Reply to: Pushbikes. Anyone ride? What have you got?

[DS23]

the last bike i had was a raleigh chico

[threaded]

How long have you had it? Thinking about getting a fat boy (wiggle have a special edition) but not sure about frame build quality etc as I've never seen one.

Good bikes, but remember with bikes you get what you pay for.

Focus promotes a story of German build and quality about themselves.

Most parts come from Taiwan, China and Japan.

I had to find out some sizes for bushings for a rear shock on a Focus. No one at Focus would answer me, but a guy in Taiwan not only knew, but also sent me some.

Watch out for spec. changes too. The brochure might say one thing, but look at the bike to see if it does. (Know someone who bought one by looking at the spec., and the rear shock delivered was one £100 cheaper and wasn't suitable as it's PIP was way lower).

[Moscow Mule]

A Focus Mares Expert cyclocross bike. Love it. Mostly cycle on the weekends for fun, off-road.

How long have you had it? Thinking about getting a fat boy (wiggle have a special edition) but not sure about frame build quality etc as I've never seen one.

[realityhack]

A Focus Mares Expert cyclocross bike. Love it. Mostly cycle on the weekends for fun, off-road.

[bobhope]

A couple of Treks + a fleet of crappy bikes for doing short trips that won't get nicked at the train station.

The fleet is because it's normally cheaper just to buy a new bike rather than fix anything major on it.

[threaded]

If you have the knowhow and proper tools to replace bits, then I agree. A year old, used bike is probably going to need a few bits done. But, bike DIY is easy to learn and tools are cheap.

Only downside is where you buy them from (eg everything on Gumtree is probably nicked).

Day to day tasks are easy, and can mostly be done with a set of small spanners and a large monkey wrench.

Full on maintenance will gradually find yourself with a tool-kit to rival a professional car mechanic, and will have cost more. For example most car mechanics get away with just one torque wrench, a bike mechanic on MTBs will find they need three to do stuff correctly because of the different ranges required.

[oversteer]

Like hi-fi and cars, I never understand why people by bikes new.

If you have the knowhow and proper tools to replace bits, then I agree. A year old, used bike is probably going to need a few bits done. But, bike DIY is easy to learn and tools are cheap.

Only downside is where you buy them from (eg everything on Gumtree is probably nicked).

[SuperZ]

I want a Penny-farthing so I can feel like the bicycle equivelant of a BMW X5 driver, better than everyone else .

I would like a carbon-fibre Giant if someone were to buy it for me.

[The_Equalizer]

Dawes Galaxy which was bought second-hand for £200. Had a great summer a couple of years back when benched just spending sunny afternoons cycling round bits of Kent.

Like hi-fi and cars, I never understand why people by bikes new.

[Moscow Mule]

Had a kuwi with skyways that I wish I still had seeing the price they fetch nowadays.

I had a super tuff burner. Mum gave it away. Silly mare.

[Durbs]

You just can't beat the classics.....

......until you snag your plums on the gear lever.

[conned tractor]

Kona Kula cira mid 90s was one of my favourite bikes.

Raced a Mongoose Supergoose 3 back in the 80s ... took me to top 5 in the country that did ...

The supergoose was not far off the dogs back in the day. Had a kuwi with skyways that I wish I still had seeing the price they fetch nowadays. I take it you raced back in the day. Was you a sponsored rider? It was always a dream of mine to turn pro.

And 90's kona hold their own against modern bikes. When I started looking for a new commuter bike all I saw in the shops was pretty crappy around the few hundred quid mark compared to the kona I bought new over 10 years ago. So figured that sourcing another similar wouldn't be too bad an idea. It just happened that exactly the same model came up at the right price. Stuck some slicks on it and its not a bad commuter and with the spare wheelset can be changed for off road use at the drop of a hat.

[shoes]

I've got a grifter, I like the way you can turn the thing to the green bit for the grass. weee.

[threaded]

I wonder how well a rider in the Tour De France would do riding a Brompton? It annoys me that these races are so restrictive with regard to bicycle designs, I would love to find out what the best type of bike is in terms of wheel radius, tyre width and formulation, aerodynamic fairings, etc.

IHPVA blog

[Jeebo72]

Have amassed a total of 3 kona hardtails. One is for Mrs ct, the other is a mid range but old kona nunu mtb. Then when I started this contract, I bought another exactly the same of ebay for me lodgings. Have two sets of wheels for the commuting bike, one with knobblies, and one with the slicks I put on for commuting. But I don't use spuds on the commuter , but I should get another set really, but that means getting more shoes also as I don't want to end up ferrying them when going hone for the weekend.

And an 83 raleigh burner and a mongoose bmx for the nipper and I did have a flatland bike which I gave to a mates son, as I realised I really am too old for that.

Kona Kula cira mid 90s was one of my favourite bikes.

Raced a Mongoose Supergoose 3 back in the 80s ... took me to top 5 in the country that did ...