Airstud From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1856 posts, RR: 1 Posted (10 months 2 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1209 times:
Obviously it is time to buy a bicymacle (it's actually well past that time, but here we are); and here in Minnemasota, the Upper Midwest's venerable old Mills Fleet Farm can sell you a decent, ecomanomical 26" mens bike for the sale price of $99.
The thing is, I require a bike that can accommodate a rack behind the seat, and it must be the kind to which you can safely and sturdily attach a milk crate (in which you then deposit two carefully balanced grocery bags, see). As far as I know, these racks have two points of attachment, one to the seatpost. And this on-sale one I'm looking at has that silly-looking thing that you see so much on modern bikes; the floating seat-post:
My gut tells me that since there still is something of a seatpost there, sure; why wouldn't you be able to go ahead and attach a milk-crate-supporting rack to the blamed thing. But I am not a experienced cyclist and what the heck do I know about load limits on floating bike posts.
johns624 From United States of America, joined Jul 2008, 766 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (10 months 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1168 times:
DO NOT buy that bike. It's a piece of junk that will require constant adjusting and will wear out. It is a copy of a mountain bike and all about fake styling. Go to a real bikeshop and look at the hybrids. It'll cost more but last much longer and be much safer.
Something like this...http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/town/fitness/fx/7_1_fx/#
Don't be scared by the price. Shops always have last years models that they sell at quite a discount. REI should also have appropriate models.
Klaus From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20853 posts, RR: 55 Reply 3, posted (10 months 2 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1160 times:
The image from your link:
(You had inserted an image tag, but with the URL of the HTML page.)
In this case it's because of the rear-wheel suspension.
Unless you're regularly riding in very rough terrain, a rear-wheel suspension is not a good idea. It costs quite a bit of power since the suspension "swallows" some of the pedal forces and a good saddle suspension gives you just the same level of comfort.
The parallelogram mechanism is far better than the simple push cyclinder ones and it works like a dream – I don't miss a rear wheel suspension in any way. It's almost perfect, particularly on cobblestone pavement and forest paths.
And contrary to a wheel suspension it allows installation of a proper rack with crates or bags (which I prefer since they are light and easy to carry along into stores), because the fixed rear wheel has the regular struts needed to carry it.
(Since the locking clips of the suspension pivot bolts in mine occasionally dislocate themselves, I would probably go for the steel version next time, however, which should not have that problem.)
I would also second the warnings against ultra-cheap bicycles. Even an excellent bike costs only a fraction of a car and just a small fraction even just for decent ones. The really cheap ones are very often of really shoddy quality, sometimes outright dangerous and should be avoided.
canoecarrier From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 2657 posts, RR: 12 Reply 4, posted (10 months 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 1061 times:
First off, decide what you're going to use the bike for and how much you're willing to pay for it. Then buy the bike that does that well. From what you said:
Quoting Airstud (Thread starter):
The thing is, I require a bike that can accommodate a rack behind the seat, and it must be the kind to which you can safely and sturdily attach a milk crate (in which you then deposit two carefully balanced grocery bags, see).
I'll assume from what you want to haul around you're looking for a bike around town to get groceries or maybe bike to work on, correct?
Quoting johns624 (Reply 1): Go to a real bikeshop and look at the hybrids. It'll cost more but last much longer and be much safer.
This. To be honest if you're willing to spend more than $99 you'll get a bike that will last a lot longer and do everything you mentioned you want it to do. There are ways to lower the initial cost of buying a good bike, like buying one on Craigslist, but I'd suggest you take a basic bike maintenance course first so you have an idea of the condition of the used bike you're buying.
Personally, I like Cyclocross bikes for all around town bikes. I spent quite a bit more than you want to (around $1k) but mine is a steel framed Surly Crosscheck that I put over 2K miles a year on (with a rear rack). It also would take a front rack if I wanted it to. I did a quick look in my area on Craigslist for a Cyclocross bike and saw a decent used one for $400 and it had Shimano 105 components.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1856 posts, 
From UK - England, joined Jul 2006, 2645 posts, 
From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20853 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
