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I want to buy a bike for leisure riding around paved and maybe some light dirt road. Mainly for family rides around a park. I've been looking online and so far, the cheap ones $99 or less seemed to be not worth it since they are of poor quality.
Any recommendations for a bike around $150 or so. Should I get one with a quick front wheel release for transporting in a car?
Craigslist is your friend. Some people buy bicycles with good intentions and then just never use them much, kind of like gym memberships. I bought what's called a "comfort bike" for the kind of riding you describe. The seat and handles are arranged so you sit upright, and the seat is bigger and more comfortable than on other bikes.
If you're planning to put it in the trunk of a sedan you'll want quick release on both wheels. If you have an SUV then front is probably sufficient.
Craigslist is your friend. Some people buy bicycles with good intentions and then just never use them much, kind of like gym memberships. I bought what's called a "comfort bike" for the kind of riding you describe. The seat and handles are arranged so you sit upright, and the seat is bigger and more comfortable than on other bikes.
If you're planning to put it in the trunk of a sedan you'll want quick release on both wheels. If you have an SUV then front is probably sufficient.
Thx for the tip. Does weight really matters in terms of transportation?
A new bicycle of $150 will probably be of very very poor quality. I suggest you go to a bike shop and look at what they sell there, then shop for something used.
Do not be fooled into believing a big plushy saddle will be more comfortable; due to the way human anatomy is constructed, all that padding will rise up and push on things that shouldn't be pushed on. You need to look for wide, flat, and hard in bicycle seating if you expect to be sitting more or less upright. The "flat" and "hard" are difficult to find.
A new bicycle of $150 will probably be of very very poor quality. I suggest you go to a bike shop and look at what they sell there, then shop for something used.
Do not be fooled into believing a big plushy saddle will be more comfortable; due to the way human anatomy is constructed, all that padding will rise up and push on things that shouldn't be pushed on. You need to look for wide, flat, and hard in bicycle seating if you expect to be sitting more or less upright. The "flat" and "hard" are difficult to find.
I bought an average bike in about 2005 for $350. They still make it, it is $900 now. For $150, I think you will be getting a Huffy. They may look nice in the department store, but they are pretty terrible bikes. But you might get my bike used for $150. You would probably have to do some work on it, but still save a lot.
If I were looking, I would look for an old Trek touring bike that is well maintined. They were well designed, rolled well, sturdy, light, and reasonably comfortable. They were the bike of choice for people doing a cross-country trek. (Heh - a trek on a Trek).
It is not just about how you sit and a wide seat. You want a bike that is not ridiculously heavy and will roll well. Some of the cheap bikes take an immense amount of work just to get them moving at a walking pace. Not just because of weight, but because of design issues (friction on the chain, gearing, tires/wheels, bearings, etc.). There is really a considerable difference from the chintzy bikes to something decent.
Also you are likely to find that your belief that you are just going to make short little trips will change as you get into shape more and more. You do not want to have to buy another bike in a year or two just because you decided to try longer trips. Get something comfortable and ride-able now.
Thx for the tip. Does weight really matters in terms of transportation?
As long as you can lift it into your car I wouldn't worry.
I agree with others that a $150 bike won't be very good quality. I'd look for something lightly used that retails for $400-$600, and try to get it for half price or less. That's what I did with my last mountain bike purchase and I rode that thing a LOT on trails and the road.
I've had several no-brands, Huffy, and Schwinn. I recommend Trek, as well. There are several price points. Almost anything works for 1 - 6 miles on flat bike trails, but if you are doing more than 6 miles, a better designed bike will be more comfortable. I waited about ten years too long to get a Trek. I wish I had gotten it a lot sooner!
If you can, go to a bike shop that lets you ride them. A few trips around the parking lot, and you'll feel a difference. Buy what is comfortable for you, whether new or used.
If you end up truly hating whatever you buy, you can always re-sell it. You'll lose a few bucks, but sometimes it takes awhile to find the right one.
I've had several no-brands, Huffy, and Schwinn. I recommend Trek, as well. There are several price points. Almost anything works for 1 - 6 miles on flat bike trails, but if you are doing more than 6 miles, a better designed bike will be more comfortable. I waited about ten years too long to get a Trek. I wish I had gotten it a lot sooner!
If you can, go to a bike shop that lets you ride them. A few trips around the parking lot, and you'll feel a difference. Buy what is comfortable for you, whether new or used.
If you end up truly hating whatever you buy, you can always re-sell it. You'll lose a few bucks, but sometimes it takes awhile to find the right one.
It depends on what kind of bike you want, I guess. I never liked mountain bikes, because they strain my arms. I don't drive, so I pretty much bike everywhere. I like hybrids, because they're more comfortable for riding around town (sitting up straighter). I have a Trek Navigator hybrid that I got several years ago, and used to ride everywhere, including to and from school every day. It finally broke down a few years ago, and I didn't have the money to repair it or a way to get it to the bike shop to see how much it would cost anyway. So I found a rusty Huffy cruiser for $20. The kind with no gears and pedal brakes. It had a flat, so I couldn't even really test it much, but I figured I'd try it, since it was so cheap, and I needed something. So I took it home and pumped it up and...off I went. I was amazed at how comfortable it was to ride, and that all I had to do was put air in it. It had the wide tires like the Trek, that I like, so it was comfortable to ride, especially in the upper body, which is important for me. I finally got my Trek repaired, but kept riding the other one, since I was used to it and it was so comfortable. It's never even had a flat! Even though the Trek has a lot of gears, I don't feel like I really go that much faster, or like it's much more comfortable to ride.
So you might try a cruiser. They're good for leisurely rides, and I think the posture makes them more comfortable too. Also the seat was really sturdy and comfortable, which is also key because I'm kind of bony. What's good about them, is since there's no gears or brakes, there's nothing really to go wrong or have to fix - which is pretty much how I got it, since most others had issues. So you could check out thrift stores, garage sales, or craigslist if you're interested.
Can you install a quick release wheel on a standard bike that doesn't have it? If so, then this will ease finding me a bike on GL.
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