Best Budget Bike for Getting Around Town?

CrimsonGirl · Feb 2, 2007

I'm looking to spend around $500 for a bike that will get me around town while my DH has our family's car during the week. The bike needs to be able to tow a 2-child trailer. I'm 5'2" and weigh around 105 lbs.

I haven't ridden a bike in over a decade and that was a cheapie 10 speed from Sears that my parents had originally bought me in high school. I've been looking online and am totally overwhelmed by all the jargon

DH doesn't know anything about bikes either so he's no help.

I worry about getting ripped off at my local bike shop being a woman and clueless about bikes.

Please help!

Spinfinity · Feb 2, 2007

Last year's left overs.

Most every shop will have a few. I'd suggest a bike with strong brakes. I found a trailer and two sons made a bike a lot harder to stop. Cantilever or V brakes, sorry about the jargon, with motorcycle style levers on a straight handle bar often give more stopping power for the same amount of hand effort.

In the $500 range bikes come in many different shapes and your goal should be getting a bike that feels easy and comfortable to ride. You're not likely to enter any child towing races so a pound or two shouldn't matter much. Last year's bikes will lessen the chance that you pay more than the bike is worth.

filtersweep · Feb 2, 2007

Most volume bike sellers don't allow much price wiggle room in the $500 zone- so I doubt you will be ripped off.

I hate to say it, but if it were me, I would buy more of a mtn bike for such towing duties-- or a hybrid of some sort- not that you couldn't do it with a road bike. You certainly don't need anything lightweight. Additionally, if the bike will be your car (meaning that you will be using in all sorts of conditions), you might want a rear fender at the very least-- maybe a rack? Lights? I think you are a little on the light side to be hauling much weight with road tires and road geometry. A mtn bike with disc brakes would also give you better stopping power.

CrimsonGirl said:
I'm looking to spend around $500 for a bike that will get me around town while my DH has our family's car during the week. The bike needs to be able to tow a 2-child trailer. I'm 5'2" and weigh around 105 lbs.

I haven't ridden a bike in over a decade and that was a cheapie 10 speed from Sears that my parents had originally bought me in high school. I've been looking online and am totally overwhelmed by all the jargon DH doesn't know anything about bikes either so he's no help.

I worry about getting ripped off at my local bike shop being a woman and clueless about bikes.

Please help!

innergel · Feb 2, 2007

Go for a hybrid mountain bike. They have a more upright geometry and slick tires so you can ride just as easily on pavement or a trail. They can easily pull a tralier, but I can tell you it's going to be work to pull two kids, regardless of the bike.

Here's a few options for hybrid mountain bikes in your price range. More money just gets you better quality components. Most manufacturers will have something similar. Go to your LBS (local bike shop) and tell them what you are looking for. They'll be able to point you in the right direction. Ask lots of questions. If they are a good shop, they will answer them all for you. Only buy when you feel comfortable.

Giant Sedona http://www2.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/600/28408/
Trek 7200 http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike.php?bikeid=1322600&f=27
Specialized Globe http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22061

And if you tell us where you live, there's bound to be someone on the board near you who can recommend a good bike shop.

SadieKate · Feb 2, 2007

I was recently looking for a friend and was very impressed with the Trek FX Fitness line. With linear pull brakes you can use wider tires if you like. It comes in WSD sizing if that's your thing and, at your height, I would take a look at WSD, you may get a better fit and better standover. You get a lot of value for the money in a model such as the 7.3 and it comes with gearing compatible with towing a load. I also found it to be much lighter than the competition. I've seen lots of rave reviews by women about this line of bikes.

Marin makes similar bikes of high quality and good value. I had a Larkspur for several years that I used to tow groceries. It handled a trailer very well.

Spinchick · Feb 2, 2007

Having pulled kids in a trailer behind a bike, I'll second the recommendation on a mountain/hybrid bike. You want one that feels sturdy and solid enough to pull weight, with straight bars, and more of an upright position. This will also be a good bike to transition to a kid's trail-a-bike when your kids are old enough. With the sturdier bike, you can also mount a rack on the back for anything you might need to carry.

SadieKate · Feb 2, 2007

CrimsonGirl, remember that weight is different for all of us. Yes, you need a sturdy, stable bike for towing a trailer but remember that a 25 lb bike is 24% of your 105 lb body weight as opposed to 14% of a 180 lb guy. A pound or two can be huge, particularly if you're adding on the trailer, kids and groceries. You don't need uberlight but you do need to consider the weight of the bike.

I definitely agree that a flat bar bike will give you more stability than drop bars (like you probably had on the Sears 10-spd). City/Hybrid bikes will usually come with linear (v-brakes) or cantilevers, and also have room for fenders. I would stay away from mountain bikes unless you do see yourself riding dirt trails (not just crushed granite paths). Mtnbikes have suspension front forks which aren't necessary for town riding and just adds weight and complexity of maintenance.

CrimsonGirl · Feb 3, 2007

Thanks Everyone!

Thanks for all the help! I do not plan to take the bike off-road at all (I'd much rather hike up a mountain than bike it!) which is why I had been thinking a road bike instead of a mtn bike. A hybrid does sound like it would be a good choice though for the sturdiness.

I live about 25 miles south of San Francisco in the mid-Peninsula if anyone has a recommendation for a good bike shop in the area.

Thanks again!

SadieKate · Feb 3, 2007

I'm sure you'll get replies here, but over on the teamestrogen.com forum there are a ton of women from the Bay Area.

kaotikgrl · Feb 4, 2007

.....

lancezneighbor · Feb 5, 2007

REI Buzz

I have an older version of this bike and love it, it may be my favorite out of 8 bikes some up to 4k in value. http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...logId=40000008000&productId=48075181&parent_category_rn=4502048&vcat=REI_SEARCH

It's liek an old old time mountain bike with semi slick tires on it. Rolls fast, very sturdy frame, can pull trailer easy, handles great. Looks much cooler than a hybrid.

I know it's over 500 but in March REI will have a 20% off coupon bringing the price down to 500 bucks. Plus REI will always take it back if you decide you are not satisfied so why not check it out?

enki42ea · Feb 7, 2007

lancezneighbor said:
I have an older version of this bike and love it, it may be my favorite out of 8 bikes some up to 4k in value. http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...logId=40000008000&productId=48075181&parent_category_rn=4502048&vcat=REI_SEARCH

It's liek an old old time mountain bike with semi slick tires on it. Rolls fast, very sturdy frame, can pull trailer easy, handles great. Looks much cooler than a hybrid.

I know it's over 500 but in March REI will have a 20% off coupon bringing the price down to 500 bucks. Plus REI will always take it back if you decide you are not satisfied so why not check it out?

REI has 20% off now using OUTLET27 as the coupon code (good till the 9th) (sorry, forgot you were looking at the non-outlet side)

madhattaz · Feb 8, 2007

Hi,

If you're ever in the city.. try San Francisco Cyclery.

www.sanfranciscocyclery.com

Its a women owned shop right next to Golden Gate Park. Great customer service.

lwkwafi · Feb 10, 2007

A good solid bet is always the Bianchi Avenue, and you can go upwards from there to get to $500. That is what my local LBS sells the most of for commuting bikes around the U of I campus, and when my sister was wanting a new bike to soon pull her son around in, i talked her into getting one. Granted, she was impressed by the $350ish price tag, so it was an easier sell.
And I know you can just go up the bianchi line to get a nicer bike if that is what you are going for pricewise, but its a great bang for the buck.

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Best Budget Bike for Getting Around Town?

CrimsonGirl

Spinfinity

filtersweep

innergel

SadieKate

Spinchick

SadieKate

CrimsonGirl

SadieKate

kaotikgrl

lancezneighbor

enki42ea

madhattaz

lwkwafi

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