Are Cheap Bikes worth it?

[phil-b]

Im in the market for a new commuter bike but on a buget. Ive been scaning the used adverts in my local area but finding something I like in the correct size is proving difficult.

Link to argos bike


This bike from argos is £109. seems to good to be true. what are the pitfalls of buying such a low end bike. Can you make it good with a few choice upgrades. Or do you really get what you pay for and I should spend extra getting somthing of better quality

 

[vickster]

The frame and fork will be heavy, can’t really polish a turd with new parts. Halfords Carrera or Parva or a decathlon Triban better.
Might be ok for a mile here and there if you don’t care how it rides or how long the parts last or how many punctures or spokes need fixing. It’ll be similar to a Halfords Apollo.
Go outdoors do bikes, can you access?
What’s your budget? If it’s £100 that might be as good as it gets

 

[Grant Fondo]

Or do you really get what you pay for

Afraid so .... Weight fully assembled 16kg and a one size frame. Not a bad time of year to nab a second hand bargain, Carrera for £150 would be much better but a trip needed to pick up?

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

Better to find a decent used bike for the money. Often these cheap bikes are worth the price of a tune up by the time they are two years old.

 

[phil-b]

My first idea was to buy a non suspention 90's mountain bike and taylor it to my needs over time but the local used market seems to only contain expensive road bikes or rusted apollo bikes.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Not sure these rock bottom price bikes are particularly safe either. The Indian Ralson tyres likely lethal on greasy autumn/winter uk surfaces, could be swapped out i guess but its more cost. I would swerve it 100%.

 

[johnnyb47]

I think you will find a cheap bike very uninspiring to ride. The frame will feel dead and the components will rust ,Your really better off holding out for a decent second hand bike.
I couldn't afford a decent road bike a few years back and opted for a decent second hand one. 10,000 miles later it still looks fantastic and has caused minimal problems,plus I paid a fraction of what I cost when new.

 

[Grant Fondo]

My first idea was to buy a non suspention 90's mountain bike and taylor it to my needs over time but the local used market seems to only contain expensive road bikes or rusted apollo bikes.

Not a bad idea, i've got one and its great, a real do-it-all bike ... good ones pricey now though?
Seen 90s Marins around £150 that need a bit of TLC but good bikes.

 

[biggs682]

@phil-b don't do it .
Keep looking for a decent quality second hand machine.
Where are you based ?

 

[phil-b]

@phil-b don't do it .
Keep looking for a decent quality second hand machine.
Where are you based ?

near Belfast

 

[Kingfisher101]

You get what you pay for, I've had bikes in the £600-£900 category which have been really awful with cheap components so god knows what that bike would be like.
If I were you I'd get a Carrera secondhand off Facebook marketplace.

 

[Sharky]

How far is the commute?
Putting aside the quality of the argos bike, the cost is the same as a couple of fills of fuel in the car and if you have to pay for parking, the cost will be justified fairly quickly.

A shop like argos, has a pretty good returns policy. So if it let's you down within the gaurantee period, I'm sure you will get your money back instantly.

Shop around, but won't be a disaster if you buy the argos one.

 

[Cycleops]

Buying any bike whether new or used at that price is always going to be fraught with problems.
Don't buy from Argos they're not a bike dealer just a goods shifter. At least with Halfords they know about bikes and you have the reassurance that things can get fixed.
I would rather buy second hand and be prepared to spend a bit on sorting it, which inevitably you'll have to do.
A older non suspension mountain bike would be ideal. A quick search of Gumtree reveals loads in Belfast.
This is an Raleigh Massif from the early 90's, just £30 Antrim Rd. That's the sort of thing you should be looking for, steer clear of full suspension, front suspension is okay if the bike is good order but will be a bit heavy.
Make sure the seat post moves and not seized in the frame.

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good afternoon,

Another vote for used.

For just one day I did about 12 miles of my commute on something just a tad better, https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/a-complete-stranger-lent-me-a-bike.291606/ it was really unpleasent.

At 16kg (36lbs) it sounds heavy and it is heavy for what it is, but that is not much more than the 3/5 speed bikes many schoolboys of my age had. I would also guess that there quite a few members here who ride either tourers close to that weight or basic steel road bikes in the 25lbs-32lb range.

But I don't deny that some stunningly cheap and low quality stuff is made, I have worn out pedals in a few hundred miles and I wondered why would anybody make something so bad? Then you see videos of individuals making parts out of melted down ships in their front yards and it suddenly makes sense.

Do remember though that Argos and Halfords Apollos have to be made to a standard sufficently high to avoid excessive customer returns. Also bikes can be pretty simple to make, manufacture of square taper BBs, cup and cone wheel bearings etc were well sorted by the 1970s, wheels don't have to be perfectly true and pvc bar tape, well, it looks pretty.

Depending upon you personal circumstances and requirements and if you have a decent tool kit it may be worth giving the Argos bike a go just to see what happens. Would you care if it was £109 wasted, if so don't do it, if that is your weekend beer money then.....

Having said all of the above I commute on a £1,300ish bike.

Bye

Ian

 

[tom73]

Have a look around and see if you have any community bike recycling projects in your area.
They will be able to sort you out with a suitable bike at a reasonable price.
Or can keep an eye out for something that may came in that suit you.