Thread started by aksendz at 11.19.08 - 7:35 pm

i dont want to beat a dead horse but i've given up looking for things on craigslist

bikes direct has pretty much the same price for a better bike

or is it all to good to be true?

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It's fine get the Immortal Spirit.



franz
11.19.08 - 7:36 pm

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i'm guessing this is the bad advice franz talking

my budget is 300 :]



aksendz
11.19.08 - 7:40 pm

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You want a bike for $300?





Mook
11.19.08 - 7:40 pm

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http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/wellington1_IX.htm



Mook
11.19.08 - 7:43 pm

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Bike directs is the SHIT dot com !!! I swooped my Windsor Hour which i converted into my Polo bike on the bikesdirect.com For $300 delivered . They offer great service, returned my questions promptly and were on schedule with the delivery.. =)



skano
11.19.08 - 7:50 pm

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I bought the Motobecane Messenger for $350 and it's pretty sweet so far, although I pretty much suck at riding a fixie, so maybe some more experienced folks have a different take.

You have to take a little time to put it together / true the wheels / adjust the brakes, but it's a good deal.

The Windsor Hour / Motobecane Messenger / Fuji Track are all apparently based off the same frame, and the Mercier TT is apparently the same as the KHS Flite 100. They all come from one of the big factories in Taiwan.

The Windsor is nice for $300. The Mercier TT has a really sweet fork and comes in a spectacular shade of green for $350. The Motobecane Messenger is also $350 and comes with brakes and a flip/flop hub. The Motobecane Fantom Uno looks pretty cool, but it's geared for cyclocross, which may be a little slow for the street.

Good Luck!





JB
11.19.08 - 7:52 pm

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damn those are some sick deals!



apineda
11.19.08 - 8:03 pm

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all of thse bikes look the same
lolz!



aksendz
11.19.08 - 8:11 pm

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@ aksendz

i have a few friends that got their fixed bikes from there and they all seem okay except that they ALL stripped their hubs. so you might want to invest in looking for a new rear hub as well.



KiMS1
11.19.08 - 8:43 pm

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i looked at the website before and it said their users had complaints about things getting stripped and to tighten the bike before and after every ride. but that could because riders assembled their bike poorly or didn't maintain them well. just make sure to put it together right, get some hex wrenches, a pedal wrench and some grease to keep your bike tight. or better yet, take it to the bike oven and ask them how to assemble it the right way. you're bound to learn something new for 5-10 bucks of your time.



sciencefriction
11.19.08 - 9:55 pm

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I bought the Mercier Kilo TT from there for $350 and it's been great thus far. I've been riding it for about 2 months. It came in the mail when I was at work and RBI had it together in about half an hour. I just took it to a bike shop to get everything tightened up properly.
Seriously sweet deal if you've got a tight budget or if you just want a less expensive bike that you won't feel to guilty locking up somewhere.



canadienne
11.20.08 - 12:27 am

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had the hour a while ago and sold it and just recently ordered a kilo tt. overall great deal on a complete bike. the rear hub seems a bit sketch imo but i never skid and i ride with a front brake so no problems thus far.



tfunk408
11.20.08 - 2:06 am

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what was up with the hour?



aksendz
11.20.08 - 3:16 am

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I'm not trying to be a naysayer. When you buy a new bike for $300 dollars and ride consistently, your wheels will need to be replaced relatively soon, when compared to other complete bikes that are sold with better components. Other components, as well, are an issue on bikes that are shaved down to the lowest possible price point. All in all, you get what you pay for. I guess the good thing is that you can upgrade components when they fail. Then, if you want to switch to a new bike in the future...you will have a good set of components to build it up with.



tern
11.20.08 - 4:38 am

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tern: these bikes have more or less the same components and frames as the $500-$600 fixed gear bikes (bianchi pista, langster, flite 100, iro, whatever). all the entry level fixed gear bikes are basically the same, the big-name brands just have fancier paint and get sold at a bike shop. bikes direct is a great deal, you're basically getting the bike for what the bike shop pays for it

. obviously you aren't "supporting your local bike shop" and you have to assemble it yourself and you can't test ride it beforehand... but any physical difference is pretty much marketing fiction.





stevestevesteve
11.20.08 - 8:55 am

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Mr. Aksendz, take my advice, got to myspace.com/junkyrustybikes

This dude, I have dealt with personally and he is very cool, with a good selection. I spent over $300 there last Caturday. If you dont want the fun of building a bike up from scratch, your best bet is below, in my humble opinion.

http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/Products/Road/Details/1221-S9CUT-Cutter

For the record I think it's RIDICULOUS that the cheapest New steel, single speed bike out there is $300, when you can buy a 21speed full suspension behemoth MTN Bike from Target for $79



tallcans4tallbikes
11.20.08 - 9:36 am

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SUPORT YOUR LOCAL BIKE SHOP. WHEN YOU HAVE NO SHOPS TO GO TO, YOU WILL BE FORCED TO RIDE CHINESE CRAP
SOLD BY MASS MERCHANTS. MANY SMALL SHOPS ARE ONLINE TRYING TO SURVIVE, THEY ALSO WILL BE GONE. THE SWEETNESS OF A GOOD DEAL SOURS WITH BAD SERVICE AND A SUBSTANDARD PRODUCT.



Dedicated818
11.20.08 - 10:56 am

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i would love to build my own bike but i dont know anything
especially when it comes to components



aksendz
11.20.08 - 11:23 am

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Echo Park Cycles has an no nonsense fixie for $300 by schwinn.
Go support a local bike shop!

I'm all for getting rad deals.
In no fucking way will I pay $100 for a memory card at a cell phone kiosk that I can get for $40 at Staples or $25 online.

But bike shops are different. The community, the expertise, and the ready availability of supplies makes me want to support my local shops so they will be around for years to come.



trickmilla
11.20.08 - 12:36 pm

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haha maybe i should read the whole thread first

other Ridazz are comin' up with the same advice!

+1 +1 +1

lolz



trickmilla
11.20.08 - 12:37 pm

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I found this bike for $300, http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/bik/927302600.html . I'm sure the guy would give you a homie discount, too.



SPOOK
11.20.08 - 12:46 pm

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oh spook



aksendz
11.20.08 - 1:14 pm

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