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this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2023
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I've driven "good" bikes all my life. Aluminium frame, disc brakes, fancy suspension, 3x9 gears. That sort of thing.
Wanna know what my best biking experience was? Riding a steel frame, 3-speed dutch-style rental omafiets with no suspension and regular-ass brakes on a vacation. That thing was hella comfortable, sturdy as a brick and convenient.
If I lived in a not fully car-brained city where you can safely bike and was tight on money, I'd absolutely buy an old cheap used regular-ass steel frame bike with no frills and use the hell out of it until it's irreparably broken. You can leave that thing standing in the rain, locked with just a frame lock (or perhaps even no lock at all) all without worrying that it might get damaged or stolen because there isn't much to damage or steal in the first place.
I also don't see how buying a "good" bike in any way helps the environment when the alternative is re-using something that's already been built and successfully used before.
I love my 2000€ Brompton that I daily-drive but I'd be nearly as happy with a 100€ bike like I described above. You don't get more bike when you go above that price point, you only get a more fancy bike.
A good "omafiets" costs a lot more than $100 though, at least here in the netherlands.
Oh I'm sure the one I rode cost a lot more than that, I just took that as an example for a super basic bicycle. Point being that this super basic one was better in many ways than the fancy one at home.
I was also not talking about getting a "good" omafiets either; that was, like, the whole point.
You don't need an expensive bike for commuting, but for the sake of your health DO NOT DO any sports on cheap bikes! Repairing your skull is not fun. Different bikes for different rides!
I'm really jealous of the Brommie's folding mechanism.
I currently use a full size Dutch-style bike, but been keeping my eyes out for a secondhand folder for easy travelling, once I can swallow the price 🥲
Steel vs. aluminum might very well depend on how big you are, and if you're a guy or gal.
I'm small and the weight difference between aluminum and steel is significant enough that I'll never go back to steel if I can help it. Basically, with aluminum I can carry groceries and such easier b/c the bike itself is lighter.
Large folks with lots of muscle might not see this difference, however.