to-delivery terms, and point you in the right direction.

But in short, fixies have fewer drivetrain components to attract thieves, and fewer things to go wrong during a delivery, and fewer things to maintain, or to replace when worn. Plus, with all those fewer parts, the bike is even lighter.

Note to other BFers: Mark this down as the first time I've ever recommended a fixie.

mcours2006

@tsl, you must have just watched Premium Rush!

I-Like-To-Bike

Absence of desirable or practical features is not a bicycling virtue IMO.
I suspect that nobody would recommend that a beginning motorist get a stripped down GM Vega or Ford Pinto in order to protect themselves from thievery. There is a good reason not to steal a fixie bike. It is the same reason not to buy one.

BobbyG

I commuted exclusively on a heavy mountain bike for 17 years, 48 lbs with rack, fenders and two water bottles. And two things helped tremendously. First and foremost...smooth road tires. 26x1.75. That alone added two mph to my average speed. The other was fitting a much larger chain ring to the front crank. That took my cruising speed from 14mph to 22mph, on the long straight flat parts. After five years I bought another mountain bike, because that is what I thought I wanted. This time it was 32 lbs fully loaded. I immediately put on smooth road tires and the biggest front gear that would fit. Now I also have a old 22-pound road bike, and a semi-touring bike in the upper 20s. My average speeds are all within one or two mph among the bikes, and my average commute times are identical over my 9-mile ride owing to lights and traffic.

RubeRad

If you're strong and the area is not very hilly (sounds like NYC to me, but I don't really know), a single-speed and/or fixie is a great option to simplify and lower weight, cost, and steal-worthiness.

Even better, steel is cheaper than aluminum, so for only a small weight penalty, you should get a significant bit of damping of road buzz.

Lots more options...

Probably all of those come with a flip/flop hub, which is freewheel on one side (if you want to coast), or fixed on the other side if you want that.

old's'cool

I'm seriously tempted to use that as a sig line!



IMO, 15 miles one way is plenty to bite off even with an efficient road bike.

I didn't see it mentioned yet, so another source to check for new bike bargains is bikeisland.com

TenSpeedV2

People will always hate the fixed gear bike. I ride one, and was going to suggest it to the OP. No reason not to ride one. I do bike delivery as well, and have done it on a fixed and geared bike as well as a mountain bike. The fixed gear is my go to bike just for the lack of maintenance and ease of use as well as how light weight it is. Pedal and go.

Charlie Tan

Thanks for the website. And I honestly dont want a single gear. I want the road bike because of it's capability. Meaning I'm fine with the extra pieces and their required maintenance.

ptempel

A few things:

- Don't limit yourself to Bikes Direct. Use craigslist.com, ebay.com and searchtempest.com to check used bike deals. Limit the search to your zip code so you can see it in person.
- You don't need a triple for NYC. Its overkill. A double is more than enough or consider even a single speed.
- Do you know your size in a road bike? If not, then measure yourself and go to Bike Fit Calculator | Find Your Bike Size | Competitive Cyclist or Pedal Force super-light carbon bicycle to get an idea.

gsa103

Actually, the vast majority probably can't. The last time I was in NYC I was astounded by the number of delivery guys riding camo'ed hardtail bikes with Deore/SLX rather than the bargain bin Tourney/Alivio. I'm sure some thieves can spot the differences, but I'd bet the vast majority don't take the time.

Charlie Tan

Ended up getting slick tires. Kenda Kwest. It was a LBS in the Bronx so I'm alright if they are meh tires. They have literally taken away that terrible weight to the bike. I can go way faster and the hills are so much better. Your suggestion and advice was freaking awesome. Thank you.

BobbyG

Based on reviews from multiple sources, I just bought a pair of Kenda Kwest tires last month for my Plug and I think they are terrific.

PaulRivers

Specialized Sirrus, here's the cheapest model at $520:
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bi.../sirrus/106252

Relatively narrow tire, flat bar. I really like a carbon front fork on a bike of that style, but unfortunately it doesn't come with that until the $810 version. The cheaper version comes with 32c tires, it will probably be fine.

VP Component Vice pedals are the cheapest good flat pedals with pins that I know of:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006ZH1H7M/...5UWDWLLT&psc=1

Most bike manufacturers make a similar style bike for a similar price, for Trek it's the Trek FX. You'll definitely be faster and it will be less work than on a cheap walmart bike.

I think this style of bike would be the ideal price/performance ratio for what it sounds like you're looking for.

One other thing, the biggest mistake beginners make in buying a bike is buying the wrong size because "it's a good deal". Bike sizing is kind of like pants sizing, buying the wrong size is not a good idea. That's why I suggest something locally. I know at least some bike shops around me have a return policy where you can exchange the bike in the first week or two for something else if you don't like it as long as you haven't damaged it. Bikes also need to be retuned up after about the first 100 miles if you want good shifting performance because the shifting cables stretch.