What is a good bike (under $300).?

Question

For use on campus. It needs to be fast on the road, but also must be able to jump curbs, ride on rocks, etc. I'm a trek fan.

Answer 1

well a trek is the best for that. cheap, durable. i paid 249 for mine 5 years ago and it is still going stong (with proper maintenance) get the latest model #, and you could probably get one with front suspension for about 300 - 350 and you will be good to go.

Answer 2

Specific brand is unimportant.

You would probably be best to look at a 5+ year old used (You won't find a new bike that will stand up well for under $300) hybrid or mountain bike (given the rough treatment you envision).  Hybrids would be less attractive to thieves.

Look for a CrMo frame (rather than carbon steel) or (maybe) aluminum ... at that price range you won't get carbon fibre or titanium. You need aluminum rims (not steel), and stainless steel spokes. Don't worry about suspension (certainly not at the back) ... it adds weight, and good suspension costs a lot, meaning other things will suffer).

Look for Alloy components ... Tioga or 105 would be great (but may be unlikely on an inexpensive bike unless it's at least 6-10 years old).  Don't worry about having huge numbers of gears ... for around campus a 12 speed would be perfectly adequate.

I'd suggest looking at the classifieds at local bike stores or cycling sites. See the listings at Canadian Cyclist as an example (Link -- there aren't many bikes in the <$300 range, but there are some that give an idea). A bike sold by a real cyclist is much more likely to be well maintained. Another possibility is garage sales ... many people bought bikes they no longer want and they can be great deals ... if you know what to look for. Remember, the bike has to fit too ... too big or too small won't be comfortable (they can be adjusted somewhat, but swapping out components (e.g. stem) can be expensive).

Remember a good lock too!

Hope something helps.