Help!

PirateHari

Please delete if not allowed

I’m wondering if anyone can help, I have been advised by doctors to exercise due to a health condition and exercise will help me!

Tried running, it just really does not interest me. I’m thinking about Mounting biking as it would help me exercise my body and my mind. And looks really exciting!

Of course, this means getting a bike, I am interested in mountain bikes, trail riding off road etc. I have a very limited budget, but of course want something that can handle off road!

If anyone knows of any bikes going cheap please let me know! (The free’er the better!)

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Rustynuts666

try gumtree there are some good bikes at lower cost . Please don't buy New as its not worth it , stick with used , try other cycling forums , like pink bike , you can always take a screen shot of the bike and ask questions . Peace Russ

CitizenLee

On a limited budget these will be your best bet...

-eBay
-Pinkbike Buy/Sell
-Gumtree (exercise caution, as it can be a hotbed for stolen bikes)

You could also check to see if there's a Buy/Sell Facebook group for your area. Also check if you have a bicycle co-op nearby as they will often be willing to help get people on a bike. It might also be worth asking in any local bike shops if they have an used bikes/trade-ins going cheap.

As for the bike itself, look for something like a VooDoo, Boardman, Giant, Trek, Scott, Specialized etc and avoid bikes from the like of Apollo and even Carrera (they do make some good bikes, but also many stinkers), or anything that you can buy in Argos. A shitty bike will just put you off.

Good luck and all the best

steve_sordy

I am making no assumptions about your age or income here, but based upon what you have written it could be beneficial to start with a really low cost entry. Other have made several suggestions on how to do that and I agree that starting with a previously used bike is a good route to take. I have an additional suggestion.

One of my good friends used to manage all the waste tips and household collection centres in Lincolnshire (just part of his job). He told me that if ever he wanted anything he only had to put the word out to the operators and within a short space of time he'd get what he needed. He decided he wanted to start biking for exercise and within a week he had five bikes of the correct size that had been dumped by their owners at the collection centres. He took the best one, added the wheels from two others and hey presto he had a cracking bike for free! He later did this again for a friend of his who cycled from Land's End to John o'Groats on the result! I helped to build that particular bike.

These bikes were not cr4p, they were good bikes. He told me that he had long since give up disbelieving the amount of good quality stuff that was being disposed of on a daily basis. If you visit your local collection centre you will see any amount of bikes just dumped. Either ask the person doing the dumping, or ask the operator if you can take some of them. They can only say no!

If you are able to replicate my friend's feat of recycling then I recommend that you get the bike checked by the local bike shop, before you take it for a ride.