thelawnet wrote:PH wrote:thelawnet wrote:
Ok but the problem it is it is still not very well suited. There are nasty gear shifters, a freewheel, the world's cheapest tyres, some un-named v-brakes that will quite likely need replacing at the cost of some £ in a few months, etc., etc.
It’s the exact bike I bought, linked on page 1. It came better than advertised, see original post. Perfecty fine for the job, mine has earned around £500 in the couple of weeks I’ve used it... have to dash just got an order
completely different bike I think....
It's actually better than advertised! Although it says ex demo, mine had never been ridden, the wheels didn't match (rims and tyres are different, front is nutted rear QR) the 7 speed freewheel turned out to be an 8 speed cassette and the twist shifters are triggers... All in all, it's a lot of bike for £160
that's a lot better....
Yes a couple of differences in my favour, but no not a completely different bike and I'd have used it if it had come as advertised.
There are nasty gear shifters, a freewheel, the world's cheapest tyres, some un-named v-brakes that will quite likely need replacing at the cost of some £ in a few months, etc., etc.
I disagree with that, but lets for a moment accept it - in a few months time I might have needed to buy a good rear wheel (£150) and replace cassette (£15) shifters (£10?) chain (£10) levers (£15) Say £200 for a bike that you'd then expect to last a few years (Or more likely be nicked before you wore it out) and it's all tax deductible so that's a 20% saving. What's your most pessimistic prediction? I'd say doing no more than keeping it clean, lubricated and adjusted it'd be at least 2,000 miles - the average job is 3.2 (collecting and drop), the minimum fee £4, so the OP would have earned at least £2,500 before needing to find £200 - makes sense to me, it's a tool, it's inevitable it'll get some abuse, but it ought to be earning it's keep.
Whatever the OP does, it ought to be quick, there's some hefty bonuses being paid over the Christmas period, a couple of unsocial shifts and they could double the budget (Though I wouldn't)