help me how to make a cheap bicycle reliable please

[raggie33]

welll even the lowest bikes cost over 2 hundred now i guess due to gas prices and inflation so i got me a cheap bike so i didnt have to walk to store or doctor anymore. what can i do to make it dependable ?

 

[chip100t]

Kevlar tyres. A must.

I use continentsl travel contacts.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Put a personal panic alarm on the bike so if someone tries to steal your bike and attack you, attention will be drawn to the situation. There have been a lot of bike thefts and attacks lately.

 

[raggie33]

i may apple for my cc license for tires i lucked out and they are the same size of a old bike i kept the tubes for there crazy thick tubes . on my first flat ill install the thick tubes

 

[jtr1962]

Airless tires. I even had on thread on that back in 2005. I went to airless tires in late 2008 and haven't looked back. The company I bought from is gone but lots of others are making them. Tannus seems to be one of the big ones.

 

[raggie33]

i was so sadness bikes cost so much now. and god im out of shape lol the huge hills here are brutal im hopeing im not to old to get back in shape im in betetr shape then most 50 years old from walking but biking on hills sucks but it 90 degrees and humid today

 

[JimIslander]

Any decent used bike that you buy for $50 should be reliable enough. Carry a spare tube and some spoons. Problem solved.

 

[raggie33]

couldnt find any nice used bikes but i have access to transporation before so i was on foot spent hours walking from store to store.

 

[bykfixer]

One thing about the typical bike that plagues most are flat tires. Used to be a tube was made for a rim size so if you rode a fat tire bike you had a fat tire sized inner tube. These days it's all about universal fit. So say you ride on 28mm tires the universal will fit fairly well and blowing it up to max pressure does stretch the thin rubber very much.

That same tube all blown up inside a 1.75" or fatter tire stretches the thin tube even thinner. If the tire is not blown up to max pressure pinch flats are a huge problem. Back when tubes were sized per tire size they were thicker also, so pinch flats wasn't a big deal.

I'd invest in a pump with a pressure guage and keep the tires inflated at least the minimum pressure indicated on the sidewall.

Keep the chain lubed and clean it every so often.

Coaster brakes are the most reliable.

A decent lock will help make sure it's still there when you leave the doctor or store. Being a "cheap" bike most won't bother with trying to cut the lock like they would a high end bike, but it will keep the average klepto from peddling your bike instead of you.

 

[raggie33]

this is how forgetful i am im looking and looking for a cheap bike pump and then i recalled i have a battery powered ryobi pump lol. i dont care about weight since ill be carrying grocieies any ways lol

 

[raggie33]

what air presure should i go with tires say 50 psi max

 

[chip100t]

Higher pressure, easier to pedal but harder on your butt.
Also wider the tire the lower the pressure you can get away with..
Personality I would pump them up to fifty if you are sticking to tarmac.

 

[orbital]

+

how many speeds? single , multi

the reason I ask, the components are usually what give people grief.




your bike frame isn't going to give you grief

 

[bykfixer]

what air presure should i go with tires say 50 psi max

50……

 

[jtr1962]

what air presure should i go with tires say 50 psi max

Depends upon the type of tire. MTB tires you can go with lower pressures. Narrow pneumatic tires like I used to have before I went to airless you'll probably need 100 psi or better just to avoid pinch flats.

 

[jtr1962]

+

how many speeds? single , multi

the reason I ask, the components are usually what give people grief.




your bike frame isn't going to give you grief

Yeah, that's why I tell people to avoid cheap department store bikes. Get a good used bike with decent components instead. Even if you spend a little more, you'll save yourself a lot of aggravation in the end.

Since raggie mentioned hills, single speed is probably out. His best bet in terms of ride quality and gearing range would be an MTB.

 

[Lumen83]

How about a decent light mounted on the bike? Much better for riding at night if need be. And I'm sure this forum has a lot of members who can comment on great ideas for bike mounted lights.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Consider sticking an Apple airtag under the seat to help your chances of recovering it if it gets stolen.

 

[raggie33]

Yeah, that's why I tell people to avoid cheap department store bikes. Get a good used bike with decent components instead. Even if you spend a little more, you'll save yourself a lot of aggravation in the end.

Since raggie mentioned hills, single speed is probably out. His best bet in terms of ride quality and gearing range would be an MTB.

its crazy a few years ago 1 bike company made so many brands includig canondale if i recall right

 

[raggie33]

my knees hurt so much when i ride im old and slow and can deal with pain but damn ouch