The Chainlink

I love my cheap new bike.

I went to Target recently with the objective of finding the cheapest bike commonly available new that fits and of adequate quality. I RODE home on a $69 Magna. This to confront the oft heard various explanations of why a person doesn't own a bike. No excuses. $69 new, Target, ride it home, done. I added headlight, taillight, chain lock, bottle holder, bell and my FIRST bike computer ever for just $69 more! Furthermore, I now believe the Chicago wisdom that there's always a bike around if you ask. I've a friend with several in his basement. My prior bike, a $15 police auction Huffy, I gave to a friendly neighborhood shopkeep. Having already put at least 100 miles on the new red, I love it. Solid and simple. What's the compromise? Cantilever brakes, and wheels not quick release. All the better.

For the record, as soon as I started telling people I'd bought it at Target, they started asking if I'd has to tighten everything. Yes, in fact, that is absolutely true. Apparently Target's quality of assembly is infamous. It did ride home adequately, but had I not immediately then given it a thorough onceover the kickstand would've fallen off, and the shifters wouldn't hit all gears.

A month later, I looooooove this bike. So tough and fast and cheap and red and nameless. I recently found myself stammering through trying to explain, and the words actually came out freely "it's like sex with a machine"
Oh someday it'll hurt me, they all do, but the real problem is, it's clearly male.

For the record, a month later I had to remove the chain guard (cracked and lost screws), tighten the front derailleur cable, and drill a bolt through the stem to fix handlebar slipping.


NOTE: This article is now maintained at http://bedno.com/body/bike/mine/beater
Was originally created here, but now mirrored from personal primary and subject to drift.

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Comment by Andrew Bedno on November 12, 2009 at 4:22pm
For maintenance record, it's a Magna "Glacier Point" Men's Mountain Bike, 26 inch.
From Target
Bike computer rotations setting 2045.
Both tubes replace in November 2009.
Comment by Andrew Bedno on July 14, 2009 at 4:12pm
The bike is now fairly littered with stickers, and has picked up a name, "Russell"; feels right.
Last weekend we put in at least 60 miles over 36 hours between NSCM+After (18+), TourDeFat+ToFrom (18+), RogersPark party (+6), and LATE (18+) ride

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