NT' bicycle riders, insight needed.

[ardeedas]

Looking to buy a 2nd hand bike to get me around town.
There's this 2nd hand Bianchi up on c-list that i was peepin.

Don't really know much about bikes so any expert advice would be appreciated

http://austin.craigslist.org/bik/1589512125.html

 

[soltheman]

Bianchis are quality.

But if you're looking to get around town, you should be looking for a touring bike.

the mountain bike will get you around, but touring bikes usually offer a smoother ride for just cruising.

 

[ryda421]

Originally Posted by soltheman

Bianchis are quality.

But if you're looking to get around town, you should be looking for a touring bike.

the mountain bike will get you around, but touring bikes usually offer a smoother ride for just cruising.

depends what city he lives in also. if there are lots of cracks on the road, I suggest a mountain bike. but if the gravel is smooth go with the road bike

 

[ardeedas]

Thanks, I'd mostly use it to cruise around town, but would like the option on taking it on trail rides around the river.

Do you think the bike I linked from c-list is worth the $130 the seller is asking?

 

[ardeedas]

I stay in Austin around the UT area. The roads aren't too janky but there are cracks and such.

Couldn't I just change the wheels in accordance with the type of ride i want?

Also, is a mountain bike THAT much slower than a road bike?

 

[quiksilver199]

I have a titanium Bianchi road bike and love it, of course it being a $10,000 bike I should 

 I agree with ardeedas, if you're looking for a bike to ride around town I'd check into a touring bike or even a fixed gear. A mountain bike wouldn't be that bad either, I'd swap the tires over to slicks though (and that's a decent deal on that Bianchi)

 

[5thgearidah]

if your in a city that is pretty decent for commuter I wouldnt get a mtn bike. Most cyclist I know that started to ride for reasons other than fitting it started w/ a mtn bike though. They are a ton slower than a road bike for just commuting.

in short...keep looking.

 

[soltheman]

Originally Posted by ardeedas

I stay in Austin around the UT area. The roads aren't too janky but there are cracks and such.

Couldn't I just change the wheels in accordance with the type of ride i want?

Also, is a mountain bike THAT much slower than a road bike?

You could, but it might be hard trying to find wheels that would fit. and I wouldn't really want to ride a mountain bike on road wheels, since the frame is probably twice as heavy and I wouldn't want to warp anything.

mountain bikes are significantly slower, and heavier. so you might want to take that into consideration if you're going to be lifting it often. on the plus side, if anything breaks, it's probably going to be a lot cheaper than fixing a touring bike.

as far as what type of deal you're getting, it depends on the state of the bike. those bikes retailed for around $270 from what I could find, so if it's in good condition, that's a decent buy.

 

[ardeedas]

^^Thanks, I'm totally in the dark about buying a bike, I don't want to feel like I over paid for something that isn't worth it.

and 10G's for a bike?!?! I hope you're on some Lance Armstrong type +$+!!! LOL.. speaking on which, he got his million dollar bike stolen during a leg of race in my hometown of Sacramento... hella ghetto.

 

[ardeedas]

Yeah, I'll probably be lifting it a lot since I'll be putting on bus' front racks.

Thanks everyone for the insight... I'll keep looking if I feel that the c-list bianchi isn't worth it.