90% chance I go with the Specialized but the Free Spirit is steel. The Mountaire I’ve never even seen before, pretty cool bike! Any input appreciated
by c4sport
90% chance I go with the Specialized but the Free Spirit is steel. The Mountaire I’ve never even seen before, pretty cool bike! Any input appreciated
by c4sport
26 Comments
The Cannondale caught my eye. I have a ’92 R700 that I really like.
Honestly the specialized is gonna your best option. Both the other bikes have center mount brakes and Lower quality parts to start out with. And the free spirit is rusted to shit
The only real candidate should be the Specialized, IMO, but you do you, boo
The specialized is a good bike, the other two are BSOs.
The Specialized is also steel fwiw, and likely a better alloy than the Free Spirit is using (so it will be lighter)
The Mountaire is made by Columbia. Roughly equivalent in quality to the Free Spirits or Roadmasters. Please avoid it unless it has a lot of sentimental value for you.
The Specialized and Cannondale are solid choices. I also see what might be a Schwinn Continental or Varsity. It’s the red bike with stem mounted shifters on the far left side of the first picture.
I mention it because LOTS of people have used these bikes as their first build, and there’s plenty of stuff you can find online about problems they ran into and how they solved them. Plus, the result is usually a pleasant-riding all purpose bike.
The specialized is steel. Free spirit is junk and was junk when it was new, isn’t worth a penny.
yeah that hard rock is the only option you have that’s gonna be worth the time you’ll put into it. really really solid pick though
Combine it into one bike, become the mechabikelord that Portland deserves.
What’s the old school blue one 3rd photo bottom right , the seat is out but still sitting there, show me the gear set on that one
In order:
No.
Yessssssssss.
HELL NO.
I’d stay in pic #2 personally.
Building my first with the same one in the second pic!
The Specialized and Cannondale are the only good choices in this collection, IMHO. Both are excellent platforms and quality bikes. The Cannondale has 700c wheels and maybe enough clearance to run wider tires? That’d be my choice, for sure.
The Free Spirit, Mountaire, and RoadMaster were / are cheap BSOs when new and should be avoided to save you headache unless you are looking for an ironic cheap “rat bike” build. Lots of stamped steel, rust, one piece cranks, and side pull caliper brakes. Not fun to work on or ride.
Sorry dawg, I’m not trying to yuck your yum, but all the bikes in the first picture are prime candidates for the scrap yard, and only the Trek in the third picture and the couple in the second picture are worth any consideration.
The vast majority of these are bottom of the barrel department store bikes.
Hard rock.
specialized all day the free spirit is too far gone
Do either of any guy you? Or is it a build to sell?
I’m Cannondale loyal do there’s that lol.
But it looks a different size than the specialized
Is the Specialized not steel?
More like last build
Built my buddy has specialized exactly like the black one with purple writing. We turned his into a single speed but I’ve done a few of these. They all are great start builds. I’ll post some pics of the three hard rocks I’ve helped friends put back into service.
https://preview.redd.it/cnt1nbtqub9h1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1034576c8d3b43f6969988ad0218b641fcd66335
Don’t sleep on the cannondale
Lugged steel road bike in the back of photo one.
I’m about 90% sure I had a mountaire as a kid. 13 year old me would tell you that’s the one,
🆓 spirit😏
That’s an easy question which you’ve already answered.
The mountainaire and the free spirit are awful for few reasons: non canti brakes, terrible stamped drop outs, no derailleur hanger. The mountainaire even has a terrible one piece crank. They’re both garbage.
The Specialized is most serviceable with proper parts, better brake set up, better drivetrain set up, etc.
There’s no other answer.