If you want an inexpensive bicycle as daily transportation, and there are not a lot of hills where you live, you can’t beat the old Raleigh 3 speeds. Made of Britain’s finest steel in Nottingham, England for over half a century, the Raleigh is a reliable and practical way to get from Point A to Point B. It has fenders, internal gearing and a chain guard so you can ride it it in normal clothes. I even went out of my way to get a girl’s step-through frame, so it was that much easier to get on and off. It is a reasonable facsimile of the Dutch bikes that the New York sophisticates are being seen on, frequently available on eBay or Craigslist at a tiny fraction of their price. It’s not an ultralightweight mountain bike or road bike, but then again, it’s not trying to be. You either will like its looks or you won’t. It gets less respect from bike thieves as well.
Affordability (used): 9 Luxury: 5
Want more luxury? I mentioned the Dutch bikes above, but no one has a problem finding an expensive bike they would like to buy.
