buying a cheap road bike

[Rex]

Hello all

I'm looking for a cheap road bike - must have triple chainring, as the
intention is to tow a trailer.

Anyone have any experience with the cheapest Cell bike, or the Shimano S2200
groupset? How long do the parts last? Is the quality good enough to do the
job?

Not doing big mileages, just towing a kiddy trailer (which doubles as
getting the groceries also).

 

[Blue Heeler]

Rex wrote:
>
> Anyone have any experience with the cheapest Cell bike, or the
> Shimano S2200 groupset? How long do the parts last? Is the quality
> good enough to do the job?
>

I bought a Cell SS100 this time last year.

Aluminium frame, flat bar road bike with Alex rims on Quando hubs,
Chinese Shimano BB, cranks and 7 speed spin on cluster.

OK, the Seat was a joke only exceeded by the pedals, both were in the
bin 15 minutes after I assembled it - the pedals never actually being
fitted, they went straight from box to bin.

An Avocet seat I already owned was joined by a cheap set (around $25)
of Wellgo SPD pedals.

The bike has been reliable, but rides harshly, I'm told that this is a
"feature" of alloy frames, yet my Miyata 721A is also alloy and it does
not have a harsh ride.

The only problem I have had is that the rear hub requires regular
adjustment. This is I suspect a dual result of Cell using a spin on
cluster as a cost saver resulting in excessive load on the cluster side
bearings (I'm more than a little overweight) and probably cheapish
cones/bearings.

I don't care much about this as I have a set of Shimano 105 wheels and
brakes (thank you eBay) to fit when I've got just a little more wear
out of the existing drivetrain and thus will not feel too wasteful when
I "retire" them.

Overall, my hunch has proved correct - the basic bike is not too bad
and what I got delivered in a box for $425 was any LBS's $700~$800
bike. I bought it to commute on and to leave places I won't leave my
pet Miyata unguarded. It has filled the role admirably.

--

 

[thefathippy]

On Dec 6, 10:15 pm, "Rex" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello all
>
> I'm looking for a cheap road bike - must have triple chainring, as the
> intention is to tow a trailer.
>
> Anyone have any experience with the cheapest Cell bike, or the Shimano S2200
> groupset? How long do the parts last? Is the quality good enough to do the
> job?
>
> Not doing big mileages, just towing a kiddy trailer (which doubles as
> getting the groceries also).

Ebay can be your friend.

I bought my one year old bike for around half new rrp, yet it was
almost unused, and was in almost perfect condition.

So, you might be able to get a higher quality bike than the Cell for a
similar price.

Tony F

 

[kanangara]

I bought my one year old bike for around half new rrp, yet it was
almost unused, and was in almost perfect condition.

You are sooooo busted! "A freind of mine is looking to buy a road bike..."

Parbs

 

[thefathippy]

On Dec 7, 10:10 am, kanangara <kanangara.317...@no-
mx.forums.cyclingforums.com> wrote:
> the fat scumming hippy Wrote:
>
>
>
> > I bought my one year old bike for around half new rrp, yet it was
> > almost unused, and was in almost perfect condition.
>
> You are sooooo busted! "A freind of mine is looking to buy a road
> bike..."
>
> Parbs
>
> --
> kanangara

It wasn't a friend, it was "this bloke I know". ;^P Now, I'm a bloke
(the doctor didn't slip), and I do know me, although perhaps not as
well as I should, so technically...

and yes, sob, I admit it, I actually enjoy scumming... waaaahhhhh [1]

Tony F
who finds this amusing given how much it was discussed on mtb-oz ;^)

[1] scumming's still not as much fun as mtbing by a long shot, but
it's still been enjoyable, and more than I expected/have experienced
in the past

 

[petulance]

On Dec 7, 9:08 am, thefathippy <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ebay can be your friend.
>
> I bought my one year old bike for around half new rrp, yet it was
> almost unused, and was in almost perfect condition.
>
> So, you might be able to get a higher quality bike than the Cell for a
> similar price.
>

Seconded. I got my road bike off Ebay [1] for about a fifth of what it
would have cost new. though the previous owner did use it hard for a
year.

[1] well, not directly off Ebay ... I contacted the owner after the
auction ended because I had forgotten to place my bid and no one else
made a bid on it.

 

[petulance]

On Dec 7, 12:31 pm, thefathippy <[email protected]> wrote:

> [1] scumming's still not as much fun as mtbing by a long shot, but
> it's still been enjoyable, and more than I expected/have experienced
> in the past

yeah but scumming's only fun when the road isn't pancake flat

 

[PeteSig]

"Blue Heeler" wrote:

> The only problem I have had is that the rear hub requires regular
> adjustment. This is I suspect a dual result of Cell using a spin on
> cluster as a cost saver resulting in excessive load on the cluster side
> bearings (I'm more than a little overweight) and probably cheapish
> cones/bearings.

Huh? Don't know where this theory comes from.

Bikes have had screw-on clusters and freewheels for decades before cassettes
were introduced. They're even used on tandems with no excessive need for
frequent spoke adjustment. The cluster/cassette will not overload the spokes
(unless it's a **** hub!) I'd guess your problem is simply the result of a
cheap, poorly assembled wheel, or _maybe_ a weak, mild steel hub.


--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

 

[PeteSig]

"PeteSig" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Blue Heeler" wrote:
>
>> The only problem I have had is that the rear hub requires regular
>> adjustment. This is I suspect a dual result of Cell using a spin on
>> cluster as a cost saver resulting in excessive load on the cluster side
>> bearings (I'm more than a little overweight) and probably cheapish
>> cones/bearings.

D'oh! Bearing adjustments!

OK. A screw-on hub will lead to greater load on the rhs bearings but this
should not affect the need for adjustment. Once the cone is properly locked
it should stay that way. The main problem with srew-on hubs is, in the
longer term, a greater chance of a bent/broken axle.

Still maintain that your problem is the result of a cheap hub with lower
quality cones, locknuts and axle.
--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

 

[Rex]

Tried ebay. Hasnt been much use. I was winning in one auction - but got
outbid in the last 10 seconds.

I live in a rural area. Most bikes are saying pick up only - or are charging
big money for postage.

Also - some Giant OC3's are selling for $600+. A new one from a bike shop is
only a couple hundred more than that after you bargain them down.


"thefathippy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:c905cca7-b037-44c8-8ae2-14c765686f56@e10g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On Dec 6, 10:15 pm, "Rex" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Hello all
>>
>> I'm looking for a cheap road bike - must have triple chainring, as the
>> intention is to tow a trailer.
>>
>> Anyone have any experience with the cheapest Cell bike, or the Shimano
>> S2200
>> groupset? How long do the parts last? Is the quality good enough to do
>> the
>> job?
>>
>> Not doing big mileages, just towing a kiddy trailer (which doubles as
>> getting the groceries also).
>
> Ebay can be your friend.
>
> I bought my one year old bike for around half new rrp, yet it was
> almost unused, and was in almost perfect condition.
>
> So, you might be able to get a higher quality bike than the Cell for a
> similar price.
>
> Tony F

 

[Shane Stanley]

In article <[email protected]>,
"Rex" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Also - some Giant OC3's are selling for $600+. A new one from a bike shop is
> only a couple hundred more than that after you bargain them down.

FWIW, the latest Giant OCR3 is considerably lower-specced (and cheaper)
than previous models bearing that designation.

--
Shane Stanley

 

[Blue Heeler]

PeteSig wrote:

>
> Huh? Don't know where this theory comes from.
>
Perhaps you should have read what was written rather than getting the
hobby horse out of the cupboard to ride off in answer to what you would
have liked me to have written....

Hint - I didn't mention spokes once.

> Bikes have had screw-on clusters and freewheels for decades before
> cassettes were introduced. They're even used on tandems with no
> excessive need for frequent spoke adjustment. The cluster/cassette
> will not overload the spokes (unless it's a **** hub!) I'd guess your
> problem is simply the result of a cheap, poorly assembled wheel, or
> maybe a weak, mild steel hub.

Bent axles are a well known and common problem with spin on clusters
due to less than optimal placement of the drive side race, One of the
reasons why there was never a spin on cluster of more than 7 speeds,
the more gears the worse the positioning of the race.

Further, as I fessed up earlier in my piece, I'm more than a little
overweight which compounds the loadingon an already overloaded race.

--

 

[Blue Heeler]

DOH ! From me too.

You corrected yourself in the very next post.

Actually I'd go with cheap bearings, next time it needs adjusting I'll
slip some known good ones in and see if the problem goes away.
--