I dont know! It's made of 7000-series tubing instead of the 6061 you find most good bikes made of. Same goes for motor scooters. Recently purchased a (very) used late 1970s Huffy 3 speed for $35US. I only decided to change the crankset aftre clocking close to 500km on it. OK bike but heavy, unresponsive and always needing adjustment. I agree, that a good bike mechanic is highly recommended for building, testing and maintenance of a bicycle, and buying online with build it yourself might be risky, however, the large bicycle retailers such as Halfords or Evans should have enough quality control to do the needful. Thanks from, Adelaide, Australia.
We are training the young ones and we provide cheap, safe, worthwhile transport for the less well-heeled in Coventry. I bought my front-suspension mt bike in 1998 for $700 US - it was last year's model but brand new, so kitted out, its full retail was $1000. They both ended up at the landfill. You wrote an excellent article.
Most folk consider a bike as poor mans transport and can't see why anyone would pay as much as a cheap used car for a bike. Free (with UK mobile phone) mountain bike in 2003. These are only a little better, the bikes themselves are a notch better but they don't employ really skilled mechanics like the best shops do. It is a bike in the old mould and it will, already has, cost me more than a BSO to end up with a pile of bits in my bedroom and there will be more because I am salvaging its bits as much as I can rather than 'buying new'.
You definitely get what you pay for with bikes, of course some are silly money but my arguement is that if you compare anything else, people are willing to spend the cash. There are cheap bikes that are of superb quality Now, when we went to pick up my wife's bike, the queue was long, so inevitably I got bored. - and rubbing against the wheel. They go from entry level to expert users. The frame - weighing less than I do - is responsive and well balanced. Turns out to be a Raleigh Ventura from about 1985. My last bike was awful, so I saved and bought a lovely road bike for 400. I have been riding for about 2 decades now, and have ridden everything from 100 Halfords bike's , to my current 4000~ Kona. Keep cycling. It is the individuals choice, but it annoys me when I bought an appolo slant 17 from Halfords. So much so that its just received new brakes, brake levers, cable, saddle, seat post and grips, Also a used sprocket, crank and chain ring with better gearing for the ramp parks. In 1980 a wage after apprenticeship was 600 per month. I've spent just a few hundred quid on servicing. Enjoy your riding if you become a regular rider get a better bike, I personally still enjoy riding this very cheap bike especially when overtaking people on very expensive Hoofin fast bicycles at times :-), The BSO is the reason why many people don't ride a bicycle. Great for beginners.
It does the job. I'm expecting delivery of a boxed bike today. I came across this article and now am on the look out for a sturdy vintage Raleigh or other quality second hand bike. It has arguably the best crankset in the world - Cannondale Hollowgram with carbon cranks, a carbon premium plus fork and carbon FSA seatpost. They were totally useless and horrible to ride. From childhood on, BSO after BSO. It was one of those Apollo brands for about 120. I've just knackered a cheap bike. People, don't kick someone for riding a cheaper bike than you because they're biking and having fun. Part of the problem for me is that bike shop owners tend to be real snobs, and out you off buying a mid-range bike. If you absolutely have to buy a cheap bike, say you are on a very low budget and cannot afford 400, or like me live near the sea where any bike will corrode quickly, why not buy from a second hand dealer who also repairs? Thanks for all the useful information and opinion. Today I have been out and bought a Boardman after riding a friends cyclocross bike, I couldn't agree more. A hobby you might say. What's even worse that buying a cheap BSO is when you pay a lot of money for a BSO you thought was going to be a real bike. So you can still sometimes get quality at a bargain price, if you're lucky, but I would never expect to get such use from a cheap and nasty catalogue bike. I replaced the bog-standard V's with some nice XT's and after that it stopped! Thanks. But srsly, you can still buy a good bike at about $100-$200, like a secondhand. Why isn't there a government body checking standards of these things before providing companies licences to operate/produce? This Bike has been doing this journey daily for over 5 years and has been overseas. After making sure he knew what a new one costs(with a $50 proper-assembly fee) he said "NO, I've tried $600 bike-shop-bikes and none FEEL like this one,..I know it's a tank, but it is bullet-proof, and I just want this-one to be retro-fitted with newer/better gears & brakes". If you're no good with a spanner though, forget it.
Think about it, some bike shops run a "Savings Club" you can purchase a cycle for summer by saving with the shop through the winter or use the Savings Club for Xmas, Easter or Birthdays, you will be supporting your cycle local shop, who in return supports you and will help you enjoy your purchase. This fox weighs an absolute ton, the bearings are rough, the fork has play in the stanchions, it's all round horrible, and I just can't see it lasting more than a few months, its sheer weight will probably see it at the back of the shed before the months out. Great article man! Owning a good quality, well built bike is the only way to enjoy and get the most out of this brilliant sport. Trek hybrid front suspension bike 2007 to now: Decent new bike from a bike store for about 350 or 400 quid. I have no interest in racing or competition. The latest BSO to darken our doors is a Dunlop full suspension, the axle breaks in the rear wheel within weeks, we had one chap asking for a replacement, we told him to take it back to shop he got it from, they gave him another wheel, that axle snapped! I used a well known auction site to pick up a used Cube cyclocross bike with full Shimano 105 groupset, for just over 100 (I asked suitable questions to ensure it wasn't stolen). I agree with you, but it also depends on how much you're going to use it and how well you service it. It's a shame because Halfords do sell good bikes too. I often get comments from other riders about how they look and even offers to buy them. They are an embarrassment to sell. I found this "article" while looking-up a bike I just took in as trade. The threads strip, the nuts round, the bearings are awful and the brakes are poor. ripping consumers off, they are putting their reputation and investment on the line to sell good People do not have to spend silly money to get a bike and as long as you spend at least "sensible" money it will last for years and years. For a start, someone using it to try and get fit. Just don't forget second hand. I saved up for a LONG time (& used my redundancy chq too) to buy my Dawes Galaxy. Rode a BSO for the first time on holiday and I bought into it with a positive attitude as it was the only bike on offer. I've got all my bikes this way - three in the last 11 years (two stollen) and never paid more than 200 for a bike - always been quailty. Bought a cheap bike, got me back into cycling, was sub 100. People like you and some of you commenters get on my nerves so bad! The last time I took a bike back to a bike shop for repair was 1982. Also on a side note, my brother is like-minded with my dad, so bought a bso, from halfords for 100euro, apparently "full suspension", i borrowed it a few times and it is a piece of sh!t, the brakes are horrible, to change gears i had to get off the bike and physically move the chain after twisting the gear shifter, the chain came off a few times as well, and despite being "full suspension" i couldn't notice it at all. It's all original parts minus the saddle which is a replacement from a similar British 3 speed. Interesting article, I've just purchased one of those BSOs with an aluminium frame and have every intention to do a few upgrades as and when I can afford them as I realise the standard components are'nt going to be upto much.
Jeezzzz people, share cycling and stop being so above other people just because they buy a better bike. I agree entirely, but I have an 11 year old, quickly growing son, who lives (away) in a flat, so doesn't get that many opportunities to cycle, plus skint parents means that halfrauds might be the only viable option Bought a cheap bike $150. We just want things to work and work every time. ;-)). halfords mechanics are a joke they dont know the name of components one didnt know what a rear mech was and another halfords i was in three of them were trying to assemble a bike! i could remember the gone good old days when i had bought 40 tesco cheap throw awaya BSO way back in 2007, i can garantuee you it all happened what is narrated above ended up spending more than the actual bought price in fixing one or the other parts every week. I have bought a cheap bike two times. That said, I have just bought a Carrera Zeus 2014 for the occasional sprint commute to work (mainly because I am trying to get into the top 10 on a number of segments in Strava), but I will continue to ride the Jumpro as well, and looking at it, I am pretty sure it will last another 20 years, although new bikes will probably hover by then! Ask at your local cycle dealer if they run a Savings Club, if so why not join it and save towards a better The price is right! As I said, I have trouble riding these modern machines because, although I have an inside leg measurement of 27 inches, my upper leg bones (femurs?) I've just purchased 2 Ridgeback Traditional cycles and so glad I read artice..hope u can give me advice on the purchased Ridgeback (Traditional) 349 each All bikes will need maintenance. If I earned 500 per week I'd be able to afford the insurance for a car. Great article, have been googling for info on bad bikes, let me tell you in the USA it is even worse. I saw (and actually bought) a Trax T700 hybrid for 60, thinking 'well, there's more chance of us using the bikes if we get one each'. I average 22 MPH. If you just still want a bike to ride to the shops there's plenty of proper bikes you can get for a low budget or better second hand. Bought it back. "I see these BSO things being ridden. But time to move on, MTB's are great up to a certain age I think, but the riding position and pressure on my wrists are beginning to take their toll. for a bike? Kids bikes are some of the worst offenders and not a good way to get kids into cycling. Even at that vintage, it is way better than any of the BSOs, and it is reliable. But you can get a very good quailty second hand bike very cheap if you look for a week or so. Yes you will pay a bit more but the change in quality is huge. Sadly the British bike industry (in common with every other country, it seems)does not cater for the likes of me, it seems it is more concerned with young riders with 30+ inside leg measurements who either road race or ride "off road".
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