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Could I have some advice?
I have cracked spokes on the rear wheel of my OTS commuter, and the rim is damaged too, because I had to ride the bike home. Unfortunately it can't be fixed, I would have to get a new wheel, cassette, derailleur and rear brake, because rims of that size (630mm) are no longer made, and no one sells them around here. I have been commuting on an old borrowed mountainbike in the meantime, but I need to get new bike.
Repair of the old bike would cost me around 100€ minimum, so I am considering abandoning my trusty old beater and getting a new bike. The thing is I am pretty broke and have only about 200-300€ to spare for the bike.
I could get a new cross bike of proper size, like pic related, for around 300€, the components are pretty trash (alloy frame, Altus derailleur, Suntour fork, no name brand wheels and brakes).
I also thought of buying some used rigid mountainbike, but there are a few issues I have with buying second hand - I'm 186cm (6,1' for burgers), and majority of bikes that are sold used around here are either for kids, women or manlets. Another issue is that people clearly have no fucking idea what to charge for a bike, I see old beaten to death mountainbikes for sale for hundreds, or 54cm road bikes for literally thousands of euros. There is very little hope of buying used bike.
Regardless of what sort of bike I'll get (28" cross, or 26" hardtail/rigid mtb) there will be need to make some modifications. I got really used to drop bars and road bike geometry, so the flat bars will suck, and I thought maybe getting drop bars some time later on and converting the brakes/shifters to suit them could be done relatively cheap, the question is if it's even worth it if the bike won't last more than a year or two.
Anyway, if anyone here has experience with buying cheap bike and modifying it for every day commuting, I would like to hear some opinions and advice as to what should I do, because I really don't know.
