The way to Discover a Finances Bicycle

Whereas some cyclists do spend eye-watering quantities of cash on their bicycles, biking can truly be a really budget-friendly interest, mode of transport and exercise choice — and much cheaper than operating a automobile or paying for a fitness center membership.

There are some very low cost bikes in the marketplace (some even beneath £200) and you may usually get bikes even cheaper for those who store secondhand.

On this web page, we’ll take you thru one of the simplest ways to purchase a funds bicycle — each new and secondhand — and be sure you’re knowledgeable about all the professionals and cons of every choice.

Shopping for a Finances Bicycle

With regards to shopping for a funds bicycle, there are a number of components you must contemplate.

First, what would you like your bike for? Are you searching for a commuter bike to get you from A to B? A motorcycle for longer weekend rides? A mountain bike for tackling trails? After all, this may show you how to determine what model of motorcycle you want, but in addition the options that you really want your bike to incorporate.

You also needs to take into consideration whether or not you’d desire to purchase your bike new or secondhand. There are execs and cons to every, which we are going to go into in additional element later, however usually you’ll be capable of get usually dearer bikes for a lot much less for those who purchase them secondhand, however that comes with the caveat that they might want work, gained’t be beneath any guarantee, and are most likely ‘offered as seen’.

After all, if worth is a think about your bike shopping for course of (as it’s for most individuals), do set your self an affordable funds earlier than you begin correctly searching for a motorbike. By ‘affordable’ we imply not solely a worth you possibly can afford, however one that may get you a motorbike that does every thing you want it to do.

Additionally contemplate components like longevity — are you keen to place in slightly further money now to spend money on a motorbike that may serve you higher and longer down the road? Or would you slightly avoid wasting cash now, realizing that you simply may need to exchange components and even the entire bike in a few years’ time?

Shopping for a funds bike can seem to be a little bit of a minefield, however it actually doesn’t must be for those who go in knowledgeable and with affordable expectations. We’re going to take you thru a few of the execs and cons of shopping for a funds bike new and secondhand that can assist you make the fitting resolution in your biking wants.

Low cost New Bikes

Let’s begin by taking a look at low cost new bikes. You completely can discover budget-friendly new bikes from retailers like Decathlon and Halfords, so let’s check out what try to be searching for when searching for a brand new bike on a funds.

Can You Purchase a New Bike beneath £100?

Sadly, you’re unlikely to discover a new grownup bike for beneath £100. Finances retailers like Decathlon and Sports activities Direct usually have bikes near £100 when there’s a sale on, however you’d be arduous pushed to search out one with a price ticket in double figures.

Should you’re purchasing on a decent funds, most likely probably the most affordable worth you can hope for could be under £200. Decathlon have some unbelievable funds choices on this vary and supply a few of the least expensive fashions round, such because the Elops 100 and Riverside 100, and different retailers usually have bikes beneath the £200 mark, significantly when discounted.

Keep in mind to bear in mind any large gross sales – for instance Black Friday – for those who’re searching for an inexpensive new bike, as these are nice instances to search out closely discounted bikes.

Should you’re seeking to purchase a motorbike for beneath £100, you’d be finest off purchasing secondhand. We’ll go into extra element on secondhand bike purchasing later, however it will possibly usually be considerably cheaper than purchasing new.

Nonetheless, we should add the caveat at this stage that purchasing a motorbike for beneath £100 isn’t completely advisable — when a motorbike is that low cost, there may be one thing mistaken with it or it may not be nice high quality.

Should you’re actually searching for a motorbike on a shoestring, contemplate bike leasing and sharing schemes. We offer extra data on this additional down this web page, however primarily it means you’ll get all the advantages of getting a motorbike with out the massive upfront value by utilising a pay-as-you-go or subscription mannequin.

Most cost-effective Bikes You Can Purchase

As we’ve talked about, Decathlon’s Elops 100 and Riverside 100 each are available in beneath £200 and are each nice choices for these searching for an inexpensive new bike.

Muddyfox at Sports activities Direct additionally affords some very low cost choices — for instance the Recoil Girls Mountain Bike and Recoil Mens Mountain Bike which each retail at £220 however are sometimes lowered to nearer to £100.

Halfords’ web site even has a tab for Bikes Beneath £150, which predominantly options children’ bikes but in addition consists of the Indi ATB 1 Womens Mountain Bike, Indi ATB 1 Mens Mountain Bike and Indi TC1 Mens Hybrid Bike which all retail at £145.

It’s additionally price noting that fixie bikes (single pace bikes) might be very low cost to purchase in comparison with different sorts of bikes, though these may pose some driving challenges for the inexperienced as a result of they haven’t any gears, so you will want to work tougher at instances than you’d on a geared bike.

That stated, they’re decrease upkeep than geared bikes too, which suggests they’re prone to be cheaper in the long term as nicely, and are sometimes a good choice for commuters.

The place to Purchase Low cost New Bikes

With regards to shopping for low cost new bikes, you’re finest off sticking to giant chain retailers like Decathlon, Halfords, Sports activities Direct, Argos and the like.

These choices will provide you with the widest vary and the bottom costs — and whereas it’s normally nice to buy at unbiased bike retailers or smaller chains, these specialist retailers usually don’t have bikes on the decrease finish of the funds spectrum for numerous causes.

As well as, giant chain retailers usually supply guarantee on their bicycles, for instance Decathlon normally affords a two 12 months guarantee on its merchandise. Cheaply made bikes can have issues go mistaken — components would possibly break, or issues may not at all times work as you’d count on them to — so having this guarantee buffer is a superb concept so that you don’t find yourself shelling out extra money while you’re already on a funds.

Used Bikes

One other wonderful means to purchase a bicycle on a funds is to get a used bike. Second hand bikes are normally less expensive than shopping for new, so yow will discover nice manufacturers and fashions for a a lot lower cost.

After all, there are additionally some cons which include shopping for used bikes. Elements would possibly want changing or have issues, so it’s actually necessary to totally examine the bike you’re seeking to purchase to verify any work you must do on it isn’t going to value an arm and a leg or be an excessive amount of effort for the worth of the bike.

Used bikes additionally gained’t normally include a guaranty like new bikes, so if something goes mistaken with it down the road you’ll have to bear the fee.

That stated, shopping for secondhand is far more environmentally pleasant than shopping for a brand new bike, and helps maintain streets and landfill clear of unused bikes — there’s already sufficient of these on the earth!

Let’s take a look at a few of the execs and cons of shopping for used bikes.

Used Bikes Execs + Cons

PROS	CONS
Cheaper than shopping for new	Might be dearer in the long term
Get a greater mannequin for much less	Hazard of scams/stolen bikes
Environmentally-friendly	Want some bike data to analysis

How A lot Do Second Hand Bikes Value?

Second hand bikes value as a lot as you need them to! Inside cause, in fact. With second hand bikes, there actually is a motorbike to go well with each funds, however as with something, you get what you pay for.

You would possibly be capable of purchase a second hand bike for £50, however it’s unlikely to be in good situation or final you very lengthy.

You might additionally spend 1000’s on a second hand bike if you wish to — and this could possibly be nicely price doing if the RRP of the bike you need is double that!

It’s at all times price setting apart slightly bit further when shopping for a second hand bike, although. As we’ve already talked about, second hand bikes most certainly gained’t include a guaranty, so that you’ll be accountable for paying for any repairs or replacements it would want down the road.

After all, at all times make certain to totally examine over your second hand bike earlier than shopping for, ask plenty of inquiries to the vendor, and converse to knowledgeable for those who’re unsure. A used bike isn’t a discount if it finally ends up being unrideable and costing you a whole lot in new components and servicing after you’re taking it house!

The place to Discover a Low cost Used Bike

There are such a lot of choices for locations to purchase low cost used bikes, so it’s undoubtedly price purchasing round.

You’re certain to search out loads of second hand bikes on Fb Market, Gumtree and eBay, and these websites join you immediately with the vendor so you possibly can try the bike before you purchase and ask plenty of inquiries to the one that, presumably, is aware of the bike nicely as a rider.

When shopping for from these websites, you will need to be careful for scams. Keep in mind, if it’s too good to be true then it most likely is — so be sure you’re knowledgeable, totally examine over the bike, and don’t ship ANY cash till you’ve seen the bike in individual and are able to take it house.

It is usually necessary to just be sure you are usually not shopping for a stolen bike. As any bike owner is aware of, bike theft is alarmingly widespread, significantly in city areas, and these bikes are sometimes resold to unwitting patrons searching for a discount.

There are some issues you are able to do to guard your self from shopping for a stolen bike. First, make certain the fee isn’t too good to be true – if it’s less expensive than different related bikes, that’s not normally an incredible signal. Examine that there are many good high quality photos of the precise bike you’re shopping for – not simply ones copied from on-line retailers or from different sellers.

Additionally, for those who’re shopping for from a website like Gumtree, eBay or Fb Market, examine what else that vendor has on the market – if they’ve tons and many bikes on the market they usually’re not an official second hand bike retailer, that most certainly means the bikes they’re promoting are nicked.

Numerous unbiased bike retailers additionally promote used bikes, so it’s nicely price trying out any bike retailers in your native space. You would possibly pay barely extra, and there could also be much less room for negotiation, however shopping for from knowledgeable vendor usually means a extra dependable sale, and your used bike might even come beneath guarantee.

Bike Leasing and Sharing Schemes

Should you don’t have some huge cash to spend money on a bicycle, or need to see how a lot you would possibly use a motorbike day-to-day earlier than splashing the money, bike leasing and sharing schemes could possibly be an incredible choice.

City bike sharing schemes have gotten increasingly more fashionable, with lots of the UK’s cities now having their very own model.

In London, so-called Boris Bikes — Santander Cycles — are present in docking stations throughout the town, and value £1.65 for as much as half-hour of use after which £1.65 for each extra half-hour. There’s additionally an choice for month-to-month and yearly memberships too, for those who assume you’ll be an everyday consumer.

Personal corporations additionally supply short-time bike rental in different cities, reminiscent of Lime, Uber bikes and extra, so it’s undoubtedly price trying out what’s obtainable in your native space for those who assume this could possibly be the fitting choice in your wants.

There are additionally loads of corporations providing long-term bike leasing. Buzzbike, Swapfiets, Brompton and Zoomo all supply bikes on month-to-month leases or longer at numerous costs, so it’s price trying into these choices for those who’re unsure you’re able to decide to a motorbike buy.