Can I buy a light road bike for commuting for around $200?
What brand and where can I find one?
Not new … bikes in that price range are crap. However, it should be fairly easy to find a good quality used bike for $200 or less. Consider garage sales, police auctions, bulletin boards at local bike shops, ads through bike clubs or through on-line classified ads (Kijiji, Craigslist, Amazon, etc.)
However, note that 1) the bike needs to fit you or it won’t be a good deal … so learn how to judge bike fit (See link) before buying, and 2) expect to have to do some work on a used bike to get it in good shape.
In general, you will find the best deals on bikes that need some work. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they will cost a lot to fix up. Sometimes a new tube, tire, chain or cog on a freewheel and some oil and cleaning is all that is necessary to renew an older bike. It isn’t unusual to buy a bike that originally cost $1000 for $100 or less and get it in good shape for $100 or less in parts.
However, it helps to know what to look for, so if possible find a friend or someone who knows bikes to help you (e.g. a local bike club member). A local bike store may (in return for buying any necessary parts) be prepared to give an opinion on whether a used bike is a good deal.
In general, look for brand name bikes (e.g. Trek, Specialized, Canondale, Giant … or many others … but avoid store brands) and be prepared to consider bikes 5-10 years old since a good quality bike that hasn’t been abused can easily last 20-30 years (with some component replacement). For example, I still ride my 20 year old Trek as my second bike.
Jamaica Ave Bike Commute
