So I'm looking to buy a cheapo ($100-$150 cheap) bicycle to just ride around town for fun, ideally a road bike. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing when it comes to bicycles, I just know how to ride them. At the price range, I know I can't buy a new bike so I've been looking on kijiji. I know there are some used bike shops in Toronto including at least one that's a non-profit "build it yourself" kind of shop. As a complete noobie to bicycles, should I buy something from one of these shops or can I get away with something from kijiji as long as it pedals and brakes?
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Buying a beater bicycle
- Thread starter sevet
- Start date
Your best bet at really low prices are mountain bikes. Road bikes and hybrids typically command a little more as they are not as common and normally cost more to start with. There is an exception though, Canadian Tire sells (used to sell?) a dirt cheap road bike, ~$250 on sale. Those may pop up in your budget. Sure it's heavy and has grip shift, but it was the cheapest road bike I have ever seen.
Personally I would rather have a mountain bike for downtown riding than a road bike. They deal with street car tracks/grates/potholes/curb jumping much better. IMHO, you aren't going that far or that fast, most of the normal advantages of the road bike are wasted in the city. Also there are some great trails in the Don Valley that you can explore with your mtb.
Personally I would rather have a mountain bike for downtown riding than a road bike. They deal with street car tracks/grates/potholes/curb jumping much better. IMHO, you aren't going that far or that fast, most of the normal advantages of the road bike are wasted in the city. Also there are some great trails in the Don Valley that you can explore with your mtb.
daught
Well-known member
Supercycle tempo(hybrid) and medalist(road) bikes are decent beaters. I been beating( tracks/grates/potholes/curb jumping) on a tempo and it's doing fine. Tempo frame is kinda small though. The medalist is very similar to the tempo only it has drop bars and the frame is bigger. They are on kijiji for ~$100.
Picked something up off kijiji for $50. Obviously it's a POS, but the derailleurs(?) still work and it pedals fine. Everything needs to be greased, but is in working condition except for the brakes. I thought the inner tubes might be done since the bike was flat when I picked it up but I filled it up when I got home and it seems to hold air just fine.
Probably gonna replace the brakes, maybe new tires, and if time allows I'll take the whole thing apart to sand/paint since it has a lot of surface rust.
This is technically for the gf but maybe I'll pick it up as a hobby
Probably gonna replace the brakes, maybe new tires, and if time allows I'll take the whole thing apart to sand/paint since it has a lot of surface rust.
This is technically for the gf but maybe I'll pick it up as a hobby
Medalist, that's the POS I was thinking about. For the price though, it is hard to beat.
The next time I win a bike I'll pm you.
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daught
Well-known member
Faaaak my tempo got stripped last night I was considering replacing it anyways since the frame was too small. Still sucks to want to head to work and find the frame stripped.
There's no medalists on kijiji atm. What other brands models are decent for around $150? How's the ccm endurance?
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I was considering replacing it anyways since the frame was too small. Still sucks to want to head to work and find the frame stripped. There's no medalists on kijiji atm. What other brands models are decent for around $150? How's the ccm endurance?
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Faaaak my tempo got stripped last night
There's no medalists on kijiji atm. What other brands models are decent for around $150? How's the ccm endurance?
Sent from my Z826 using Tapatalk
CCM hasn't built a decent bike since they shuttered the Weston factory in 1978.
No one says they are decent. They are common and fit his price bracket. They are less likely to get stripped for parts than an older better bike that you may find for the same price.
There's a lot better bikes to be had in his $150 price bracket than a CCM Medalist. They weren't even that much new. May not get it that day, but you can do a hell of a lot better on Kijiji if you take some time and do some basic research.
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Motorcycle Mike
Well-known member
Speaking of beater bike advice, I have had the same bike for 20 years now... bought a Canadian made Peugeot Nature back in 1996 from Braun's Cycle in Kitchener, I think for around $600.
How does that bike fair in the eyes of those who know about bicycles?
It still works fairly decently, although could probably stand to have some of the components upgraded.
It looks like this, but mine is a different colour and no suspension:
How does that bike fair in the eyes of those who know about bicycles?
It still works fairly decently, although could probably stand to have some of the components upgraded.
It looks like this, but mine is a different colour and no suspension:
Speaking of beater bike advice, I have had the same bike for 20 years now... bought a Canadian made Peugeot Nature back in 1996 from Braun's Cycle in Kitchener, I think for around $600.
How does that bike fair in the eyes of those who know about bicycles?
It still works fairly decently, although could probably stand to have some of the components upgraded.
It looks like this, but mine is a different colour and no suspension:
I'm not a bicycle expert by any means but I would only replace worn/broken parts on a bike that old. I don't think upgrades are worth it. I have a couple mid-high end mountain bikes from mid 1990's. Suspension forks replaced with solid and one bike to single speed. I would buy a new bike. Current, decently outfitted(hydraulic discs) bikes are pretty sweet. I could be wrong, of course.
Can you convert any bike to hydraulic disc brakes?
Like the old saying you can do anything with enough money and a hammer but realistically, no.
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