Entry level bike for $400-500

[SheikYerbouti]

You can usually pick up a good condition, nice to ride and functional old roadie for $50-150.

+1. Got an 8 yr old roadie from eBay, alloy frame, carbon forks, full 105 (brakes, derailleurs, shifters, hubs, pedals), with shoes, for <$300. Needed new tyres and a chain but that was <$100 too. Bargain, rides smoothly and fast, is light, and doesn't look fancy so I'm happy to have it chained up outside (still use a $40+ lock though) compared to my lower-end but fancier-looking Scott flatbar.

[cyclotaur]

I picked up a 2011 Giant Defy 1 with full 105 group set for $640 off Gumtree. Replaced the pedals with my preferred and popped on a spare set of (better/lighter) wheels, gave it a good clean and general service and hey presto - new quality road bike for <$700.


Sent from my iPhinger ...

[tron07]

2nd hand is tough as i am pretty a newbie on good bikes, as i used to have cheap china made bikes that just need some engine oil and wd40 every now and then to get them moving. Then I require a small frame which is even more difficult to find.

I don't want to disappoint you, but while the reid bike is cheap, I think it still too good to be locked for long periods in the unattended. They look (and are) much better than they cost so you need to be careful. Use two locks, a cable one through the front wheel and a fat D lock through the frame and rear wheel.

Yes, the bike do look good, so i park it at a well lit area and lock it with 2 cable lock at the moment, but only for short period of time, max of 2 hours. I thinking of getting one of those heavy kryptonite D lock as well.

[mikedufty]

I've been parking $1000 bikes outdoors in Perth with just a cable lock for 25 years and not had one stolen yet. I think the trick is to not wash them. Actually most of bikes stolen from people I know have been almost new, so it probably does pay to be extra careful with a new one, or buy second hand.

[denwol]

Also looking at the Falco Sport.
Was looking at second hand but too many posts about cracked frames etc and I have no idea on how to properly check this quickly on pick up, let alone posting.
$500 for quality components on a ok frame seems like too good a deal to pass for me. I wonder if the VIP discount will work for their ebay store