Source
r/bicycling•
ThreeLeftFeet

Looking for a cheaper woman's bike, Would it be best to just go to target or walmart?

hey everyone, I just recently got a bike (K2 Razorback mountain bike) and started losing a little bit of weight. My roommate saw that and thought she'd want to give it a try. Only problem is, she hasnt really ridden a bike since she was a kid, and doesnt know if she'd really like it. At least not enough to drop a 1000 bucks on say a Specialized or Trek.

She says that she wasnt sure if she'd find riding a bike a bit more strenuous than taking a walk through our neighborhood. (we live in an area with a few hills) So my mission for these next few days is to try and find a relatively cheap hybrid bike, but I'm not sure which brands make bikes in the 300-400 range that would work. Is it best to just go to Walmart or Target in this case?

Posted May 24, 2012, 5:32 PM UTC

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[deleted]•

No no no. Definitely don't do that. Check out your local shop and see if they have anything in that range. Your best bet is to check out your local craigslist. You can get something 10,000x better and 10,000 more enjoyable used than you can get at Walmart or Target.

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ThreeLeftFeetOP•

one thing that scares me about Craigslist, is getting a crappy bike with maybe an crack in the frame that you dont realize and then losing out on 500 bucks. Also, if I see a great deal, I'm afraid I'm buying someone's stolen bike. I know its weird, but the idea of taking someone's stolen bike really makes me feel like crap.

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sebwiers•

Buying a crappy department store bike FOR SURE makes you unhappy, exploits the guy who built the bikes for the strore and the people who work in the store and the people who worked in the chinese factories and burns up transportation fuel.

Balance that against the probability that buying a used bike is just making somebody happy because they got money for something they don't need any more.

Avoiding buying a stolen bike is pretty easy if you use common sense. Does the bike fit the seller? Can they detail its features and maintenance history? Do they have a lot of bikes of various sizes / quality for sale all at the same time?

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[deleted]•

Avoiding buying a stolen bike is pretty easy if you use common sense. Does the bike fit the seller? Can they detail its features and maintenance history? Do they have a lot of bikes of various sizes / quality for sale all at the same time?

None of this means they're stolen, the seller could just be a bike flipper, and in the current economy, there are plenty of them out there.

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sebwiers•

True, but if you avoid buying in such cases, you'll avoid buying from thieves, AND not pay inflated "flipper" prices. Seems like a win both ways.

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[deleted]•

Target and Wal-Mart bikes are crap.

If you do your homework on what to look for when buying a used bike, you can get a much better deal, and you can always see if the serial number is on file with the local police if it's a major concern.

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kevinh456Walmart Bike of DOOM•

I paid $25 for a lightly used cheap Walmart bike. Gets me where I need to go. Ive put about 300 miles on it Some people can't afford even a couple hundred bucks for a bike, or don't want to until they're in to it. For someone who doesn't know if they want to bike, it's a great option. I will definitely upgrade to a better bike soon.

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JhoppaCenturion•

Just post some possible CL bikes for us to look at. We can give you at least a general idea of worth.

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AmericanRoninCannondale POS 19??•

You can go to a local bike shop to find the appropriate size, then check craigslist.

In certain communities there are also non-for-profit bicycle refurbishers.

Check any used bike for rust, working gearing / brakes, and make sure to give it a test ride!

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grantrulesthis country has the prettiest flag•

You can definitely find a new hybrid from a major brand in the $300-500 range. Raleigh has some nice hybrids in that range.

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jugglistFuji SST, FM058•

So, my wife got a cruiser for $160 from Target, on a whim. That thing is so terrible it's SILLY. The wheels aren't true out of the box, and it's amazing just how much effort it takes to get it going. Forget going uphill.

Later she got a $400 hybrid at an LBS, definitely worth it. We ride all over the place now. Magical. I ride a similar $400 hybrid every day to the train station and back. Rode it through last winter (Chicago) as well, snow and everything (I got studded tires for the ice, it came with slicks for summer). Also pull the kids around in the trailer with it. Works very nicely. I just keep the chain clean and that's that.

Walmart/Target bikes are good for gathering dust in a garage, which is what that one is doing now. Sometimes I take it out and ride circles in the driveway with the children. They're on training wheels.

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MewshimyoPennsylvania, USA (Replace with bike & year)•

I work at WalMart, and, because of my proximity to the bike racks, and the fact that I'm the resident bike weirdo, I am over there quite frequently. Those bikes genuinely are not worth buying except as a "learning" bike for a child, and even then it's ... doubtful. Our bike assembler even tells people about their "disposable" design if they ask the right question.

I frequently recommend people go to the shop I frequent downtown. It's more expensive as an initial investment, but it's so much cheaper in the long run, because you're spending 150 dollars every 2 years.

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ThreeLeftFeetOP•

why is that though? What makes those bikes so crappy? I mean, how much different can those bikes be than a bike shop? They shift gears, they have tires and they dont blow up. I've never compared the two, so I'm obviously ignorant on the subject, but what makes a bike from Walmart SOOOOO much more inferior than say a low end bike from Trek?

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MewshimyoPennsylvania, USA (Replace with bike & year)•

A "proper" bike is designed to be repaired and ridden for a good long time, while a walmart bike is designed to be completely replaced every 2-3 years.

There is more to a bike than "does x". There is also a matter of "does x well". Go to your local shop, there are probably some decent bikes in right now that you can get for 400 dollars or so.

Edit: I promise, this isn't us being bike snobs, there really is a difference, and not in the "analog sounds so warm!" way.

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ThreeLeftFeetOP•

lol, I can assure you, I dont think that. I've been part of r/bicycling for a while. I just never got around to asking THAT specific question of the difference of the two.

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MewshimyoPennsylvania, USA (Replace with bike & year)•

Well, some people take this as bike snobbery... I don't really view it as snobbery when you're advising a Chevy over a Yugo, though :P

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wnoseMiyata 610GT 1989•

The components they use are the cheapest possible. As a result, important parts aren't made with the right tolerances and materials. Some critical components could possibly fail at the worst time (e.g. the part that turns the wheel when the handlebar is turned) or function poorly - e.g. brake pads. Rims can be made of the cheapest construction and metal, so the bike might wobble after some hard knocks. Used to have a bike whose seatpost could never sit at the right height and it always annoyed me to no end.

Given the poor materials, the ride experience steadily grows worse.

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origin4151993 Trek 750M, 2011 Raleigh GP•

A relatively extreme example, where department store mountain bikes could not survive a single actual trail excursion. Keeping similar bikes on road won't mean that won't happen, it just won't happen as fast.

In that price range, a bike shop should be able to hook you up with an entry level bike, particularly a used shop. You'll get more out of craigslist, but I'd understand the hesitation. This isn't to say department stores are a lost cause, I know my friend bought a Giant road bike for ~400 on sale at a Walmart, but those will be diamonds in the rough.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if the bike is made well, the person at Walmart that puts the bike together is not an expert.

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tarynrenae2012 Giant Escape 2•

I got a Giant Escape 2 brand new for $420. It's a decent hybrid and I've been having fun riding it. A little over your $300-400 range but getting a bike from a bike shop will be better than getting one from Walmart/Target in the long run. You could also try Craigslist?

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