Upgrading a Cheap Bike to something decent?

[erg2k]

I came across a very cheap bike, (read WALMART hybrid 26" Mens' Roadmaster Mt. Fury Mount
) and was wondering if it would be worth it to put on some new tires, or upgrade the frame? Not looking for any serious competative riding,yet, however just a not so crappy commuter.

[dgregory57]

One question, three answers...

1) If you like the way it rides and it just needs tires, then go for it.

2) If you need to change tires and a few other components, you are probably better off waiting for something that is closer to your ideal.

3) Buying cheap and trying to create a state of the art bike by replacing everything is definitely not cost effective.

If you want to replace the tires and frame, you are probably in the #3 area... The components are probably not worth upgrading a frame...

[garage sale GT]

Those things are cursed with freewheel style rear wheels. If you weigh more than 150 pounds you will not get more than 5 or 6 hundred miles out of the rear axle.

I would buy one and ride it "as is" IF they had ever found a fix for the weak rear axle, and if cheap bikes still came with a lugged steel frame. That solid, non butted aluminum frame with aluminum forks looks like it would ride brutally especially with 18mm tires.

It's almost never worth it to upgrade vs. buying new, but I feel I could get a lot of use out of one of those bikes "as is" if not for the points I've mentioned.

[badkarma]

I came across a very cheap bike, (read WALMART hybrid 26" Mens' Roadmaster Mt. Fury Mount
) and was wondering if it would be worth it to put on some new tires, or upgrade the frame? Not looking for any serious competative riding,yet, however just a not so crappy commuter.
Tires is the only thing worth upgrading. So you're taking a $150 bike, and if you put $75 worth of upgrades into it, you just spent half the worth of the bike on upgrades.

Those come with such poorly made components, it's not worth putting them on a better frame.

Honestly, if you just keep checking ebay or craigslist, you can get a very nice used commuter bike for ~$300, but I'm not sure what your budget is.

[garage sale GT]

Those things are cursed with freewheel style rear wheels. If you weigh more than 150 pounds you will not get more than 5 or 6 hundred miles out of the rear axle.

I would buy one and ride it "as is" IF they had ever found a fix for the weak rear axle, and if cheap bikes still came with a lugged steel frame. That solid, non butted aluminum frame with aluminum forks looks like it would ride brutally especially with 18mm tires.

It's almost never worth it to upgrade vs. buying new, but I feel I could get a lot of use out of one of those bikes "as is" if not for the points I've mentioned.
I was wrong, the Varsities have steel forks and 25mm tires. They may actually ride OK. The GMC Denali, though, has such straight, fat, fork legs that it probabaly doesn't matter what they are made of.