I was going to say that, but out of the 6 bikes in the garage none of them are under $100 even second hand.
In fact I would advise against getting a cheap shitty bike that isn’t going to last. Spend the extra money, get something good. It’s better for the environment and your wallet in the long run.
I’ve driven “good” bikes all my life. Aluminium frame, disc brakes, fancy suspension, 3x9 gears. That sort of thing.
Wanna know what my best biking experience was? Riding a steel frame, 3-speed dutch-style rental omafiets with no suspension and regular-ass brakes on a vacation. That thing was hella comfortable, sturdy as a brick and convenient.
If I lived in a not fully car-brained city where you can safely bike and was tight on money, I’d absolutely buy an old cheap used regular-ass steel frame bike with no frills and use the hell out of it until it’s irreparably broken. You can leave that thing standing in the rain, locked with just a frame lock (or perhaps even no lock at all) all without worrying that it might get damaged or stolen because there isn’t much to damage or steal in the first place.
I also don’t see how buying a “good” bike in any way helps the environment when the alternative is re-using something that’s already been built and successfully used before.
I love my 2000€ Brompton that I daily-drive but I’d be nearly as happy with a 100€ bike like I described above. You don’t get more bike when you go above that price point, you only get a more fancy bike.
I’m a student in the Netherlands. I’ve bought my current bike for €50 second hand around 4 years ago. Aside from some flat tires and the occasional loose chain it’s never failed me, and I use it at least 4 times a day.
My previous bike originally belonged to my dad and it only gave out after 30 years of constant use.
The key is to not buy an expensive sports bike with tons of features. My bike has a bell, lights, a reverse pedal brake, a kickstand and a frame lock. That’s it. No gears, no wires, no carbon fiber. Just a solid steel bike. Cheap to construct and it’ll last for years.
I was going to say that, but out of the 6 bikes in the garage none of them are under $100 even second hand.
In fact I would advise against getting a cheap shitty bike that isn’t going to last. Spend the extra money, get something good. It’s better for the environment and your wallet in the long run.
I’ve driven “good” bikes all my life. Aluminium frame, disc brakes, fancy suspension, 3x9 gears. That sort of thing.
Wanna know what my best biking experience was? Riding a steel frame, 3-speed dutch-style rental omafiets with no suspension and regular-ass brakes on a vacation. That thing was hella comfortable, sturdy as a brick and convenient.
If I lived in a not fully car-brained city where you can safely bike and was tight on money, I’d absolutely buy an old cheap used regular-ass steel frame bike with no frills and use the hell out of it until it’s irreparably broken. You can leave that thing standing in the rain, locked with just a frame lock (or perhaps even no lock at all) all without worrying that it might get damaged or stolen because there isn’t much to damage or steal in the first place.
I also don’t see how buying a “good” bike in any way helps the environment when the alternative is re-using something that’s already been built and successfully used before.
I love my 2000€ Brompton that I daily-drive but I’d be nearly as happy with a 100€ bike like I described above. You don’t get more bike when you go above that price point, you only get a more fancy bike.
I’m really jealous of the Brommie’s folding mechanism.
I currently use a full size Dutch-style bike, but been keeping my eyes out for a secondhand folder for easy travelling, once I can swallow the price 🥲
I’m a student in the Netherlands. I’ve bought my current bike for €50 second hand around 4 years ago. Aside from some flat tires and the occasional loose chain it’s never failed me, and I use it at least 4 times a day.
My previous bike originally belonged to my dad and it only gave out after 30 years of constant use.
The key is to not buy an expensive sports bike with tons of features. My bike has a bell, lights, a reverse pedal brake, a kickstand and a frame lock. That’s it. No gears, no wires, no carbon fiber. Just a solid steel bike. Cheap to construct and it’ll last for years.