Hi, im newb to cycling (i previously rode some bmx) and i want to begin in to this sport riding roads and some medium/light forest paths.
I'm rather low on budget but i got this post-rental bike for free.
It's some taiwan frame, cheapest components. It has bent rear wheel, the wheel itself has quite some play unless i squeeze it so that it rotates very very poorly.
fork bearings have some play too. Front brakes work good, rear brakes would work too if not for the bent wheel.
Alll seat, pedals and handle bars suck for me. Gearing works but its really harsh and unpleasant ride, bike stops quickly and is hard to keep up speed.
So question is: should i keep the bike and repair/modify it or should i buy some cheap used classic road bike?
Other thing is about the frame size: i think that i seat too far front for me to pedal comfortably, i have my seat slided back fully and i still need to sit on the back edge of the seat. Is it a matter of wrong sized frame or is it something wrong with me? On the pic i showed in yellow line how i would love it to be.
There's a lot of questions to answer here, I'm sure they'll be covered, but here are my thoughts:
1. I like the frame. You can do a lot with it. font/rear racks, fenders. It has mounts for all of these. If anything, keep the frame around in case you become bike obsessed later on.
2. A rear wheel for this bike can be had for about $75 new, probably less used. But you'll need special tools to transfer the rear cassette onto the new wheel, and there is a risk of buying the wrong one. A used bike shop might be the best place to go and get one. Or, way better, a bike co-op. They'll probably have a wheel for you, and teach you how to replace it.
3. The loose headset bearings (the fork) concern me. The headset can be easily tightened with an adjustable wrench. There might be damage to the headset bearings by now. Try tightening it (enough to remove play but not so tight the bars are hard to move).
4. You can switch the stem to make this bike more comfortable. A longer stem will set you back $15. You need a QUILL stem, probably around 100mm, with less rise. The clamp area must be 25.4 --- standard old MTB bar size. 26.0 is for road. Those require a shim to be safe.
5. Your fit issues may be due to your saddle position. Make it level to the ground and give it a try before messing with stem.
5(b). Try lowering the stem all the way. You can loosen it with the hex nut at the top of it (the one above the fork). This will push the handlebars out further from your body, because as you can see the stem sits at an angle. The lower it goes, the farther out the bars go
6. The bike looks like it's in okay condition. If it only needs a new wheel, personally, I'd try to save it. A bike co-op would help you will all of this, probably for $50 total.
7. Those breaks are tough to get working properly (cantilever). They are a tough thing to work with but a good learning experience if you want one.
>>952882
Your bike sucks, doesn't fit you and you're looking at $100-150 in parts and a weekend to get it to working condition.
Buy a used bike for the same money in your size, and you'll have a much better ride.
Spend $300 on a used bike and bring a knowledgeable friend, and you'll enter an entirely different dimension of cycling fun.
>>952892
*brakes
>>952892
thanks for your wonderful thorough response.
Altough about my fit issues. I think its not about the stem because i find handle bars in comfy position.
Thing is about the pedals. I have a feeling i sit too far front for me to pedal comfortably
>>952899
also, from the time i took the pic i messes around with seat settings and made it level with the ground and it feels better but i still lean my butt towards rear to pedal more efficently
>>952899
Glad to help.
That's a good observation about the pedals being too close. Learning bike fit is more of an art than a science, but you are aware of how your body feels, so that's a great start.
The position of the pedals relative to your saddle matters. Different styles of bikes have different distances for different reasons. A cruiser bike has them far away, more comfy for upright riding. A triathlon bike has them close, better for bent riding.
If you lower the stem, you shift your weight to your hands. That *could* help you fit the bike better. It might not, but it only takes a minute to adjust the stem and try it.
If that doesn't work, you could get a new seatpost. Now we're spending more money. At some point the cost > than the value of the bike.
You'd have to figure out the size of the seatpost (diameter of the tube), then the "setback" (how far back the clamp is from the tube).
You have some offset on yours. There are high-offset seatposts, but possibly not in the size that fit your bike. Pic related, an extreme example to illustrate.
The bike could be too small for you. You can usually make it work, but if you're 6'4 and it's a medium frame you are better off getting a new frame or bike
I'd say lower the stem and level out the seat and see if there's any improvement. The weight shift to your hands might make the difference with your pedal issue. Also make sure you have the seat set at the right heigh. You should only have a slight knee bend when you are at the bottom of a pedal stroke
>>952903
Also I should note that raising your saddle will put you back further from the pedals. This can be a blessing or a curse. I'm 6'5 and I need a *zero* offset seatpost to compensate, or I'm too far back from the cranks to feel comfortable
Bump for opinions
>>952925
/n/ is a slow board brah
