New bike

Author
Discussion

kitz

Original Poster:

328 posts

176 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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Hi help please
I want a bike to ride in a rural environment .
My trip will be 6 miles each way .
The first 1mile will a fairly rough road the the rest on a smooth road.
Occasionally I will do a 15 mile ride .
Budget is £1000
It's 30years since I last owned a bike .
Advice appreciated ...

daddy cool

3,996 posts

228 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/b...
£900, but if you wait till the next 10% off deal, and use a British Cycling discount its £729

S10GTA

12,645 posts

166 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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daddy cool said:
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/b...
£900, but if you wait till the next 10% off deal, and use a British Cycling discount its £729
Agreed

JD PH

2,668 posts

116 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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S10GTA said:
Agreed
Thirded. Generally I'm a blinkered Specialized fan-boy but you can;t argue with that value. However, I'm not a fan of Halfords personally (I used to work there too) - I'd HIGHLY recommend taking the bike to a "proper" bike shop and having it tweaked / set up. I'm sure if you let us know where you're based someone will be able to point you in the right direction of a decent LBS.

ecs

1,222 posts

169 months

nammynake

2,587 posts

172 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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My advice would be not to spend a grand when you've not ridden for 30 years. Unless you have money to burn buy something for a few hundred and upgrade when/if you decide you like it.

Vitus VEE 29 singlespeed is less than £300 from Chain Reaction. Good all rounder and perfect unless your route is hilly.

The bike to work scheme has been great for cycling but I do think that the oft quoted £1000 limit subconsciously makes people think that you need to spend that to get a decent bike.

S10GTA

12,645 posts

166 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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JD PH said:
Thirded. Generally I'm a blinkered Specialized fan-boy but you can;t argue with that value. However, I'm not a fan of Halfords personally (I used to work there too) - I'd HIGHLY recommend taking the bike to a "proper" bike shop and having it tweaked / set up. I'm sure if you let us know where you're based someone will be able to point you in the right direction of a decent LBS.
I'd agree with that too.

I purchased one several weeks ago. I have used it to commute a few times (10.5 miles each way) and its only slightly slower than my normal road bikes with 23's. For the winter it will be fitted with 32 slicks, and will be used most days. Great bikes.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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As others have said, if its been 30 years, I'd look at something way under budget that you can sell on quickly for minimal loss if you get a proper urge to cycle more quickly.

There are loads of good bikes around second hand for peanuts where people have done exactly what you intend to do and realise they arent as fit as they used to be, all the good intentions go out of the window and the bike gathers dust in the corner...

If you do have a burning desirte to spend the cash though, I'd look at a rigid hybrid like the cotic roadrat if its been a while, you may be more comfortable with straight bars rather than drop bars and the roadrat is still pitched at the faster end of riding rather than sit-up-and-beg hybrids. The straight bars will also provide greater stability on the rougher terrain, its a fairly light bike and the gearing will be fine for the flat bits.

Cotic dont have many dealers but are a great company and very helpful.

JD PH

2,668 posts

116 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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nammynake said:
My advice would be not to spend a grand when you've not ridden for 30 years. Unless you have money to burn buy something for a few hundred and upgrade when/if you decide you like it.

Vitus VEE 29 singlespeed is less than £300 from Chain Reaction. Good all rounder and perfect unless your route is hilly.

The bike to work scheme has been great for cycling but I do think that the oft quoted £1000 limit subconsciously makes people think that you need to spend that to get a decent bike.
This is also good(ish) advice... but it also goes against every fibre of my man-maths-riddled-and-bicycle-fanatic being!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Not quite sure on the 30 year advice, I'd not ridden for about the same amount of time and got a £3000 Cube MTB for my daily 12 mile round trip and have ridden the wheels off it.

My man maths worked out that if I got a £300 bike from Hellfrauds that

1 - I'd break it
2 - it would break me
3 - a cheap bike was more likely to end up at the back of the garage covered in dust through lack of use

I spent a lot of money and I'd look very foolish if I didn't get some proper use out if it.

In it's first 12 months I've ridden around 1800 miles and I was a proper fat fecker to begin with.

I'm also fortunate to have some lovely cycle lanes, beautiful scenery and my own business where I can bugger off for an hour or two in the afternoons when I want to.

Cycling has got to be the most enjoyable form of exercise possible. cool

(I've lost 6 stone in around 15 months, 75% cycling and 25% diet)




Daveyraveygravey

2,018 posts

183 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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CoinSl0t said:
Not quite sure on the 30 year advice, I'd not ridden for about the same amount of time and got a £3000 Cube MTB for my daily 12 mile round trip and have ridden the wheels off it.

My man maths worked out that if I got a £300 bike from Hellfrauds that

1 - I'd break it
2 - it would break me
3 - a cheap bike was more likely to end up at the back of the garage covered in dust through lack of use

I spent a lot of money and I'd look very foolish if I didn't get some proper use out if it.

In it's first 12 months I've ridden around 1800 miles and I was a proper fat fecker to begin with.

I'm also fortunate to have some lovely cycle lanes, beautiful scenery and my own business where I can bugger off for an hour or two in the afternoons when I want to.

Cycling has got to be the most enjoyable form of exercise possible. cool

(I've lost 6 stone in around 15 months, 75% cycling and 25% diet)
A great post, Kudos to you!

I however would agree with the folk saying spend less initially. If you spend £3k on a bike and don't use it, it will become someone's Ebay bargain. I can't say how much it would depreciate but would guess you would lose between £500 and £1k, possibly.

(That Genesis does look very cool though...)

AC43

11,435 posts

207 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Do you really want dropped bars?

I'm about to get one of these.

A couple of hundred more gets you discs.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/75-fx-201...

Hackney

6,810 posts

207 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Just had an email from Halfords:

"This Saturday we have a one day flash sale with an extra 10% off all Boardman bikes & accessories. We also have 40% off selected Carrera bikes for adults too, plus an extra 10% off road bikes"

daddy cool

3,996 posts

228 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Hackney said:
Just had an email from Halfords:

"This Saturday we have a one day flash sale with an extra 10% off all Boardman bikes & accessories. We also have 40% off selected Carrera bikes for adults too, plus an extra 10% off road bikes"
Surely that's not 10% off road bikes, then a further 10% off Boardman specifically? If it is then my willpower might crumble because ive been having dirty thoughts about a 3rd Boardman in my stable:
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/mountain-bik...
(And yes, I have a 10% BC discount on top...)

  • Edit: no, im a 'tard, you said "off road bikes" - bugger
Edited by daddy cool on Friday 25th July 19:21

Jimshorts

154 posts

145 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Buy something that you like and you'll ride more. I picked up a Genesis Croix de Fer earlier in the year. Great all rounder - you can pick them up for £1049 if you look around.

kitz

Original Poster:

328 posts

176 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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Really value the advice
Thanks everyone .

RCBRG

603 posts

140 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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Hackney said:
Just had an email from Halfords:

"This Saturday we have a one day flash sale with an extra 10% off all Boardman bikes & accessories. We also have 40% off selected Carrera bikes for adults too, plus an extra 10% off road bikes"
great, that would happen the day i finally picked up a boardman, after months of contemplation!