Bikers- Please give me some advice

[When89]

I'm an international student and don't know much about cycling in Singapore. After a few months here, I decide to buy a bicycle to ride to school and travel around sometime. I can save money by traveling with it, rather than by bus or MRT all the time. I also can catch some interesting scene to shoot while riding around (Oh, I'm a photograph-lover, but with no money to buy SLR)

I'm gonna stay here in 3 years, so I hope to buy a good bike to use and don't wanna see it go wrong. I don't think I'll have chance to go off-road many times, so it doesn't have to be too good.

However, my budget is tight, with maximum of $300.
After searching for information and reviews from the internet, I see there are many problems with a bike below $300. Most of them are problems with gears, shifters, suspensions and breaks.

Someone told me about shops like TiongHin, and I change my mind, I wonder if I can build up a bike:
- maximum $300
- I don't need any suspension.
- Strong, not too heavy frame, and good bar. [And, I'm only 1m58 tall ]
- Good derailleurs and chain and crankset and hub, and not easily rust (Shimano, if possible)
- Good and precise shifters (I'll have to ride up-slope everyday)
- Good brakes
- Good rims and tyres.

Oh you may laugh at me, but please give me some advice and recommendations for my idea.
Or, could you give me any other choice?
Thank you for reading my tread

 

[Ally]

Try seeking out bikes at Singapore Mountain Bike Forum www.smbf.com.sg/forum

Ride safe!

 

[ed9119]

$300 or even less is enough to get you a basic bike 2nd hand

togoparts.com is a local bicycle forum that has lots of 2nd hand bikes for sale from high end all the way down to clunkers

most local bicycle shops also have 2nd hand bikes that their clients have traded in for newer bikes........ can just go there and check them out............

 

[carnage3630]

$300 is possible but not the specs you request for. perhaps a singlespeed steel bike.

- I don't need any suspension.
rigid fork
- Strong, not too heavy frame, and good bar. [And, I'm only 1m58 tall ]
steel M size
- Good derailleurs and chain and crankset and hub, and not easily rust (Shimano, if possible)
- Good and precise shifters (I'll have to ride up-slope everyday)
- Good brakes
- Good rims and tyres.


I don't know your pespective of "good" but normally good ones can hit your budget before the bike can finish. Just go for a normal one. step into a local bike shop and tell the boss ur budget.

 

[Lomographer]

I know of one shop that sell trek bikes meant for daily use such as commuting purpsoses.

No suspension, and a nice comfy seats. Colours are actually quite nice.

Let me the check the price out and I will get back to you.

 

[aryanto]

check supermarket also, see their price and check if quality is ok for you.
even if you dont buy at least you have a benchmark of quality for price or the other way around.

 

[petetherock]

Hi
We have a bicycle thread here:
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=472352

I posted about getting a good Raleigh bike there for < $300. Have a look through the thread.

Cheers

 

[When89]

Oh, thank you very much for your advices. I didn't expect to be replied so soon

I'll try seeking for more information from MTB forum and togoparts.com. Actually I wanna build up one bike after reading the reviews in togoparts.com. Many people got troubles with cheap bikes and that really makes me confused.
Most of them say about jerky shifters, bad breaks, easily-rust chain,... and I consider "good" as not easily goes wrong and can work smoothly and last long

When I went to one shop at Clementi, I saw some $130 bikes and feel that they are not good at all, the others looked better but they were all $300 plus :sweat:

I also wanna see if I can buy second hand bikes, but just afraid there would be some problems with them after some time used.

I think I need to go around more and see the price, I'm new here and don't know much about the places. Getting a good bike is more complicated than I first thought :sweat:

I'll look through the thread of Raleigh bike, thank you Petetherock.
And I'll wait for you to get back, Lomographer, thank you very much (but they say TREK is very expensive...)

Thank you all again and again :angel:

 

[peapilot]

I've been riding for almost a decade now and I have a whole bunch of spares...tires/shifters/cogs/rims etc you name it.

Haven't had much time to ride anymore so if you wanna build up a bike maybe I can dig those stuff out of my storeroom and you can have them cheap just drop me a pm to discuss this.

 

[peapilot]

But that said... I don't recommend custom building a bike with a budget of less than $300, you're better off getting a 2nd hand stock bike.

 

[When89]

HI, thank you all for your advices

Yesterday I've bought my bike. It's a 2nd hand Raleigh bike, needs some adjust but I think still in good condition

Your advices really help me much. Thank you all again and again :angel: