ISO examples and photos of nice city bikes on a budget

[PATRICK MOORE]

A friend wants to take up commuting to her job at Intel, some 4 miles
from her house in Rio Rancho: rolling terrain with 200-300 feet of
climbing (I estimate) between Intel and her house. Mid '50s, hasn't
ridden in five or six years, has residual car accident neck injury
that requires an upright position.

She mistakenly bought a $150 POC (technical term) "comfort bike" that
has never been satisfactory and which I persuaded her was not worth
attempting to fix or upgrade.

Her budget is $1,000 or less, and I believe that for such money she
can find a decent city bike with fenders, chain guard, good rack, dyno
lights, wide range hub gear -- not non-negotiable, tho' thought-proof
shifting is, mattress saddle and decent wheels. Tires: she won't fix
flats, so it's either "thorn proof" tubes or something like an
Armadillo if the Armadillo or substitute is proof against goatheads. I
guess I can use the local "system" which consists in cutting the beads
off an old tire and using the remaining casing as a tire liner.

Although she has owned, apparently, at least one decent Trek, she is
entirely ignorant of what to buy -- her last attempt resulted in that
Big 5 $150 POS/POC -- so it looks as if I can set the parameters and
standards (!!!) and my little mind says "city bike" or converted UJB
or touring bike, and not "converted mountain bike".

I'd like to see any of y'all's such examples or near examples,
including photos.

I've seen some very nice modern, aluminum-framed city bikes --
Amersterdams, a very nice Specialized Sports clone, etc. -- but I'm
sure y'all have built up others on other plans. Please give total
budget for your build, too. I am afraid that she can't afford a
Rivendell, but I'd like to get her something "Rivendellianesque".

Thanks.

--
"When in Rome, do as they done in Milledgeville."

Flannery O'Connor

-------------------------
Patrick Moore, Albuquerque, NM, USA
For professional resumes, contact Patrick Moore, ACRW
http://resumespecialties.com/index.html
-------------------------

[Peter Morgano]

Referring to my earlier thread hows about the selections from velo orange?

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[PATRICK MOORE]

Peter: My memory is full of holes (probably due to so much Jameson's).
Can you refresh? Meanwhile, will pass Go and proceed to VO site.
Thanks.

[Jim Mather]

Off the top of my head, I'd say check out Breezer (http://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes/transportation), Public (http://publicbikes.com/sale-bikes), REI, Raleigh, Kona, Jamis. There's plenty out there that fit in the category you're looking for; some are steel, many are aluminum.

 

jim m

wc ca

 

 

[Marc Schwartz]

Patrick,
If she's 5'2-5'6, I know a dude down in Cruces with a Kogswell P/R fs.
Marc
________________________________________
From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com [rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] on behalf of PATRICK MOORE [bert...@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 5:12 PM
To: rbw-owners-bunch
Subject: [RBW] ISO examples and photos of nice city bikes on a budget

[ted]

When my younger daughter who basically didn't ride went to college we
got her a Bianchi Milano which served her very well.
I replaced the stock bar with a Dove bar and cork grips from RBW, and
she loved it.
Would need some additions to tick all the requirements you list
(lights, rack, armored tires), but probably doable on that budget,
particularly if 3 speed igh is ok (3 models w/ different drive trains
and different price points).

[Ginz]

Check out Linus -- a friend had one and I thought it was very nice for
the money and, if I recall, significantly less than $1,000.

[John Speare]

If she had someone to help source and build it out -- customizing a UJB mixte can work out.

 

We did that for my wife's bike years ago and it was well under $1000.

 

http://johndogfood.com/john/lizafuji.html

 

I don't remember the itemized list, but the original bike (fully built up) was $50.

The big money item was a new wheelset with Nexus hub -- otherwise, pretty standard stuff. I'm guessing it all came in for around $600.

 

She later 650b'ized it and it was way better:

http://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com/2009/02/lizas-650bd-fuji.html

[islaysteve]

Patrick, as you've probably discovered by now, that budget will not support a current VO Polyvalent.  $550 for f/f and over 1200 for their build kit, which includes f/f but is still not quite a complete bike.  You are also probably familiar with the Lovely Bicycle! blog; but I thought I'd mention it.  Velouria has reviewed quite a number of bikes meeting your friends general requirement.  Admittedly, most of those probably don't meet the budget either.  But worth combing through  the archives, I'd say.  Cheers, Steve

[PATRICK MOORE]

Marc: thanks; how much and what does it look like? I expect it will be
too small; she is 5'6" to 5'7", but she has very long legs -- can ride
a 58 c-c.

--
"Believe nothing until it has been officially denied."
-- Claude Cockburn