Hi i hope this post is okay, otherwise feel free to delete.
I am at a recycling station where they sell bikes for dirt cheap and there are two that I could be interested in but both seem to have their issues.
So id love to hear your professional opinion on which would be cheapest to get repaired and serve me the longest. It wouldnt be for more than just short trips mostly, as a daily bike so Its fine if its not in PERFECT order.
First bike (black one)
– I think its much nicer aesthetically. Looks lighter too, which can be a pro
– It however only has 3 gears and it feels loose to switch to 3rd and is tight at 1st
– Very rusty many places, including pedal arms and chain
– brakes seem old? not sure
– i think the tires are soft and would probably need to be replaced
Second bike (red and white)
– kindof ugly, also not a mens bike, but it does have overall less rust and a sturdier build
– has more gears, external, but the cogs and chain also look very rusty here
– the spokes are very rusty, so im assuming the wheels themselves would need replacing?
– i only tried switching the gears when it was stranding still as theyre locked in place but it was really hard to switch to first, basically impossible.
thanks in advance!
by cooperajah
13 Comments
Before reading your caption the post gave massive “which one should I steal” vibes 🤣
I’d be doing full rebuilds from the frame up on either of these most likely. Although… black one doesn’t appear to have a derailleur hanger so that’s really going to limit what you can do.
What would ve the purpose of this bike. Mens bikes are scam if you are doing basic commuting not wery fast the no top tube is nicer for eazy on and off. The 3 gears can bayby be fixed with tuning. The second bikes gear broblem might be more exensive to fix but i dont know anything
Suspension on the red one will never work again and is dead weight. Simpler three speed easiest to get serviceable. Integrated rack on black is lovely.
Both are pretty rough, even for salvage.
I would go for a simple low-maintenance bike that you would not have to worry about parking up and leaving.
I’ve got an old Dutch bike. Really ratty to look at but I’ve maintained all the moving parts and it rides beautifully. Really convenient, reliable and cheap.
If you live in Denmark, the used market should be pretty good, right? How much are these? Because both of these bikes are *fucked* and will require work and parts to run decently again. I’m sure you’ll be able to get a better bike than either of these for like 60 Euros.
If there is no option to get something else, I’d choose red for sure. Less rust, more modern, easier to fix. Black bike looks like the brakes won’t even work.
Honestly by the time you do tubes tire and chain you will exceed the value of the bike. I would just find a 50-100$ fully functional bike on marketplace, offer up etc.
https://preview.redd.it/llyq5iwuzgbf1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c76cc4365ce191b0af939c0035c6501f4067855
Example of something like that near me
Big concern on first bike is internally geared hub.. if it’s shot, then the second will be cheaper to make road-worthy and maintain.
Suspension fork on no.2 likely needs replaced but maybe you can salvage something from another bike.
You can probably find something used, in decent working order, for less money than it would take to rehabilitate either bike.
Well you just described how an IGH (internally geared hub) should work. If it works and stays in gear it’s fine. Depending on the brand, should it break, it’s not Sturmey Archer, which is the easiest to repair (but not really a task for a novice) and most plentiful IGH. Could be Shimano, or a couple other manufactures.
Though it’s pretty easy to find good wheels with an old IGH in them rather than fixing the hub, often easier and cheaper than fixing a bad hub.
The 3 speeds is the better option. Designed for neglect and abuse, easy to maintain, most the rust can likely be rubbed off with wadded up aluminum foil. Regular polishing and waxing like a car will prevent further rusting of the frame.
As others noted, the newer bike’s front fork is likely shot or won’t last long.
ooof, choice between getting poked in the eye, or kicked in the shin. These look like they were cheap to begin with, its not worth spending the money to make them rideable.
Save up a 50-100 euro and buy something worth riding
Not sure either of these is a long run bike, but I’d do the black 3-speed if I had to. Usually the 3 speeds are farther apart so you can get more range from fewer gears. It’ll take a moment to learn to tune the 3 speed internally geared hub, but they generally last a long time with minimal maintenance. The chain can limp along for a while with just a heavy coating of lube, and new ones aren’t too expensive ($20 + tool or install). Brake pads are likely due to be replaced just based on the weathering of the rest of the bike – they’re like $6/pair and a 15 minute DIY. Tires are probably rough as well, plan to replace shortly, maybe $30-40 per wheel for a cheap tire and an innertube?
Keep looking….