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.

 

[pirated]

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.

I know, I know... way to dig an OOld thread. However, I caught this thread in a search and must respond.

Everyone I've been reading has been posting the same attitude. Buy used bike and spend more. What if you don't have more, hints the reason I'm looking for a "cheap" bike.

I have a few points.
1. If I wait to buy I'll spend the money before I can get a bike.
2. Waiting to buy because the "cheap bike" doesn't have all the bells and whistles, we're talking about cost here. Oh, excuse me I couldn't possibly ride a $50 walmart bike. Who cares if its $50 at least your riding! $50 is a lot of money to some people.Pick the thing up, does it feel sturdy?
3. At what point do you stop trying to get the next better bike? example: I'm looking at a cheap $50 bike, oh but this $100 bike has better suspension, oh but this $200 bike has better suspension and brakes, oh but this $300 has a better tires suspension and brakes, oh but this $500 bike has a better frame but not as good brakes, oh but this $800 bike has an even better frame suspension and brakes etc etc.. where do you stop???
4. Safety is important, know your limits, live within your means. If you don't own even a cheapo bike you can't get any exorcise. If you don't get any exorcise you'll get fat and never want to ride a bike.
5. what if you got a "Cheapo bike" for "FREE" ? wouldn't you want to fix it if it were missing a tire and the brakes sucked?

Don't shoot everyone down just because they're looking at a cheapo bike, constructive criticism people, please. Sure you want to recommend save and get a better bike. Offer some helpful constructive criticism if I were to get a cheap bike. I'll get a better bike when I'm old and have a fat wallet. But for now I'll just ride

 

[Resistorlead]

FWIW, many years ago (decades) I bought a cheap British Whitcomb that was at the limits of what I could afford. It had a non-butted Reynolds lugged frame and mediocre parts- steel cottered crank, clunky center pull brakes and Simplex changers. I can't remember what the wheels were, but I have a recollection that, for some bizarre and unknown reason, they took sew-ups (hey, I'm old enough to have used shellac back in the day). It was a crazy mix, but it was the frame I really bought it for.

Every year thereafter, I bought the bike a present. Nice seatpost, wheels, crankset, brakes, headset. It wasn't long before everything was Shimano 600, and the bike has served me well for a long time.

Sure, it would have been cheaper if I could have just bought a decent bike to begin with, but I plain didn't have the money. I just think of it the same as a time payment plan with interest charges.

If the bike didn't have a decent frame, I wouldn't have bothered. I don't think there's anything at the discount stores I'd bother with. Also, it pays to check yard sales and Craigslist. I've wanted a better bike for a long time but couldn't justify it. At a recent yard sale I bought a very dirty Cannondale for less money than it took to replace the rotted tires. I've also seen nice classic Raleighs and other bikes, so deals are out there if you're patient.

 

[mitosis]

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.

No. Don't spend a cent more than you need to on it. You'll have expensive parts on a **** bike. If you are starting to get serious spend a bit on a good second hand quality bike.