Alright, so I haven't actually given hobby biking a thought until this week, but here I am

Alright, so I haven't actually given hobby biking a thought until this week, but here I am.
I've been riding my mother's old ass swedish ladybike some days/week for the last year, to work, but now I want to get myself a proper bike for everyday use/going to places/exercise/etc.
Thing is, my job doesn't really pay at all (if it did, I wouldn't still live with my parents), so I can only see myself getting a cheap bike.

I'm not sure what to get though. Should I look for or avoid certain brands? The only stuff I can find locally is Kayoba which seems to be a noname brand. Maybe I should look for used bikes somewhere? I highly doubt I can get something used that won't need to be repaired at a higher cost than a new bike though.

My budget is about $300 or less. Also, I already tried /n/ but it's dead.

try bikesdirect

skellyfag here

I've been doing the same thing, I wanted to get Veeky Forums but I can't afford a gym right now, so I stoppped taking the bus and I'm now biking everywhere
The problem is I get sweaty as fuck and I don't like to go to class drenched in sweat.
I can hide it right now because it's winter over here, but it's going to be awkward when it gets warmer and I have to show up with a wet shirt

This, that site is really good to get a decent bike LBS's will rip you off and sell you a shit bike

Bikes manufacturer usually makes just theframe. You should be looking for the qualityof the components (brakes, shifters, derailileur, cranks, fork, etc)

You're correct but on 300$ builds a lot of the components are gonna be in the almost nameless realm where a lot of them are the same quality

>what is a fresh shirt in my backpack
>how do i change into it when i arrive and change out of it when i leave

I swear to god some of you were dropped on your heads as babys

this. $300 gets you a generic POS. buy it, learn to fix it yourself, and upgrade the components as they fail. It's really not hard, you need about 4 tools in total to do anything you want to a bike

If you keep doing cardio you'll stay a skelington. Lift rocks, stop biking.

Giant Escape Advanced, lowest tier model is 300.

I did the same thing, now I've gotten into actual racing

You guys think I can make some leg gain's a fixed gear bike

literally no

just dont buy from a retailer

you will spend more money in repairs and shit than its worth

i learned the hard ware

Craigslist nigga. I got a sweet ass light trek for like $80 and a huge heavy old steel Schwinn for $50. Put a motor/brakes/new everythjng/mirrors on that monstrosity and I still haven't cracked $300

Find a local bike co-op or "bike kitchen". Places where they collect old used stuff, and resell at cheap prices to people trying to get around town or commute. They can teach you everything. So much cheaper than buying new, and you will learn how to fix it all yourself. Usually some weirdos lurking inside, but most shops are open to beginners. $300 will get you plenty.

Also look into proper riding techniques for riding on the street. It's brutal out there, 1-2 people a week seem to get creamed down here in SoCal by drunk drivers or fucking idiots. You can't really ride like you drive your car, as in taking huge busy streets all the time. Find the quiet side streets and enjoy less traffic.

Riding a single speed will make you push harder on hills, but that's about it. Look at most cyclists, they're skinny and lean. Only the track sprinters have huge legs and they ride short distances at max output. They don't go on 120 mile training rides..

You can re-build a bike urself with old parts.
Did it myself and build a fixed bike with 2gears (you have to flip the backtire to switch gears), cost me ~90€ including brakes and paint.

>skellyfag
>biking

You're doing it wrong, look up bodyweight exercises and get dumbbells to compliment them.

You should still bike though

If you buy a race bike you have to make sure you get the right frame size when buying second hand. Plus you'll need a few things to make the ride pleasurable. You'll definitely need gloves, cyclist pants and a helmet. Getting click shoes is a good idea as well.

I doubt you'll be able to acquire all the things necessary to start with your budget. Try to see if you can spend a bit more. It'll make a huge difference in what kind of bike you get and the stuff you need to be able ride smoothly.

bikenoob here, are the gloves really worth it?
I've been doing mountain trails lately and my hands hurt like fuck by the end. I had some back pain at the beginning too but it's mostly gone now

If you bike on hard surface, get a trekking bike, or an urban bike such as trek soho. Also, get some bags for the back rack so you can easily carry groceries / work bag / gym bag.
Fixed gear bikes or race bikes in an urban scenario are a meme. I use a bike every day for the last 6 years for 95% of my commuting. Get something practical.

disregard this whole thread and visit /n/
all they talk about is bikes.

and to cut it short,
get a decent 90s steel mtb or decent steel road bike.

that'll set you back around 100 - 150 $
look after it at a coop and learn your shit.

buying anything new under ~700
is stupid

Globes Help quite a bit. Lower back pain is naturally in the beginning. My back started to hurt around the 20 minutr mark. Each ride it would start feeling uncomfortable after a longer time. Within a month it only started hurting around the 50 minute mark.

Make sure not to deadlift/squat or work your lower back the day before a ride. Ideally you'd have to get used to riding after a workout, although you will suffer from the strength training during the ride.

This user makes a valid point. You'd probably want something more practical for commutes.

/n/ isn't dead, its just slow. find the right thread and ask the right question.

if you dont have patience to wait a few days, then you deserve whatever POS $300 will buy you. You're going to have to set aside at least $100 just for accessories (lights, pump, tubes, tools, helmet)