Buy a name brand used bike on Craigslist. Then replace the brake pads and cables. Pay the local bike shop to do it if you’re not entirely comfortable doing that.

I was actually joking about the bikes.  The big problem is that where I live is bike hostile.  I wouldn’t ride a bike in my driveway without a fully paid up life insurance policy.

While this is certainly true it also points out, in a way, how expensive it is to be poor. I bought a Surly 10 years ago for a good bit of cash and that bike will out live me even though i totally mistreat it. But like 30 years ago i was poor as shit and bought a pos from target that lasted one summer and i didnt have…

When I was younger my bike was recalled for the handle weld failing and coming off. I really did not weld well at 7 years old. 

Mechanic: The best way to fix the issue is to throw this piece of crap in the trash and buy a decent used Trek, Specialized, or Cannondale.

I did the same thing as a kid, but I’m no longer a kid and the point here is that this junk is not repairable. This isn’t just disposable kid bikes that get outgrown in a summer, anyway, there are a lot of bikes in adult sizes. The newer crop of trash uses plastic where even a cheap POS should be metal. There are…

“More riders obviously means more bike repairs, but the problem is budget bikes are breaking too often too soon and aren’t actually repairable.”

I bought my tweens not-outrageously-priced REI Co-Op bikes that were carefully assembled and feel like heirlooms to be passed down through a half-dozen kids. I’m a strong adherent to the pay more, less often camp of buyers.

Interesting, when I was riding bikes as a kid, the bikes proved more durable than my bones. (mid 2000s)

Yeah, this law will have as much impact as setting up 3D lanes for flying cars.

Right up until the user checks the box on the terms & conditions of the software license that say “I agree to be responsible for any incidents when self-driving is engaged.”

Historically, the Land Cruiser was built around the idea of extreme durability. Toyota specifically designed it for a 25 year service life off-road, whereas most other cars are designed to last about 15 years on-road.

Sequoia is a niche competitor to the US body on frame pickup to SUV vehicles like Tahoe/Suburban, etc and Expedition.   It’s bigger, roomier, and in the same price band.  It’s optimized for towing.    And biggie-sized Americans and their lots of stuff.   Funny enough, I’m sort of not complaining. 

Sequoia in its first generation was notably roomier with a usable third row, and it actually got noticeably better mpg than the LC100 (in part due to the multi-mode 4wd that allowed for a 2WD mode), and it was cheaper as it was built in the US and just not quite as heavy duty.

Land Cruiser is basically a HD 4Runner. They’re the nearly the same size. But the LC has a bigger engine and drive train and is 1500lbs heavier. And $80k.

Basically the Land Cruiser was built for international markets, including those where a really robust and tough vehicle are needed: think Australia and South America. The Sequoia was build for the U.S. where it didn’t need to be as tough and over built. Same comparison as the Hilux to the Tacoma.

Now that they share…

Toyota found a way to make a cheaper Land Cruiser by sharing a platform with a pickup truck that’s built in their low-labor-cost Indiana plant.  Americans buy anything that’s big, and they got 80% of a Land Cruiser for 60% of the cost.

Sequoia is cheaper, but that’s about all I can come up with. And now that the Lexus LX has ditched the split tailgate design there is no real benefit to going that route.

The original Sequoia was more or less a large 4Runner.  Second gen.. bloated whale.  This one is more of a large 4Runner again and for that I am excited!

You can own them and drive them without “wasting” the miles/wear. I don’t need to sit in traffic commuting or drive in the salted-winter-wonderland, but I will most certainly drive it whenever its nice out!