Experiences with the cheapest of racing cycles

Back in 2007 I set about buying a bicycle in China. I've always had racers; lightweight, dropped handlebars, slim wheels etc. So when I saw this bike hanging there on the wall - a Shanghai Sansi racer at a bargain price - it seemed too good to be true. So when I decided that was the one for me - the fun began.

The challenge - To buy the bike I wanted as cheaply as possible and to be able to ride away.

My opponent - Chinese - local Nanjing man - sneaky - unwilling to take responsibility - about 42 years.

Me - Stranger to China - strong exchange rate - diligent and perceptive - English teacher - 33 years.

We bargained with eachother for a little while, and I finally got the bike for £25 - about a third of a day's pay from my previous job - and you thought it was just him who was sneaky!

The Shanghai Sansi as I bought it - 2007

I wasn't going to be fobbed off by a bike that wasn't properly put together either! So I cycled up and down the street checking every nut and bolt was properly secure before parting with my cash.

The one thing I was not anticipating was the pedals splitting apart on its first journey into Nanjing. The (Chinese) sneaky man not able to deny the unsuitability of the part, kindly replaced the pedals with a pair of black plastic ones (pictured above).

The next problem (completely foreseeable from the sneaky man's perspective) was that the receipt he gave me was not a formal one capable of being submitted to the bicycle licensing authority. Not wishing to deal with the man in particular I sent my friend after him - big mistake! He conned her out of more money just for the correct paperwork. Round one to the little sneaky man!

In Nanjing for the price of a chocolate bar back in the UK you can proclaim yourself legal and above board with a nice little green book and a plastic attachment to you bicycle with your bicycle's identity number. An insert completing the number is to be held on your person or at home in case of theft - not a bad idea.

When buying a bike in a large industrial city, tools are never a problem - so I procured some allen keys and spanners and got myself a pump. A keen biker in the UK the tall sneaky man (me) collected some reflectors, lights, decent pedals with toe clips, some more handlebar tape and the bike was complete.

One thing that needs to be addressed with a cheap bike is the need for tightening and adjusting at least twice a week. The metal is soft, and the lack of brazed fixtures to the frame exacerbates the problem.  A big man of about 90kg, having done many years training for running, climbing a very steep hill the rear cassette split in half. I believe that with a lighter rider this most probably wouldn't have occurred. The other thing you need to watch out for is rust. Being well aware of this, my bike was always kept inside and cleaned and dried off regularly. With some decent rags, a sponge, some oil and a tin of Brasso - I felt more than equipped to keep rust at bay.

Two years later - still looking good! Notice the licence, quality pedals, reflectors and new seat

Conclusion

Providing the bike is well looked after, lightly riden and kept indoors - I can't say the Shanghai Sansi has been a bad bike. Rust never stood a chance to form, and it was perfectly safe providing you have a tool kit at home and monitor the tightness of all the nuts and bolts as a matter of routine.

The frame was pretty solid and lightweight, but don't expect the rigidity of the soft steel components to be up to the standards of a Nottingham made Raleigh for example.

If asked would I recommend a bike like this to any of my readers....

Any buyer of a poor quality bike such as this one I would recommend you get yourself some cheap tools, a rag and don't be afraid to use them. If you are scared of bike maintenence and you want to keep your bike outside, this one will fall foul of those conditions very quickly - falling apart and rusting like crazy. You will almost certainly do better to spend at least £60 on a Giant or a Japanese JC bike.

You want a bike you can use and abuse and just discard......

Shame on you! Protect the environment by making what you have last by looking after it!

Will I get another one.....?

Now I know what the costs are, I'll certainly look around and consider myself better informed as to what I'm buying. Next time I will most likely choose a bike with more braze ons, stainless steel and alloy parts.

Hot Chocolate - Everyone's A Winner

Comments

[Sally]

Interesting story. Of greater interest is your summarizing remark that you are now "better informed" about purchasing bikes in China. But this, I opine, is merely wishful thinking. I am quite sure that any future bike purchase you make will present new and so-far unconfronted concerns. This is because you have not mentioned my own problems and issues when purchasing a bike made in China.

For example you may perhaps buy a bike that has only recenetly been stolen; or perhaps you may buy a bike that has been GLUED together. One of the bikes I purchased in China was of the kind that had a middle springbar seat. You sat on the saddle and the spring within the bike-frame allowed you to ride in springy comfort. At the bikeshop I was sold on tyhe idea and bought one, complete with box-wrapping. But when I got it home the spring had been painted on and it was just a normal bike.

Weak.

Pedals were a problem for me too; and China is the only place in the world where you can point to a broken pedal and they change, at great expense, the bycycle basket over the front wheel.

Weak.

One thing to remeber, that I have learned , is that if you take your bike in to be reparied, watch it like a hawk. For they will change or swap out good parts for plastic bogus parts.

After my many problems with bikes in China I gave up the idea and now ride the bus. Riding bikes is fun but a puncture is the catalyst for a nightmare experience.