Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I just killed my bike... actually managed to bend the pedal and the gears a bit while giving it my best going up a hill in a high gear. Once you bend metal once, it's always easier to bend it again, so I'm going to toss this bike and I need a new (tougher) one.

I've always had bikes where getting the gears working requires constant adjustment. I'd like to avoid that with the next one. This last one didn't have enough range in the shifter to allow me to shift into first (lowest gear on the pedals), while still having space in 3rd without the chain rubbing against the derailer when I pushed down with my right leg. Apparently my massive tree-trunk muscle legs (the kind I don't have) were too much for the bike to handle. Frankly I don't know why they put 21 gears on the damn thing when I generally use maybe 4 of them while on a ride. And I know that a guy my size (average) shouldn't be able to bend parts of the bike by pushing too hard on the pedals.

So what is a good brand of bike? I don't want to spend a thousand dollars, but I don't want to be able to bend the pedals either. I prefer something with at least front shocks because I go on trails and much as I go on the road. I don't like dozens of gears but I do like a good high gear so I don't have to pedal too fast when I get moving. My last bike was a schwinn or something like that... perfectly good bike except the frigging gears and how they got bent.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Schwinn varsity. Circa 1973.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

If you want reliability you'll have to get away from those derailer gears. They always need adjustment and cleaning.

The old Schwin 2 and 3 speeds mechanisms that were contained inside the rear hub were extremely reliable because they kept everything clean.

s

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I own a Raleigh comfort bike. 21 speeds, most of which I don't need :) All the gears are available with nothing rubbing where it shouldn't. Shocks on the front forks as well as the seat post. It isn't a trail bike by any stretch of the imagination. But it is well constructed and at least doesn't have those skinny tires that are useless the minute you get off pavement. Seating position is upright (unlike those bikes with the downswept bars that have you hunched down horizontally to reduce wind resistance.) Two years ago, it cost me in the neighborhood of $400 including the cable and lock. It has given me no trouble and I would recommend it.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I have a trek and a harro.

Trek is very good. Harro is also good, but I prefer the Trek.

Both spent a lot of time on the top of and on the back bumper of campers and trailers... lots of abuse 7 years old, both are still in great shape.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Some brand from a bike shop,not a chain/department store,IMO. Giant bikes have good quality,choice,and price.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Trek, Giant, specialized are all good brands.
I like the Specialized Sirrus for riding around town.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I see Trek recommended a lot around the net... but I looked on the local craigslist site and they seem to start at $1000 used. I think I will enjoy it much less with the thought in my mind that I just paid over a thousand dollars for it.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I'd go used. Probably save 50-75% imo to get a year old bike.
Lotta people buy 'em and lose interest pdq, at least around here.
I have a 30 year old Atala that is still a monster. Indestructible.
Course it's heavy as hell by today's standards.

PS - not that anyone cares, but .. the bike has sentimental value too. I didn't learn on it as it was too big (that would have been my yellow banana seat schwinn - damn the memories!), but did cut my teeth on it so to speak. My old man won it in a drawing of NYC Marathon runners back in the 70's. He ran it 4 times in the 70's, once or twice when it was just central park loop. It was just a matter of NYPD vs FDNY bragging rights back then (NYPD never fared very well far as I recall.) He has his certificates for finishing - hand written calligraphy!, no computer printouts back then. Cool to see them hanging on his study wall. Not a biker though, Pops.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

the best made made American bike is a GT by far. i used to own a real solid rigid tail. a bit more than Giant Trek or Specialized although those are good bikes. ride a specialized myself now. for big dollar purchase go for a Litespeed Titanium!:ok:

http://www.gtbicycles.com/usa/eng/home

Was just out yesturday:shine:

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

i bought a trek 4500 to do this trail this summer...it seems like a fairly solid bike and i like it...

:)

....

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Yeah, I have the Sirrus and it is a nice bike for riding around town, but not a good overall recreational bike (at least with the original tires). When my daughter and I camp, we bring the bikes and when we get off the road and hit the trails, I can barely keep going. She has a Hardrock with nubby tires and moves right along. I need to see if I can fit different tires on it, but Specialized are a good value.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

My trek was around 600 new.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I agree. Much better in urban environments. New tires will make a big difference.

I actually bought the Globe Expert - better hybrid tires than the Sirrus.

I took my aluminum trek mountain bike to Bike NY (5 borough tour) several years in a row. Trail tires on pavement are definitely challenging.
The Trek was stolen of the back of my car (pitfall of having a city dwelling GF) and i bought the specialized.

An amazing difference in the 5 borough tour the next year. Faster, handled better and a hell of a lot more comfortable. I ended up riding it around the Cape and Vineyard as well.
The Specialized's only drawback is Mediocre performance in off road conditions.

So now I am picking out a mountain bike - maybe another Trek, but I will look into the GTs.

ST

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

for city touring you definately want something along the lines of a town bike. I have a hard tail trail bike. I have hybrid tyres put on it as I spend 80% of my time riding around the city. It is still pretty slow and your momentum fades fast with these tyres. I get annoyed when people on town bikes wizz past but I figure to get the same exercise as them, I don't have to ride the same distance which is handy around town. Riding 60 - 70 K's you would run out of bikepaths and I am not interested in spending any more time on the roads than I need to.

Handles well in the dirt though which is the whole point. Makes up for it when you get it on the dirt.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

here's a good chainless

http://www.dynamicbicycles.com/buy/Bikes.php?prodid=53

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I've got a Specialized Hard Rock Sport. I like it.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

If you don't have to go uphill, get a Hood DH bike....enough suspension travel to ride down the side of a mountain.

http://home.comcast.net/~hood_mussel...sel_drop_2.jpg


Whatever bike you get, get something that's made in USA.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

that looks cheap.... :sarc:

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I would guesstimate $4000

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I have a Trek 820...equipped with optional front "Rock Shocks". Paid about $400 around 10 years ago. The $1,000 price is probably for
some fancy model for a bike enthusiast. I use mine occassionally and it
does fine for me.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

i found this site interesting. can't vouch for it or anything, just came across it in a search. untainted by our friends, the chinese, or so they say
http://fantasytoyslowriders.tripod.c...20Cruisers.htm
Attachment 69756

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I just bought (last week) a trek 520. Was 1350 out the door. I absolutely love it. It's my favorite possession. I also want to get a trek fuel mountain bike. Even though trek isnt made in the usa anymore, the bike i just got is exceptionally solid. It is designed to be driven across the country, or even the world. Has very unique shifters (bar end shifters) that work perfect every time. He is a pic of what mine looks like from flickr.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

My old TREK worked great, I used it for a couple years for commuting to work (<5miles).
Then on the weekends I would load it onto the back of my jeep and take it up into the mountains offroading. I'd take the bike for a spin sometimes up there and if not, it was there as my "emergency vehicle" if I got the jeep stuck somewhere I couldn't recover from. Was a well-built bike that I never had any real problems with.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Bikes are not so much "brands" anymore as price points.
The more-expensive ones tend to work better.

The 3-speeds are still produced, dunno about the 2-speeds.

There are seven and eight-speed rear hubs now too. The 8-speed is improved in durability and smoothness over the earlier hubs.
Very nice for most riding that average people would do.

Call around to bike shops and see if any have an adult's bike with an 8-speed hub you can test-ride. Even if you don't like the bike it happens to be on, you can buy a hub separately and have a bike shop put it into the back wheel of a suitable single-speed bike.

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If you get another bike with derailleur-style gears, then it's worth noting that there are different quality levels of shifters available (the shifter is the part that fits on the handlebar). Short story: they cost between $10 and $250, and the cheap ones suck while the expensive ones work great. Most bikes come with the cheapest grip-shifters available.

Also we note: I prefer trigger shifters to grip-shifters; far less inadvertent shifting while riding hard.

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Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Make sure you get a fi-zik saddle

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

No offense or anything, but every no-name lowrider bike I've ever seen was a cheap POS when viewed up close. It's Wal-mart China quality stuff, not really built for adults who might ride hard.

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Cruiser bikes are a bad idea in general because they don't come in the different sizes needed for most people to get a frame that properly fits.

Worksman builds some strong industrial bikes, but the larger of their two offered frame sizes is still only big enough for someone standing about 5'4".

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Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I've been buying Cannondale since the early 90's. I've always liked their stuff.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Jeez

Blast from the past.

Back in the early '70s my main mode of transpo was the bike.

Twenty miles one way to my job and back.

Semi rural.

So I found a Schwinn Le Tour frame at the local parts

And bones bike shop, rattle canned it.

Equipped it with gnarly rims & knobby tires

- Built the wheels myself -

Shimano brakes, derailleurs and shifters

All bought secondhand.

And, voila, it was a 1971 mountainbike;

I built a half dozen more for friends,

Not realizing that a had a king hell

Profit oppotunity there..........

Drove that one for five years plus, then

Moved to the big shitty, and came close to getting

Killed a half dozen times in the first two weeks.

Gave up bicycling in America.

Anyway, my point is,

Find your local bicycle junkshop;

They are easy to build from parts,

For a dime on a dollar.

You absolutely do not need to do heavy money,

Unless you are into bike bling.

scyth

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I'll point out what no one else did; an entire bike is being trashed when the only thing wrong is a bent crank. Granted, if the crank is bent the whole bike is likely very low quality but it is not and should not be trashed outright. At least replace the crank and sell it to someone who needs a bike.

I've ridden and enjoyed several Treks, an older Mongoose and a Lightning. I ran all of them into the ground, literally until the frames cracked with several key parts being replaced along the way. One of my favorite newish trends is suspended seat posts.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Tour Easy for me, would like a Ti Rush but who has 5k for a frame set ?

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I loved bikes as a kid, took em apart and rebuilt them.
Made all kinds of coool stuff, even choppers. Rebuilt a couple of old orange and apple crates.

Then I built a 10 speed when I was about 12 years old.
Gears jammed up when i was testing it out - spent the summer with my arm in a cast.

Come to think of it - i never built another bicycle after.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

no offense taken. appreciate the imput. your experience is duly noted.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I like Diamondback's they are good for both on and off road. They have a decent price range also. So you can go low end $100 up to $1000.

TAB

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Wow, I had no idea. Here is a forum that talks about them. They sound like they are very maintenance free and reliable.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=16951

Here is post #14

1. "They are low maintenance, weather-resistant, fairly efficient (although less so that a good derailleur set-up), and (with a chainguard) keep your pants clean. They make too much sense to ever be a success in the marketplace"

This is exactly what I have been saying for all the years I have been bike commuting. I have put my Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub through hell and it works just like new each time I use it. I work in New York City and see people using cheap shopper bikes and NEVER see them shift the gears even if they are going uphill. Yet these cheap Roadmasters or Magna bikes seem to have 21 or more gears that are not used because the derailleur is not fuctional after 6 months of use.

Someone posted the Sram 7 speed is better than the Nexus 7 speed hub. I read in another thread about someone who took both units apart and found out the Nexus uses small paws that can get easily damaged. This was only an opinion. I haven't had any problems with the Nexus 7 speed hub.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I had a Trek & a vintage 27'' Schwinn Varsity
road them to work every day & for liesure

One morning I was hit from behind by a small pickup doing the detective figured 60MPH my left shoe found 100' away I was about 25' from the impact location
It was rush hour and an aquaintance witnessed the Hit
And rushed over to what he figured was a corpse
Nearley every bone on my left side Broken
Any way I'm still typing
Now a cheap(350.00) electric mongoose from wallymat so I can go riding w/ my daughter & don't ride any more like I used to
Shame I loved riding but untill I can feel safe I limit how much I do

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I don't ride on the street when there is any amount of traffic. I consider it suicidal. I stick to shoulders and usually smooth trails. Some rough trails... maybe 20% of my riding is through forest and muck and rocks.

In winters here, we'll have a good snowfall and there are cars fishtailing and skidding everywhere... so you know what people do? They go and walk or ride on the street.. because there's less snow than on the sidewalk It's amazing how some people's brains work. Should I risk my life... or risk getting my feet wet? Well I don't have an extra pair of shoes with me so I guess I'll walk on the road and hope no one slides into me.

Anyway I will stop into a bike shop later this week and see what they have as for Treks. Everyone seems to be happy with those. Maybe look into those hubs too. I sounds like a good alternative to a derailer and 7 or 8 gears is more than enough (why do they have these crazy 27-speed things anyway?)

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Trek is one of the best as mentioned above. I have a Diamond Back I bought used 15 years ago, I have put around 25,000 miles on it with no problems with the bike. I rode it 300 + miles a week for 10 years straight. Still has orginal chain and derailers.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

Easy Racers cost too much, in my (and apparently others') opinions.
I never rode one so I guess I might not know what I'm talking about tho'. They're making one model frame in China now, so it's cheaper--it projected final price is "only" $2000 instead of $2800. :SLEEP:

I bought a Cycle Genius Falcon a couple years ago for around $1100. It's not as light as the ER's, but has basically the same riding position and wider rider adjustability.

------

I'd like to test-ride a Longbikes Slipstream, but I'm kinda afraid I'd end up buying one.... and it is a $2800 bike as well.



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Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

This is what I ride, it was under $200 new and I've put easily over 1,000 miles on it...about ready for a newer one, and something better (now that I've "beat" this bike)

http://images.amazon.com/images/I/51B4HZBEPPL.jpg

I mostly used it for trails, around the city, going to school and work occassionally. It wasn't light, but the solid frame saved me a couple times on the trails. If I get something lighter it'll be a treat for me, like I just lost 20 lbs. I am considering disc brakes for my next bike.

Really even in the city I prefer a mountain bike, they're a little heavier but I like to jump off curbs, cut through parks, and ride-off road where there aren't any cars.

Road bikes are WICKED fast but around here there is not anywhere "car-free" enough for me to be happy riding one.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

The EZ-1 is $500 and has a tough steel frame.

Re: Good brand of bicycle? (The pedal kind)
 

I am 6'2" and like a lot of legroom it seems, and the EZ-1 was too short.

The bike shop carries the EZ bikes and had one there, but I did not try it as I tried sitting on other bikes that were visibly longer and they were not clearly long enough.

The Cycle Genius adjusts over a very-wide range, and also adjusts about four inches longer than I can even keep my feet on the pedals. No other bike could offer that, at anywhere near the same price.


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