Saw this being sold by some guy for $280, is it a piece of shit?
The price is definitely too high for a used quasi-BSO. If you can get it for $150 that would be more reasonable.
>>914970
I'm going to bump this thread until you learn to like it.
STI shifters are undoubtably a better shifting experience than bar-end.
THE ONLY BENEFIT of bar end is durability. This is agree-upon by pretty much e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y who works with bikes.
So if you are touring, or if you are frugal, bar end shifters are the way to go.
>on tour with bar ends
>bash RD, it's bent, shifting is fucked
>switch to friction, keep rolling until you can get it fixed
>on tour with STI
>bash RD, it's bent, shifting is fucked
>you're fucked. limp in top gear to nearest 3rd world bike shop to have bar ends installed
>city commuter with bar ends
>ride for 20 years
>$0 on shifters
>crash it
>it's fine
>$0
>city commuter with 105 STI
>replace your shit every 5 years for 20 years
>$600
>crash it
>it's fucked
>$150
oops. lol
>>914972
You can still shift a bent RD by using tension adjustment on top of the shifts. It just requires lots and lots from trimming. Friction mode basically had you trim every time you shift. And STIs aren't that fragile, crashes don't kill them very easily, nor do you have to replace them every 5 years unless you ride a literal shit ton, in which case you will probably want STIs anyways.
>>914969
Do not buy it...for dat price look for a road bike.
I owned a fuji hybrid. ..rode it for 3k miles then sold it for same price. After 150$ worth of upgrades...all in all got money's worth
>>915047
>thinks road bikes are the only bikes that cost more than $300
>>915207
Road bikes are better than hybrids IMO
owned both
>>915254
better for your exact circumstances you mean
old people, people who only ride short distances at a slow pace, and heavier individuals have no need for TT bars, 80 gram carbon fiber ass hatchet saddles, and 3-bolt pedals
stop assuming everyone posting on /n/ is exactly like you, inb4 a hybrid you used once was shoddily made therefore all hybrids are shoddily made
>>915047
Should mention this is Australia, where decent road bikes start at north of the $500 mark so $280 AUD for this isn't too bad
>>915259
>a hybrid you used once was shoddily made therefore all hybrids are shoddily made
well, most are, especially considering their relative end-user cost
>>915273
what do you mean by "end-user cost"?
are you suggesting that a GMC Denali "road bike" is somehow better than a jamis coda because it's a board meme that flat bars are bad (except when it's a rigid MTB with slicks)?
a cheap shitty bike is a cheap shitty bike, whether it's a cruiser or a bmx or a road bike or whatever.
>>915282
>
i mean that the $1000 trek with flat bars has shittier components than the $1000 trek w drop bars. better margin for the manufacturer/vendor (not the retailer), but less value to the consumer.
>>915282
i don't think you understand the word meme, bicycles, comfort, utility or value.
protip: the overlooked way that flatbar roadbike are a bad idea is the nature of the flatbar and road tires. Flatbars are great for really throwing around the front end when you mash on the pedals on an MTB, but you have wide tires that resist the side-to-side motion. On a road bike, you'll be traveling in smooth straight lines most of the time and a "perpendicular" hand position is uncomfortable and inefficient. Even if you were looking for a commuter bike, get a townie with swoop back bars.
Now please get the fuck out of here with your "everything is subjective and the customer is always right" bullshit. Don't come to us for some authoritative advice and then say the advice is bad because it doesn't agree with the way you see the world.
>>915371
>Flatbars are great for really throwing around the front end when you mash on the pedals on an MTB, but you have wide tires that resist the side-to-side motion. On a road bike, you'll be traveling in smooth straight lines most of the time and a "perpendicular" hand position is uncomfortable and inefficient.
This is retarded. There is a reason why bar ends used to be popular on hard tails, and died out when FS took over. The hand position issue is the opposite of what you just said.
>>915382
Barends were popular for cross country. Where they wanted another hand position and didn't need access to the gear shifter or brakes.
Literally an after thought solution to the problem.
You're full retarded and must not knowing anything about early 90s mtb.
>>915446
Bar ends are for powering when standing. Sprinters don't sprint on the tops.
>>915371
>a "perpendicular" hand position is uncomfortable
for you
>and inefficient
is that why most of the pro riders rest their hands on the top when they're climbing? because they're inefficient?
op simply asked if the bike was "a piece of shit"? keep your biased bullshit to yourself.
you don't know even know how op intends to use the bike.
>>914969
shimano altus is low end driving gear and the chain is filthy which indicates poor maintenance but the wheels look ok and the price might be worth it for the wheels alone. it would be an ideal bike for commuting with plenty of room for fenders and a rack if you need them. though those wheel might be thief bait if you leave it at a train station all day.
$280? not sure. if it rides smoothly and everything works then i'd seriously consider it.
>>915474
bargained him down to $225, rides well and is light as fuck, though I'm a pleb who hasn't biked in like a decade and whose last bike was some entry level MTB so my idea of "light" is probably way off
I checked out the wheels and they are pretty good and cost nearly as much as what I ended up paying
>>915621
I think that's the right price if everything is tuned up. Not an amazing deal, but you got a much better bike than a $225 new bike, that's for sure.
Flat bar road bikes are fine for seeing if you like biking. If you're enjoying it, consider test-riding a drop-bar road bike when you're ready to upgrade.
If you have trouble feeling in control of the ride, like it's too twitchy, keep in mind that drop bars would probably fix that. Also, wider tires are a good idea for added sense of stability. You can good "max tires size for __(your rims model)___" to figure out what will fit
>>915621
another angle to consider, swept-back bars are supposed to be more comfortable than flats. It would be an educational project to put something like pic related
Also, while your wheels are worth something, you could upgrade them to wider rims. Go 700x35c and have swept-back bars, now suddenly that flat bar road bike is a solid commuter bike
rack..
fenders..
Yeah this was a good purchase if you want to learn some bike mechanics
>>915623
might try drop bars eventually, thanks for the tips m8
>>915626
>a good purchase if you want to learn some bike mechanics
pretty much the first 'real" bike I've owned, so yeah it'll be a learning experience
>>915628
No problem. And to be clear I think this bike probably isn't the best for a drop-bar conversion itself. A flat-bar road bike will have a long top-tube. Drop bars stick out pretty far, so you'd be reaching very far and uncomfortably to use the drops. A short and stubby stem would fix that, but then handling becomes very twitchy.
So, if going drop bar, look for a bike made for one.
I'm just ranting now, but another good upgrade would be kool stop brake pads. If you have any issue with your current brakes, or they seem to be worn out, it's another good investment.
Your bike has V-brakes, which I think are great. They were the strongest brakes available for a long time until disc brakes came along. They should be strong enough to stop you quickly even if you install a rack/panniers and are carrying a heavy load
>>915626
>alt bars.
seconded.
>>914969
no bbc
