# best commuter for under $200?



## Mike Gager (Jul 30, 2010)

say i have $200 to spend on a *NEW* bike for commuting to work. I know i can find great deals at garage sales/craigslist (although ive personally never seen them...) but i want something NEW. i dont care if its a department store bike as long as its decent and dependable. anyone have any recommendations?


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## Mike Gager (Jul 30, 2010)

this is kind of what im looking at now

http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_504148_-1_201675_10000_202082

with a coupon discount and shipping it should be under $200. thoughts?


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Mike Gager said:


> thoughts?


"$200", "good bike", and "new" don`t compute.
If you knock out the new part, you can swing it, if you want a pile of junk you can swing it.. Feel free to disagree, but I seriously doubt you`ll change my mind.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Bothers me that the rims are 32h (32 spokes) and the hubs are 36 (if they can't get the specs listed right...). Haven't seen a steel crank on a bike worth buying since 1972 (IMHO). My el cheapo wheelset, cassette, tires & tubes and fenders for my 'free' old Schwinn cost that much, and they aren't anything great (well the tires and fenders are good to pretty decent). Bikes that cost the equivalent of $1000 converted to today's money are often sub $200 with much better frames. 

But it is your money and it is your choice.


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## rudymexico (Aug 14, 2010)

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=613915

29'' Men's Mongoose Impasse Bike


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## wunderkind (Aug 11, 2009)

Go used route. But if you want something new and can muster another $50. Target has a really decent hybrid called the Schwinn Tourister for $249. It is light weight and has decent components.
Many reviews over at BF on it.


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## Mike Gager (Jul 30, 2010)

rudymexico said:


> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=613915
> 
> 29'' Men's Mongoose Impasse Bike


oddly enough the walmarts around here dont carry it, id consider it if i could see it first


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## Mike Gager (Jul 30, 2010)

BrianMc said:


> Bothers me that the rims are 32h (32 spokes) and the hubs are 36 (if they can't get eh specs listed right...). Haven't seen a steel crank on a bike worth buying since 1972 (IMHO). My el cheapo wheelset, cassette, tires & tubes and fenders for my 'free' old Schwinn cost that much, and they aren't anything great (well the tires and fenders are good to pretty decent). Bikes that cost the equivalent of $1000 converted to today's money are often sub $200 with much better frames.
> 
> But it is your money and it is your choice.


believe me i scour the classifieds every day for that special deal, around here it just aint happening. IF i could find something nice used id consider it but im not gonna buy used without seeing it first so ebay is out, even though there is never any deals on there worth taking seriously (below $200)



rodar y rodar said:


> "$200", "good bike", and "new" don`t compute.
> If you knock out the new part, you can swing it, if you want a pile of junk you can swing it.. Feel free to disagree, but I seriously doubt you`ll change my mind.


good thing im not trying to change your mind! my #1 bike cost a little over $500 and i thought that was a lot. for $200 my idea of good is most likely several thousand $$ under yours. so be it. i gave an example of what im thinking (which actually gets pretty good reviews from what ive seen) just looking for alternatives, thanks for your help 



wunderkind said:


> Go used route. But if you want something new and can muster another $50. Target has a really decent hybrid called the Schwinn Tourister for $249. It is light weight and has decent components.
> Many reviews over at BF on it.


thanks i will check it out! :thumbsup:


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

I have been getting snobbier about bikes and bike parts lately, and maybe I spoke too strongly against the two bill special. That`s still my opinion and maybe you`d be happy with it. Then again, I still think you get much more bang for your buck on CL:

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/bik/1965962061.html
http://topeka.craigslist.org/bik/1962133252.html

Also, "several thousand $$" is out of my price range too. For whatever that`s worth.


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## Mike Gager (Jul 30, 2010)

BrianMc said:


> Bothers me that the rims are 32h (32 spokes) and the hubs are 36 (if they can't get eh specs listed right...)


saw a better picture of the hounder and it has 36 spokes


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## CycleAddict (Aug 8, 2009)

The Nashbar Hounder seems like a pretty sweet deal for $250. Might as well go with that if you can get it for $200. Probably won't find a better deal anywhere else if you buy new. Performance also has cheap SS commuter bikes on sale practically all the time. Probably between $2-300. 

Only other options would be looking used or find a used bike shop/bike co-op near by. Used shops used to have the deals of the century, although you want a new bike so I won't go to much into detail about this.


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## Mike Gager (Jul 30, 2010)

i actually decided i didnt want a road type bike and spent a little more and ordered a se stout. should be here tomorrow. got it for $318 shipped


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

2010 Mongoose Kaldi Single Commuter Bike at Peformance - $250

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1079104_-1_1512507_20000_400307










21 speeds, V brakes (better dirt and grime clearance), mounts for racks, fenders, puncture resistant commuter tires, etc. Much better than the Nashbar SS which doesn't have any of that.

EDIT: Just read you got another bike. Cool!


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