All the gear no idea!
Discussion
I tend to cycle only for a bit of fun, usually with the wife to the local pub and back but fairly regularly
My bike is a truly antique claude butler gran sport but has done me well for the last ten years. Trouble is that its been repaired so many times.
The pedal crank bearings started to die and this weekend I took them apart to look at all the erosion meaning that any money spent would probably be wasted
I now have two disconnected claude butler frames in poor repair.
The second point is that I tend to run for exercise about fifteen miles per week and its starting to take a toll on the knees.
For both reason I started looking at new bikes. Did the typical thing of going into Halfords with a budget of £500, and came away looking at the boardman carbon offerings for £1500
I like the tech but it is likely to be the case of all the gear and no idea. So looking for a little encouragement either way.
Is someone of my lowly level going to suddenly get on a carbon bike and transfer fifteen miles a week running into something that will justify the expense on a bike. Or is it a case of £500 was the initial right idea?
My bike is a truly antique claude butler gran sport but has done me well for the last ten years. Trouble is that its been repaired so many times.
The pedal crank bearings started to die and this weekend I took them apart to look at all the erosion meaning that any money spent would probably be wasted
I now have two disconnected claude butler frames in poor repair.
The second point is that I tend to run for exercise about fifteen miles per week and its starting to take a toll on the knees.
For both reason I started looking at new bikes. Did the typical thing of going into Halfords with a budget of £500, and came away looking at the boardman carbon offerings for £1500
I like the tech but it is likely to be the case of all the gear and no idea. So looking for a little encouragement either way.
Is someone of my lowly level going to suddenly get on a carbon bike and transfer fifteen miles a week running into something that will justify the expense on a bike. Or is it a case of £500 was the initial right idea?
If you are running 15 miles a week you have the base fitness - you will soon be knocking out decent length rides.
£500 doesn't get much in the bike world so I think anything you buy would have components which would need replacing or upgrading pretty quickly. Your £1500 should have got you a good quality bike which will last you a while (years!) with a bit of servicing thrown in.
If it was justification you are looking for - you've found it.
£500 doesn't get much in the bike world so I think anything you buy would have components which would need replacing or upgrading pretty quickly. Your £1500 should have got you a good quality bike which will last you a while (years!) with a bit of servicing thrown in.
If it was justification you are looking for - you've found it.
Right idea wrong shop.
Full carbon road bike really needs you to be clipped in and wearing Lycra rather than trainers and shorts on a gentle ride to the pub.
There are £1500 bikes that won't look out of place outside a pub with the rider wearing trainers and shorts but it's not a carbon boardman.
Depends if your use of the bike is going to change?
Full carbon road bike really needs you to be clipped in and wearing Lycra rather than trainers and shorts on a gentle ride to the pub.
There are £1500 bikes that won't look out of place outside a pub with the rider wearing trainers and shorts but it's not a carbon boardman.
Depends if your use of the bike is going to change?
I started the transition from running to cycling when I got my first 'road bike' in 2012 (which was carbon).
I've done the Marathon thing and has averaging 1,000 miles plus a year and it was taking a toll on my knees.
I went for a Specialized Roubaix at circa £1,400 reduced from £1,800 and have seen my ride speed go up quite quickly.
I actually stopped running completely for the 1st 6 months this year to give my knee a rest but have started to do a bit again over the summer.
You've got a base fitness and already have owned road bikes it's not really a risk for you and I'm sure you'll love it.
As others have said you'll want to be clipped-in (which feels natural now).
And a £1,500 bike isn't seen as fairly normal 'all the gear no idea' would be a £3,500+ bike when you can't ride.
Get out and check-out the deals which are about to end. I'm recommend a Specializes, Trek, Cube etc (Canyon and Ribble bikes are great value) over a Halfords bike but plenty of options. Worth reading the reviews on Carbon bikes in the sub £2k category. You should be on Shimano 105 or ideally Ultegra components. Newer bikes will also be 11 speed and come with disc brakes.
Just do it.
I've done the Marathon thing and has averaging 1,000 miles plus a year and it was taking a toll on my knees.
I went for a Specialized Roubaix at circa £1,400 reduced from £1,800 and have seen my ride speed go up quite quickly.
I actually stopped running completely for the 1st 6 months this year to give my knee a rest but have started to do a bit again over the summer.
You've got a base fitness and already have owned road bikes it's not really a risk for you and I'm sure you'll love it.
As others have said you'll want to be clipped-in (which feels natural now).
And a £1,500 bike isn't seen as fairly normal 'all the gear no idea' would be a £3,500+ bike when you can't ride.
Get out and check-out the deals which are about to end. I'm recommend a Specializes, Trek, Cube etc (Canyon and Ribble bikes are great value) over a Halfords bike but plenty of options. Worth reading the reviews on Carbon bikes in the sub £2k category. You should be on Shimano 105 or ideally Ultegra components. Newer bikes will also be 11 speed and come with disc brakes.
Just do it.
Edited by g7jhp on Monday 4th September 11:17
Bottom line is, if you want a posh bike buy a posh bike. You can get a perfectly good bike for £500 if you want one. If you want to, and can afford to, spend £1500, you can also get a very lovely bike for that money. Or you could spend buttons and upgrade your Gran Sport with more modern components.
Don't listen to the Boardman bashers. Boardman make some very credible bikes, or at least OnePro Cycling seem to think so. Personally it wouldn't be where I'd spend my £1500 but that's for purely subjective reasons.
If you do spend big money at Halfords, don't forget to join British Cycling for 10% discount, and buy vouchers online for a further 10% discount (which are cumulative and act on top of any in-store discounts). Lots of instructions online telling you how to do this. Applying this method would see this nicely specced Boardman come to £1530.
Don't listen to the Boardman bashers. Boardman make some very credible bikes, or at least OnePro Cycling seem to think so. Personally it wouldn't be where I'd spend my £1500 but that's for purely subjective reasons.
If you do spend big money at Halfords, don't forget to join British Cycling for 10% discount, and buy vouchers online for a further 10% discount (which are cumulative and act on top of any in-store discounts). Lots of instructions online telling you how to do this. Applying this method would see this nicely specced Boardman come to £1530.
I have been cycling on my Boardman Comp Hybrid doing 25mile rides along the canals for a fair few years now, but wanted to get back on the road, so last week I purchased a 2017 Trek that was £1900 sale time £1500. On Sunday went out and returned having covered 35 miles average speed 18mph (lot of climbs) and loved every minute. I now want to progress to 50 mile rides which at 62 will be my limit. As been said don't worry just get out there and enjoy. You will get a nice bike for £1100 to £1500
james7 said:
Dannbodge said:
Just beware of the con they try to pull at the end of bike to work schemes.
i got a better deal taking out a 0% credit card than I would have on bike to work
What con is this?i got a better deal taking out a 0% credit card than I would have on bike to work
C2W is great if you're a 40% taxpayer, otherwise yes it can be more hassle than it's worth (poster above could conceivably have got a better deal at Halfords by buying vouchers and using BC discount than with C2W if he was a 20% taxpayer).
james7 said:
What con is this?
This goes for the one my company uses.After the 1yr you either pay a fee (£250 ish) and the bike is 100% yours or you pay £0 and the ownership of the bike is transferred to the hire company (cycle to work) for 4 years, after which you 100% own the bike. For this 4 years the bike is not owned by you.
It's also (and sorry for taking the thread so O/T here) the reason you should beware of cheap, "brand new ridden twice" bikes on Facebook groups and eBay. Often they'll have been "bought" on C2W, but legally they're rented and not the seller's to sell. Similar to buying a car on outstanding finance.
Good time to buy just now your budget would get some very good bikes.
Look at these http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/sale.html?___SID=U&...
Re C2W if the bike is hired is it insured or what happens if it's damaged/ stolen?
Look at these http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/sale.html?___SID=U&...
Re C2W if the bike is hired is it insured or what happens if it's damaged/ stolen?
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