Looking for new bicycle recommendations for newbie (and bike rack too)

[BoredSysAdmin]

Gallery 35, Trenton Bike Exchange, Second Life Bikes are three retailers of used bikes in Jersey. Any of those within strike distance?

Here's a Specialized ht I found on Jersey offerup:

https://offerup.com/item/detail/1112620037/

Gallery 35 is fairly nearby, TBE is too far, and SLB I might visit if I am in the area.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Your budget is tough, I started my sales career in a bike shop and quickly earned the nickname chupacabra.

I’m going to recommend a 29er with a 21” frame, if you get a smaller frame you’ll realize your mistake within a week or two and your purchase will gather dust in your garage. Jamis is the minimum I would recommend.

Your budget will make it more than difficult to find the correct size frame and that is the most important factor. You may be able to get away with a 19” frame if you have handlebar riser but the geometry of the bike will still be off a little and you’ll notice at moderately fast speeds after a week or two riding.

A 29er has 29” wheels, they will roll over curbs and small obstacles easier without you selling a kidney for a full suspension bike.

You’re budget needs to be closer to $700-$800. That will put you in the Giant, Trek, Cannondale world but a company called Jamis is the secret budget properly built bike with excellent spec’d parts and geometry of the frame.

Found local store selling Jamis, Electra, and (I guess special order) Trek.

Contact - Matawan Bike Shop

matawanbikeshop.com

I'll give them a visit to try few bikes and get some more advice maybe this weekend.
Jamis Citizen 2 with a front fork (suspension?) and fixed (hard tail) rear fork seemed to be what I need?

 

[lovinthehd]

Jamis doesn't list any US resellers - do you know where in US these are sold at?

Find a Jamis® Retailer

Jamis® Bikes are shipped around the world to qualified Jamis retailers and distributors for professional assembly and consumer purchase.

www.jamisbikes.com

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Find a Jamis® Retailer

Jamis® Bikes are shipped around the world to qualified Jamis retailers and distributors for professional assembly and consumer purchase.

www.jamisbikes.com

I've seen think link a bunch of times. It only shows me, international dealers.

 

[lovinthehd]

I've seen think link a bunch of times. It only shows me, international dealers.

I see only US map/retailers. Are you on a vpn or something? What's your zip code and I'll run it thru the site.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

As for Bike mount - Many of you recommended a 2" rear hitch-based rack, so I found Curt 13421 Hitch which should fit my 2021 Passport. Shipped is about $200 (damn thing is probably very heavy)
I will likely be able to install it myself, sans the torque wrench.

 

[lovinthehd]

As for Bike mount - Many of you recommended a 2" rear hitch-based rack, so I found Curt 13421 Hitch which should fit my 2021 Passport. Shipped is about $200 (damn thing is probably very heavy)
I will likely be able to install it myself, sans the torque wrench.

Uhaul often has a decent setup for hitch installation, done that with previous vehicles....never installed my own, got it built in on my van's rear and a custom hitch I had installed up front (so I can run racks front and rear as well as on top of it ....15 total).

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I see only US map/retailers. Are you on a vpn or something? What's your zip code and I'll run it thru the site.

nvm, I figured it out. My pihole was one to blame, the problem is page didn't looked broken, just map/find element was missing

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Uhaul often has a decent setup for hitch installation, done that with previous vehicles....never installed my own, got it built in on my van's rear and a custom hitch I had installed up front (so I can run racks front and rear as well as on top of it ....15 total).

hmm. I did find it in U-Haul video - how did you know to relate Curt and U-Haul?

 

[lovinthehd]

hmm. I did find it in U-Haul video - how did you know to relate Curt and U-Haul?

I didn't....I looked yours up as wasn't sure it was the rack or just the hitch . I've had Uhaul do installations before, and they seemed pretty well setup (at least at a major location they had near me in the bay area) for all sorts of hitches/mounts/installation at the time....been a few years since the last time I had them do one, tho.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I didn't....I looked yours up as wasn't sure it was the rack or just the hitch . I've had Uhaul do installations before, and they seemed pretty well setup (at least at a major location they had near me in the bay area) for all sorts of hitches/mounts/installation at the time....been a few years since the last time I had them do one, tho.

Well, I don't need to do uhaul, but to use it for a bike rack. I assume this 2" hitch will do?

 

[panteragstk]

Well, I don't need to do uhaul, but to use it for a bike rack. I assume this 2" hitch will do?

Typically the receiver size has to do with the weight it is capable of towing. For you, it doesn't matter since it's for a bike rack. The guys at u-haul will outfit your car with the correct hitch. They're actually very good at it.

If not, you can find the right hitch and put it on yourself if you have the ability to measure the torque of the bolts/nuts.

I'd offer to help, but there's a couple thousand miles between us.

 

[lovinthehd]

Well, I don't need to do uhaul, but to use it for a bike rack. I assume this 2" hitch will do?

Yes I think a 2" hitch is much more useful than a 1-1/4" is. I've also used mine to haul trailers and such, too but mostly they're there for the bike racks.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

As I've mentioned I've found one suitable option for the hitch - $200 shipped. The problem is I am missing basically everything to install it, mainly torque wrench (136lbs needed for install) - it's $90 at lowes.
Plus I'd need a 22mm socket and a 5" extension - another $15.
Or, I could just buy and install it at local UHaul for grand total of $256 including installation and tax.

How often do you guys need a 50-250lbs variable torque wrench to fix bikes?

 

[lovinthehd]

As I've mentioned I've found one suitable option for the hitch - $200 shipped. The problem is I am missing basically everything to install it, mainly torque wrench (136lbs needed for install) - it's $90 at lowes.
Plus I'd need a 22mm socket and a 5" extension - another $15.
Or, I could just buy and install it at local UHaul for grand total of $256 including installation and tax.

How often do you guys need a 50-250lbs variable torque wrench to fix bikes?

50 ft lbs=600 inch lbs which is the max on my Park TW-2 I don't have a torque wrench for higher values as I'm not a car mechanic....

 

[slipperybidness]

As for Bike mount - Many of you recommended a 2" rear hitch-based rack, so I found Curt 13421 Hitch which should fit my 2021 Passport. Shipped is about $200 (damn thing is probably very heavy)
I will likely be able to install it myself, sans the torque wrench.

I always used the 1 1/4" on my Mustang, but the caveat is that I only had a 2-bike rack. And, my rack is 1 1/4", but has an adapter to fit properly in a 2" hitch. I do agree (though no direct experience), likely 1 1/4 is a bad idea for a rack for more than 2 bikes.

I installed my own hitch on my Mustang, didn't use a torque wrench. It was a little tricky because the instructions were obviously written in a foreign language and translated, and there were a couple of details that were not clear, once I finally figured out those details, it was pretty easy.

 

[slipperybidness]

As I've mentioned I've found one suitable option for the hitch - $200 shipped. The problem is I am missing basically everything to install it, mainly torque wrench (136lbs needed for install) - it's $90 at lowes.
Plus I'd need a 22mm socket and a 5" extension - another $15.
Or, I could just buy and install it at local UHaul for grand total of $256 including installation and tax.

How often do you guys need a 50-250lbs variable torque wrench to fix bikes?

Yeah, a 2" hitch is certainly a more useful option in the long-run. You would never really need a torque wrench that high of a range for a bike.

If I were you, I would just pay to have it done, unless you really just want the tools in your toolbox (which is always a good choice too).

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

So yesterday I visited these guys: https://matawanbikeshop.com/contact/ and it would completely no surprise to ya'll - there is a clear bikes shortage. They didn't have ANY bikes in my gender/size AT ALL. We did speak and basically, I got confirmed the same thing you guys said - 21" frame/700c or 29" wheels.
They will give me a call once they get new stock, which doesn't last.

So, Assuming I get the 2" rear hitch, which bike rack I should get? Thule like basically everyone else?
https://www.rei.com/product/152010/thule-camber-4-bike-hitch-rack ??

 

[lovinthehd]

Well keep looking used, too. It's going to take a while before the industry come back to "normal".

I was originally a fan of the SportWorks racks before they sold out their consumer division to Thule (they still do transit system bike racks, tho). I've used a couple different "hanging" racks, never really cared for them, prefer tray style racks myself. I do have Thule similar to their T2 now for my front and rear hitches (2 position up front, 4 position in rear, plus 9 tray style on the roof) but they were free for promotional purpose back in 2007 and are slowly dying so will be shopping some myself in the not too distant future. Just glanced at the prices for the Thules, they've gone up quite a bit, now makes 1Up racks look more reasonable. Kuat racks I just looked at have gotten more expensive, too.

Might want to take a look thru these, I'm going to https://products.mtbr.com/accessories/bike-rack.html

 

[panteragstk]

So yesterday I visited these guys: https://matawanbikeshop.com/contact/ and it would completely no surprise to ya'll - there is a clear bikes shortage. They didn't have ANY bikes in my gender/size AT ALL. We did speak and basically, I got confirmed the same thing you guys said - 21" frame/700c or 29" wheels.
They will give me a call once they get new stock, which doesn't last.

So, Assuming I get the 2" rear hitch, which bike rack I should get? Thule like basically everyone else?
https://www.rei.com/product/152010/thule-camber-4-bike-hitch-rack ??

The most random things are in short supply. I tried to buy tires for my truck a few days ago. Nobody has any. Anywhere. I got VERY lucky and was able to snag the last 4 they had ANYWHERE. Wonder what other random things are out of stock?