Advice on buying a cheap, battered bike

[Hip Priest]

Long story short, I had my commuting bike nicked last week. This was bound to happen at some stage, 'cause I have to park it in the street all day in one of the less salubrious areas of my home city.

I can't afford to replace it, as I've recently spent a wad of cash on a road bike, and I can't commute on the road bike because it will be pinched before you can say 'thieving scrote'.

So, I'm looking to buy a cheapo used bike for under £50 that I can commute on in all weathers and not worry about getting stolen. Any tips would be most welcome.

 

[apollo179]

Try ebay.
Just search for bikes within your price bracket.
Heres the link i use up to £44.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Bikes-/33..._Bikes_GL&_fln=1&_sop=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m283
You just need to put your postcode in and the distance you want to search up to.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Try freecycle, you might get lucky...

 

[Saluki]

Have you a charity bike shop in your locale? That's where we found Packrat's bike.

 

[NormanD]

try this or Here

 

[Theseus]

Does your home city have any bike recycling organizations?

 

[HpMark]

Hi

This may be useful if you live near a participating station lots of bikes here:

www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk


Maybe your council has something like this

http://www.walthamfo...cling-bikes.htm


Mark

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Obviously every opportunity is different, but ime given what is available at that price range old Raleighs are likely better* than newer Apollos e.g., rim brakes are better* than disc brakes, rusty steel frames are better* than worn out alloy.

For my sins I had the misfortune to see what needed fixing on a used "Halfords Special" recently. Because half its components are made of cheese and have disintegrated, it would have cost far more to make it roadworthy than to buy a new decent bike from Decathlon, which can be bought for £99.99!

* less likely to have to cost much to make roadworthy, easier/cheaper to keep working etc.

 

[CopperCyclist]

For under £50 ebay is going to be your best bet. If you can stretch to £80 Tesco sell some cheapo bikes at that price - though I'd expect it'll be a case of you get what you pay for!

 

[Bobtoo]

I'd agree that something a bit older is likely to be a better bet, as well as being less desirable. You've got a fair chance of finding a 1980s bike that's ready to roll for your money, in my experience the more recent faux-ATBs are always buggered.

Ebay bikes located in cities tend to fetch stronger money than ones in the sticks, because there are more people like you looking for something to commute on. If you are able to travel you'll get more for your money.

 

[Hip Priest]

Cheers all. I've found what looks like a 90s Raleigh rigid-framed MTB in good working order. £30. Will post pics if I buy it. Looking forward to getting back on the commute because the bus is already doing my head in. I'm compensating for it with 20 miles circuits on the road bike in the evenings.

 

[MickL]

I remember owning a Raleigh MTB Cromo Max 98ish I think, excellent bike did loads and loads of miles on it, 8 miles a day for commuting and 10+ on the weekends mountain biking or just rides out on the roads never had a problem with it. They can be picked up pretty cheap now as well as they have no sus on them.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

Just on this question - how can you find out if a bike listed on ebay is stolen?

 

[Bobtoo]

Just on this question - how can you find out if a bike listed on ebay is stolen?

Inspect seller carefully I think.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Just on this question - how can you find out if a bike listed on ebay is stolen?

No easy way. It is down to instinct and observation.