Buying Murray Monterey Help!
12-30-18, 05:55 PM
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Raging Sunflower
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Buying Murray Monterey Help!
- So I found two bikes that I am interested in. One I believe is a 60s Murray Monterey which is a factory tan color which I think looks beautiful. It needs some cleaning but it’s awesome. She’s asking for 40$ and won’t budge. I dont know if that is a good price. The reason why is because I also found another Monterey that looks like it may be a 80s version of the bike, it’s hunter green and looks darn near new. The man selling this on is 20 bucks. It may be me just being cheap but I wand to get my money’s worth. The last bike I bought I wasted so much money and it still won’t ride. They are both on sale on Facebook.
12-30-18, 08:02 PM
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When you buy bikes in the $20 to $40 range, they tend to need a lot of work, particularly basic maintenance. People do not maintain bikes, they ride them until they break. Unless you have the time/tools/aptitude/workspace to do the work yourself, most will turn out to be money pits.
Shops around here charge $75/hr for maintenance. Its easy to drop $200 or more into having an older used bike repaired. The keys to avoiding this is doing the work yourself and picking well. Sometimes you will spend less overall if you buy a bike for $150 versus $25. I pick up donated bikes for our co-op from local bike shops all the time. Typically someone brings an old bike in to be repaired, gets sticker shock on the price to get it repaired, so they leave it as a donation.
Murray bikes were one of the basic department bikes of the past, the equivalent to what Walmart sells now, they were never built to last, and were cheaply built. $20 to $40 does not buy a good ready to ride bike, at least my definition of ready to ride.
Now I do buy bikes in the $20 to $40 price range. Typically I buy them for parts, one or two parts alone can make them a good deal. Occasionally I fix them up, but I do all the work myself so it keeps the total spending down.
Shops around here charge $75/hr for maintenance. Its easy to drop $200 or more into having an older used bike repaired. The keys to avoiding this is doing the work yourself and picking well. Sometimes you will spend less overall if you buy a bike for $150 versus $25. I pick up donated bikes for our co-op from local bike shops all the time. Typically someone brings an old bike in to be repaired, gets sticker shock on the price to get it repaired, so they leave it as a donation.
Murray bikes were one of the basic department bikes of the past, the equivalent to what Walmart sells now, they were never built to last, and were cheaply built. $20 to $40 does not buy a good ready to ride bike, at least my definition of ready to ride.
Now I do buy bikes in the $20 to $40 price range. Typically I buy them for parts, one or two parts alone can make them a good deal. Occasionally I fix them up, but I do all the work myself so it keeps the total spending down.
Last edited by wrk101; 12-30-18 at 08:12 PM.
12-30-18, 08:14 PM
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Raging Sunflower
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12-30-18, 08:21 PM
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Raging Sunflower
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When you buy bikes in the $20 to $40 range, they tend to need a lot of work, particularly basic maintenance. People do not maintain bikes, they ride them until they break. Unless you have the time/tools/aptitude/workspace to do the work yourself, most will turn out to be money pits.
Shops around here charge $75/hr for maintenance. Its easy to drop $200 or more into having an older used bike repaired. The keys to avoiding this is doing the work yourself and picking well. Sometimes you will spend less overall if you buy a bike for $150 versus $25. I pick up donated bikes for our co-op from local bike shops all the time. Typically someone brings an old bike in to be repaired, gets sticker shock on the price to get it repaired, so they leave it as a donation.
Murray bikes were one of the basic department bikes of the past, the equivalent to what Walmart sells now, they were never built to last, and were cheaply built. $20 to $40 does not buy a good ready to ride bike, at least my definition of ready to ride.
Now I do buy bikes in the $20 to $40 price range. Typically I buy them for parts, one or two parts alone can make them a good deal. Occasionally I fix them up, but I do all the work myself so it keeps the total spending down.
Shops around here charge $75/hr for maintenance. Its easy to drop $200 or more into having an older used bike repaired. The keys to avoiding this is doing the work yourself and picking well. Sometimes you will spend less overall if you buy a bike for $150 versus $25. I pick up donated bikes for our co-op from local bike shops all the time. Typically someone brings an old bike in to be repaired, gets sticker shock on the price to get it repaired, so they leave it as a donation.
Murray bikes were one of the basic department bikes of the past, the equivalent to what Walmart sells now, they were never built to last, and were cheaply built. $20 to $40 does not buy a good ready to ride bike, at least my definition of ready to ride.
Now I do buy bikes in the $20 to $40 price range. Typically I buy them for parts, one or two parts alone can make them a good deal. Occasionally I fix them up, but I do all the work myself so it keeps the total spending down.
12-30-18, 08:51 PM
#6
Dmerk2
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When you buy bikes in the $20 to $40 range, they tend to need a lot of work, particularly basic maintenance. People do not maintain bikes, they ride them until they break. Unless you have the time/tools/aptitude/workspace to do the work yourself, most will turn out to be money pits.
Shops around here charge $75/hr for maintenance. Its easy to drop $200 or more into having an older used bike repaired. The keys to avoiding this is doing the work yourself and picking well. Sometimes you will spend less overall if you buy a bike for $150 versus $25. I pick up donated bikes for our co-op from local bike shops all the time. Typically someone brings an old bike in to be repaired, gets sticker shock on the price to get it repaired, so they leave it as a donation.
Murray bikes were one of the basic department bikes of the past, the equivalent to what Walmart sells now, they were never built to last, and were cheaply built. $20 to $40 does not buy a good ready to ride bike, at least my definition of ready to ride.
Now I do buy bikes in the $20 to $40 price range. Typically I buy them for parts, one or two parts alone can make them a good deal. Occasionally I fix them up, but I do all the work myself so it keeps the total spending down.
Shops around here charge $75/hr for maintenance. Its easy to drop $200 or more into having an older used bike repaired. The keys to avoiding this is doing the work yourself and picking well. Sometimes you will spend less overall if you buy a bike for $150 versus $25. I pick up donated bikes for our co-op from local bike shops all the time. Typically someone brings an old bike in to be repaired, gets sticker shock on the price to get it repaired, so they leave it as a donation.
Murray bikes were one of the basic department bikes of the past, the equivalent to what Walmart sells now, they were never built to last, and were cheaply built. $20 to $40 does not buy a good ready to ride bike, at least my definition of ready to ride.
Now I do buy bikes in the $20 to $40 price range. Typically I buy them for parts, one or two parts alone can make them a good deal. Occasionally I fix them up, but I do all the work myself so it keeps the total spending down.
01-01-19, 05:58 AM
#7
Raging Sunflower
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What do you look for when deciding to buy the cheaper used bike in the 20 to 40 range. Are the any major points that I would need to check. I still haven’t made my 10 posts so I can’t post the photos.
01-01-19, 06:24 AM
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Just curious which one one you are considering and what type of riding you plan to do with this.
If if has the caliper brakes my advice would be to avoid it if you ride any kind of hills or ride in traffic or in the rain. The reason is that these bikes have chrome plated steel rims with thin stamped steel brakes that chatter and squeal and don’t stop well in the dry let alone the wet. Being that it is a low cost Murray, you can’t really upgrade to better brakes very easily. I mean you could replace the pads with better ones and a good bike shop could adjust them to work as good as possible but now your bargain is no longer a bargain.
If it it is a coaster brake bike - these are a bit more timeless. A 60’s coaster brake bike could be useful for fun riding. The brake on that one you back pedal and use your body weight to push down to bring it to a stop. This brake is contained in the hub so if your rims are wet it will still stop you the same. If this is the bike you are looking at I’d say just test the brake as outlined above. Modern bike shops should know how to service a coaster brake but they may not if their service people only work on modern bikes.
If if you get to 10 posts be sure to post a photo of the one you are considering.
01-01-19, 06:28 AM
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A lot will depend on what you want and your mechanical skills. If you want the bike to last, plan on doing a basic cleaning and lubing of everything (bearings).
If the tires are 40 years old, I'd also go with a new set of tires, perhaps upgrade to something more durable than was originally on the bike.
Hard to say what to look for. Wheel rust? Spoke rust?
Broken or missing parts?
It will be a fun project if you don't get too far out of your element. As mentioned, it will be hard to justify bike shop rates to fix it up.
If the tires are 40 years old, I'd also go with a new set of tires, perhaps upgrade to something more durable than was originally on the bike.
Hard to say what to look for. Wheel rust? Spoke rust?
Broken or missing parts?
It will be a fun project if you don't get too far out of your element. As mentioned, it will be hard to justify bike shop rates to fix it up.
01-01-19, 08:08 AM
#10
Thrifty Bill
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In that price range, for keepers its typically a rigid frame MTB, like my Schwinn Cimarron I bought for $15.
I will buy super cheap department store bikes just to donate, never to work on or keep.
Last edited by wrk101; 01-01-19 at 08:15 AM.
01-01-19, 06:51 PM
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The vintage beach cruizers have a unique niche, and you're not going to find many with top of the line construction. Murray has a bad rep for the 10-speeds, but I'm not sure it carries over to the cruisers.
Ahh, found the OP's photos:
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/12278544
I find the tan bike much more attractive. For the green bike, beware of small tires. 24"?
The green bike may well be made sometime in the last 20 years. Is anybody still using the Murray brand?
Ahh, found the OP's photos:
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/12278544
I find the tan bike much more attractive. For the green bike, beware of small tires. 24"?
The green bike may well be made sometime in the last 20 years. Is anybody still using the Murray brand?
01-03-19, 07:03 PM
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Raging Sunflower
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I really really like the tan bike as well! the green type has me leery because of the small tires too. I’m a larger woman and I don’t want to worry about not being sturdy on a bike. I don’t think the Murray brand still makes bags I just think the bike looks amazing and in decent shape for that age. I haven’t seen it either of the bikes yet I plan on going to see the tan one tomorrow if weather permits.
01-03-19, 07:09 PM
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It's bizarre people don't mind dropping $80 at the grocery each week or $50 at the bar on Thursday eve, but don't want to shell $200 for a decent vintage bike that will still be going strong for decades.
If you're really worried about cost, buy three bikes and flip for profit the two you don't want so you can afford the third. All it takes is tools and patience. All the needed information and knowledge is an internet click away.
If you're really worried about cost, buy three bikes and flip for profit the two you don't want so you can afford the third. All it takes is tools and patience. All the needed information and knowledge is an internet click away.
Last edited by ragingsunflower; 01-03-19 at 07:30 PM.
01-03-19, 07:46 PM
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A lot will depend on what you want and your mechanical skills. If you want the bike to last, plan on doing a basic cleaning and lubing of everything (bearings).
If the tires are 40 years old, I'd also go with a new set of tires, perhaps upgrade to something more durable than was originally on the bike.
Hard to say what to look for. Wheel rust? Spoke rust?
Broken or missing parts?
It will be a fun project if you don't get too far out of your element. As mentioned, it will be hard to justify bike shop rates to fix it up.
If the tires are 40 years old, I'd also go with a new set of tires, perhaps upgrade to something more durable than was originally on the bike.
Hard to say what to look for. Wheel rust? Spoke rust?
Broken or missing parts?
It will be a fun project if you don't get too far out of your element. As mentioned, it will be hard to justify bike shop rates to fix it up.
01-04-19, 07:13 AM
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I haven't paid a lot of attention to the American made Cruiser bikes, or Murray bikes.
The cruisers do seem to have a special niche in "vintage" bikes, with at least some following.
However, I had a friend give me a "Duchess" bike that I was going to tear down and re-use for a special project. What I discovered on close inspection was that the entire frame was spot welded together, including the head tube/top tube/down tube joints. The entire frame was so cheaply made that it was unusable, nor would I be content to ever repair and sell the bike as a whole.
I can't tell, but looking at the square joints on your tan bike, they appear as if they could have similar construction.
The spot welding was clear from pulling apart the headset/steer tube.
On the other hand, the green bike appears to be TIG welded, making a much stronger frame, even if it looks less substantial. However, that does look like a small girl's bike, and not a full sized bike, but it is hard to tell for sure without seeing it in person.
Schwinn used a method of "electro-forging" which produced strong stable joints, and they gave lifetime warranties on their frames (at the time, who's lifetime?)
There were quite a few different brands of the era, and I'm not sure of the construction methods of each. I think the British brands frequently used lugged frames, but the classic British bikes were upright 3-speeds (Raleigh, Robin Hood, etc).
Still, your prices of $20 to $50 aren't bad, and you could simply go by the idea of using it, then if it wears out, time to move on. If the bike has lasted 50 years, it may make it a few more decades.
The cruisers do seem to have a special niche in "vintage" bikes, with at least some following.
However, I had a friend give me a "Duchess" bike that I was going to tear down and re-use for a special project. What I discovered on close inspection was that the entire frame was spot welded together, including the head tube/top tube/down tube joints. The entire frame was so cheaply made that it was unusable, nor would I be content to ever repair and sell the bike as a whole.
I can't tell, but looking at the square joints on your tan bike, they appear as if they could have similar construction.
The spot welding was clear from pulling apart the headset/steer tube.
On the other hand, the green bike appears to be TIG welded, making a much stronger frame, even if it looks less substantial. However, that does look like a small girl's bike, and not a full sized bike, but it is hard to tell for sure without seeing it in person.
Schwinn used a method of "electro-forging" which produced strong stable joints, and they gave lifetime warranties on their frames (at the time, who's lifetime?)
There were quite a few different brands of the era, and I'm not sure of the construction methods of each. I think the British brands frequently used lugged frames, but the classic British bikes were upright 3-speeds (Raleigh, Robin Hood, etc).
Still, your prices of $20 to $50 aren't bad, and you could simply go by the idea of using it, then if it wears out, time to move on. If the bike has lasted 50 years, it may make it a few more decades.
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