Hey everyone,
I'm looking for a recommendation on a good but cheap road bike. just getting back from overseas so my money will be a little short to start with. I need this bike to get to and from work everyday. I'm looking to spend under $500 for this bike and maybe in 6 months or a year, upgrade to a better road bike.
I've seen a few brands like Trinx, Reid, Fortis and Progear. are any of these worth it?
Any other bikes you recommend would be great.
Thanks
Don't, you'll regret that.
why for the average ride should be fine?
Kmart bikes are the closest thing to a death sentence you can get.
After 7 years in the bike industry and multiple failed brakes/handlebars/wheels i can safely say they are trash, they're cheap for a reason. I've seen kids that have knocked their teeth out on these bikes. In addition to the cost you'll generally need to pay someone to build it for you which is another $50-$80, unless you back yourself (please don't).
Go onto gumtree/marketplace and buy one second hand, much better, more reliable deals to be had.
Any Giant/Trek/Merida/Scott from the last 5 years will be a great buy, had a mate score a carbon giant TCR for $600 off marketplace the other day. It's a great starters bike.
Poor quality components, not a bike you'll want to rely on as a daily commute. And that's before you take a look at the heavy frame.
I remember thinking that a bike is a bike.
Purchased a bike from Kmart. From the first short ride, I knew it was a shocker. You couldn't turn and cycle at the same time as your feet would rub against the wheel! lol
I now own a Giant.
My $10k Pinarello Dogma has that same issue as well ;)
It comes down to the frame size and wheel base, unfortunately on the smaller sizes it does have an overlap with shoes even on the most expensive models.
Really..
The Kmart special was just a normal size bike and if anything my shoes are on the smaller side. Lol.
I just put it down to cost cutting.
man the same questions get asked every few days on here
How long is your commute? Do you want drop bars or flat bars? I prefer flat bars for commuting less than about 1hr.
Of the brands you’ve listed, probably only Reid, maybe progear depending on actual specs.
For $500 your best bet is second hand. See if there is a bike co-op near you. They will get you a decent bike, serviced and ready to go for cheap. Much better option than Kmart.
I got a Reid osprey for $125 used. It's been a great bike
+1 Reid.
-1 Kmart.
Reid cycles, don't know what the going rate is for them these days, but they're decent quality and well priced.
I'd consider a Reid although as others have mentioned here, your options for new are going to be very limited. At that price point you'll almost certainly get more bang for your buck used.
Got a $400 Merida. Pretty good value for money. Good brand too.
Just line up at Kmart