Is Ranger Swing D-Frame(15 speed) a Good Bicycle?
920032
Anything with 15 speeds is likely 20 years old. Good for what ? Probably not.
1001122
It all depends on how much you are willing to spend.  All bicycle manufacturers have a good downhill version.  Willing to spend more, you can go to a Downhill Specific bicycle manufacturer.\n\nJust make sure it has good suspension and that the travel works for you. \n\nBest all depends on whatt part of the country you are in or it can even vary by city.\n\nI travel and rent bicycles.  Some towns are all about Trek and other Giant and others Specialized.  etc etc.\n\nGive more specifics and more help can be given.  \n\nHow much do you weight?\nBeginner, sport, or expert?\ntype of terrain in your area?\nand many many more???
409019
Your Bicycle shaped object as people in the KNOW refer to pedal powered two wheelers of that quality level has VALUE as long as it is being ridden..There is someone ,somewhere whose quality of life that bicycle will improve. Try to give it to that persons\n with it working ,or the resourses to make it work (i.e tires tube and a patch kit)\n\n\nANYHOW-The Firenze bicycles were used in promotionial campaigns and have the type of issuses that cause many bike shops to refuse to service them..becuase ,they feel they can not ever make them function to their expectation and saftey standards..here in the greater S.F. Bay area those bicycles were given away by MATHEEWS- top of the hill DALY CITY stereo store ,whose motto for a few years was GeT A STEREO GET A BIKE!! thats where your bike is from..\n\nFirst they had red mens and ladies framed 10 speeds, it was roumered that they had spent nineteen dollars a unit on those -the grey mountain bikes were supposedely 29 bucks..\nAll that being said it- sure beats the heck out of walking, if its more than a few blocks ,and its a better bike than 80% of the people that ride bikes becuase they have no other choice;i.e. china india, get to ever ride-- anyhow..don't put more than twenty or thirty bucks into that bike...
992163
Yes!\nI rode them and the s-jumper. For me the Blur are in different level.\nThe only 'bed' thing I can say about them is their price. However, you get one of the best free ride Mt. bike for each $ you pay on them. Santa Cruz VPP system is amazing.
991406
ok, no one has really addressed your needs here, just thiers.  long distance riding, not RACING, requiers a bike with a few things road bikes lack.  when you hear "road bike" read it as "racing bike", because thats what they are designed for.  road bikes have \nstiff frames for acceleration, light weight for the same reason, flimsy wheels, same reason, and aerodynamic riding positions, same reason.  they also have narrow saddles, and a gear range that is too high, or hard, for normal guy long distance riding.\ntouring bikes on the other hand, have a much wider range of usable gears, including a series of extra low gears for steep extended hills, higher handlebars for less back and neck and hand and wrist strain, wider saddles for better sit bone support, \nmore compliant frames for a nicer ride, more powerful brakes for stopping under load, and more durable wheels, not to mention fatter tires, which makes the ride more comfortable.  road bikes cant take fat tires or fenders, rendering them useless in the rain, gravel, dirt, ect.  fat tires protect the rims from pot holes, and general road debris.  steel is generally accepted as the ideal touring bike frame material.  people say steel is heavy, but well made steel bikes are within a quarter pound of an aluminum bike, and will survive wrecks much better.  good steel bikes last a lifetime.  aluminum lasts a decade.  long story short, a good touring bike will be a lifetime investment, wearas a road racing bike is a fragil object at best, suited for fast paced riding over smooth roads in ideal weather.  \na decent touring bike can be had for 1300, custom complete, made to measure.  if a shop tries to talk you into a road racing bike, its cause thats all they know, and all they have to sell.  \ntouring bikes arnt money makers, they last too long, and cost too much to build.  800 dollars buys you nothing, not even a bad cheap road bike.  think of it as an investment.  road bikes, if your lucky, last 10 years.  thats if you never crash... they will never carry loads well, never handle predictably under load, and are prone to mechanical failure..
1151545
Ok, so "ardi_95" says he's got experience with bikes... although I'm at odds with his ego, I am in his corner here.\n\nPersonanlly I *like* the older bikes and enjoy fixing them up. I wouldn't worry about adding more gears just because that's the trend. If you plan to be a racer, *then* I would worry about more gears and in which case, just buy a new bike. But if you're not a racer, don't worry about what's the latest fad. The important thing is do *you* really like the Nishiki? That is the most important piece -- if the frame fits you, you're comfortable on it and it does what you want, keep it.\n\nIf you decide to sell it, call me first!\n\nAnd since you've asked for qualifications, I will just give a run down of my bike shed...Road Bikes: Trek 400 (mid 80's) Miyata 110 (late 80's), Trek 2300 (late 90's carbon fiber), Bianchi Campione D'Italia (late '80's), Takara (late '70's). Mountain Bikes: Giant ...crap, don't remember (2004), GT LTS Team Issue (2000): Recumbents: BikeE CT (2004), Linear LWB folder (mid 90's). Various BMX, cruiser and other bikes. Anything else feel free to contact me off the list.
523746
Lightspeed and several other manufacturers make good tri bikes...  go to your local bike shop and ask.  I have a few friends who ride Quintana Roo and others.  Ride safe!
517534
I dont know a whole lot about dirt bikes, but there was an article on consumerreports.com that said the following. Hope it helps!\n\nBikes\nWhether you plan to hit the road or the trail, you'll get more bike for your buck than ever before.\n\nIf you're planning to buy a bike, chances are your new ride will have an aluminum frame, even if the bike costs less than $500. It might even have disc brakes or 27 gears. These features, once found only on more expensive bikes, bring the benefits of lighter weight, better braking in sloppy conditions, and more efficient pedaling to cyclists with a modest budget.\n\nHigher-priced bikes are getting better, too. The best of the $1,000-and-up models in our most recent tests had the shock absorption and handling previously found only on bikes costing two or three times as much.\n\nWhichever bike you choose, there's good reason to buy it from one of the nation's 5,300 bike shops, rather than from a department store or toy store. And you don't have to spend a fortune. We found fine choices for pavement rides that cost less than $300 and very good bikes for off-road cycling for $440. The bikes for serious trail riding cost $1,000 or more.\n\n\nWHAT'S AVAILABLE\n\nBrands include Bianchi, Cannondale, Diamondback, Fuji, Gary Fisher, Giant, GT, Iron Horse, Jamis, Klein, Landrider, LeMond, Mongoose, Raleigh, Schwinn, Specialized, and Trek.\n\nFull-suspension mountain bikes. These bikes are best for rough terrain with steep slopes. You'll get a shock-absorbing suspension fork and rear-suspension frame, which provide the best control and comfort on the roughest terrain. Most have 27 speeds and 26-inch wheels. All have wide, knobby tires; narrow or moderate-width saddle; and flat or riser handlebars.\n\nPrince range: $1,000 to more than $4,000.\n\nFront-suspension mountain bikes. These bikes are best for less-rugged off-road trails. You'll get a shock-absorbing suspension fork and rigid frame, fine for tamer trails. These bikes need less maintenance and are more efficient on smooth terrain than full suspension mountain bikes. Most have 24 or 27 speeds; 26-inch wheels; wide, knobby tires; narrow or moderately wide saddle; and flat or riser handlebars.\n\nPrice range: $400 to more than $2,000.\n\nHybrid bikes. These bikes are best for moderate-speed riding on pavement and smooth dirt paths. A cross between comfort and road bikes, most hybrids have a shock-absorbing suspension fork and seatpost; 24 speeds; 700C wheels (a designation from the French system, indicating size and width; it's about 27-inch); midwidth, fairly smooth tires; moderately wide saddle; and riser handlebars.\n\nPrice range: $400 to more than $500.\n\nComfort bikes. These bikes are best for casual cycling on pavement and smooth dirt paths. Most comfort bikes have a shock-absorbing suspension fork and seatpost; 21 speeds; 26-inch wheels; wide, relatively smooth tires; wide saddle; and riser handlebars. Generally have most upright riding position, which casual riders often find most comfortable.\n\nPrice range: $250 to more than $400.\n\nRoad bikes. These bikes are best for fast and/or long distance rides on pavement. Most have a lightweight frame with no suspension; 18 to 30 speeds; 700C wheels (about 27-inch); narrow, smooth tires; narrow saddle; and drop handlebars. The bent-over riding position reduces wind resistance at higher speeds, while the narrower seat facilitates pedaling.\n\nPrice range: $500 to more than $3,000.\n\n\nIMPORTANT FEATURES\n\nBrakes. Long-arm cantilever brakes (V-brakes or linear-pull brakes) are fine for most uses. For rough, sloppy terrain, go with disc brakes, which will spare your wheel rims from the abrasion of muddy braking. Some bikes are sold with your choice of brakes. Discs add $100 or more. You can retrofit some bikes with discs; ask at the bike shop.\n\nHandlebars. High-rise handlebars let you sit fairly upright. With low-rise and flat handlebars, you lean forward.
486262
Daniel H has set out the case brilliantly for the true revival in bikes for people (instead of the recent trend in making us humans conform to the high techery in the bikes).\n\nBut bikes are back because of the rising oil prices, combined at last, with the realisation that we can't keep putting all that carbon monoxide into the air just to go to the paper shop. \n\nBikes are back because people are learning they offer the all-round best exercise workout, they're fun, they're companionable and they let you see bits of the World you miss by car (and even on foot).\n\nBikes are back because the quality and sheer variety of modern bikes is extraordinary. They need hardly any maintenance, they don't rust anymore, they're not messy and they're easy to live with.\n\nLike Daniel I am really pleased to see the re-emergence of gear hubs - the new geration models are fantastic (my wife has a city bike fitted with a Shimano Nexus - its excellent).\n\nBUT - you asked is the sport of cycling dying. In short No. Sadly though, the old days of club racing seem to be over at the Sunday amateur level. Its all about big events and corporate sponsorship. Nevertheless, we're seeing new velodromes being built (that means big investment) and massive sponsorship in the big road racing teams. In Europe cycling is a passion second only to football (quite right too, I may be cycling mad, but football is close to God). \n\nCycle sport is not dying ... its changing.
387232
Honda, they are the most reliable thing you can buy. My family has a 48 year old Honda dirt bike that my grandfather gave to us. The engine just recently seized, but my brother says he will probably be able to fix it, he's good with engines. My brother's neighbor has a Honda CRF250 2-Stroke and he said that it was one of the best (and fastest) bikes he has ever ridden.\n\nSo I would go with Honda no matter what you buy, especially dirt bikes!
113908
Chopper Bike is what I think.  Check with Honda dealer.
568370
i'd echo prairiebiscuit's answer - Giant really do pack a stackload of features into their bikes.\n\nSome mountain bikes that regulalrly do well in the entry-level grouptests are:\n\nGiant Terrago / Rincon, Specialized Hardrock, Mongoose Amasa, GT Avalanche, Claud Butler Cape Wrath\n\nAs most of the guys here are saying, do make sure you go to a proper bike shop and speak to someone who knows what they're talking about. It'd be better if you could go during the week (and not on a busy Saturday) as you will get better service.\n\nMake sure you get a test ride, and if you think you may get bitten by the mountain biking bug, then aim for something with a reasonable frame that you could justafiably upgrade the components on.\n\nOne point I would make, is that for the amount you are looking to spend, I'd probably avoid going for disk brakes. Some manufacturers will put cable-operated disk brakes (cheaper and far less effective than hydraulic disks) on as a selling feature, though to be honest a reasonable set of v-brakes are as good in all but the grimiest conditions. The added cost of the disks will probably mean that other features (like the fork or crankset) are of a lower-spec than on a similarly priced bike with v-brakes. The thing to make sure of is that the frame, fork and wheel hubs have all got the necessary mounts to allow you to easily upgrade to (hydraulic) disk brakes in the future, if you think you may want to.\n\nThe possible exception to this rule is the Giant Terrago (not sure how much that sells for in the U.S.), which comes equipped with Giant's own-brand MPH hydraulic disks.
471251
The advantage of a hybrid is its combination of versatility and durability. Its pretty good on the road and in the city. Its comfortable to ride and probably a little faster than a mountain bike on roads. But its broad tyres, greater weight and upright stance mean it is not as fast or fun as a dedicated road bike.\n\nUnlike a road bike however, the hybrid can be used off-road. Its tough and it'll take it. It isn't as good as a mountain bike in the rough but it'll serve you well on a long multi-terain ride. A hybrid is also good for touring and will happily take panniers. \n\nSo its a bit a Jack-of-all-Trades - it does most things well, but it excels at none. A good all-rounder.\n\nI owned a Cannondale H600 Hybrid some time ago. It was a great bike and served me well. I gave it to a friend about 3 years ago and although its about 12 years old now, its still going strong.\n\nA hybrid is a good choice if you want only one versatile bike. Go for a good make though, the best you can afford and always look for good componentry - I recommend Cannondale, Trek or Specialised.\n\nHappy riding!
555142
The Schwinn hardtail mountain bike from Wal-Mart is very inexpensive, has good quality shifting, good components, and is one of the few very inexpensive bikes that I could possibly praise in this way.  It does have front suspension that is suitable for mild trails and a cushy ride in the city.  This represens a well done $139 product.    \n\nHowever, a trip to the bike shop might be more educational and much more fun.  There's something special about a real bike-store-bike.  ;)  \n\nLast time, I bought an all-alloy 7 speed crusier, and it turned out to be a tad faster than my road bike.  I was so very surprised!    \n\nRevo-shift/grip shift isn't bad, and it is nicer than the SIS lever shift.\n\nIf you're looking in the "inexpensive" market, DO read the brand name from the rear derailer to make sure that it says "Shimano" or "SRAM" and never "Falcon".  That will save you a lot of money despite the tiny additional price.
716838
Haro and hoffman bikes are far best by standards. and its reliable.. Cheers
100285
The best bike is the one that fits you and fits your style of riding.  Specialized has made lots of improvements to their frames.  Giant gives you good value for your money.  Trek has their approach. Bianchi has put some good stuff together.  They all offer great products and the marketplace is so competitive that they all have to keep around the same price point.  They all are using primarily the same component groups.  Given this, in my mind it comes down to fit.  What works best for you?
689556
The Land Rider Bike that is revolutionizing the bicycle industry with its patented AutoShift technology that makes cycling a more enjoyable experience.\n\nMake exercising easier and enjoy bicycling again with Land Rider Bikes. The Land Rider uses break-through technology to automatically shift gears for you. You don't have to worry about taking your eyes away from the road or the scenery; the Land Rider bicycle shifts through the seven gears for you using its revolutionary automatic transmission. Biking in town or off-road the Land Rider is suited for either terrain because of its innovative shock absorbing design and extra wide tires. Designed for your maximum comfort the Land Rider bicycle also has a suspension seating designed specifically for men and women as well as an upright frame allowing you to look ahead and eliminate back tension. Appreciating the outdoors is easy and exciting once again with the Land Rider Bike.