Advice on buying a new bike
Advice on buying a new bike
Author
Discussion

crispyshark

Original Poster:

1,272 posts

174 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
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Hi guys,

new to this subsection and was looking for some friendly advice....have £1k to spend through the ride to work scheme but want a bike that will be good for road and country track work. Preferably looking for something light.

I'm by no means an avid cyclist but want something half decent I can have a bit of fun on.

Open to all suggestions...I have to get the bike from Evans though.

Chris

gazza285

11,161 posts

237 months

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
quotequote all
you may need to further define "country track work" as that could mean all things to all people. To me it suggests bridlepaths and unsealed surfaces such as old railway lines convered into cycle paths, both of which can get muddy and rutted and are a challenge on a cx bike with narrow tyres and rim brakes on the drops.... I'd look at a hardtail with 29" wheels.

richardxjr

7,561 posts

239 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
quotequote all
Impossible to have one bike what does it all. Where's the fun in that?

C2W Year 1 buy a hybrid for £1k.
C2W Year 2 buy a road bike for £1k.
C2W Year 3 buy a hardtail mtb for 1k.
Hybrid has now become pub bike.
C2W Year 4 buy a road bike for £2k. Year 2's becomes winter bike.
C2W Year 5 buy a FS mtb for 3k.

You never sell anything thumbup


crispyshark

Original Poster:

1,272 posts

174 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
quotequote all
pablo said:
you may need to further define "country track work" as that could mean all things to all people. To me it suggests bridlepaths and unsealed surfaces such as old railway lines convered into cycle paths, both of which can get muddy and rutted and are a challenge on a cx bike with narrow tyres and rim brakes on the drops.... I'd look at a hardtail with 29" wheels.
thanks for the input guys. Yes, I mean bridlepaths etc not hardcore off road as such.

Any direction on model/manufacturer to go with?

Deanno1dad

604 posts

253 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
quotequote all
For me..Scott,Trek Cannondale,Felt,Giant,Specialized and Boardman Bikes are all good..plenty of others but these are the first ones I thought of..I'd Suggest a Hybrid or a Hardtail Mountain Bike.

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
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I'd go for this Specialized which leaves a bit of cash spare for some kit.

TheLemming

4,319 posts

294 months

Wednesday 4th December 2013
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From what's been said, might I suggest a cx?
From the terrain youre talking about light offroad tyres would do nicely and mine runs brilliantly on 25c Gators on the road.

Having recently bought my first cx as a winter road bike, I found the Boardman cx team brilliant. I've had a few teething issues but a lot of those are down to me buying last years model ex-display.

The 2014 model should fit your budget. Disc brakes, 20 speed SRAM apex group set, for under a grand there isn't another new cx (that I can find) that matches the spec.

I love this bike.... Nearly 600 miles in the first 3 weeks on a mix of trails, canal path, gravel / dirt park, subbed in for my mountain bike on one notable night and its my winter road bike (on gatorskins).

Its been hammered on road and off, the disc brakes perform brilliantly (beats the hell out of rim brakes, nowhere near as good as hydraulics) the gearing is low enough for offroad (only one deep mud steep as hell hill left me wishing for lower) and a 50\11 highest gear is good for 30+ on road.

If youre only buying one bike, then this one CAN do it all (if youre prepared to swap tyres).

The other one I'd look at in budget is planet x - although their tempting new carbon model is £1500 so a little out of budget they do have others....

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 6th December 2013
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Very good, but Evans don't do Boardman or PlanetX bikes,,,

TheLemming

4,319 posts

294 months

Saturday 7th December 2013
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Jimboka said:
Very good, but Evans don't do Boardman or PlanetX bikes,,,
Sorry missed the "Evans" bit...

In that case, there's more than a few sub 1k disc equipped cx bikes.

Cannondale caadx disc tiagra
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/caa...

Specialised tricross
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/tr...

Specialised tricross 2013
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/tr...

Fuji
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuji/feather-c...

That caadx looks on paper the best spec....