What is a "real" quality Bicycle?

[Buck]

I've been and avid cyclist most of my life so what it takes to
make a quality bicycle is second nature to me. That said, most
folk's haven't a clue what it means to say "quality bicycle" other
than expensive custom built race bikes they might see on TV.

I can tell you without a doubt that you will not find anything close
to even serviceable quality in any ***mart or **rget stores. Those
bikes are all useless dangerous junk unfit for even a child.

I could go on and on about this topic but this story says it so much
better than I ever could. As you read this story please note that millions
of quality bikes were built in the 1960's to the mid 1980's so there are
lots of bikes in the used market to choose from once you know what to
look for. These quality used bike mean that one need not spend mega
bucks to own a decent bike that you will actually enjoy riding. One can
spend the money for a custom built if one want's to and still be ok for
use value.

Why bring this up at all?

Well, one only has to look at the price of gas/diesel to know why we
all better own AND RIDE at least one quality bicycle.

The story presented as an education information only........

http://www.ebykr.com/?p=42

[Mac_Muz]

I'm all ears... I have cars, trucks a van 2 motorcycles and this Fall got a mt bike, which is probably junk to you. It had the chain rusted solid. I can't find a link to pull to I oiled it and worked it over a number of days which tirned into a few weeks and got it to run smooth.

There is no suspention what so ever. It more or less looks new and shows nearly no wear other than lack of wear..

I get the idea someone bought itleaned it against a house and there it sat untill is was at a for free yard sale where I took it..

The tires look new, but needed air, the brakes are cable type and the cables were not installed correctly. The gear shifters have a release tab to allow a a derailuer change to shift down, and I got these working...

The ride is ruffer than a cob... But it goes good in dirt for an old man like me at 56. I still need to raise the seat some as my legs don't straighten enough, and that seat has gotta be changed! That thing should be illegal!

Oddly while I have no idea what this bike weighs I doubt it tips the scale to 15 pounds.

Now I won't use a pedal bike much, and I dodn't need every little frill there is, but I do wonder what might be better than this at a lower cost...

Gasolins is getting out of hand... Not to bad on my motor bikes as one holds 3 gallons and goes about 140 miles before it hits reserve. Old 1981 Yammi triple I got for a tansfer case, and fixed...

My other is a Cowasocky Nomad and gets almost 46 miles per gallon. I generally stop about 170 miles and get more before the yellow warning lamp come on.

My car is a 84 volvo wagon and needed, it gets 20 something.

The truck holds 38 gallons as does the 3/4 ton van. The truck has a 350 4 bolt main and is carbed up with a hi ridse intake and a 750 cfm 4 barrel carb getting nearly 15 mpg, while the van is a 318 and a 2 barrel carb, getting about 10 mpgs..

I'ld like a 4 barrel for that as it would get better miles per gallon due to less restrickted breathing in the 2 barrel carb.

So tell me about pedal bikes...

[Buck]

For all those who want to learn more
about the bicycle in all it's glory and not
as a kids toy this forum offers mega
info for everyone. There are car free,
utility, general forum & over 50 for the folks
who want to cut fuel cost as well as other
forums for everyone else.

I recommend joining to be able to ask your
questions to meet your needs.

http://www.bikeforums.net/

[CarolAnn]

What about those automatic transmission bikes? I read up on them a bit and discovered that the same family that engineered Browning guns worked on the automatic transmission for bikes.

I've seen the ads on TV - but the ads never admitted that the automatic transmission actually uses a battery that's only good for about 300 miles.

Seems like some good engineering would involve a battery recharging system related to the motion of the bike? Is the added weight of the equipment worth the convenience?

My first bike was a sit-upright one-speed; at least, its speed depended on my strength. When I got a 10-speed, I hated riding & trying to get it in the right speed or just keeping the chain on!

[Mac_Muz]

I know this thread is going to make me wish I lived in flatlands with wind. I think it would be fun to make a 3 wheeler that sailed in addition to be fair at pedling for 1 and perhaps 2 people.

It is likely to calm here for such a rig, and then when there is wind it screems.

Maybe add some light battery motors as a back up drive with both wind and sun chargers.

[Buck]

What about those automatic transmission bikes? I read up on them a bit and discovered that the same family that engineered Browning guns worked on the automatic transmission for bikes.

I've seen the ads on TV - but the ads never admitted that the automatic transmission actually uses a battery that's only good for about 300 miles.

Seems like some good engineering would involve a battery recharging system related to the motion of the bike? Is the added weight of the equipment worth the convenience?

My first bike was a sit-upright one-speed; at least, its speed depended on my strength. When I got a 10-speed, I hated riding & trying to get it in the right speed or just keeping the chain on!

Auto transmissioned bikes , for now, are not as high quality
as they could be. Electric bikes , on the other hand are developing
rapidly. There is an electic bike section in the bikeforums link that
has lots of info on this type of bike.

There is one point that also needs to be discussed......weight.

For all utility uses ,which is 90% of general population, weight
is unimportant up to a point. Strength & reliablity is way more
important for this use. Racing is where weight is critical.

[Buck]

"When I got a 10-speed, I hated riding & trying to get it in the right speed or just keeping the chain on!"

The internal hub geared bikes solve this problem
with speed from 3 to 14 depending on hub choice.

[MadTripper]

I have a Cannondale from college days that I bought used for about $50.00. No suspension but as far as transportation goes, it runs great.

I've always wanted a Gary Fisher but I'm not that serious about biking and man, thats a lot of money to drop.

Tripper

[velojym]

I've ridden a few centuries, including Hotter'nHell in Wichita Falls. Mrs V and I have 7 bikes, including our road, mountain, and the Santana tandem. The difference between a decent quality bike and a "quality" bike from Walmart is enormous, and will be more obvious the more miles you put in.
I did start out with a Huffy, after learning how to adjust it (the box store where I bought it did a horrible job of assembly/adjustments). I also had to learn how to fit the bike to myself, as that's one of the most important things. No matter how good the bike, if it isn't the right size, and isn't adjusted to fit you, you'll have a bad time... and the bike is likely to end up collecting dust.

Try sheldonbrown.com and kenkifer.com for a good start on basics, and these sites
don't dwell on the 'latest and greatest' (ie, most expensive), as you can get a very nice quality bicycle pretty cheap if you dive in with some edumakayshun.

[NowKnowYe]

I bought an Electra Rockabilly Boogie-3-speed. What a blast!

http://www.euphoria-workshop.com/showimg.php?url=img/big/beachbike_homme_Rockabilly%20Boogie

[suijurisfreeman]

I'm a member of the bikeforums. *Here's my quality bike -- well actually it's a trike that I built back in 2005:
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk296/suijurisfreeman/recumbent%20trike%20pics/trikepic1.jpg

I've got about $1,200.00 in it as shown. *It's a 21 speed, disc brakes and weighs 45 lbs. *I'll be adding a 'zote foam' body just as soon as I can get it moved up here from my son's place in Kentucky.

Here's a link to several 1/12 scale models I've made of my proposed velomobile (recumbent trike with a body):

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk296/suijurisfreeman/DSCF0116.jpg

and:

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk296/suijurisfreeman/Liberty%20Trike%20HPC/DSCF0117.jpg

and:

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk296/suijurisfreeman/Liberty%20Trike%20HPC/DSCF0119.jpg

[Jared]

Hey, I'm a member at bikeforums, too! I'm Razorback over there. I went to Wal Mart and bought a Mongoose Paver to ride back and forth to work. It's fine for what I use it for and I'm glad I bought it. I've also got a Raleigh M-30 that a friend left here and so far hasn't even called me to come and get it back. So I consider it mine. Nice to see some people from some other forums I belong to.
Jared