Help Cheapy Cycles

Talyn

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I'm starting college in just over a month, and there's no way I can afford a new bike to use for getting there & back.

I have a budget of about £150, so I'm reduced to fleabay and the local classifieds. (Even cheapy Halfords stuff seems to be the £250+ range)

My question is, what should i be looking for on a bike to check all is ok?

For example, with a car, you'd check the inside wings in the engine bay to see if it's been in a front end collision from the paintjob.

What tricks & tips should I look for?? (Bearing in mind I've not had a bike since I was about 15, and know pretty much nothing at the moment.)

It's only gonna be used on the road, but it'll probably get used most days (especially once I get back into a job)
 

Chilly

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its pretty hard to properly fuck a bike but:

1) check the wheels are circular and not warped (give them a spin and watch for deviations): if there is a very minor warp, its not a big problem to fix with spoke adjustments

2) make sure the frame tubes are all straight (or if they are MEANT to be curved, curved in the right way).

3) check the breaks dont stick

4) get on it and check all the gears work (again, if not its not a big deal to adjust, its just a hassle)

5) check the gears dont SLIP. This can be a sign of heavy wear on the chain and the gears themselves and can cost a fair bit to replace depending on the setup.

6) Check that the walls of the tyres are not full of deep cracks - this shows the tyres are fatigued and will die soon, ask the owner to chuck in 30 quid for replacements or so if they are fooked.

7) Top bracket: hold the font brake 100% on, put weight on the handlebars and rock the bike back and forth a bit. If there is no play, you're good. If there's a tiny amount of play you MIGHT be good but you need to tighten the thingy in the place (varies) if there's lots of play, walk away because the bearings are wankered and the frame is basically a writeoff.
 

Chilly

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ah and check the bearings in both wheels. to do this move the bike sideways (ie not the right way) and see if there is any play in the hub where the wheels attack to the frame. The wheels should have ZERO freedom to move in any axis except rotationally back and forth. Check this on both. Generally, bearings dont get fixed on low-mid bikes so replacement is the only way to fix - wheels can come in anywhere from 20 quid to thousands. On a bike you're looking at, probably 30 quid plus a bit extra if you want the gears transferred from the old one.
 

Talyn

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excellent, cheers Chilly, I'll take notes and make a little checklist :)
 

Bugz

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I picked up a cheap bike from a local recycling center for 20 quid & just stuck new wheels & new brake blocks on it & gave it a good clean. Cost me about 50 quid all in all & I use it 4-8 miles/day with no problems on the road.

Unless your buying new I'd really recommend taking the old brake blocks off and putting new ones on to your preference. I find myself harshly braking a lot on the road; too many idiot drivers about.
 

MYstIC G

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Maybe try Freecycle as well? If you are lucky you might get one for nothing that you can fix up.
 

Talyn

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I thought Halfords had bike for sixty quid and that :confused:

I couldn't find any on the website. If I can get a brand new one for under a ton, I'd be well chuffed.

Oh, and cheers G for the freecycle heads up, couldn't find a bike, but have the local group bookmarked now regardless...
 

Gumbo

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You'll be much much much better buying a second hand bike for £100 than a new one from halfords for under £100. I know, in my youth I used to work there. Market research suggested that new bikes in that price range averaged no more than 50 miles in their lives, so that is about what they were designed and specced to do. Have you got any mates that can give you some help with what you're looking for?
 

Talyn

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nah, none of the lads up here have a clue, we're all too geeky (and lazy). This is my first foray into cycles and i'm an old bastard. thus, the questions on here, knowing a few of you lot actually know what you're talking about!
 

Tom

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You've had some pretty good advice from Chilly. Don't buy a cheap new bike, the minimum to spend new should be about £300.

You'll get a perfectly good second-hand bike for less than that, but your budget is unreasonably low, for reasons I'll explain in a minute. Treat it like any other purchase, check if its been abused or cared for. Run your finger down the downtube (that's the big diagonal one above the front wheel) to see if there are ripples or creases, that'll indicate a collision. Check the forks are perfectly aligned and straight. Waggle the wheels from side to side to check for bearing play.

Noises from the drivetrain are to be expected, but as Chilly says if the chain slips over the cogs while under heavy tension then that's a minimum £50 to replace the chain and cassette.

Also factor these into your budget. These are a must.

1. mini-pump
2. spare inner tube
3. puncture repair outfit, with tyre levers
4. mini tool (usually a tenner)
5. LED front and rear lights. Do not skimp here, even if you don't plan to ride at night, one day you'll need them. £20 will get you some cracking lights.
6. Clothing - padded lycra shorts, even if you wear trousers over the top. A must.

That lot is easily £50 or more, so take care. I think your budget should be closer to £250.
 

Will

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If the teeth on the cassette or chainrings are hooked or look like waves, rather than even teeth, they are worn out and will need replaced along with the chain. Don't get a full suspension bike, it'll suck.

Err, thats about it for general advice on top of everything else.
 

Talyn

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Cool, cheers guys.

Tom, if I had the money available, it would be more, but funds are very low at the moment. I may be able to strech to £200, but that's an absolute utter limit unless something funky comes along like an atm throwing out £20 notes!!
 

Talyn

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5. LED front and rear lights. Do not skimp here, even if you don't plan to ride at night, one day you'll need them. £20 will get you some cracking lights.

And while I think about it, about the lights - I heard somewhere (and I'm sure you'll correct me if I'm wrong) that I should get the flashy type lights rather than 'solid' as the flashing draws more attention to you at night. Be that right or am I talking bollocks?
 

Talyn

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Well, I got a cheapy second hander for just over £50 and have been out a couple of times on it. I didn't realise just how unfit I actually am.

So, questions...

At the moment, I can handle about 20 minutes on flat ground before I have to stop and get off to walk. I tried the college run yesterday (has 'small' hills) and a circuit around the local park today (the flat) and I've come back sweating like a shower and wobbly legs. If I just keep doing 20 minutes for a week or two then up it to 30 minutes for 2 weeks, then 45, then an hour, does that sound reasonable?

I've not actually done any fitness stuff at all since games at school, I've been smoking since pretty much then and I'm the slowest walker in the universe.

Any fitness advice for a proper unfit bastard? (I'm not one of these 'oh look at my belly' but i'm actually quite fit types, I'm talking couldn't run 15 yards if my life depended on it types)
 

Chilly

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As with running, it's more effective if you go flat out for a minute, then relax for 5 and repeat. It means you go on longer but your innards burn energy at peak rate the whole (or most) of the time.
 

Jupitus

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Well, I got a cheapy second hander for just over £50 and have been out a couple of times on it. I didn't realise just how unfit I actually am.

So, questions...

At the moment, I can handle about 20 minutes on flat ground before I have to stop and get off to walk. I tried the college run yesterday (has 'small' hills) and a circuit around the local park today (the flat) and I've come back sweating like a shower and wobbly legs. If I just keep doing 20 minutes for a week or two then up it to 30 minutes for 2 weeks, then 45, then an hour, does that sound reasonable?

I've not actually done any fitness stuff at all since games at school, I've been smoking since pretty much then and I'm the slowest walker in the universe.

Any fitness advice for a proper unfit bastard? (I'm not one of these 'oh look at my belly' but i'm actually quite fit types, I'm talking couldn't run 15 yards if my life depended on it types)

I'm no expert, I'll say that to begin with.

You still smoking?

Go with what is hard but not uncomfortable if you are trying for a daily routine. Don't overdo it and if you need to stop and walk the bike then do so - the hardest thing I think is feeling embarrassed. I tried to run round our estate and my joints were so painful within 100 metres that I gave up and walked and felt 'ashamed'... you need to get beyond worrying what others will say and do what is right for you to make a steady improvement in your fitness levels.

/2 pence
 

Madmaxx

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Don't overdo it and if you need to stop and walk the bike then do so - the hardest thing I think is feeling embarrassed. I tried to run round our estate and my joints were so painful within 100 metres that I gave up and walked and felt 'ashamed'... you need to get beyond worrying what others will say and do what is right for you to make a steady improvement in your fitness levels.

/2 pence

I think this is true I used to do a 30 min run near my house ages ago, but when I started again recently I had to do a 10 min run then a 10 min walk then run again kinda thing. When I started going to the gym again I had to do more but of a lesser weight/lesser time on a machine, just gotta build it up gradually as you get used to it imo.
 

Talyn

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I'm no expert, I'll say that to begin with.

You still smoking?

Go with what is hard but not uncomfortable if you are trying for a daily routine. Don't overdo it and if you need to stop and walk the bike then do so - the hardest thing I think is feeling embarrassed. I tried to run round our estate and my joints were so painful within 100 metres that I gave up and walked and felt 'ashamed'... you need to get beyond worrying what others will say and do what is right for you to make a steady improvement in your fitness levels.

/2 pence

Still smoking, doubt I'll give that up. And before anyone starts, yes, i know the disadvantages. I know I'll never hit 'peak' fitness while smoking, my aim is to able to get to college and back without needing 24 hours to recover. If I lose a few pounds in the process, bonus!

As for feeling ashamed, I'm not that type of person, couldn't give a toss what other people think of me, especially those who don't even know me!

Cheers guys, I'll just keep plugging away and see if the old stamina improves over time...
 

Tom

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It'll take about a week for your legs to stop burning at the slightest incline. Just ride it, that's the only thing you can do.

Oh and get ready for saddle soreness.

I cycle regularly with a mate who still smokes, and he can't half shift, so don't worry about that too much.

You'll notice your legs starting to beef up after about 2 months. Your thighs will start to get a squarish profile on the outside. Keep an eye out for knee pain and things like that.
 

Talyn

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Oh and get ready for saddle soreness.

Already started to notice that when I got on it today...it's still less sore than having Wij's cock up me... :sex:
 

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