Use old bike or get new?

CThomas67 said:

[font=Arial] They feel that if i get a new bike ill ride it for a while then lose intrest and it would be a waste of money for a new bike[/font]

Is that what happened with your dad? Why did he stop riding the Takari?

Truthfully, I think that you're fighting an uphill battle with your parents. I'm guessing that your best bet is to find a way to earn some money this Summer.

Hm....do you have a photo? Old bikes may do up nicer than you think, the ride quality on the old steel bikes are in fact quite nice.

I dont have a picture but i might be able to get one. Im not arguing that this bike would fix up well or do fine but since i have had problems with my back and such would it be smarter to get a bike that really FITS... i just worry about having this not work out and this is one of my last options to staying in shape. opposed to a gym membership but that doesnt come close to how nice it is being outside...

I have the money to spend... Its just convincing them that it would be the smarter choice...

CThomas67 said:

[font=Arial]I used to be a runner and im still in fair shape but due to recent back problems running has become to much of a pain to deal with and im looking at getting into biking as a way to stay fit and have fun...

My issue has been that I am only 18 and i graduate in a few weeks so i basicly have to still go through my parents for every decision... They feel that if i get a new bike ill ride it for a while then lose intrest and it would be a waste of money for a new bike... He has an old Takara Deluxe 12. To me this bike is falling apart and doesnt fit me well, but my dad thinks that if we get some new tires and take it to a bike shop to get fixed up it will do just fine.

What im asking is should i push harder for a new bike that fits me well and works better for the hilly areas that we live in? I worry that if i try riding an old bike that doesnt work as well i would get frusterated and since the fit wont be as good maybe have problems with my back that will deter me from going on.

I ask for you advice and help...

Thanks,

Chris
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I don't know where you live, but I'd look at a used bike on craigslist. I see them all the time, and good stuff for less than $400.00. If your willing to ride something mid-nineties even, you can get some really sweet used stuff that othe people don't want or need. I'm a parent of a 16 yr. old. I fully understand both sides of this movie script. It runs regularly in our house. But, I'm a bike guy too. There is a happy medium. Save and buy your own bike, that you think fits you and, will keep you interested in the sport. This way you'll also know if you get hooked.

CThomas67 said:

I have the money to spend... Its just convincing them that it would be the smarter choice...

So where do you live? Is there any chance that your parents know me?

Sometimes it's better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.

i dont think they would know you...

I live out in the eastern part of Washington...

I have yet to bring up the subject again and the last time we talked i just gave in and was like "your right" "that would probably be the best idea" even though i am really against it... i feel that if i try and stand up i would like some people who do this a lot more to be saying that what im talking about makes a huge diffrence and if i hear from yall that im making valid points then they would have to think im not just doing this just because i want a shiny new bike that ill get bored of and move on... I know that money doesnt grow on trees and i know alot of parents out there that have kids that think it does and understand where my parents are coming from completely... But if i have the money to spend and im willing to do so... would it be the best choice to go ahead and get a new bike opposed to getting the old one "fixed"?

it's yard sale season, if you keep a look-out, you just might find a very good bike for pennies.I was looking for a good midrange bike with decent components to cut up and reassemble into a recumbent. passed a flea market and there was a fuji"flair" roadbike,near mint, for 35 bucks!also several other similar bikes there for similar prices.the tires were rotten,but that was all...evidently it hung in someones garage for years.it's rough being 18 ain't it? you can work around your parents, I did,now i'm 55,and my son does me too.

CThomas67 said:

i dont think they would know you...

I live out in the eastern part of Washington...

I have yet to bring up the subject again and the last time we talked i just gave in and was like "your right" "that would probably be the best idea" even though i am really against it... i feel that if i try and stand up i would like some people who do this a lot more to be saying that what im talking about makes a huge diffrence and if i hear from yall that im making valid points then they would have to think im not just doing this just because i want a shiny new bike that ill get bored of and move on... I know that money doesnt grow on trees and i know alot of parents out there that have kids that think it does and understand where my parents are coming from completely... But if i have the money to spend and im willing to do so... would it be the best choice to go ahead and get a new bike opposed to getting the old one "fixed"?

Hey guy,

Sounds like a cliche, but I was in your position, many *decades* ago. Way beyond many years ago. Anyway, in 1972, I was 19 and a freshman in college. If you think you're broke now, wait til you're in college! Seriously, I wanted a bike, and found a used one I could afford (probably $75 back then, but just for comparison, I was earning about $2.25 per hour).

Anyway, this bike was a POS, in the modern jargon. So I bought a "guide to bike repair and maintenance" type of book, and with a few tools, learned to fix it and make it run as well as that POS could run. Eventually, I went crazy and stripped every part off of it, stripped and painted it, then re-installed every part including packing all hubs, bottom bracket, headset, pedals, etc. etc.

But it worked right off the bat, I just wanted to make it work better after I'd ridden for a while.

Anyway, this old man's moral to you is, Save up a couple hundred bucks. Find a used bike that is approximately the right size (use the standover test - I know it's not "right" but it is a darn good place to start, 1-2 " standover in stocking feet - will be more in shoes of course). Just look at the bike and make an impression: does it look heavily used and filthy or does it look like it was lightly used and stored in the garage for several years. These distinctions are easy to make - and if you look at garage sales, bike swaps, etc. for a while it will be obvious. Then buy a $10 guide to repairing and maintaining a bike. Chances are that if it's a lightly used, clean bike, all that will be needed is simple lube of the chain and other obvious moving parts and derailleur adjustment. Derailleur adjustment, if you can read simple instructions, is very simple and straight forward.

There are also simple guides for adjusting the seat, stem, handlebars, etc. This isn't difficult stuff, at the basic level.

If your dad's bike fits these criteria (minimum standover, lightly used and 'clean', basically functional but needs some rubber parts, etc.), I'd just use that until I need and could afford something nicer.

Good luck. If you get a bike, and want some pointers or advice, keep us clued in. There are excellent books and websites that can help you too.