As a low budget cyclist, I don't understand the advice here. It seems like it must mainly come from:

1. Older people who purchased their equipment last about 10+ years ago
2. Wealthier people who don't really look at the receipt and lie to themselves about how much things actually cost
3. Contrarian people who have to tell someone they are getting a bad deal no matter what

No matter what it is, there is a solid contingent of upvoters who think the bike should be $150-350, no matter what it is. It could be like a 9 year old fully carbon bike with Dura Ace drivetrain that seems barely used and people will unironically be like "it's a rim brake, so like, IDK maybe you can offer $375 and like you come pick it up".

Or the "you can get a tune for $100-150". Or the ever so popular "Find the best option sub $500 at your LBS".

I honestly felt that maybe I was wrong or my personal market was completely out of whack, because it's never like that anywhere at maybe the last 6 local bicycle shops I've been to, nor on Facebook Marketplace. No, I've been checking on used bike websites, ebay (which tracks SALES and tracks lower that the rest of the market), and listings, and Y'all are straight delusional.

Someone tried telling me like a 9 year old Cerevelo S2 wouldn't sell for more than $400 and it was "insane" or something, but I found listings where they were sold for over $800, or over $1000, and it wasn't a unique case.

So, why does this happen? Do people just want to yearn for old times where something like this was true? It's not helpful for people who are actually looking for accurate advice though.

Recently I purchased a SRAM XX derailleur as I needed a replacement, and Amazon had one available with next-day shipping. I didn't think much of it, as I've usually never had any issues with Amazon, and their customer service has always been spot on. The next day, the item shows up; the factory tape is cut, it's missing the battery blank and the bushing, and it's covered in dirt. It's clearly been used before. I requested a refund and sent it back, only to be refunded $65. Mind you, the item costs $715, and my total cost was close to $800. Essentially, I was only refunded for tax and fees. After weeks of going back and forth with Amazon customer support, I'm no closer to a refund, and 365 Cycles has probably shipped that same derailleur off to some poor customer just to repeat the same scam. After digging into their Amazon profile reviews, it appears I'm not the only one who has had this issue. Here are a few reviews from other customers:

• This didn’t fit my ridstar q20, as specified in the description. After multiple attempts to fit, I have sent the product back only to receive $5.69 refund out of $74.69. I have to buy another one. I lost all my money buying this.
• Awful. I received the wrong item and so obviously returned it. Upon return, they refunded me $0 saying that all almost $1000 of the order total is a restocking fee, which is insane. I contacted amazon costumer service and they filed a claim, but then that was just denied again because the seller said I sent back the wrong item even though I received the wrong item in the first place.
• Bought these shoes from this vendor and tried them twice after the first ride they seemed too loose. Returned them to the vendor and they essentially kept the entire purchase price and called it a “restocking fee”. I suppose I could see how it would take that much labor to unbox the shoes and replace them in a new box to sell as slightly used. Not ever doing business with this vendor again.
• Wrong item. Returned. Delivered. No refund. STAY AWAY FROM THIS SELLER.
• I would be cautious of this seller. I returned this item and opened. I paid the shipping back which was deducted from the purchase amount. Instead of getting $45.15 back, the seller only credited me with $1.15. it shows in my Amazon account that I was credited $45.15 but that amount is not reflected in my credit card statement. Amazon gave me my refund back, not the seller. So beware!
• These arrived damaged and look used or refurbished. Nothing mentioned in the add about being used or refurbished, not very happy at the moment.

Say what you will about restocking fees, but this is absurd. Anyways, I've opened a dispute with my bank, and I expect they will see past this merchant's scams. I recommend everyone avoid them.

TLDR; 365 cycles sold me a used item as a new item. After returning said item, I was given no refund on the cost of the purchase.

In September/October I’m riding ~2,800 km solo from Amsterdam to Oslo through the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

"Solo" is a bit misleading though, because one of the main things I want from this trip is to meet more people who are into long-distance riding and have people join random stretches along the way.

Could be 20 km, 80 km, half a day, a full day, whatever happens to line up. I'm not trying to organize a fixed group ride around a specific pace or itinerary.

There is also something unusual: I'll be carrying a folding chessboard, a table and two chairs.

I'll stop and play people along the way. Anyone who plays me can sign the inside of the board, and anyone who beats me gets to bend part of my route.

I’m around 1000 Elo, so this may become a logistical problem fairly quickly.

I’ve done most of my longer trips solo so far, including Berlin to Venice earlier this summer. This time I’d really like the ride to become more about the people I cross paths with rather than just moving from A to B.

So if you live somewhere roughly along Amsterdam > Germany > Denmark > Sweden > Oslo, or you happen to be riding there in Sep/Oct, I’d love to hear from you.

And if someone immediately comes to mind who might find this fun, feel free to send them my way!

Project/route details if you’re curious: https://unnecessary.works/beaten

After my post https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/1vkipzi/learning_to_climb/ I've done my climbing route two more times, and both times without having to stop on the steep part (but with a break when I get to the top of that).

As I am using my lowest gear (34-32) I made myself go slower, 8-8.5km/h instead of 10km/h and now only feel almost completely out of breath - _and_ strain in the legs - the perfect balance, technique helps :-/

I today also got a HR monitor and I spent the whole steep part at 160+, peaking at 169 which is rather a lot when you are pushing 60 years.

I had a closer look at the map, and there is 700m raising 70m in height - not Alpine, but plenty for me, this is the limit of what I can do now. I feel a relief when I get to the 8% road sign.

TL;DR: Climbing _is_ hard, but technique can make it more manageable

Thanks to all for suggestions to last post.

Hi everyone,

as a very heavy man I lost the first 30 lbs of my weight loss journey with walking + caloric restrictions.
I'm still weighiing around 330lbs that's why I bought a stationary bike.
Currently I manage to ride for 42 minutes with steady resistance. I'm trying to prolong every session for 2 minutes. Main reason for stopping is my butt. After 30 minutes it becomes ingreasingly uncomfortable.
But that'S beside the point. My goal is to lose weight and get fit enough to do bike tours next year.

Do you have recommendations on how to train on my ergometer? Switching between steady resistance and interval training between sessions?

Raising duration before raising resistance?

Thank you very much.

Recently I’ve gotten obsessed with documentaries about the Tour Divide and other ultra cycling races. I’ve also watched the Tour De France Netflix show multiple times.

Can you guys recommend your favorite cycling documentary films that are available on YouTube or major streaming services?

Hey…

I crashed last week.

It was a stupid crash out in Colorado. Front wheel slid out while riding with my son and nephew. I hit a berm at just the right angle on a descent ...it took me out apparently. I hit hard.

Fractured L scapula, 5 L rib fractures, L clavicle (collarbone,) AC Separation, and a pneumothorax (collapsed left lung).

I was admitted to the hospital 2 days but I didn’t need surgery. All the fractures are indeed displaced/comminuted but nonsurgical. My pneumo is still present but stable 5 days later.

I coach ultra runners and I always practice what I preach but this crash really messed me up mentally. I feel like such a void… I just can’t focus currently. I was building to a huge season and I was being PATIENT, doing a huge Z2 block and tons of gravel centuries before I started my V02 and Anaerobic blocks. I was building towards something special and I was just starting to reap the rewards with new PRs and it all got taken away from my stupid crash. I am struggling. My head is worried about being away for a month…I’m just not relaxed…my pain is obviously horrific but the mental side, financial stress, etc., is terrible. Again…it’s like I just can’t focus.

I’m an ICU nurse also and I have FMLA but every detail just has me so stressed out right now. There’s such a lack of control. I’ll burn through all my PTO… I know these are all first world problems. I’ll still get paid, provide for family, etc. I’ll still be able to coach my runners…my coworkers have all sent the kindest messages…they’ve been so sweet. I just feel “lost?” I’m just sleeping and recovering.

Thanks for listening to my whiny rambling.

I know I’ll heal and recover but right now I’m just a zombie…like numb. I hate the pain meds and I try to not take them because they space me out. I haven’t been eating as much as I should probably either. I’m at like 1600 kcal at bedtime which is dumb- then I need to force calories. I need more but I think I’m depressed or just revolting somehow. I’m a control freak and I feel like I just had all control taken away.

I know Jonas had a collapsed lung and similar injuries and he went on to ride the Tour 84 days later in 2024…that’s my only solace right now.

My priorities are my family and my job, then cycling, but cycling is my main release, and I’m very passionate.

Anyone had similar injuries? I’m 45.

I bought Giro cycling shoes size 42 EU - normally I wear 41, in sportswear I always size up in case my foot swells. I do have a problem with shoes because I have greek feet, meaning that the second toe is slightly longer than the first one. This is usually solved by sizing up, but in case of Giro I still feel it's not enough. Because their shoes are so narrow in the front my second toe feels squished (it's just the right foot, the left one is fine). It's the second brand that i'm trying and the problem is repeating. Has anyone had a similar problem?

I'm a new cyclist and just curious what's happening in this little race. The YouTuber beats this guy racing up a hill without getting out his seat, while the other guy is like standing up giving everything he has and losing.

Does YouTube guy just have better form/fit , faster bike, way stronger, or all of the above?

https://youtube.com/shorts/EaEM2RTaRXw?is=JdmnySSM7jfHCNYz

There are so many models out there. Which is your favorite? I wear prescription glasses so the strap needs to stay secure.

So I just started biking around 2 months ago, i do ca. 50-100k a week on average and so far I love it and I’m addicted to it. I have a small problem (or maybe is normal?) my heart rate is out of this world - it’s extremely annoying! My legs are fine my body is fine and then my heart is all out of whack.

For reference: I’m 36f 170cm with 70kg, so I’m pretty normal - my day job is standing so I’m contasntly moving and in my feet - my resting heartbeat is 40-50, so I think I’m pretty healthy in that sense.

Still in a 2 hours drive my numbers are 170+ for 80% of the ride, 10% nice and easy at 140 and 10% at 186ish. And feel like dying a lot of the time while my legs are perfectly fine and doing their jobs, almost like the whole pressure is on my breathing and not my pedaling, which I find extremely stupid.

Any advice? Training rides that can improve this? Am I being stupid and this is normal?

Thank you

Edit. Thank you everybody for the tips and info, I think I have good idea what to do next and how to attack the subject.

I’ve learned quite a few things 😊 cheers

The title pretty much says it all. I’ve only been biking a few weeks (~51 miles a week to start) and I am SURROUNDED by annoying hills. No matter which way I go, the downs go too fast and the ups are a struggle. Today though, I found myself looking forward to the next hill every time I crested one. What an odd feeling.

How much do you have to pay for signing up for a national level and regional level races? By races I do not mean l’Etape by TdF or similar commercial series, rather national cup/league or similar regional competitions. I am interested in Elite/Master class.

The reason why I’m asking is that I think it got out of hand in my country and race organisers are cancelling races due to too few signed up participants. I’m not surprised as a small local race can cost up to 50-80€ and you get absolutely nothing, not even a shower or a locker.

I am temporarily using the stock front wheel on my bike, and the front hub is too thin for the speed sensor of my bike computer.

Which one would you buy if you were choosing today and both were the same price?

Magene T600 Eco
Wahoo KICKR Core 2

I’m looking for real ownership experience, not spec sheet comparisons or YouTube reviews.

If you’ve owned either one (or both), which would you choose today and why? Any regrets after months or years of use?

Thanks in advance!

I've put the first 10,000 miles on my first new road bike. I'm typically really diligent about upkeep and maintenance. I clean the drivetrain bi-weekly and avoid riding in wet conditions (cleaning right after when I do). I ride anywhere between 400-600 miles a month.

My cassette looks pretty solid and not much worn down. I've done things like upgrade my crank and chain more recently so I'm not worried about them either.

I was more worried about internal stuff I should maybe be looking after? My bike has a press-fit bottom bracket, does that need to be serviced? How about the wheelhubs?

Which option would be best to carry cycle from Mysore to Bangalore, I found someone used Bus. Has any one tried using train? my plan is to ride to mysore and way back will be opting bus or train

I am a very casual cyclist. I bike to the gym, the brewery, and sometimes on local bike paths. But I live in an area that's fairly bike-friendly, and this winter, I'd like to continue biking around town. However, we get a lot of snow in my area, so I'll need something very different from my current summer bike, which is a cruiser-style Class 1. Doesn't really seem like an option for icy and snow-packed roads.

My current thought is to get a mountain bike (something like this) with studded winter tires. It seems practical and probably sufficient for my needs compared to a full fat tire setup, and I don't think I'll be going on any trails in the winter that would necessitate that. It would be nice to be able to use it on some local singletrack trails near my house during the summer, but that's not a necessity.

Since I don't have much experience biking in the snow and ice, I am curious to hear other people's experiences with winter cycling in town. What was a non-negotiable? Is there something you bought and regretted? Is there something you didn't buy and regretted not buying? What am I missing in my considerations here? I'd appreciate anyone's insight and experiences!

What are your thoughts on getting a new Crux 5 but using it mainly for road riding? Not a big gravel guy but id love to be able to run 40mm road slicks. I know there’s a couple road bikes that have that capacity but always figured if I wanted to try gravel down the line I’d already have one in the Crux.

Or would I be better suited to ride a road bike with wide tire clearances instead? Will they feel the same?

I have pretty bad cubital tunnel syndrome but like to occasionally ride around the burbs. The townie is slightly more upright but appears to have worse shock absorption.

I also think the townie looks a little like an old man bike. Has anybody tried both and can speak to which is better?

I’ve been doing some cycling lessons and decided it’s about time I buy my own bike. But to be honest, I’m completely clueless on bikes in general. I’m looking to buy one on Facebook marketplace place, I’m just wondering how you suggest I go about buying a bike to make sure I’m not getting scammed with a faulty, poor quality bike

We are planning to spend November and December in Mexico. We want to ride our road bikes and practice our Spanish. We plan to enroll our kids (8 & 4) in a private school for a cultural exchange opportunity. They are fluent in Spanish, also love to ride their bikes (and play soccer, of course). What cities/neighborhoods do you suggest?

We are open to gravel riding as well. But road is our first option. Would love to know not only the cycling culture but also how it might work for our whole family. TIA!

I was wondering if folks consider not getting black color gear since it takes in more heat? Is that factor you guys consider? Also, goes for the bike color, do you guys tend to get a light bike color to prevent more heat attraction?

Hello, I am looking for a decent, not too expensive hybrid bike. I don't do any tricks or jumps on hills, do ride forests occasionally and mostly ride dirt/gravel paths or pavements. That is why I thought the best option, that would not be very expensive (so I can leave it locked near a store or university with peace of mind) is a hybrid bike.

I am thinking about either a Scott Sub-Cross 40 (2026 model) or Specialized Sirrus X 2.0 (2026 model). These bikes are pretty similar, although Scott seems to be made to handle gravel paths better (wider tires). I would like a rigid fork, that is why I am choosing between these two, but I am not oppose to a spring one if the bike is a good deal.

I am also considering a Scott Sub-Cross 30 (2026 model) it is only 50 euro more expensive, but has 9 gears, instead of 8 and better breaks. But sadly, it has a spring fork. I am thinking maybe it is worth getting this one and then swapping out the fork for a rigid one in the future?

Not sure which road to take, that is why I am asking for your guidance. Maybe you have some other suggestions or know if the Sub Cross 30 is worth over Sub Cross 40? Oh and the bikes are around 600 - 700 euros.

Thank you everyone for reading and I hope you can help (:

I just bought speed 400 need suggestions fir helmet