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Where to get a decent bike for teenage DS?



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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Apr 05 2021, 11:53 pm
DS 13 is looking for a bike to ride to school in Brooklyn (~1 mile each way). My older boys got from Weber's in Boro Park, but they're not around any more, so today we took him to Roy's. The cheapest bike they had was $450. If he were riding it a lot more, I could justify spending so much, but it seems like a lot for a short urban commute.

But the salesman said that if we get something cheaper from Walmart, Target, d!ck's, etc., it will end up costing us just as much in the long run because it will need assembly and lots more maintenance. Is that really true? Is there nothing decent for under $300 like we used to get at Weber's? Is it worth trying to find something on Craigslist? Or is this an area where it's worth spending because you get what you pay for?
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flowerpower




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Apr 05 2021, 11:58 pm
My son got a great bike on ebay. It was around $225. Check out some sites and read reviews.
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amother
OP


 

Post Tue, Apr 06 2021, 1:46 pm
flowerpower wrote:
My son got a great bike on ebay. It was around $225. Check out some sites and read reviews.


Thanks, are there any specific sites you could recommend for learning about good bike brands or features to look for?

Or anyone else with any tips? I can't be the only mother of a teenage boy who wants to get him a bike that won't break the bank or need to be replaced annually.
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chili-n-cholent




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 06 2021, 1:58 pm
Roy's is definitely an expensive shop, they cater to more high end professional bikers (DH's bike from there was $800 and that's on the cheaper end...)
BUT-I do agree with the salesman in regard to Walmart & Target, bikes bought there are usually junk and require a lot of maintenance. It's usually not worth it, even if its a brand that you recognize I've heard from people that somehow the quality you get from them would be worse than if you get it from a registered dealer. I guess somehow they are of lesser quality, not exactly sure how.
I know that Diamondback is a good company and isn't that expensive, try searching a bit for them
There is also a great store in Lakewood called Bike Blade and Ball, maybe look on their website and see if you can get someone to pick up from them and bring to you.
I don't really have any other suggestions for Brooklyn shops, sorry.
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Thu, Apr 29 2021, 11:08 am
OP- did you figure anything out here? I'm also looking...
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benny




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Mar 12 2022, 8:01 pm
Bumping this up. I’m looking to purchase a bike for ds age 14. Seems anything decent starts at $500!! Any ideas?
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amother
Papayawhip


 

Post Sat, Mar 12 2022, 8:09 pm
chili-n-cholent wrote:

There is also a great store in Lakewood called Bike Blade and Ball, maybe look on their website and see if you can get someone to pick up from them and bring to you.


Also over $400 and up

We did very well on craigs list but traveled 1 hr. Some were amazing snd some needed a lot more work then we expected.
Really all bikes need maintenance. Even the very expensive bikes are supposed to be taken in once a year.

In asbury park there is second line bikes you can sometimes find a good BIL
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benny




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Mar 12 2022, 8:19 pm
Bike blade and ball cheapest bike is over $500. We tried there
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amother
Chestnut


 

Post Sat, Mar 12 2022, 8:36 pm
If you are looking to save money on a decent bike, buy used. Especially for kids, as people look to sell when their own children outgrow them.

I like Facebook Marketplace, you can narrow your search very easily, by distance, and look for bikes in your price range. You should size your son first, to see what size bike you should be purchasing - eg 24inch, 26inch.

Search these quality brands - Giant, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Diamonback, off the top of my head.

What Roy's told you is true. The biggest difference is that when a part brakes or needs to be replaced on the above brand bikes, they can be. Walmart/Target bike parts break easily and can't be replaced.

I purchased my first good bike from Roys and used them for repairs for years.
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amother
Milk


 

Post Sat, Mar 12 2022, 8:38 pm
Trek makes great quality bikes. I highly recommend them. Definitely don't buy from Walmart of Target no matter how short the commute.
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amother
Glitter


 

Post Sat, Mar 12 2022, 8:39 pm
My husband had a bike from walmart for 6 years and then got stolen (a story for itself) and now has a second one from walmart for almost 4 years and bikes every day to work and is very happy with it was around $250 and so far didn't need anywork or any additional expenses
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librarygirl




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Mar 12 2022, 10:02 pm
Costco carries good bikes for a very short time each year. I saw them recently for 280, you can check if they still have them.
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