Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

Do I really need an expensive bike?

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Do I really need an expensive bike?

Old 09-13-21, 07:15 AM
  #1  
777funk
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 90
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Liked 22 Times in 18 Posts
Do I really need an expensive bike?

I'm an occasional rider (trails mostly paved sometimes hilly terrain). I see non big box store brand bikes (Trek, GT, etc) on FB Marketplace and CL in the $75-200 range at times and when I look them up here or other places, most say... "Trash. Save your money."

I'd have to think most of these are better than my $100 new USA Huffy since they say Trek on the side.

Most of my problems with my Huffy are fixable (new cables, brake pads) for about $50 or less. Should I keep the Huffy or do I need an expensive bike. My requirements are:
1. Won't fall apart when riding. I'd want any injuries (God forbid) to be rider error and not mechanical failures.
2. Rides half way decent (I don't need that last 5% or maybe even 10% of ride quality, light weight, etc).

Will a cheap bike be good enough?
777funk is offline  
Likes For 777funk:
Old 09-13-21, 07:21 AM
  #2  
shelbyfv
Expired Member
 
shelbyfv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,431
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3629 Post(s)
Liked 5,297 Times in 2,690 Posts
You are good to go, ride your bike.
shelbyfv is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 07:37 AM
  #3  
Troul 
Senior Member
 
Troul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,268

Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,904 Times in 1,879 Posts
Depends, what is expensive to one might be cheap to another.
could go have some decals printed to enhance your bicycle to be like those in the used market that are "$75-200 range".
__________________
-Oh Hey!
Troul is offline  
Likes For Troul:
Old 09-13-21, 07:40 AM
  #4  
777funk
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 90
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Liked 22 Times in 18 Posts
Originally Posted by Troul
Depends, what is expensive to one might be cheap to another.
could go have some decals printed to enhance your bicycle to be like those in the used market that are "$75-200 range".
lol. I don't care about the name on the side. For that matter, the bike doesn't even need paint. It just has to ride half way decent without a wheel or chain coming off.
777funk is offline  
Likes For 777funk:
Old 09-13-21, 07:44 AM
  #5  
making
Super Moderator
 
making's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Greenwood Indiana
Posts: 2,805

Bikes: Surly Crosscheck

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1542 Post(s)
Liked 868 Times in 521 Posts
Any bike is better than no bike.
__________________
Good Night Chesty, Wherever You Are
making is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 07:54 AM
  #6  
VegasTriker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sin City, Nevada
Posts: 2,877

Bikes: Catrike 700, Greenspeed GTO trike, , Linear LWB recumbent, Haluzak Horizon SWB recumbent, Balance 450 MTB, Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 520 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 227 Times in 179 Posts
The answer might be sure, ride the cheap bike but not always. I think back to the Scout who showed up for a cycling merit badge 10 mile ride with a Walmart special that weighed half of his weight. I checked it out for safety but didn't realize the cranks hadn't been tightened enough when it was assembled a few days earlier by the bike experts at Walmart. It lasted about two miles until one crank stripped as it loosened even more. Had he been standing on the pedals powering up the next hill, that would have been a disaster. The second ride in the series of rides (by now on his 3rd Walmart bike) was similar. The bike stayed together but it was too hard for him to complete the 10 miles. We had to stop for him to rest far too often which was really annoying to the other riders. He soon quit trying so never earned the badge.

A decent bike is far more pleasurable to ride, especially if it is properly fitted. Better bikes come in multiple frame sizes to fit your stature. Cheap ones are often "one size fits all" which is quite a joke for anyone on the lower or upper ends of human sizes. It probably will last a lot longer. Over my lifetime I owned 3 road bikes. The first was a second hand Fiorelli Italian racing 10 speed. I kept it for about a decade. The second was a Japanese Nishiki Semi Pro. Both bikes weighed around 29 pounds. The last one was a French made 1973 Motobecane Le Champion. It was top of the line at the time for their production bikes. 21 pounds, great components, and sure was fun to ride. I kept it for decades until as I got older it was no longer fun to ride a bike that had narrow wheels and required being hunched over the handlebars. It was still a good bike and perfectly rideable for the right person. I'll bet that kid's Walmart bike was in the garbage within a couple of years at best (if he ever rode it).
VegasTriker is offline  
Likes For VegasTriker:
Old 09-13-21, 08:01 AM
  #7  
Phil_gretz
Zip tie Karen
 
Phil_gretz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Posts: 7,006

Bikes: '13 Motobecane Fantom29 HT, '16 Motobecane Turino Pro Disc, '18 Velobuild VB-R-022, '21 Tsunami SNM-100

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1465 Post(s)
Liked 1,542 Times in 806 Posts
Originally Posted by 777funk
I'm an occasional rider...Will a cheap bike be good enough?
Yes. Unless or until you gain enough experience to realize that you want to change. Ride what you can reasonably afford and keep it in its best mechanical condition. The rest you will learn on your own.
Phil_gretz is offline  
Old 09-13-21, 08:03 AM
  #8  
OldRailfan
Old enough, hmmm?
 
OldRailfan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Coldstream, BC Canada
Posts: 287

Bikes: DeVinci, Bianchi, Nishiki, RBSM Mud Adder

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Liked 113 Times in 82 Posts
Few of us are in the group in which a better/expensive bike will make a difference on how much we ride or how fast we ride. It's the person on that seat that determines it.

PS it's very similar to the situation concerning cars it doesn't need to be fancy, but it needs to be reliable aka getting from A to B whenever one wants/needs to.

Last edited by OldRailfan; 09-13-21 at 08:08 AM.
OldRailfan is offline  
Likes For OldRailfan:
Old 09-13-21, 08:12 AM
  #9  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,703

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6063 Post(s)
Liked 4,694 Times in 3,238 Posts
If you are able to do with your bike what you want to do then it's a good enough bike.

If you later find that it's keeping you from doing anything, then at that time you can get another that is more appropriate.

I sometimes feel that those that buy the best possible bike that exceeds their current fitness level or riding demands miss out on understanding what is really so good about that bike other than it cost them a lot of money.
Iride01 is offline  
Likes For Iride01:
Old 09-13-21, 08:18 AM
  #10  
BobbyG
Senior Member
 
BobbyG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,955

Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1357 Post(s)
Liked 1,655 Times in 819 Posts
777funk In photography (before the ever-present smartphone camera) they used to have a couple of sayings: "The best camera is the one at hand." and "F/8 and be there!" The spirit of these adages can also be applied to bicycling.

"The best bike is the one at hand." That is, "Run what you brung." Don't miss out on the fun and joy of riding just because you don't have the "right" bike. Mountain biking began in the 1970s with people bombing downhill on old balloon-tire bikes from the 1940s and 50s. Definitely not purpose-built or high-end. But they generated enough fun to ignite a whole industry.

"2:1 and be there!" Just as an F/8 aperture can work in most photography situations, a single speed with a gear ratio of 2:1 works in many cycling situations. Sure a track cyclist may want a higher ratio, and a single-speed off-road cyclist may want one that's lower, but the point is people rode and enjoyed cycling with the most basic equipment for decades. Most people's first pedal-bikes are single speed.

A often-repeated phrase I discovered here on bikeforums.net is "Ride your ride." It means more than just ride the bicycle you have, it means ride the circumstances you have. And it isn't limited to budget. People have different athletic abilities, different physical abilities, different levels of health. People have different time constraints, different locational challenges, and family obligations that make cycling a challenge to fit in, and yet they cycle and enjoy it.

To tie this all together, here is a photo taken with a very basic camera of a man in non-cycling specific clothes enjoying a very basic bicycle on a driveway.



Even Einstein didn't overthink it...he's just having fun.

Which leads me to a personal mantra I employ:

"Overthinking?...Pedal Harder!"

So grab your Huffy and pedal until the endorphins kick in and "Don't let anyone steal your joy."
BobbyG is offline  
Likes For BobbyG:
Old 09-13-21, 08:28 AM
  #11  
Bald Paul
Senior Member
 
Bald Paul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 1,668
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 799 Post(s)
Liked 1,598 Times in 756 Posts
If you see a Trek on FB Marketplace or CL in the $75-$200 range......


it's probably stolen.
Bald Paul is offline  
Likes For Bald Paul:
Old 09-13-21, 08:37 AM
  #12  
Rolla
Guest
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,269 Times in 1,439 Posts
Originally Posted by 777funk
I see non big box store brand bikes (Trek, GT, etc) on FB Marketplace and CL in the $75-200 range
Should I keep the Huffy or do I need an expensive bike.
A used $100 GT is not an expensive bike. Don't upgrade until you find a bike that's actually an upgrade.
Rolla is offline  
Likes For Rolla:
Old 09-13-21, 08:45 AM
  #13  
denaffen
Full Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 288

Bikes: Bianchi Nyala, Bianchi Volpe, Bianchi Campione D'Italia, Trek 640, Luxus folding bike, Schwinn Speedster, Bianchi Torino, KHS Aero Sport, probably something else around here somewhere

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 117 Post(s)
Liked 198 Times in 100 Posts
Around here $200 Treks are common, as are some other nice bikes. The trick is that unless you know what to look for and are prepared to do any needed repairs, you could just be buying a problem you can't solve. So if that's the route you're thinking, I'd suggest first focusing on bike fit and learning how to do maintenance/repairs, so you'd be ready.

I think if you're looking new, at about the $500 range you start seeing bikes that are much, much better than department store bikes. Or at least that was the case before covid. Nowadays, you can hardly get a new bike, so it's kind of moot.
denaffen is offline  
Likes For denaffen:
Old 09-13-21, 08:47 AM
  #14  
Trek1100FeltZ5
Newbie
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 17

Bikes: Felt Z5

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 12 Times in 7 Posts
Spend as much as you can afford - save money on things you do not care about
Trek1100FeltZ5 is offline  
Likes For Trek1100FeltZ5:
Old 09-13-21, 08:50 AM
  #15  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,506

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10873 Post(s)
Liked 7,354 Times in 4,125 Posts
Originally Posted by 777funk
Will a cheap bike be good enough?
Based on your forum join date, you have been riding for at least 8 years. And since you mention fixing your bike, you have experience with that side of things.
By now, you know what is good enough for you. No need to ask others what is good enough for you.
mstateglfr is offline  
Likes For mstateglfr:
Old 09-13-21, 09:19 AM
  #16  
Reflector Guy
Senior Member
 
Reflector Guy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,339

Bikes: Bianchi Infinito XE, Via Nirone 7, GT Aggressor Pro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 599 Post(s)
Liked 1,269 Times in 588 Posts
I'd probably pay $200 for a used Trek if it was a model I liked, in good shape and if it fit me well.
Reflector Guy is offline  
Likes For Reflector Guy:
Old 09-13-21, 09:34 AM
  #17  
PeteHski
Senior Member
 
PeteHski's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 8,020
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4193 Post(s)
Liked 4,616 Times in 2,852 Posts
Originally Posted by 777funk
I'm an occasional rider (trails mostly paved sometimes hilly terrain). I see non big box store brand bikes (Trek, GT, etc) on FB Marketplace and CL in the $75-200 range at times and when I look them up here or other places, most say... "Trash. Save your money."

I'd have to think most of these are better than my $100 new USA Huffy since they say Trek on the side.

Most of my problems with my Huffy are fixable (new cables, brake pads) for about $50 or less. Should I keep the Huffy or do I need an expensive bike. My requirements are:
1. Won't fall apart when riding. I'd want any injuries (God forbid) to be rider error and not mechanical failures.
2. Rides half way decent (I don't need that last 5% or maybe even 10% of ride quality, light weight, etc).

Will a cheap bike be good enough?
Your requirements are slightly at odds with your $75-200 range. That is exactly in the price range where they do tend to fall apart easily and ride like crap!
Better to buy a quality bike and keep it long term. Cost per annum will be minimal that way.
PeteHski is offline  
Likes For PeteHski:
Old 09-13-21, 09:40 AM
  #18  
Moisture
Drip, Drip.
 
Moisture's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 1,575

Bikes: Trek Verve E bike, Felt Doctrine 4 XC, Opus Horizon Apex 1

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1034 Post(s)
Liked 192 Times in 162 Posts
I am rather good overall physical shape. I started off with different entry level bikes before scoring a good deal on a carbon mountain bike.

Even with my fair amount of skill and physical conditioning, I am well within the limits of my Felt Doctrine.

Witu that being said, yes, a better bike is totally worth it and does greatly improve your experience if you are confident in your abilities.
Moisture is offline  
Likes For Moisture:
Old 09-13-21, 09:46 AM
  #19  
dedhed
SE Wis
 
dedhed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,490

Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970

Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2716 Post(s)
Liked 3,332 Times in 2,024 Posts
Originally Posted by Bald Paul
If you see a Trek on FB Marketplace or CL in the $75-$200 range......


it's probably stolen.
Not in my market.
​​​​​​https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/d/b...bia?query=trek
dedhed is offline  
Likes For dedhed:
Old 09-13-21, 09:54 AM
  #20  
icemilkcoffee 
Senior Member
 
icemilkcoffee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,567
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1525 Post(s)
Liked 1,667 Times in 940 Posts
It's not about whether the bike is cheap or expensive. It's a matter of whether you like this bike or not. If you hate your current bike- you are not going to be riding it much. If you like the bike, and you feel good every time you look at it- you're going to ride it more.
icemilkcoffee is offline  
Likes For icemilkcoffee:
Old 09-13-21, 10:22 AM
  #21  
Russ Roth
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: South Shore of Long Island
Posts: 2,751

Bikes: 2010 Carrera Volans, 2015 C-Dale Trail 2sl, 2017 Raleigh Rush Hour, 2017 Blue Proseccio, 1992 Giant Perigee, 80s Gitane Rallye Tandem

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1071 Post(s)
Liked 988 Times in 704 Posts
Most of the others have really covered it. Often it isn't a question of if you need a better bike, if the one you have works fine and has nothing wrong with it then the obvious answer is you don't need a better bike. Unless there is something wrong with your bike that keeps it from working properly the real question is do you want a better bike?
A better bike will work more efficiently so while it won't "make you faster" it will better help you better realize your potential which of course means faster results. More importantly is that a better bike often stops better which I find pretty important. I know people got by fine for years, and still do, with hard little blocks of rubber on chromed steel rims using a less efficient leverage design and softer, thinner metals to stop but I'll take a modern dual pivot or disc brake any day and the results can make a serious difference in the right situation.
As to used, too many people recommend this but if you don't know what you're looking at used isn't always more affordable and can be a money suck.
Russ Roth is offline  
Likes For Russ Roth:
Old 09-13-21, 10:24 AM
  #22  
spelger
Senior Member
 
spelger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: reno, nv
Posts: 2,263

Bikes: yes, i have one

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1115 Post(s)
Liked 1,160 Times in 676 Posts
Originally Posted by 777funk
I'm an occasional rider (trails mostly paved sometimes hilly terrain). I see non big box store brand bikes (Trek, GT, etc) on FB Marketplace and CL in the $75-200 range at times and when I look them up here or other places, most say... "Trash. Save your money."

I'd have to think most of these are better than my $100 new USA Huffy since they say Trek on the side.

Most of my problems with my Huffy are fixable (new cables, brake pads) for about $50 or less. Should I keep the Huffy or do I need an expensive bike. My requirements are:
1. Won't fall apart when riding. I'd want any injuries (God forbid) to be rider error and not mechanical failures.
2. Rides half way decent (I don't need that last 5% or maybe even 10% of ride quality, light weight, etc).

Will a cheap bike be good enough?
two such repairs and you've bought your bike twice.

not saying you need an expensive bike but if the repairs ratio is like that it might be time to consider something better. of course it matters more based on how much you ride and if you are liking it.
spelger is offline  
Likes For spelger:
Old 09-13-21, 03:28 PM
  #23  
rumstove
Riding after dark
 
rumstove's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: on the trails
Posts: 66

Bikes: Raleigh Tripper (coaster brake), Raleigh One Way, '97 Specialized Rockhopper

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Liked 32 Times in 25 Posts
One of my favorite bikes from when I was a kid was a Huffy BMX bike. It was my first BMX style bike and I rode that thing all the time for years until it was finally beyond repair. I will always have a soft spot for Huffy bikes.

If it fits you well, goes forward when you pedal, and stops when you apply the brakes I say keep riding it. That said, if you're curious you can always head to a bike shop and test out a few to compare with your current bike. You'll figure out quickly if your bike is good enough or if you're really missing out on something else.
rumstove is offline  
Likes For rumstove:
Old 09-13-21, 03:37 PM
  #24  
rickm45
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Posts: 11
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Practice adjustments and repairs on you current bike so you can buy a used bike and fix it up yourself. #1 money-saving skill is to learn to DIY.
rickm45 is offline  
Likes For rickm45:
Old 09-13-21, 03:49 PM
  #25  
70sSanO
Senior Member
 
70sSanO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mission Viejo
Posts: 5,750

Bikes: 1986 Cannondale SR400 (Flat bar commuter), 1988 Cannondale Criterium XTR, 1992 Serotta T-Max, 1995 Trek 970

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1927 Post(s)
Liked 2,143 Times in 1,309 Posts
Expensive, no. Good, yes.

A well made used bike with good components will outlast a big box store level bike many times over.

John
70sSanO is offline  
Likes For 70sSanO:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.