Budget first road bike new/used
Discussion
I commute daily on a carrera hybrid and do a longer ride on my day off.
After being passed by numerous road bikes for the umpteenth time ive decided n+1 applies and its time to add a cheapy road bike to see if i like it.
Budget is 2-300 either new or used,been looking at new/nearly new carrera tdf,a 2012 Triban 3 would be great but i cant find any.
Any suggestions and wheres best for used stuff,im based in Preston and have searched ebay,free ads etc
After being passed by numerous road bikes for the umpteenth time ive decided n+1 applies and its time to add a cheapy road bike to see if i like it.
Budget is 2-300 either new or used,been looking at new/nearly new carrera tdf,a 2012 Triban 3 would be great but i cant find any.
Any suggestions and wheres best for used stuff,im based in Preston and have searched ebay,free ads etc
£300 should get you a used Specialized Allez, Felt F95, Boardman Sport, Cannondale CAAD8, Trek 1.1, bikes that would've cost £500-600 new, that sort of thing.
Work out what size you want, then set up an eBay saved search for road bikes in that size and keep monitoring it to see what comes up.
Also check out Bike Radar, Gumtree and Pink Bike classifieds.
Work out what size you want, then set up an eBay saved search for road bikes in that size and keep monitoring it to see what comes up.
Also check out Bike Radar, Gumtree and Pink Bike classifieds.
Good advice chaps.
Gizmoish I'd spotted that Ribble,all was looking good and ideally located but sadly by the description it looks to small for me as seller says ideal for 5ft3-5ft6", previous owner must be a jockey or one of them wimmin!
I've had a good look at all the stuff under 50 miles on ebay and drawn a bit of a blank,was more looking at £200ish used or £300 new but in retrospect as said above £300 used should bag a much better bike.
Havnt looked on Bike Radar next,should be quiet at work today so will have a look through it.
Gizmoish I'd spotted that Ribble,all was looking good and ideally located but sadly by the description it looks to small for me as seller says ideal for 5ft3-5ft6", previous owner must be a jockey or one of them wimmin!
I've had a good look at all the stuff under 50 miles on ebay and drawn a bit of a blank,was more looking at £200ish used or £300 new but in retrospect as said above £300 used should bag a much better bike.
Havnt looked on Bike Radar next,should be quiet at work today so will have a look through it.
As had been said many times the only new bike in the £300 range worth having is the Red Triban 3. But they are nigh on impossible to get now.
I have a Trek 1.1 which I bought new. I love it. Couple of minor upgrades have been made but the group set remains the same and is perfectly suitable.
I originally wanted the Spesh Allez. They sold out in many sizes back in May and this seems to have pushed used prices a little higher on Ebay. The Trek is worth a look as are the others that have been mentioned.
Most bikes in that range are much of a muchness really. It will be Alu frame, probably Alu forks (the odd one may have carbon). Groupset will be 2300 and maybe some Sora. The rest of the components will be generic stuff that is not great.
I have a Trek 1.1 which I bought new. I love it. Couple of minor upgrades have been made but the group set remains the same and is perfectly suitable.
I originally wanted the Spesh Allez. They sold out in many sizes back in May and this seems to have pushed used prices a little higher on Ebay. The Trek is worth a look as are the others that have been mentioned.
Most bikes in that range are much of a muchness really. It will be Alu frame, probably Alu forks (the odd one may have carbon). Groupset will be 2300 and maybe some Sora. The rest of the components will be generic stuff that is not great.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251318776922?ssPageName=...
What do we think of this thing, a Specialized Tricross, not the handsomest bike I've ever seen and as a bit of a cross breed is it just going to be like a much better version of my hybrid rather than a proper road bike?
What do we think of this thing, a Specialized Tricross, not the handsomest bike I've ever seen and as a bit of a cross breed is it just going to be like a much better version of my hybrid rather than a proper road bike?
Its a Cyclocross bike. Race bike with stays for bigger tyres/mud guards etc.
True jack of all trades, I've ridden a 2011 version, and its bloody good.
Will be a big step up from your old hybrid no doubt. Its owned by my cousin who I ride with, I'm on a Carbon Cube, and he keeps up pretty well. Ok it hasn't got that twitchy lightweight super racer feel, but its pretty close. If you want a bike that does it all, you cant go wrong with this.
True jack of all trades, I've ridden a 2011 version, and its bloody good.
Will be a big step up from your old hybrid no doubt. Its owned by my cousin who I ride with, I'm on a Carbon Cube, and he keeps up pretty well. Ok it hasn't got that twitchy lightweight super racer feel, but its pretty close. If you want a bike that does it all, you cant go wrong with this.
944fan said:
As had been said many times the only new bike in the £300 range worth having is the Red Triban 3. But they are nigh on impossible to get now
I was in the Reading store yesterday evening and they had half a dozen or so of the Triban 3 there. To the OP, if you're close-ish to a Decathlon, give them a call and see if they have any stock. Decathlon showed out of stock for the Triban 5, but called them up, they had 4 in stock of the size I wanted, so popped across (3 hour round journey in the end) and picked up a Triban 5
Not ridden it yet and itching to get home to do so. It's my first road bike so I'm sure it will be massively different from my MTB and before anyone says, the reflectors and pedals will be going!
As an update,ive been keeping an eye on loads of websites and been outbid a few times by things going for crazy money on ebay.
However i spotted a bike listed just as a "Road Bike" in the title on ebay,in the description it is a supposedly as new Raleigh Airlite 200.
Not the most rocketship quick bike im sure but mine for a princely £255 which if its as described im well happy with.
Picking it up tomorrow night,might book Tuesday off to give it a go,very excited!
However i spotted a bike listed just as a "Road Bike" in the title on ebay,in the description it is a supposedly as new Raleigh Airlite 200.
Not the most rocketship quick bike im sure but mine for a princely £255 which if its as described im well happy with.
Picking it up tomorrow night,might book Tuesday off to give it a go,very excited!
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