Current Events > idk shit about bikes. Is a $100 Walmart bike good enough?

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Kind of just want to buy a bicycle to ride for fun, and talked with someone thats super into bicycles about it. Hes recommending entry level bicycles at like $800. I asked him what about those Walmart bicycles for like $100, and hes talking as if those bicycles will literally fall apart the moment I ride it.

So time to ask the internet-
Can I just buy a $100 bicycle and upgrade to a nicer one should I want to be serious about it later, or what?

Sure. I started out that way. The bike I have now cost 1k.

Sadly bikes cost as much as a Switch these days where I live. At bare minimum 300 dollars, and I've really wanted to have one to get a bit of exercise in. It's just so unaffordable.

I'm sure it's fine for casual bike riding. I don't think I have a particularly expensive bike and it's fine for 10 mile bike rides. Biker types who insist on riding 30 miles at a time uphill or something as a warmup just have different needs than someone like myself.

If you're just riding for fun every now and again there's no need for a expansive bike you only use occasionally.

So I'd buy the cheap one first, see how well you like it after a few months then upgrade if you feel the need to.

$100 is fucking cheap.
I live in a 3rd world country with 1/10 minimum income of Americans, and bikes here cost $250.

Ricemills posted...

$100 is fucking cheap.
I live in a 3rd world country with 1/10 minimum income of Americans, and bikes here cost $250.

Heres one for $98:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Huffy-24-Rock-Creek-Boys-Mountain-Bike-for-Men/719506752

IdiotMachine posted...

Heres one for $98:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Huffy-24-Rock-Creek-Boys-Mountain-Bike-for-Men/719506752

Damn, i should start an imported bike business.

I'd recommend checking out your local buy and sell websites.

You can probably find something better than a $100 Walmart bike for the same price.

I have two aluminum bicycles, one was $1800 and the other $2400.

Cycling hobby can get expensive as with any other hobby.

Im not serious about cycling but I have a Trek 4500 that Ill ride around sometimes and Im pretty happy with it. They dont make that model anymore but the Trek Marlin 5 is probably the closest match in their current lineup (runs like $600 or so though)

Ive ridden junky bikes before and it can be a miserable experience compared to having a decent bike which can discourage you from ever progressing with the hobby.

Trumpo posted...

I have two aluminum bicycles, one was $1800 and the other $2400.

Cycling hobby can get expensive as with any other hobby.

At my last job the owner and a lot of the people were super into road bikes. Some of the shit they had was ridiculous. Then again, if you can pick up a whole ass bike with your pinky like it's nothing, I guess you get what you pay for.

When you say ride for fun what do you mean? I'm sure you would get a decent amount of miles out of a Walmart bike if you're just cruising around recreationally on the street. I don't think it would hold up on a rough trail for very long though.

I mean as a kid with a child bike, I rode it every day for years before I needed a new one and only got a new one because I wanted a different color or style. I rode that thing through trails and on pavement. I'm pretty sure my parents got it from Kmart lol. Expensive bikes are part scam and part dependant on what you're using them for. If for casual riding then a $100 bike will do just fine.

The last bike I bought was from Big 5 and it cost me $150. I quickly upgraded it with a more comfy seat, better inner and outer tubes for the tires, and front and back lights, which cost and additional $90 or so total. I only ride it around town, to work and back mostly, and it has lasted over 5 years so far. Although I have had to replace the inner tubes several times.