Where should I buy a bike from?

http://www.yelp.com/biz/bicycle-station-brooklyn

though im not sure how youre going to ride your bike without doing any cycling

Dixon's on Union St. between 6th & 7th. They'd seem perfect for what you want. Maybe Mr. C's on 45th and 7th Ave in Sunset too.

Subject: Re: Where should I buy a bike from?

poshspice wrote: Going to do it this season, finally. I want a nice leisurely cruiser. With a basket. No cycling. Where should I look? I don't even know how much to expect to pay.

Posh, thanks for asking this question! I'm looking for exactly the same type of bike (no joke), except that I want one with a basket AND a bell :-).

Or, I'm looking for a folding bike, for convenience. Does anyone have any direct experience with one of these?

look closely and you'll find the best deals on craigslist. Not saying there's not crap on there too, just be selective.

izisharp wrote: look closely and you'll find the best deals on craigslist. Not saying there's not crap on there too, just be selective.

How can one tell if the bike is stolen?

rhodamine wrote: [quote=BKChickie]How can one tell if the bike is stolen?

by supporting a local bike shop and buying it from them and not the internet.

Exactly my point. To the posters who are recommending Craigslist: how can we tell if the bike was stolen?

Mougar wrote: Uhhh, a used bike from a local store won't necessarily be legit either: http://www.thestar.com/article/463753

Speaking of Uhh...

Local? That story is from Toronto.

Also, the op didn't specify used.

Anyway..,

BKChickie wrote: [quote=izisharp]look closely and you'll find the best deals on craigslist. Not saying there's not crap on there too, just be selective.

How can one tell if the bike is stolen?

If the craigslist posting is descriptive and has pictures, it's less likely to be stolen.

Avoid sales that don't "makes sense".... ie, don't buy a large bike from a five foot tall guy who keeps it with his other 20 bikes (and hacksaws and boltcutters) in a garage down a dark alley, and wants you to buy it on the spot for $50 when the market price is $300.

If you want to provide business for your local bike shop...bring your purchase in for a tuneup or buy some accessories (like a helmet...those come in handy!). That's probably a higher margin business for them anyway.

Lots of helpful responses above Posh. It's hard to give a price range for bikes because even a kids bike can range from $30 to $140 new and lots of times the shops will list the bike but not the price online.

Anyway--I looked a bit and it seemed to me that you could pick up a new cruiser type bike locally starting at around $300. (I bet local Brooklyn bike shops are competitive with this Manhattan shop:
http://bicyclehabitat.com/itemlist.cfm?pageId=653) So you could call the shops mentioned above (say Mr. C's or Fulton Bike shop) and see what they have in that style. The Mr and Mrs at Mr C's are very nice people.

If you are considering a used bike, you should be able to pick something up for less and I can second the recommendation for Bicycle Station, though I don't know what Mike has available right now. Dixon's also sells used. Mr. C might have a few used bikes out front too, but they mostly deal in new bikes. I imagine they would have the three-speed, upright type of bike that might interest you. (The bike shop that opened up in Bicycle Station space on Vanderbilt also has some used bikes, I believe, but I don't know how big their inventory might be.)

Re: Folding bikes--I think they go for somewhere in the $350-800+ range. I know a few people who ride them and are happy with them. Dahon is a pretty well know brand.

It couldn't hurt you to hit your closest bike shop and try a few bikes on for size etc. Take a test drive. Then at least you'll know better what you want. Maybe you really don't want a cruiser. Maybe you'd be happy with more of a hybrid-type. Good luck.

Good points Arches. Personally I wouldn't choose a cruiser as my method of transportation and myself, I prefer to keep my bike inside. That type of bike could also be really awkward to carry up stairs or store in a small space, etc. But I do know someone who chooses to ride the cruiser style and has commuted to work in Manhattan with it. (I think he has bike storage in the basement of his building though and also lives in a building with an elevator.)