Help with a bike for my dad please
Discussion
Hi,
My mum has suggested going halves on a new bike for my dad's birthday and I was hoping someone might be able to suggest some candidates I could investigate.
He would use it on the road and the occasional flat dirt track. At a guess, the ideal spec would be something like:
Flat bars
Hydraulic discs
Mudguard compatible
No suspension or possibly a hard tail (but I think he'd rather have discs than suspension)
As it is to be a gift, I guess we're limited to new bikes rather than second hand ones.
Budget is a bit of an unknown but let's say £400 ish. Any special offers anywhere? Clear outs of last seasons bikes?
I've a vague idea there are things like the Whyte Whitechapel & Pinnacle Lithium but is there anything else that's well regarded and might fit the bill?
I'm not averse to building something suitable if that would be cheaper but I've only got about a month and would need to source everything and have never actually built an entire bike before - but it would make for a more personal gift.
Thanks in advance!
My mum has suggested going halves on a new bike for my dad's birthday and I was hoping someone might be able to suggest some candidates I could investigate.
He would use it on the road and the occasional flat dirt track. At a guess, the ideal spec would be something like:
Flat bars
Hydraulic discs
Mudguard compatible
No suspension or possibly a hard tail (but I think he'd rather have discs than suspension)
As it is to be a gift, I guess we're limited to new bikes rather than second hand ones.
Budget is a bit of an unknown but let's say £400 ish. Any special offers anywhere? Clear outs of last seasons bikes?
I've a vague idea there are things like the Whyte Whitechapel & Pinnacle Lithium but is there anything else that's well regarded and might fit the bill?
I'm not averse to building something suitable if that would be cheaper but I've only got about a month and would need to source everything and have never actually built an entire bike before - but it would make for a more personal gift.
Thanks in advance!
Edited by Risotto on Friday 27th February 21:34
Forgive me, but I just don't get flat bars. Drops give you so many more places to put your hands they are way more versatile. Would also think there are many more options so more chances of a bargain. I would also swerve disc brakes at that price point - you need to spend something on the rest of the bike!
You dont seam sure what spec you want the bike and probably guessing what your father may want and you may be right or wrong.
Thers are so many different bikes on the market and I appreciate it would be nice to give him the bike you think he would like on his birthday but in a way a bike is quite a personal thing so I would have thought that it would be better to say to your father that you and your mum would like to buy him a bike for his birthday and we have a budget of say £300-£400 and would he like to come to Halfords or somewhere similar to chose the one he likes.
This is what I did with two of my children ages 18 and 21 and glad I did as when they chose the bikes they wanted they were a lot different than I would have bought for them.
Thers are so many different bikes on the market and I appreciate it would be nice to give him the bike you think he would like on his birthday but in a way a bike is quite a personal thing so I would have thought that it would be better to say to your father that you and your mum would like to buy him a bike for his birthday and we have a budget of say £300-£400 and would he like to come to Halfords or somewhere similar to chose the one he likes.
This is what I did with two of my children ages 18 and 21 and glad I did as when they chose the bikes they wanted they were a lot different than I would have bought for them.
Edited by btcc123 on Friday 27th February 22:40
Daveyraveygravey said:
Forgive me, but I just don't get flat bars. Drops give you so many more places to put your hands they are way more versatile. Would also think there are many more options so more chances of a bargain. I would also swerve disc brakes at that price point - you need to spend something on the rest of the bike!
Davey, I´m a drop bar convert - have them on all my bikes - but, to be honest, I could live with a flat bar & Ergo grips, the ones with the little bar end thingy:
Without those, I agree, horrible.
Thanks guys, my mum has since mentioned the bike idea to my dad, so we have some idea what he wants, i.e. it won't be a surprise present so the suggestion that he come along and pick one for himself might be a sensible idea.
I think the Giant might be a little too staid looking.
As for the flat bars, I agree, they're restrictive but it was one of the features he mentioned, although he was a bit vague about the whole thing!
Just seen a few 13 bikes on the Halfords website that might fit the bill - are 13 any good?
I think the Giant might be a little too staid looking.
As for the flat bars, I agree, they're restrictive but it was one of the features he mentioned, although he was a bit vague about the whole thing!
Just seen a few 13 bikes on the Halfords website that might fit the bill - are 13 any good?
Ask about joining a local bike club.
For people for him to ride with, suggestions on where to go, and encouragement.
Local clubs may also get discounts from local shops too.
Example, local to me, Hadleigh MTB Club (website is useless but facebook keeps people in contact) gets a 20% discount from some local shops, from a membership cost of £20 per year. This is easily recovered from buying a bike and accessories.
Not answer you were asking for, but discount may get you a better bike, and perhaps more likelyhood of him using it.
For people for him to ride with, suggestions on where to go, and encouragement.
Local clubs may also get discounts from local shops too.
Example, local to me, Hadleigh MTB Club (website is useless but facebook keeps people in contact) gets a 20% discount from some local shops, from a membership cost of £20 per year. This is easily recovered from buying a bike and accessories.
Not answer you were asking for, but discount may get you a better bike, and perhaps more likelyhood of him using it.
My daughter bought me a brand new Giant hybrid bike a few years ago to try and entice me back onto the bike. Previously being a roadie I hated the thing, the small chainrings and low gearing, the sit up straight position, heavy frame, slow etc. all took its toll and I managed to cover 20 miles in 2 years of ownership. So it was hung up in the garage and left there and after another couple of years I started back on my 30 year old Peugeot and grew to love cycling once again. Your dad will know what he wants and what he is used to, and if he gets it wrong then he can't blame anyone but himself
47p2 said:
My daughter bought me a brand new Giant hybrid bike a few years ago to try and entice me back onto the bike. Previously being a roadie I hated the thing, the small chainrings and low gearing, the sit up straight position, heavy frame, slow etc. all took its toll and I managed to cover 20 miles in 2 years of ownership. So it was hung up in the garage and left there and after another couple of years I started back on my 30 year old Peugeot and grew to love cycling once again. Your dad will know what he wants and what he is used to, and if he gets it wrong then he can't blame anyone but himself
I'm convinced hybrids were invented by the industry to make more money - you buy a hybrid and if you get into it you quickly realise you need something better / different, maybe even a road bike and an mtb. I bought a hybrid 20 years ago, but back then it was a "racer" with an mtb triple chainset. I made do with it for 20 years and a lot of miles. Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff