Looking to bike to work - need bike help

Wakrak on 20/04/2022 - 14:41
Last edited 20/04/2022 - 15:05

Gday, me again.

Considering buying a bike to get to work. Only have one vehicle which makes it tough for two people working fulltime with different schedules. $500 max. The cheaper the better. Second-hand definitely a goer.

Path

I live on a state highway and so most of my travelling will be on main roads. Route to work, 5.8km. Mixed terrain; mostly flat, one big downhill, one small climb. Could take the same pathway home or take a 10km route that is pretty much flat. Leaning towards doing pathway 1 to get to work and either pathway 1 or 2 to come back home.

Me

male, 5'10 - 5'11, 80-90kg. Fit'ish.

Research

I've been doing a bit of homework on Reddit / Geekzone and came across someone on r/newzealand asking a similar question.

Just going off that reddit post, aluminium seems to be a good middle ground. Tubeless tyres seem to be popular. Larger diameter wheels and skinny smooth tyres might be appropriate for my journey. Mudguard, pannier, lights are ideal.

Then again, 20km is probably the most I will do on a given day. I'll be using the bike now and then outside of work but not that often. So just a standard commuter bike might do the job? Though pretty keen to do some bike trails in the near future.

Here are some second-hand bikes in Hamilton on TradeMe. Was thinking of going to a bike store to figure out what bike size I need.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.

General Discussion

Comments

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  • nigglej on 20/04/2022 - 19:45
    +3

    Tubeless is a real pain if you do get a puncture. Probably better to stick with tubular tyres for commuting. And best to get tires that are puncture resistant and then you'll hardly ever get a puncture. Sites like Wiggle and Pro Bike Kit are generally cheaper than local stores for parts and accessories (especially tires and tubes). However if you do buy a new bike, best to go to a local store. Could be a few good bikes for sale on trademe now that people are starting to go on their OEs again. Cycling to work is a cheapie hack - I have saved so much money over the years cycling rather than paying for public transport / parking, let alone the cost of a second car!

  • AleBeerenhoff on 20/04/2022 - 15:18
    +2

    Some thoughts off the top of my head.

    Avoiding traffic as much as you can; yes you might have as much right as anyone else on the road, but if you can minimise your exposure to a massive lump of metal travelling at speed, then you will likely a) live longer and b) have a more enjoyable path to/from work. Plus if its slightly longer, you are just getting more exercise right - so its better for you no matter which way you slice it.
    Also; If you are using the road, adhere to the road rules.

    Yeah its a good idea to go into a shop to get a feel for what size you need. Then shop around. Chances are you might be able to find something on sale (last season, runout model etc) for the same price/less than something second hand. (Torpedo7, 99Bikes, etc). Or conversely keep an eye on the second hand market to see if anything pops up that fits your requirements - just be cautious about possibly buying a stolen bike :\
    Note that different bikes will have different geometry (ie the shapes of the frame) so a M in one brand doesn't necessarily mean an M in another brand; often they will match, but just something to be aware of (eg I have 2 bikes, one is an M and one is an L). Usually each brand/manufacturer will have size charts on their site, so find a bike and confirm against that.

    "lights are ideal." -> "lights are a necessity". The more the better. Enough said.

    Try and be as clear as you can be on what you are looking for. Chances are something that is suitable for doing bike trails, isn't going to be great for commuting…with the exception maybe of a gravel/cyclocross bike. A mountain bike (for your trails), will be heavy and slower on the commute. A more road oriented bike for commuting, will be largely lost on a trail.

    Try and get as modern as you can. ie Disc brakes are better than caliper brakes. 11sp is better than 9sp gears.

    Alloy frame (as you have already worked out) is the sweet spot for price and performance; my daily commuter is an alloy bike from about 20 years ago, and its going strong (enough) and a joy to ride.

    Budget - its probably important to look at this and be honest on what you want to spend.

    Get a (good) lock.
    Be aware of how to change a flat tyre; and carry what you need to do so with you. Re the tubeless or not; I have only ever had tubes (ie not tubeless), and yeah I need to change a tire every now and then, but its fine and not a drama as long as you are prepared for it.
    Learn some basic bike skills (eg changing cables, tuning gears etc) and you will save yourself many headaches and much money. Youtube is your friend here.

    • Wakrak on 20/04/2022 - 15:31
      +1

      Thank you for your thoughts.

      Traffic. Good thoughts which has me leaning towards the 5.8km route most days since the speed limit is 50km/hr for a lot of the trip rather than 80km/hr.

      Purpose. A bike that can do both the commute and bike trails would be great, but the commute is definitely the no.1 purpose. Bike trails are an every other weekend bonus. And since I'm not wanting to spend more than $500 on a bike, perhaps I should focus on a commute specific bike.

      Good point about YouTube. Will be a good way for me to learn about different parts, bike types and more. Think I'll start with that then consider going in-store sometime this weekend.

  • lbaty on 20/04/2022 - 15:08
    +1

    Size-wise you should be able to work out what frame would suit using a measuring tape and online calculator - https://duckduckgo.com/?q=bicycle+frame+size+calculator

    Personally I've had better luck buying second hand on trademe than buying a cheap new bike but YMMV.

    If buying 2nd hand you will want to know what to look for (I had a friend help me).
    I'd suggest looking for higher-end componentry (decent groupset, etc).
    Probably worth asking when the bike was last serviced and if any components are likely to require replacement soon (people are generally honest if you ask them directly).

    • Wakrak on 20/04/2022 - 15:33

      Cheers for that. Never thought about asking for service details for a second-hand bike. And you just reminded me that there are quite a few bikeriders at work. I should ask them for recommendations too.

  • antisocky on 20/04/2022 - 18:48
    +1

    Hey bro, I would reccomend the Trek Dual sport 1 for you. It is a hybrid bike and good for all options. Can snag a few of them cheap second hand. I have had good experience from Rototuna Evo cycles. The old Arab guy in there knows his shit. I would reccomend upping the budget a bit more if you can.

  • Wakrak on 20/04/2022 - 14:46

    Looks like T7 has some pretty cheap bikes.
    https://www.torpedo7.co.nz/shop/bike/bikes-and-frames?formAc…

  • ScoobyNZ on 21/04/2022 - 08:56

    If you are going to go tubeless, then also consider a set of tyre inserts, something like Vittoria Air-Liner or similar. Then when the unspeakable does happen and a puncture is too large for the sealant to seal, you'll still be able to get home without being on the side of the road waiting for a ride, or the loser-cruiser :D

  • magicmarker on 21/04/2022 - 16:42

    I've been commuting via bike for years and have tried a whole different bunch. I would seriously consider whether you prefer a drop bar bike or a flat bar bike.

    The drop bar is going to be quicker and when riding on highways and a headwind, you'll greatly appreciate the lower position to tuck in and get home. But they are more expensive due to the shifters being more complex. You will be able to find one that has mounts for fenders and a pannier rack.

    Flat bar bikes are cheap and you could get any aluminium/steel bike. If you're not riding up any steep hills, I wouldn't bother with 11/12 speed unless you get a good deal. 9/10 speeds are cheap to find, and the parts are cheaper to replace.

    Tube or tubeless is up to you whether you want to deal with the tubeless set up process which is a bit more complicated. Even if you get a puncture on tubeless, you can put in an inner tube to get you home. I just run tube on road bikes because I'm lazy.

    Tyres are probably the most important, I recommend at least 28c and preferably 32c or wider. And not running 100+ PSI. Lower pressures and fatter tires will take the buzz out of harsher roads.

    My current commute is only 5kms one way flat and I do it on a single speed ($200 from T7). Previous commute was 18km one way hilly and that was on a drop bar road bike.
    Wife commutes on a $100 9 speed facebook bike which works a charm.

    Also consider where you will park your bike. The crappier it is, the less chance of getting it stolen.

  • Wakrak on 07/05/2022 - 15:36

    Thanks everyone for the advice. Ended up grabbing a bike sent to me by a fellow Cheapo.

    Reid Transit Disc 700c Bike Light Grey - $400 delivered

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