Don't you want your kids to ride around on crap? You know they're gonna trash it and then outgrow it.
Bicycle repairs?
- Thread starter Motorcycle Mike
- Start date
Don't you want your kids to ride around on crap? You know they're gonna trash it and then outgrow it.
invictus43
Well-known member
I have offered some buying advice to some guys I work with. They tell me their budget is about $400 and ask what they should get. I tell them buy used. Then they go buy a CCM on sale at Crappy Tire then the bike falls apart. I'm shocked!
1) Buy Huffy, Supercycle, CCM garbage for $400.. bike lasts a year then falls apart, throw it in the garbage, $400 down the drain.
or...
2) Buy a good used bike for $400, bike is fine a year later when the kids out-grow it, sell bike for $400 again then buy another good used bike for $400.
Rocket Science I guess.
$400? MADNESS I TELL YOU!
Picked up a Paramount PDG 70 They were spec'd with full XT, Tange Prestige tubing, Araya RM 17 rims, Ritchey post/bars, MSRP was $1050. It's a true MTB that's capable of taking a beating (I know, I bought one in 91 and rode it for 2 years). Bought one on kijiji a few months ago simply out of nostalgia. Still had the OEM tires (both flat) and all the reflectors on the frame/wheels/pedals. If you've ever run black ano chain rings you'll know they get scuffed to hell after a dozen or so rides on them. I'd say from the wear the one I found may have been ridden 3 times. paid $225 for it. I try to steer people to deals like this. *Horse, water, you know the rest.
*Some people do listen. Shortstop is rippin' around on a nice little XT equipped Thin Blue Line I found on kijiji for her.
Not my area of expertise, but.. Do garbage kids bikes cost $400? And they fall to pieces in a year? And used bikes hold their value? Even after the abuse of a kid? And kids will outgrow them in a year?
Rocket Science to me, for sure.
Used bikes hold their value. Depreciation more or less bottoms out after a while. I have had to do a bit more maintenance on my two bikes than I would have had to with a new bike but less than $100 between the two of them this year. In a few years both of them will be worth roughly the same as what I paid for them a year ago.
My road bike was $1800 in 2003 and it has an $800 wheel set on it, I paid $550 for it.
My mountain bike was $2800 in 2004 and I paid $600 for it.
The things that fail on cheap bikes are driveline components and brakes. Better components are a lot more durable.. But that being said, if neither the parent or the kid care about the bike at all and no maintenance is put into it.. any bike will fall apart and pretty much become worthless.
Motorcycle Mike
Well-known member
Since there are so many bike experts here, maybe you can point me towards what I should look for in my next bike.
I never ride offroad at all, at most might be a gravel trail or gravel road, but I like the stance of a mountain bike due to my beer belly -- leaning over for a long time makes my wrists sore. So I guess I am looking for a hybrid or commuter bike.
I also wouldn't mind having disc brakes and wouldn't mind having front suspension, although I would not be hard to convince to forget the front suspension to save on weight -- I want a relatively light weight bike.
I was considering something like the Kona Dew Plus http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=dew_plus but I think I read somewhere that it is heavy.
I am happy enough with my current bike, as it only weighs 30lbs and rides decently enough, but it is very dated since it was a cheap bike 17 years ago. I can't even easily replace the front forks on it, for example, because they are an odd size that were only used for a short time. So rather than spending more and more money on this bike as components slowly fail, I will keep my eye out for an upgrade.
Suggestions?
I never ride offroad at all, at most might be a gravel trail or gravel road, but I like the stance of a mountain bike due to my beer belly -- leaning over for a long time makes my wrists sore. So I guess I am looking for a hybrid or commuter bike.
I also wouldn't mind having disc brakes and wouldn't mind having front suspension, although I would not be hard to convince to forget the front suspension to save on weight -- I want a relatively light weight bike.
I was considering something like the Kona Dew Plus http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=dew_plus but I think I read somewhere that it is heavy.
I am happy enough with my current bike, as it only weighs 30lbs and rides decently enough, but it is very dated since it was a cheap bike 17 years ago. I can't even easily replace the front forks on it, for example, because they are an odd size that were only used for a short time. So rather than spending more and more money on this bike as components slowly fail, I will keep my eye out for an upgrade.
Suggestions?
invictus43
Well-known member
Parents buy their kids $99 bikes with hand brakes that *I* can't operate because they're so stiff..and these kids are 10 years old. How the hell these kids don't end up under a truck is beyond me. I suppose they wear out their shoes..yabba dabba dooooo!!!!!
fastar1 said:
Highlited for truth, A 80 lb. 8 year old should not be riding a bicycle that weighs as much as one of my freeride bikes. It's basic kineseology.
Hmmmmm. Maybe I should post a pic of the 63 CCM Rambler I'm restoring.
Then again, it was hand brazed in their Weston factory (1895-1983). A far cry from the ish Procycle's is importing from China with CCM stickers on them these days.
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invictus43
Well-known member
Hmmmmm. Maybe I should post a pic of the 63 CCM Rambler I'm restoring.
Then again, it was hand brazed in their Weston factory (1895-1983). A far cry from the ish Procycle's is importing from China with CCM stickers on them these days.
Well that's a whole different ballgame..
My first half-decent bike was a 531 CCM Mistral. Except, of course, my CCM Mustang..
I'm talking the 75 lbs "mountain" bikes that blow out kids knees at age 11 and give them quads like Ahhhhnold..
N3WMAN
Well-known member
They only sold you half the front forks though.
They only sold you half the front forks though.
:lmao:
They only sold you half the front forks though.
I fall just as often off the left side as I do off the right.. so I think its ok????
