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Riding in Style: Cruisers from $89, Foldable Shimano Bike for $137, and more

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Contributing Writer

With the exception of precipitation, every day is a good day for a bike ride! Sure you can rent a set of wheels for an afternoon ride through the park, but owning a bicycle, like any one of these cruisers or mountain bikes, will save you money in the long run.

  1. Shimano 26-inch Folding Mountain BikeShimano 26" Folding Mountain Bike
    Store: Comfort Stools via eBay
    Price: $137.95 with $24.95 s&h
    Lowest By: $12

    Is It Worth It?: Shimano makes the go-to shifters and components on some of the world's most desired bikes, so it makes sense that they'd take their mechanical know-how to make a great folding bike. The price folds magically, too, as it's $12 under the lowest total price we could find for any 26" folding mountain bike elsewhere. Designed for demanding terrain or rougher-than-normal urban transit, this bike is stripped down a bit in terms of speeds (it has six, as opposed to 18 or 24 on more tricked out mountain bikes), but still built to perform.

  2. High Roller Big WheelHigh Roller Adult Size Big Wheel Drift Trike
    Store: High Roller
    Price: $599.99 with $99.99 s&h
    Lowest By: $300

    Is It Worth It?: We never forgot our Marx Big Wheel toy as a kid. And now there's a trike for adults! It features a steel frame and fork, pneumatic 26" front wheel, alloy V-Brake and levers, and metal flake glossy paint.

  3. Schwinn Women's 26-inch Cruiser BikeSchwinn Women's Clairmont 26" Cruiser Bike
    Store: Walmart
    Price: $149 with free shipping
    Lowest By: $34

    Is It Worth It?: Not sure which cruiser is right for you? This Yellow/Pink bike is designed with lady riders in mind: it even has pink sidewalls on the tires and the step-through frame for easy mounting. The wheels measure 26" which are ideal for medium-height riders, and the 7 speeds are a nice added touch: more shifting flexibility to negotiate hills and terrain changes. Other features include a steel frame and alloy linear pull brakes.

  4. Schwinn Men's 26-inch Delmar Cruiser BikeSchwinn Men's 26" Delmar Cruiser Bike
    Store: Walmart
    Price: $129 with free shipping
    Lowest By: $113

    Is It Worth It?: Similar to the woman's bike above, this 26" men's bike has a sleek styling (available in Navy) and a padded cruiser saddle. It also features a rear rack for carrying small loads on the go, a steel frame, dual-density handlebar grips, coaster brakes, and whitewall balloon tires.

  5. Huffy Men's 26-inch Cruiser BikeHuffy Men's Cranbrook 26" Cruiser Bike
    Store: Walmart
    Price: $89 with free shipping
    Lowest By: $16

    Is It Worth It?: Available in Gold, this single-speed bike is made for light riding duty, with more attention paid to cosmetic flourishes (like the gold fenders and gloss black rims) than say, race-quality shifting components. And unlike the Schwinn Delmar listed above, it has no rear rack. It features a steel frame, dual-density handlebar grips, padded spring saddle with quick-release binder, coaster brakes, and whitewall balloon tires.

Contributing Writer

Lou Carlozo is a DealNews contributing writer. He covers personal finance for Reuters Wealth. Prior to that he was the Managing Editor of WalletPop.com, and a veteran columnist at the Chicago Tribune.
DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).
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2 comments
ruftytufty
The "Shimano" folding bicycle isn't a Shimano product. It does have some (very low-end) Shimano components. It's actually a Corrado CX-6 bicycle. Biggest complaint about the bike is that it's too small if you're tall at all, and it only comes in one size. Otherwise, people seem reasonably happy with it, and it's a pretty good price for this bike, but don't expect a high quality bike.
August 29, 2013
taku74
A few tidbits:
1. You get what you pay for so if you're planning to use the bike regularly, it might be work considering investing a bit more in a nicer bike preferably at a reputable bike shop that will fit you to the bike rather than a big box store. Fitting you does matter in terms of good posture (and preventing discomfort and long term problems) and biking efficiency (so you don't pedal harder than necessary because of the bike or a bad fit). Cheaper bikes may have parts with the Shimano brand name but they are often the low end products.
2. If you do get a nicer bike, invest in a good bike lock (U-locks are among the better). Nothing like having a shiny new bike stolen. And invest in a helmet. Everyone thinks it won't happen to them but your life is not worth the risk to go without.
3. If you're thinking Schwinn because its a US company, think again. The bikes are made in China and carry the name only. The original company went bankrupt awhile back.
August 28, 2013