Good bicycle for less than $400 USD?

[mwerner]

Hehe- for 1200 bucks you can get a very nice bike indeed. However, make sure you get a good lock!

 

[M1911A1JohnBrowning]

That's a mixed bag. If you know exactly what you're looking for, are buying a high-end bike, AND know how to do all the assembly and tuning work yourself, AND have all the tools to do it, you can get a great deal. However, when you factor in $40-$60 shipping, $40-$50 assembly/tune up, and not being able to ride the bike or get it fit to you, and you had better be getting a screaming deal to make it worth the hassle and wait time. Not to mention the fact that you won't have a warranty on a used bike like you will on a new bike. I've bought them and sold them both ways, and in this case a new bike from a shop is a much better way to go.


Eric

If you get a bike off ebay, and find you don't know how to put it together, you have a great learning opportunity. Just do what you can to get it together, then go to www.bikeforums.net and the people there will be more than happy to answer every question you have in detail. bikeforums is also a great way to learn about repairs rather than spend money at the shop. I used to work at a shop, and unless you're a total idiot, bicycle repairs are not too hard for the most part, and they require only a few cheap tools like vice grips, a pump, allen wrenches, maybe a 5 dollar chain tool, and a proper set of tire levers. (Never use a screw driver, you will slash the tube).

One more word of advice. Any time you need a shop to fix something you can't figure out yourself, make it look like you are on a ride and need a fix to get home. That way you're bike will be ready in no more than 20 miniutes, instead of leaving it there for 2 weeks.

 

[TiberiusBkirk]

I was a serious biker in my youth, had a Richard Sachs with super record groupo so that tells you how old I am. Had one Gary fisher mtn with the elevated chainstay and felt the handling was too twitchy for my tastes.
I bought both bikes off ads found in Velo news. Test rode the Sachs at a local club race.
Been thinking about getting a folding bike because it looks perfect for my city/country use. I like the internal gear hubs, always liked the old raleigh sturm archer 3 speeds. but I really want to test ride one first before buying.
Sure, I learned how to ride on a folder and it was a blast but these new one's look way more sophisticated.
Dahon has most models.