I'd like to buy a cheap but functional used bike. Maximum price I'll pay is under $80 (I have a gift card for use at target that would bring down the price of one of their bikes to 80). Will be used for daily travel from university village to ohio state campus, about 2 miles.
Email at silterra.1@osu.edu or callcell phone at 585 975 9324. Avi S
I'd like to buy a cheap but functional used bike. Maximum price I'll> pay is> under $80 (I have a gift card for use at target that would bring down> the price of one of their bikes to 80). Will be used for daily travel> from university village to ohio state campus, about 2 miles.>
Email at silterra.1@osu.edu or callcell phone at 585 975 9324.> Avi S>
Check will the Goowill and other similar organizations, they often have perfectly usable bikes for less than your max. Also haunt garage sales in your city, they can be places for some pretty choice finds.
On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 19:18:00 -0500, Avi Silterra <silterra@math.ohio-state.edu> wrote:
I'd like to buy a cheap but functional used bike. Maximum price I'll pay>is>under $80 (I have a gift card for use at target that would bring down the>price of one of their bikes to 80). Will be used for daily travel from>university village to ohio state campus, about 2 miles.>
Email at silterra.1@osu.edu or callcell phone at 585 975 9324.>Avi S
There are many good reasons to buy a bike-store bike instead of a department store bike, but at the $80 price point the reasons are moot because no bike store sells a new bike for $80. However, check around, I'm in a university area and some of my local bike stores have good older name-brand bikes out front for about that price, maybe yours do too. Be careful about Goodwill bikes because the tires are usually dry-rotted, and absolute cheapest replacement tire/tube set will cost $35 at Walmart for both tires and tubes.
Buy the Target bike, or similar from Walmart, you can't do better if the budget is exactly 80 bucks out of pocket, unless you get lucky and someone in your locale sells you a quality used bike at your price. If you lived in the ASU area here in AZ I could help you find something a bit better, but with shipping it would be too expensive.
Heck, you'll need another 35 bucks for a decent lock to keep it from getting stolen in a university area. Hint: the thieves will steal the seat if you have a quick-release seat post, and either wheel if not locked up, and they can cut a $9.95 cable lock as easily as cotton twine.
I would ask to ride it around the block before buying, never can tell if you'll really like the size or not. I like the grip shift model with vee brakes and not the lever shifters and cantilever brakes, although I've had one of each type department store bikes and both worked okay for the two-mile rides you mention.
Try to make sure they put the tires on facing the correct direction and don't pinch the tubes, and check to make sure the rest of the assembly is done properly (re: nuts and bolts tightened, pedals tightened, wheels fairly true and not wobbly, tires full of air, brakes capable of an emergency stop with modulation, etc.) to help keep everyone safe in the busy university traffic.
Man's or woman's? I have a mixte frame "townie" ten speed (that's right, only 10) - 27" wheels, fenders, rack, upright bars, spring seat, etc.. that's about 20 years old, but, in excellent condition, as it was barely ridden. Perfect for a bit urban commuting, IMHO. If you're willing to drive down to pick it up in Hamilton - N of Cincinnati, about 2 hrs away from OSU , it's yours for $25. Actually, anybody that wants to pick it up can have it for that princely sum! Pics available on request. -- Wishing you flat hills, tailwinds & friendly dogs, Pat
"Avi Silterra" <silterra@math.ohio-state.edu> wrote in message newsine.GSO.4.53.0503151912030.19358@math.ohio-state.edu...> Hi>
I'd like to buy a cheap but functional used bike. Maximum price I'll pay> is> under $80 (I have a gift card for use at target that would bring down the> price of one of their bikes to 80). Will be used for daily travel from> university village to ohio state campus, about 2 miles.>
Email at silterra.1@osu.edu or callcell phone at 585 975 9324.> Avi S>
