Brand new bike for $39. For cheap guys like me.

[johnj2803]

Thanks guys! Really appreciate it.

[Bill]

(06-02-2011, 10:47 AM)johnj2803 Wrote:  I have a bit of dilemma. I will be getting a specialized hardrock (for free! I think its circa 1993) from my brother. It is an old bike that has not been used for a while. the catch is, I will have to ship it to me.

I am not sure if it is still worth the effort to have it shipped. I don't know the condition (altho I have a pic) and not sure if it is still better than this current roadmaster I have and enjoying.

Is it still better than the roadmaster? the hardock looks decent in the pic.

will see how the components are with the hardrock when I go visit my folks in july. It has not been ridden for at least 2 years, probably more. I was thinking of checking it in with me when I come back home but I read somewhere that airline fees for transporting bikes are really horrendous! So shipping it was more economical. I have yet to find out how much the exact shipping would cost me tho.

@nfmisso since you elaborated the specs of my roadmaster, Do you think transferring components from the hardrock to the roadmaster is a better idea (rather than shipping the whole bike)? Or the old hardrock's components are at par with the more current roadmaster?

IF i ever choose to ship the hardrock, i might put slick tires on it and make it a hybrid road bike. Good idea? or I might as well put slick tires on my roadmaster...

IMO DEFINITELY WORTH IT! Yes better then the Roadmaster. Looks really nice too.

[johnj2803]

In the end even without seeing the bike yet, will stick with my roadmaster bike for now. With the money spent on shipping I am better off saving that money for a better bike in the future or buying better parts for worn out parts of the roadmaster bike.

I have ridden around 100 miles on my roadmaster and it has held up well. I have oiled some of the parts (don't worry I used a light oil for bikes ) including the chain.

One part didn't hold up well tho... the pedal. It was bent from the threads of the crank. I removed t and laced it back again and see if it will hold up, but i Guess it is time to replace them soon.

The suspension fork has held up nicely too. altho I have not done any high jumps, rolling over curbs and potholes seem more bearable.

I am planning to grease the headset, bottom bracket and the freewheel. I know once you do those you can forget it

I am planning to keep this bike as my beater bike but as of now, it is my only bike and I am enjoying it

[John L]

Boy, am I glad to find this forum site. My friend Michael, who shares my shop, where we make things for the interiour design business, just purchased this very same bike right at sixty days ago. We were out riding and he had an accident, causing the rear wheel to become bent, and it now wobbles. So I was searching around in hopes of finding him a new rim to replace the bent one. Unfortunately, Michael is hell on all things mechanical.

I also picked up a used bike, from a local e-Bay dealer for a final price of $60. It's almost the identical bike, with one exception: it has an aluminum welded frame, which makes the bike slightly lighter. The Roadmaster above, and the aluminum one of mine, is made by Pacific Cycles. And Yes I have heard all the ridicule and derision from many about those cheap Pacific bikes because they are made in horrible place called the People's Republic of China.

So far I've put about one hundred miles on the bike, and my only complaint is that I cannot get the brakes to stop squealing/squeaking. I have changed out the brake pads, realigned them several times, and the damned things still squeak. But other than that I am very happy with it.

Oh, one thing I have discovered about Michael's Roadmaster, and mine, is that the front shifter does not do an effortless change from low range, through medium, to high range. If I adjust them to change to the lowest range, I have trouble getting them to easily shift to the highest range. So I have learned to compromise the setup, by making it easier to get into the higher range, and only when I am not under a strain can I get into the lowest range. And since I don't shift into the lower range when they are under strain, it seems to work all three now. I haven't yet learned all the adjustment screws, so I will probably be able to make fine tuning possible in the immediate future.

And you all are correct about the six gear range. All these bikes are of the older type, so they are at least a decade old and probably made earlier, while sitting around for some time. I'd really like to know the history of these bikes. I know mine is a bit older, because it has that well worn in look, even if the tires look very good, and the frame is not beaten up, and scratched all over(I suspect the tires are brand new). Someone took very good care of the bike and it rides very nicely.




But I also purchased another used bike last Friday, and am looking around for someone to tune it up for me. And this one is a real 'keeper' once I get it all tuned up and the sophisticated shifter system ironed out. I am a believer in going regularly through CraigsList, and started looking for something that would not cause the snobs to sniff down at me. And I was scrolling through several days back in the bike category when this nice Trek bike suddenly appeared. It is a 7700 Hybrid. Pictures are here:





Initially the seller, who had kept the bike hanging up in the garage, for his brother-in-law for three years, was clearing it out and asking $320 for it. Anyway, I managed to get him down to $250 and drove away with it. I'm having problems with the Shimano shifting system, so I will be taking it to a local bike repair facility and get it serviced all around.

The young man who originally owned it was a wee bit hard on the bike, as it has some scratches, but nothing problematic. It's a 2003 model and new they sold for around $1,050 so even paying for a good service, I think I did very well for the $250 for a top of the line hybrid, which now sell for about $2000 with a 2011 model. Also, I did not know much about bike companies, but have quickly gotten up to speed with Trek bikes.

Oh, its set up for street, so I will use it around town and on the Greenways, and use the aluminum Pacific for back roads, state parks, and trails. I had considered just keeping the Trek, but after consideration I think I can justify keeping both and enjoying them.

Anyway, this is my first post, and I just wanted to jump in on the Roadmaster bike, since it is really a Pacific, is an older make, and probably a better constructed bike than the latest bikes. It certainly feels solid to me. I just wish I could get the seat up higher, as I am about six feet tall and have plenty of leg to spare.

Is it possible to add an extension to the seat post, or replace the existing seat post with something longer? Just curious here.

[johnj2803]

Just to update my roadmaster bike.

I have gone over 500 miles with this bike

On the 300 mile mark, I had to change the brakes since it was running metal to metal. Bought these shimano acera brakes from amazon http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Acera-Mountain-Bicycle-V-Brake/dp/B0055BF8I8/ for around $20 for both rear and front assembly. I figure, good pads would cost about the same, so I think changing the assembly would be a better deal. It's running well until now. No squeaks or slips.

On this 300 miles maybe 30 miles were novice to intermediate trails. The bike surprisingly held up well.

I called the for warranty regarding my fork and crankset. My fork's rubber seal were torn, and my pedals are always going loose even the screw on the bottom bracket. So they sent me a new fork, new crank sets and a new bottom bracket. I replaced them around 400 miles. They shipped the items to me for free and I didn't even have a hard time asking for warranty. They just asked for the model number and serial number of the bike. So kudos to them.

These last few weeks I have been doing intermediate to advanced trails... Bike is doing well. No problems with the components, I have removed all the decals.. We have been into the mud and fell and been dirty a lot of times. For less than $100 I am enjoying the sport a lot.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmdpalmprepix/6064997973/sizes/l/in/photostream/

[NewtonSquare]

You sound like my kind of guy......I've been riding free bikes for the last ten years and never had a problem with frames cracking, etc. Even the cheap bikes here are Canadian made, if that is a selling point.

I have a shed full of free bikes that were retrieved on garbage days or stuff that I was given, so have lots of parts. You quickly learn that many things are different though, like BB parts and the lengths of fork "necks", etc.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

If you happen to live around here you can pick up a load of cheap bikes here....

http://www.policeauctionscanada.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?sort_order=pricea&cgrfnbr=18289&cgmenbr=73603364&gallery=tableheader&wl=73603364&sort=&accept=&gallery=tableheader


They often throw 25 bikes together as a package.

Another good info site for doing things on the cheap is here.

http://www.atomiczombie.com/ct-bb3pce.html

[rastoma]

(05-07-2011, 12:30 AM)johnj2803 Wrote:  I have a roadmaster walmart bike (granite peak) and i love it.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Roadmaster-Granite-Peak-26-Men-s-Mountain-Bike/15711164

(05-07-2011, 10:26 AM)nfmisso Wrote:  to give Wal-mart a very good price. 6 speed freewheels have not been made in volume production for nearly a decade.

I would not be surprised if these in reality turned out to be a cancelled order from Trek or Specialized; and were intended to sell for $300+ several years ago.

Just for own education, what does 6 speed freewheel mean? It's an 18 speed bike and isn't 18 speed still common on a lot of new bikes now?

[John L]

Just for an update on the bikes, my friend Michael had an accident with his Roadmaster, and somehow bent the rear wheel. I don't know how he did it, because I was out front on my aluminum frame Pacific, which is almost a carbon copy of the Roadmaster.

Since his accident he has purchased a 2011 Novara Corsa, at close out sale and $120 off the $450 retail proce. He is tickled pink.

As for my Trek, pictured above, I took it into FEI and had it tuned up professionally. It needed a new chain and new break pads. So I now have $360 invested into an $1100 bike. I love that 7700 Trek. It beats the hell out of the Pacific. The Pacific still runs nicely, since I increased tire pressure, but it still can't hold a candle to the 7700. Compared to the Pacific, the Trek is like a rocket.

Does anyone want to buy my Pacific? It runs great, but does have squeaky breaks, which I haven't been able to eliminate. I'll make you a good deal for it.