This Is Why Cheap Bikes Are Brilliant!

[@gcntech]

Anymore uses of budget bikes we missed?

[@jordyd8916]

Just pure class?! Nothing lacks a soul like a brand new bike. Just finished renovating a 1982 team banana raleigh. Got if for 5€, spent 150€ on new parts. Perfect for stress free commuting. Just swapping the tires amazed me how efficiënt it actually is.

[@rsturba]

Cycling to the beach and hiding it in long grass!

[@NT-hr3eu]

it's less than the insurance excess on your favourite bike you've locked away for special occasions!

[@gregrudzinski]

The budget bike can be set up for stationary exercising indoors to take advantage of a bad weather day.

[@Ed.R]

My £150 Argos road bike has been a great test-bed for my automatic shifting system. It's done over 20k miles now.

[@Unisizo]

In the city, all bikes weigh the same. This is because the lighter your bike is, the heaver your lock has to be. The only thing that changes is the price.

[@Frombie_01]

Of the bike and the lock. 😃

[@mindstalk]

Heh, friend of mine said something like that. "20 pound bike needs a 10 pound lock, 30 pound bike needs a 5 pound lock, 40 pound bike doesn't need a lock." I didn't test this by leaving my 40 pound bike unlocked, though.

[@goku445]

well said.

[@nicholasfevelo3041]

SO TRUE

[@feebleknievel.]

I’d hate to live somewhere bike theft happens.

[@NT-hr3eu]

You cry less when it's stolen.

[@manwithnoname6580]

Best comment. 👍🏽 This is why the majority of London cyclists hack around on £200 pieces of old junk. Because at some stage, it WILL get stolen.

[@krob9145]

That's why they're valuable to have. You can park them anywhere.

[@pistonburner6448]

@@manwithnoname6580 Imagine living like that, as totally run-over hostages amid criminals? Maybe the Londoners themselves steal their (much higher) income with far more profitable crime/corruption and that's why they feel they deserve it and aren't justified in cleaning up their community?

[@NT-hr3eu]

​@@manwithnoname6580 £200 is my pride and joy of a bike! lol

[@kannibal8850]

​@@manwithnoname6580 yeah for you british people that's a big problem lmao

[@falsemcnuggethope]

Some people say "life's too short to ride a bad bike". I say: "life's too short to worry about the bike you rode to work getting stolen or damaged"

[@Animalstyle69]

Only poor people ride bikes to work cyclists usually aren’t poor people

[@falsemcnuggethope]

@@Animalstyle69 only poor people work

[@questgivercyradis8462]

Budget bikes aren't necessarily bad either. I did my first 100km rides on a $1100 CAD (~$800 USD) hybrid/commuter bicycle, without cycling shorts - just yoga pants. Not even a hint of saddle sores. She's more comfortable than a performance bicycle. She isn't super fancy. She isn't the fastest. Not the cheapest, but certainly not "a performance bicycle". She has the gears I need to go up generic hills. She has the brakes to get me down safely. She is aluminum, so not as light as carbon, not as heavy as steel. She's still my commuter bicycle because she's so darn reliable and stable and I can get a ton of groceries on the rack. Yes, she's pretty scraped up along the fork nowadays. She earned her bumps with lots of good rides!

[@manysnakes]

The thing is, old doesn't have to mean bad. Where I live, you can grab a USA-made lugged steel frame from the 80s and 90s for under $200. A top of the line Specialized Allez from 1992 is still a *good* bike.

[@mindstalk]

@@Animalstyle69 " Only poor people ride bikes to work cyclists usually aren’t poor people " Everything about that is wrong. No, not only poor people ride bikes. OTOH, in the US, bike users are more likely to be poorer, it's just that they're less visible than the Spandex/Lycra cyclists on their thousand dollar road bikes.

[@rickpasley6961]

how about a deep dive series on buying and refurbishing a budget bike. everything from replacing the seat and bar tape to rebuilding a hub or bb. like a real educational series for folks who aren't already wrenching on their own bikes, but to teach how it is done.

[@CheeseAlarm]

The great thing about older bikes is that maintenance is so much easier. Once you've got the hang of doing set lot of loose bearings then the wheels, BB, headset, pedals are all the same principle. These days if I want to service my BB I have to spend an hour on youtube first revising what to do!

[@markysgeeklab8783]

There are some great channels that focus on bike refurbishment already. Loads of content and pretty much every possible task fully and clearly explained (e.g my other channel has a full step by step explanation of installing MTB callipers with grx road levers)

[@fabianbinder3681]

@@CheeseAlarmI do prefer cheap used bikes. But it’s not like there weren’t a crap ton of standards back in the day. The important thing is to know your own bike, whatever dekade it’s from, to source the proper tools and maintenance gets a breeze. Some people might be lucky to find a trusted mechanic, but even then it’s good to know your bike in and out to double check.

[@davemeise2192]

It's nice to see the focus of GCN has shifted to what ordinary people may be looking for in a bike. Also what they can afford. Well done. New subscriber here. Thank you.

[@Welther47]

And more and more content is "members only". YT is fast becoming like netflix. You MOST pay to watch THIS because it's the BEST... here is WHY!

[@patrickpopa2243]

Just finished 2 weeks ago a solo cycling tour that started from Romania to France, taking the train on occasion, but, somewhere around 1800 kilometers cycling in 33 days, on my modest trekking bike that costs somewhere around 400$.. Changed parts each time before a cycling tour, plus basic maintenance and that's it. Never felt the need for a better bike, nor could I afford a touring bike. Gets the job done and I'm very pleased with it.

[@Rullehjem]

Cheap bikes are better because you can actually afford them.

[@falsemcnuggethope]

And you can afford them breaking or getting stolen.

[@marlowek1936]

Plus working on a cheaper bike brings a bit of relief knowing that if something breaks or doesn't work it won't cost an arm and leg to fix.

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

@@Rullehjem Especially in an accident cheap steal bikes are the best,Carbon not so good.

[@vickyking3408]

❤❤❤

[@chrisbarger8957]

Yes steel bikes can be ok for the price but if your willing to fork out more money I think for a eser way to shift a new bike Inspector bike can be a bit nicer to have.

[@questgivercyradis8462]

I'm glad you brought up the environmental aspects of used bicycles, and the comparison to horses! I used to ride horses. Still love them. When I started cycling, my comparison was to horseback riding. Horse Pros: Cares about you. Smells good (seriously, sweaty horse smells amazing). Huggable. Horse Cons: Expensive food. Needs their own large apartment and/or field. Poops. Does not fit in apartment. Bicycle Pros: Fits in apartment. Does not poop on the floor. Bicycle Cons: Does not love you. Not particularly huggable. No fragrance.

[@khalidacosta7133]

My bike lives in my office. Smells of banana from the chain lube. You just need to lube your bike up before it can show you love.... this conversation got weird quickly.

[@questgivercyradis8462]

@@khalidacosta7133 Why are you lubing your bike with fruit? :P

[@DoveringFifths]

"Poops" you say that like mucking stalls is the same as changing a litterbox

[@questgivercyradis8462]

@@DoveringFifths A very very big litter box >.> And depended on the horse? Our gelding was very careful to put his poo in the corner of the stall. The mares poo'd everywhere and used it as a pillow. Either way... horses poop. Bicycles do not poop.

[@alexhadfield657]

Yes, more content like this please. At 47 years old, I'd never owned a brand new bike until last month when I treated myself to a Trek Domane AL2. My shopping workhorse though, is a 1993 Raleigh Amazon mountain bike I picked up on Facebook marketplace for £15. After replacing the gear shifters and cables, it's as good as new and still rides well. I also have an early 80s Dawes discovery waiting to be restored, albeit with modern groupset. Old bikes were built to last.

[@Biking360]

My mate bought one of these a couple of months ago and loves it. Nice bike :)

[@alexhadfield657]

@@Swimming11 no, disc.

[@padmanabhaprasannasimha5385]

I have a Trek 720 hybrid from the 90s. It's a beast of a bike that will last forever but is at least 15lbs heavier than the road and cyclocross bikes I ride. Great for commuting.

[@patty109109]

I’ve done a decent number of miles on my al2. My only complaint on the al2 is the disc brakes are absolute garbage.

[@turboseize]

Bikes are not only cheaper than horses, they are also cheaper than cars. During rush hour, they are even faster. Faster equals better. At less cost! A double win.

[@ragwort3369]

Today's budget bike is often yesterday's top notch touring or racing machine. My main bike is a 1973 Mercian King of Mercia which I picked up as a frameset for fifty quid (complete with Campagnolo Record headset). This is a handbuilt frameset and has built up, with relatively modern Campag 9 speed from my shed, into a very classy bike, all for a couple of hundred quid. I get far more pleasure from riding this and similar bikes than I ever did from the more modern carbon Di2 things I've owned over the years.

[@manysnakes]

And getting an equivalent steel frame made today would cost ~$2000.

[@nuttycommuter3718]

I have a Mercian too that I bought as a frame and forks for £150 off eBay. My Zeus fixie was £200 For the same money, you get so much more with second-hand. And something that was very expensive new is likely to have been well looked after. I look at a new road bike now and they’re asking say £2-£3k and think “it’s a bit lighter than my Mercian, but is it any better?” Probably not.

[@randalbladel2817]

Still love my ‘73 Mercian Pro Road. And note that it accommodates the very modern trend of going back to bigger tires. Bet I could even go north of 40mm with little problem.

[@camgallagher288]

That's a unicorn find.

[@thepandaman]

I like seeing chips and scratches on a bike frame. Not intentionally mind you, but when it's just a sign that it's been well used. There's something satisfying about these older bikes still racking up the miles.

[@jellyfishsalad5926]

You can have several budget bikes (road, gravel, MTB, commuter etc) for less than the price of an expensive bike. This means that when one of your budget bikes needs repairs you have another bike you can ride until you get it fixed.

[@joeb6705]

And you can store them all in your living room ;)

[@natureseyemusic]

Bought a Dawes for £30 two months ago. Put some new tyres on it and a charge spoon saddle and boom - great little commuter. I've done a 1000 km on it already. I have been using it for commuting as well as touring. Total cost was £75 all in.

[@iamdmc]

great idea to pivot the channel to every day cyclists too I'd love to see a series on fixing up old bikes - in addition to what you already do at GCN

[@DI-ri9md]

Nothing puts a bigger smile on my dial than overtaking a fancy brand new Pinarello dogma f or Specialized S works on my Cannondale 2012 CAAD10 that cost me $500 🎉😎

[@kool_thing]

CAADs are such a great bang four your buck. And damn beautiful.

[@user-ot6gw5yi9c]

Nothing puts a bigger smile on my dial than overtaking a guy on Cannondale CAAD, who's overtaking a fancy brand new Pinarello dogma f or Specialized S on my red steel Bianchi from mid 80-s)))

[@PaulWhitcomb-ty6md]

My big deal is pulling up to a club ride on my 1963 Freddie Grubb. An all-out assault on their belief system!

[@Toretto16]

​@@user-ot6gw5yi9c And then all you together get overtaken by a guy riding E bike and he has the biggest smile.

[@Free_Ranger_CT110]

With money being tight, there are lots of bargain bikes up for sale. In the headlong rush for the latest & greatest, the essence of cycling is often overlooked. Good on point video!

[@richardbrameld1572]

Love my steel single speed bought from eBay £70. Needed a new chain and tyres all in cost me around £200. It’s my go to bike for commuting, nipping to the shops etc. It is so nice and simple to ride and maintain😍

[@challacustica9049]

Welcome back to reality GCN. Love to see it. The best bike is the one people actually can afford.

[@sage_silvestris]

I own a 30 years old Mtb which I got brand new and is well maintained and in pristine condition. Two years ago I bought another one which needed repairs, changed the wheels, the tyres, the brakes, the cogwheel, added lights and reflective gear. The bike costed around 45 € and spent 70€ on it additionally. Now it's as good as new. Fun fact: it's a newer version of my 30 years old bike, and both of them were manufactured a couple of kilometres away in a long established bike factory .

[@BuckleyJonathan-nr1wu]

My son has just ridden from London to Montenegro on a 1981 Dawes Galaxy - similar to that one you have. He did it on 20 quid Chinese Tyres and old fashioned components. Nothing broke and nothing let him down. Makes you think, doesn’t it.

[@jm19592011]

Nothing wrong with Duro tyres :-)

[@gam1471]

The Dawes Galaxy was as I recall their top model, and now it's a budget bike. Way to go, as I believe the Americans would say!

[@frankwilson2607]

@@gam1471 Indeed, it was! I bought one in 1987. Great bike, but paint started flaking off quickly after purchase. All made good by the local bike shop in London - new frame provided.

[@hamadysack3157]

It would be great if cycling magazines also featured inexpensive bikes and classic bikes

[@evanthor6458]

It's been said so many times on this channel, and it's still so true... the bike that gets you riding a bike IS the best bike. None of my bikes are likely to get a "super nice" without a good backstory and meeting the criteria perfectly, and yet I'm on them for hundreds of kms a week. Mission accomplished!

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

I ride a Peugeot Monaco 1990 and have replaced the brakes for 105 dual pivots and installed a cartridge bottom bracket and wider Michelin tires,it rides great.

[@cycleistic1365]

Yes, you don't have to keep the bike true to its original components unless you're going to sell it as vintage, rather updating and upgrading the bike to your preferences makes it more a bike of your own. You can do quite a lot of updates to an old bike, unfortunately though it often takes more commitment than just walking into your local bike shop to get it done, but when you've customized a bike, nothing beats the feeling and pleasure of it.

[@nuttycommuter3718]

@@cycleistic1365 I’ve got a 90s Mercian that had period correct Suntour GPX - looked beautiful, but a 52/42 chainset and 13-21 cassette made hills tricky! I’ve got modern 105 on it now and it makes it a lot more usable. Like putting an electric fan in a vintage car.

[@rayc4543]

The kind of video I want to see from GCN as I`ll never be able to afford a superbike !

[@DaveAndHisTank]

Got a 1990s Giant road bike from a community cycle charity for £150 and it's done 800 road miles and 1100 on Zwift over the past year, I love the simplicity of working on it. I have changed a lot of parts on it, not due to wear but to suit me better, but none of them were very expensive due to the timeless older standards. I also got a decathlon hybrid on ebay I turned into a commuter mainly using second hand ebay parts, used mudguards and rack etc, and I'm happy to have something robust that I can treat as a workhorse.

[@pistonburner6448]

Yup, I got a hybrid "supermarket-bike" for free from a family member and I just had to swap a few bits for under 100€ to make it 98% of pretty much any bike. It's just a bit heavy, but who cares? Just recently I breezed past a guy wearing some triathlon team gear on his 8000€ road bike. Bike? Free. Fast legs? Priceless.

[@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589]

They ain't 'timeless standards' . . . try getting a decent quality 8 or 9 speed cassette nowadays. Or hoods for older STI brake levers.

[@K.D.Torcque]

Which Decathlon Hybrid bike do you have? I just ordered a Rivierside 120.

[@nonono8788]

I recently got into cycling after years of lusting over listings of cheap vintage bikes. I found a cheap but pristine 1978 Gitane Nation (€220, looks and functions like it was built yesterday) and bought Renault-Gitane replica kit - I'm also a car enthusiast and a classic Renault guy. Being a vintage object that I find aesthetically pleasing was a fundamental part of it. I don't think I could feel the same excitment for an expensive modern bike.

[@theokingshango]

Many of the cheap vintage bikes are equally slick and often more elegant than new insanely priced machines, and they do the absolutely same job.

[@borjavivanco8600]

Agree. I have a Gitane promenade and still brings a smile to my face every time I go for a walk with it.

[@davidroberts6766]

I just bought an inexpensive bike repair stand, and my goal is to rehabilitate my old diamondback steel mountain bike from 1989. While my old bod loves my new $2000 CAD hybrid, with its smooth shifting and lighter materials, I use my old Trek hybrid with its comfy seat and front shocks for my errands! All these cheap old bikes were new,, in my youth, and we still had a blast using them!

[@Morhaw]

I’m amazed the GCN sponsors allowed them to make this video!

[@benoitbvg2888]

Eurobike clearly sponsored it

[@kooooons]

I feel like commenters like you should spend more time on their bike and less time on KZbin 😊

[@Morhaw]

@@kooooons yes please. Can you arrange for me to have more time off work when the weather is nice?

[@kooooons]

@@Morhaw nice weather is for people that don't want their bikes to get dirty :P

[@samuelashton8787]

I bought a Koga-Miyata GranSpecial with mostly Campagnolo Veloce on eBay for £90, I've been rebuilding it and I'm LOVING IT

[@rossmax767]

Bought a Dawes Galaxy on gumtree for £160 two years ago. Made a few changes to suit myself. Easy to work on and have done LEL and PBP on it. Very reliable and comfortable and not much slower than top price new bikes.

[@jm19592011]

"It's a Dawes" :-)

[@jeltesikkema8364]

Yeh i love my Dawes horizon with some modern gravel components. Did you get the mini v-brakes? They work perfectly on mine

[@musekidd]

Bring on BCN! The Budget Cycling Network for real people riding real bikes and having fun.

[@thebikefelix]

Well said, "cheap" bikes also might be cheap in someone eye and not in someone else, this Dawes is still a Reynold 531 frame, makes for a great commuter, and even adventure bike :)

[@wuzihuzi]

The old school bikes like you have Alex is how i got into cycling and learning how to work on bikes.

[@kennethmcdonald4807]

I've been an OCD avid cyclist for half a century. I estimate I'm about half way around my 5th lap of the circumference of the earth, roughly 110K miles. For me, old bikes are a direct connection to the rich history of our sport, when bikes were blue collar items that could be built and serviced by their owners. 30 years ago I woke up in an ambulance after my expensive high tech lightweight fork, built by a company I can't name, failed and I landed on my face with a massive concussion. Lesson learned. All bikes are the same, it's the riders that make them go.

[@stopher21]

I appreciated this and the recent video on car-centric thinking. Practical, affordable cycling can have a massive positive impact on people and the planet. Keep 'em coming!

[@krob9145]

These are great for doing chores and shopping. A great all rounder utilitarian bike. A trailer and bike racks with panniers can easily be added when needed. Of course it's also fun just to ride.

[@randalbladel2817]

Maybe the best GCN video I’ve ever watched. Agree with all he said.

[@royc6508]

I was given an Olmo Sanremo with a stuck seatpost but also campag gears, Colnago headset, gb bars and 105 brakes. Digging around my garage I fitted Mavic openpro rims with Duarace hubs, a managed to squeeze a 9 speed cassette into the frame. With a Brookes saddle & leather bar tape it looks amazing and rides nicely. Couldn’t be more pleased. Technically it cost me about £30, although I did have the advantage of having some rather nice parts hanging around in the garage!

[@johnwesley2943]

I got an old Raleigh Pioneer for £15. It is brilliant!

[@jm19592011]

The Pioneer is pretty much bomb proof!

[@AndrewTabbel]

Yes! Alex, you nailed it when you said that people are more apt to tinker with a cheaper bike. I can't imagine doing maintenance (beyond the trivial) on a superbike.

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks, Alex, and another benefit of old bikes is their head-turning quotient, like, whoa, cool that you are keeping that old bike in play. And I'm rather pleased with my charity thrift-store find from last year, a full-rigid '90s Specialized Rockhopper, all original. And, sure, I have pricier bikes but I'm not too cool to be old school. 😀

[@megapangolin1093]

The great thing about a heavy-ish budget bike is that it is better for your muscles-gives them more of a workout. Like, people run with weights to achieve the same effect. Anyway, 99% of people don't ride for outright acceleration and speed, it is for enjoyment or exercise. A half a second slower here or there won't matter a jot. Anyway, just get more gears, that will sort everything out. Brilliant to push budget bikes to normal people, as so many people think you have to have a "name" or else they are a loser. Great video.

[@tjo1294]

I bought a 110 € Bike from a Community Bikeshop 6 years ago. Loaded two bags, a tent, sleeping bag etc. on the back of this bike. We rode 2 weeks from Newcastle to London and it worked really good 😊

[@TommyAtkins-kb6fw]

Couldn't agree more. When my son started uni in the Netherlands last year, we found him a secondhand Gazelle city bike for a couple of hundred euros and its a fantastic machine to ride. Combined with that, it looks the same as all the others in the public bike parking and doesn't attract any attention from thieves. Made sure he had a decent lock and . . . job done ! He loves it.

[@franzroth2830]

i've got two bikes. one newer one strictly for leisure rides out in the country that i don't even have a lock for because i never leave it out in a public place. the other is a frame from the 90s that looks unremarkable, but is actually one of the earliest carbon frames that hit the market. it's the perfect commuter bike as it's as fast and light as a new entry level road bike, but it looks cheap enough that it'll never get stolen even with a fairly low security lock.

[@chrisrand5185]

My bike, a Sun Super Snipe was not cheap when I paid £34 for it in 1972, but it represented good value for money as it is still going strong.

[@stephenstoffer7296]

I still ride my 1985 Schwinn World. I bought it new in 1986. It was the bottom line bike from the catalog, and it still looks great with all original components.❤

[@stephenstoffer7296]

Oh, yes, it cost $145.45.

[@dewindoethdwl2798]

My work hack is the same as my indoor trainer, an old alloy Trek. About £125 from eBay and initially needed about £50 for chain, tyres & fitting mudguards. It’s been gradually upgraded on cast off parts from my “Sunday Best” bike and the bikes of my friends. It’s costs buttons to run, wildly over-spec and runs great. All I have to do is just wash it once in a while, feed it regularly with oil and gift it some grease & bearings when it gets grumpy. Budget cycling is definitely more satisfying.

[@XR4turbo]

I got a near perfect 2000 Lemond Zurich with Reynolds 853 frame and ultegra groupset for $300 from my local classifieds. It's beautiful and instantly became one of my favorite bikes.

[@stewartsmotorcycles.315]

I've been cycling on and off for about 55 years, and it amazes me how little one can pay for the sort of bike I lusted after as a teenager. One sees British made ten speed bikes the likes of Dawes, Holdsworth, or Carlton selling for very little on eBay. Often with a frame made from Renolds 531. Also these bikes were designed to be reconditioned, and as you pointed out the parts are cheap, and as they're easy to work on owners should be encouraged to get the spanners out. That was a good point you made there. They were also made to a very high standard. I'm currently sorting out a 1950 Robin Hood three speed roadster. When I had the bottom bracket apart I cleaned off the dried grease, and found that there was almost no wear on the bearing cups or the spindle. With some new balls and an application of modern grease the crank spins as smoothly as any modern bike. It was likewise with the wheel bearings and the steering bearings. Society knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing it would appear. Also these old steel bikes will still be going when most of the modern Carbon fibre 'Carlos Fandango' bikes will have crumbled into a pile of non environmentally friendly dust.

[@tanstaafl1960]

Well said! Your experience mirrors mine. Just because something is older tech doesn’t mean it’s obsolete. Often times it’s simpler design means that it’s easier and less costly to repair and maintain. Cheers!

[@lawrencewretham7816]

I love old bikes, especially chromoly steel frames. They are almost indestructible, I have ridden a 1968 Peugeot PX around a skate park and then commuted on it for a decade. I bought a £65 generic aluminium road bike and did the London to Brighton on it. My daily bike is a 1969 Raleigh RSW16 on BMX tyres. I bought it from a drunk guy in 2015 for £40. It isn’t even chromoly, looks like relic and has a rack that you can carry loads on. RIP Sheldon Brown.

[@ebikescrapper3925]

You can fix cheap bikes a lot easier.

[@diss98]

true

[@Dmxravin]

Rust entered the chat.

[@Ayvengo21]

@@Dmxravin Aluminum fatigue send his regards as well

[@SMorrisRose]

Dunno. It can be hard to find replacement parts for older bikes and when you do, not necessarily cheap. I'm looking at you, Tiagra 4600.

[@saisamsuri]

The problem is the tools would cost more than the bike

[@uranium5694]

Finally you are coming to your senses ! For the average human the bike you already own is the best bike for you !

[@kidShibuya]

Great to know that when I finally buy that Time I have been wanting it will instantly become the best bike for me when I own it.

[@harryv6752]

🤘🔥🤘

[@mr.carguy654]

My dad works as a carer and he bought an 80s race bike from a car boot sale for £20. He still uses it a lot when visiting his local clients to save on petrol and puts hundreds of kilometres in it in the summer months for work. Just goes to show how well built those older bikes were and how much use they still got left in them.

[@Dellvmnyam]

Finally some wisdom from GCN.

[@richiejames928]

Caad 12. quickly becoming the best budget bike the world has ever seen.

[@johnweightman2002]

I got a steel Raleigh Pioneer for my 50th birthday. 25 years ago. I cycle about 100km a week. I have multi-day toured with camping gear all over the UK. Original pedals, original drive train, original rear wheel.

[@SwiffMeister]

Living in the Netherlands, I have 4 bikes. a 'normal' typical dutch bike, about 35 years old, 3 speed hubgears, drumbrakes, fenders, double saddlebags a 'normal' typical dutch 'grandma' bike (omafiets) about 40 years old, with fenders, a mounted basket on the front, 3 speed hubgears, drumbrakes with rods instead of cables, with 2 kidseats mounted on the front and rear. a tandem that I've designed and build myself by combining the parts of 4 old bicycles and a mountain bike. It was used for a 1500km holliday trip, some 12 years ago. a 2nd hand 'racing' bike. Apart from my racing bike (which was about 600 euro's), everything costed less than 150 euro's and can be taken and stored everywhere, as long as you 'double lock' the bike, like you should always do here in the Netherlands. I know only about 10 people who ever bought a brand new bike.

[@nerigarcia7116]

Cheap bikes give you more bang for the buck. You get the same amount of enjoyment for less money and have money for other things like trips, accessories, and maintenance. I like to go the vintage road bike route because you get a bike that's classic and cool.

[@camgallagher288]

I rode a 1987 Miyata across Australia to Uluru. Found in a skip bin, rebuilt it, biggest expense was gravel tires. It still does 200 to 300 km a week.

[@WillLinnebur]

Thanks for addressing environmental issues. What gets me is people who want exercise, but spend big money to get a lighter bike. Anyone who wants exercise should ride or walk up a hill with my 45 pound mountain bike while towing 80 pounds of trailer and groceries.

[@gregmossed]

They come in all flavors. I’ve used the hard tail I bought new as a commuter for 17 years now. I have my dad’s 70’s steel touring bike still going. Then on the other hand I just got a full carbon dura-ace/ultegra road bike for only $350, bc it’s older and everyone wants gravel bikes. Bikes are great.

[@andycarter4888]

A few years ago, I was given an old Cavallo road bike. I repaired the puncture, changed the chain, adjusted the gears and now I ride it every week. It's brilliant! There's hardly any "Diderot effect" with this one, so it's as you pointed out, they're very easy on the pocket!

[@cyclist2906]

Great video, people are not aware of this, older used bikes are incredible value. I commuted for the past 6 years/36,000 km in rain, wind and snow on my now 18 year old aluminium bike with campa centaur, worth probably 250 euro. Spend a bit on maintenance, sometimes replace a part and they keep running.

[@mikafoxx2717]

Much like other hobbies such as photography, the best one is the one you're not afraid to use all the time and can replace if it breaks or gets stolen. Diminishing returns are huge in most hobbies.

[@leomaduro8661]

As I live in the Netherlands, I have next to my road bikes a solid 30 plus years old steel bike, with a 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub, mudguards and anything else necessary for running errands. I don't need a lock on my racers because I will never lose them out of sight...

[@DrakeRose]

Friend sold me a 1990 Peugot Tourmalet for $100 in the Spring. This thing made my Summer 🥹

[@markwalker2986]

I still have my £500 boardman road sport after 10 years and it's still brilliant. Great video.

[@stevebutcher6117]

I bought a £70 steel fixie/single speed bike a year ago. Ive upgraded a few bits on the cheep from lucky bids on ebay. But that bike has made its money back a thousand times over for what it has done for my mind, body and soul.

[@capedmarauder]

I have 2 classic racers (70s and 80s) and 2 mountain bikes from the 90s/00s. Each one under 150 Swiss francs. When friends visit, they have a bike to use. All my bikes are light and fun. I commute for almost no cost and stay fit. I even keep one bike in another city to use when I go there.

[@jordan1991r]

They are so much more fun to tinker with and upgrade too. Get a spare Dura ace crank out of the drawer and get it upgraded! 👀😂

[@ChrisSpriggs-rj2ys]

I bought a Beautiful Fondriest for £500 for hacking around Brighton and I love it to bits 😊

[@steffen_a]

That cut at 3:16 is really great and absolutely flawless. 👏

[@ShadowFireWitch1]

I have a 2020 Huffy Mountain bike $159, 2001 Schwinn $0, and 1997 Univega $0, that I absolutely love. I upgraded my Huffy bottom brackets for $9.97 after the original bottom brackets failed and it is working wonderfully. Although I love to mountain bike, I only have 700 miles on this amazing bike that I once took to work in 9-degree Fahrenheit weather during a freak snowstorm event that hasn't happened in my city in over 100 years. I couldn't get my car out of the snow from home, so I rode my bike 30 miles (50 kilometers) round trip to work and back and it did great! I am a legend at work since people are still talking about that event that happened in 2021 and I was only 1 of 2 people that made it to work on that faithful day. I am a world class armature cycling racer and road biking is my passion! I have over 120,000 miles logged and been riding for 39 years now still averaging over 21mph on my cheap bikes. Both my Univega and Schwinn bikes were donated to me from a co-worker that wanted to throw away his 31lb Univega bike since he never used it, and I actually raced it against a local neighbor kid on a minibike for a 1-kilometer race. His top speed on his bike was 35mph while my top speed on my 31lb clunker was 36mph ha-ha! I felt so bad for my neighbor's kid because he was so proud of his bike until he raced me, and his poor little engine was straining so badly I was afraid it was going to blow. I received this Univega bike in 2021 and it has 7370 miles on it as of today's date. I converted the original 27" rims with Mavic 700 ones and replaced the original bottom bracket with Shimano components. Despite the weight and bulkiness, that this bike was designed for a young adult is one of the fastest and aerodynamic bikes I ever had and is one of the reasons I was able to sprint 36 miles an hour on level pavement during my 1-kilometer race with the neighbor kid. A good friend of mine that is a bike shop owner gave me the 2001 Schwinn in 2014 after he received it from a friend's father of a young man from Chicago that sadly died in a bicycle accident with a motorist. He didn't know what to do with the bike but remembered how much I love classic bikes and the previous Schwinn I bought New for $350 back in 1999, finally cracked from the rear bottom frame after riding it for 33,000 miles. The Schwinn bike my owner friend donated to me was a match made in heaven, and every day I ride my Schwinn; I think of that poor son in Chicago that died on another bike he was riding when he had his fatal crash. I'm so glad and proud to be able to ride for the son that was tragically killed, so I gratefully participate in so many different Charity rides in his honor, for the MS charity ride, which is a 160-mile 2-day event ride to raise charity to help eradicate the devastating effects of MS on people. During the Charity ride, I tell the people of the story of this incredible bike I am riding, and how I dedicate each ride so the son's memory of his love for riding bikes can continue on. This 25lb Schwinn bike currently has of this date 21,690 miles on it and I absolutely love it. From charity and city sponsored health rides (American Diabetes, MS society, Alzheimer's ride, Pancakes in Paradise, Conquer the Coast) as well as cat 5 criterium local races in my area. I am so blessed to be able to ride these bikes most people take for granted. The most I ever rode in a 24-hour period on my Schwinn was a 215-mile ride in the hill country of Texas where I climbed 24,000 vertical feet during my course. It was amazing how dependable and versatile economy bikes are and why I would never trade my bike for a $10,000 bike even if it were given to me. Steel is real and why I'm never going to change lol. thanks for allowing me to share my story with you and happy riding everyone!

[@Hickers2323]

My cheap bike (Peugeot, steel, heavy) was £50 off a bloke at work. My expensive bike (Bianchi, titanium, fairly light) was £995 off Facebook marketplace. So, in todays terms, both cheap bikes, both oodles of fun, and both easy enough to maintain. Excellent video Alex!

[@grizzlyadams4810]

The body of a human knows heartbeats and duration independently of a cheap or expensive bike.

[@mitchd949]

Brilliant! I have a 2007 Specialized Rockhopper that I use to kick around the beach where I live. The front Rockshox needed service so I called the bike shop who said, "oh, service parts are no longer available, we can sell you a new fork for $650 installed." I took the forks apart, found no broken parts, replaced 4 o-rings bought at a hardware store for under $10, replaced the fork oil for $10, and was done! My other bike is a Peugot road bike circa 1990 like the one which appeared briefly in this vid at 0:30 the white one with yellow/orange/red grahpics!? I rarely use it because the roads are busy here, but it still rides perfectly well. I occasionally ride 20-30 mile rides with friends on their current high $$$ carbon bikes and I'm having the same fun ride they are and probably getting a little more exercise since I'm pushing a heavier bike!

[@Dragon1165]

I have a 80s model FUJI, still rolling and still looks new, about to get a early 80s model Schwinn from a family member that's been sitting in an attic

[@mikefule330]

What is now called a "budget bike" (for example, a Halfords special "black and yellow") has a better specification than an enthusiast's bike from a few years ago. My only gripe with cheap NEW bikes is that so often the gears ratios are ridiculously high. They are often sold on "specifications" to a customer base that lacks detailed knowledge. I would happily ride a budget frame, fit a 1 x gear set up with a sensible range, and fit a decent saddle and pedals. When I stop at my local cyclists' cafe, I often see expensive "MAMIL's jewellery" bikes that have done very few miles to get there.

[@gregfarley7976]

Good to see this attitude, yeah going fast is nice, yeah new things are cool. But getting people back on the road, stopping the environmental damage done by new material creation is all a great cause to celebrate.

[@donball370]

Thank you Alex, great reminder of how good 2 wheels are. My wife & I now have 2 ebay purchases for getting around; just as much fun as the carbon Di2 machines (though a little heavier)

[@glenmorrison8080]

I bought my 1980s road bike from a refurbish shop like that one maybe 12 years ago, and I have gotten hundreds and hundreds of miles out of the thing with relatively few issues.

[@Grrg]

Love this, I watch for the new bikes a lot but I appreciate it when you acknowledge the great machines that already are available and fun

[@paulcarter2048]

Refreshing! Lovely! I'd also like to see a GCN video focus on the practical, economic, cost-effective and efficient aspects of steel frames and fully independent, long-distance, pannier-laden touring. Zero support team, in places where expensive parts are unavailable, and service is scant and sketchy. Maybe add in a few hundred km of mountains.

[@mindstalk]

American. My previous bike was a $200 Trek 800 hybrid. Added rack and folding baskets. Weighed 40 pounds (I did weigh it once), was slow (I doubt I often got above 12 MPH), but a lot faster than walking, which was my main comparison. And yeah, "cheap enough to not be stolen, cheap enough to replace on a student budget if it is stolen". Heavy steel frame that wouldn't break on me, wide tires that could crunch through gravel and not get caught in a crack on the road, felt a bit like a bike-tank. Now I have a Zizzo Via, under $400 before add-ons, cheap for a folding bike. Though I haven't flown with it yet, I might end up concluding I do need a Brompton if I resume my nomadic-by-plane life.

[@iansingleton]

Couldn't agree more with what Alex has stated in this film! As someone who likes working on and building bikes the simplicity of older bikes is what makes them so great! 👍 There's nothing better than taking an old beaten up bike and turning it back into a fully functioning one then passing it on to someone who will appreciate it.

[@SeymourSunshine]

Find your local bike co-op and volunteer. You'll find yourself working on all sorts of bikes and getting them into good condition. It's great fun and you'll be working with good people for a good cause.

[@iansingleton]

@@SeymourSunshine I have recently been looking into this. I'm going to poke my nose through the door and say hello on the couple of weeks. I already take bikes do them up and give them to kids who haven't got one. On one hand it's great to see a kids face when they get their first bike. On the other hand it's quite shocking what people just throw away.

[@marknice2793]

The best bike I ever had was a new Carlton Corsa 10 speed back in 1975. Wonderful, simple, reliable, well built, and I believe around sixty six quid. Rode all around the south east of England. I was 15 and fit back then. Now at 63, I still love riding, have a choice of bikes, and none cost me a fortune.

[@Boopop1024]

I've got my 12 year old Triban 3 which I got for £300, a '84 Dawes Galaxy I got for under £40, and a Pashley Princess Sovereign I got for £100. Sure, I've got a 2021 Orbea Orca too, but riding a bargain that you know no-one's going to steal has a definite appeal!

[@worldlyconcerns]

I so agree with the premise of this excellent video: cheap bikes make biking more accessible to more people and are good for your pocket and, if bought refurbished, for the environment.

[@gesp5151]

I replaced my 2012 supersix evo with a later 2019 model with much better wheel clearance- I got it for a grand. Perfect

[@vredneckv]

Absolutely and wholeheartedly agree, there's nothing better than an old road bike. It won't be stolen immediately, it's cheap to service, it's reliable, it will reduce carbon footprint, and most importantly it's affordable. Sure it would be nice to ride something like a new Trek Madone but I'm not a pro, and there's a point of diminishing returns so I'd rather use the money elsewhere. Plus you can always throw in some modern budgets parts (even from AliExpress) on to your old road bike and make it faster.

[@chrisbardell]

Excellent vid. 2015 GT Grade Alloy, bought off eBay for

[@Averageastriks]

My wife and I were chatting about this the other day. I have held my own for almost a decade on a 4130 steel frame, not worried about theft, maintenance is a breeze and it cost me under 600.00. when I take my Cargo bike I always assume it will be gone when I come out of the store....not yet!

[@a1white]

I got a cheap reliable hybrid a few years ago. One of the best decisions I made. Means I can cycle round (on. Bike that is super comfy and is still fun to ride) and feel much more confident leaving it locked up in town.

[@mrake1000]

Thanks great video. Yes my bike is 40 years now. Still working, great fun, maybe next year a more modern one. Great chanel.

[@iseemelanie]

I love my cheap bike! I got a Raleigh hybrid bike on sale for $450 CAD. I just went on a lovely ride super early this morning. Living in the city (downtown Toronto), I would only buy a cheap bike because there are so many thieves around here! My former cheap bike was stolen after parking it for just 12 minutes in a busy area. After that, I refused to buy a more expensive bike.

[@erik....]

At least 2 bikes are needed. One pretty cheap for going into town for a beer or work, and one nice for longer trips that you never park anywhere else than in your house.

[@wonkylommiter6364]

Remember to also check out cycle jumbles for parts for older bikes, you can get good used or even old stock but new parts for older bikes for very little.