swami69

There seems to be so many brands these days. How would you rate them from best to worst?

tempocyclist

I wouldn't.

Bmach

Think about how many brands there are, then think about the components on those bike.

shelbyfv

10 Wheels

It is MORE about the components.

freeranger

The best bike for me would be one with decent components and which frame FIT ME best. The best frame fit for the way I am built might be the worst for you, That being said, of course, the upper end bikes, with lighter, better engineered frames and good components are going to be better than their budget bikes, but that's an obvious statement. Just stay with the major brands, stay away from the big box stores, to avoid the bikes which may not hold up or be built for serious riding. And if you are in the process of shopping for a new bike, don't forget to rate the dealer also. After sale service, advice, and how supportive they are once you're out the door all counts!

wolfchild

I would rate Huffy, GMC Denali and Next as the top three brands.

Garfield Cat

Definition of criterion

1: a standard on which a judgment or decision may be based

Criteria is defined as the plural form of criterion, the standard by which something is judged or assessed.

Please narrow down the question. Do you mean what criteria? Which one?

Garfield Cat

Definition of criterion

1: a standard on which a judgment or decision may be based

Criteria is defined as the plural form of criterion, the standard by which something is judged or assessed.

Please narrow down the question. Do you mean what criteria? Which one?

brianmcg123

Trek makes good bikes.

indyfabz

More importantly, how do you rate chain lubes?

seypat

I use Liquid Wrench or the house brand from an auto parts store for my chain lubing/grease needs. It works. No need to get poetic and do any waxing. Plus getting a little Crock Pot/cooker is a dangerous slope. It could be a gateway to other things. Sure, it starts out cooking chains/wax, but it can lead to lead to other things like meth. Or God forbid, you might start cooking something like..........potpourri or fondue. The shame!

10 Wheels

Liquid Wrench Chain & Cable Lube (L711) 11 oz. can 78698217345 | eBay

Rick

I worked as a mechanic in a Schwinn shop in the 80s. The owner of the shop had one of those fine machines hanging from the ceiling out back for stress relief. We were told we could destroy it instead of the customers bicycles.

10 Wheels

First Bike a HUFFY. Liked it Much....$35 New in 1952

Iride01 

Best for what? Entirely depends on what kind of bike I'm looking for and what price range.

But most any you see pro's on are decent enough brands. If I was riding around major city with the bike as my primary transportation to shopping and food, then probably something obscure and not ridden by the pro's.

If I wanted a bike to tear up doing stupid stuff, I'd get a cheap Walmart, Dicks or Target bike.

Gresp15C

Very broadly speaking, I would apply the following rating scale:

1. Box store, Amazon bargains, etc. Everything low quality, and the final build, lubrication, and adjustment will vary from suspicious to nonexistent. Can be made to work if you possess decent repair skills and some patience, but not fun to work on due to poorly fitting parts.

2. Some mail order companies that have been around for a while (Bikes Direct) that use mainstream parts of known provenance. There have been reports of problems such as un-lubricated bearings, but a once-over before the initial ride will probably turn it into a reliable ride.

3. Full service bike shop with its own repair business will probably make sure the bikes they sell are ready to ride, and will prefer to sell brands that require minimal effort to get into good working order since they pay double for problems -- once to get the bike ready for sale and again if it comes back for warranty work.

In these cases, the question is: Who is the person who makes sure the bike is OK? In the first case, nobody. In the second case, you. In the third case, the bike shop.

indyfabz

Here’s a secret, but don’t tell anyone because I don’t want there to be a run on the stuff: NFS is the best lube.

BTW...How do you cook potpourri?

seypat

https://www.diyncrafts.com/31281/hom...smell-heavenly

BlazingPedals

At least Swami phrased it a little differently. The usual question is, "what's the best bike for me to buy?"

tomato coupe

I think we can all agree about what the 12th best brand is, yes?

indyfabz

Yes. Trek.

tomato coupe

Oh, sorry. I meant 13th.

PeteHski

There is no best bike brand. But there are lots of pretty decent ones in no particular order:-

Specialized
Trek
Giant
Cannondale
Scott
Pinarello
Bianchi
Colnago
Cervelo
Ridley
Moots
Canyon
Cube
Santa Cruz

There are others, but you should find something decent for your biking needs within those brands. I don't think any of them really stand out as being best or worst. Some generally offer better value for money e.g. Giant, Canyon. Some are perhaps a bit more exclusive like Colnago, Moots. Personally I don't really have a brand preference in bikes. I just buy the bikes that I think will best suit my needs and budget at the time. I would consider all the brands I listed and quite a few others I didn't.

wolfchild

For me personally I prefer less popular brands such as :

Surly
Bombtrack
Salsa
Soma
Kona