Beginners information
Discussion
Over the last year I've been on a fitness regime and have thoroughly enjoyed getting back into cycling (for the first time since adolescence!). I now go out twice a weekend for 1 1/2 - 2 hours of mixed road and trail cycling. None of this is particularly extreme of course and I have happily been using my ancient, dusted-off Marin which has broadly been fine until the recent filthy weather.
Inevitably, I find myself become rather more interested and have started to consider getting a new bike, which is where the problems start...
Where on earth can someone learn the basics without all the jargon. I haven't got a clue what type of bike to get let alone any knowledge of the manufacturers and all the gear! - any suggestions of a central source of easy to understand information?
Inevitably, I find myself become rather more interested and have started to consider getting a new bike, which is where the problems start...
Where on earth can someone learn the basics without all the jargon. I haven't got a clue what type of bike to get let alone any knowledge of the manufacturers and all the gear! - any suggestions of a central source of easy to understand information?
Start by wandering around a few local bike shops. You'll soon work out which ones are the good ones, with knowledgeable, friendly staff.
Also, get your hands on What MTB magazine - does exactly what it say on the tin.
wwww.bikeradar.co.uk is a good site to start looking on, also www.bikemagic.com . And for a very knowledgeable forum try www.singletrackworld.co.uk
Also, get your hands on What MTB magazine - does exactly what it say on the tin.
wwww.bikeradar.co.uk is a good site to start looking on, also www.bikemagic.com . And for a very knowledgeable forum try www.singletrackworld.co.uk
personally i would avoid bike shops for the time being. on the whole, they are pretty useless if you are starting out and they will try to sell you what ever they have in stock on the premise that its the perfect bike for you and suits your intentions completely. they will also always say "its the bike i am going to buy soon".... but oddly enough, they havent got round to buying it yet!... in short, they lie. there are some great shops out there but if you hit the wrong one at this stage, you will end up with an unsuitable bike and a hole in your wallet all because they wanted a sale more than customer satisfaction.
read the magazines, speak to people, find out what sort of bike will suit your riding by looking at what other people are riding on the trails talk to them, we like nothing more than talking about our bikes and you will get an honest answer form someone about their bike. i'll happily tell you the good things and the bad things about my bike.
decide on a budget, decide whats important to you (full sus, weight, colour!) look at all the manufacturers, explore their whole range and whats their core discipline (if they have one, many do not but make bikes for all markets).
use the internet forums listed, they are a wealth of information.
forgot to say, consider getting some tuition from an instructor, then someone else can watch you ride and help identify the best type of bike for you by the manner in which you ride. of course you can change your style according to the bike and indeed, the bike can change your style of riding but if its a big investment you want to get it right.
as an example, when i bought my last bike, it was a period of about 5 months from having the cash to handing it over....
read the magazines, speak to people, find out what sort of bike will suit your riding by looking at what other people are riding on the trails talk to them, we like nothing more than talking about our bikes and you will get an honest answer form someone about their bike. i'll happily tell you the good things and the bad things about my bike.
decide on a budget, decide whats important to you (full sus, weight, colour!) look at all the manufacturers, explore their whole range and whats their core discipline (if they have one, many do not but make bikes for all markets).
use the internet forums listed, they are a wealth of information.
forgot to say, consider getting some tuition from an instructor, then someone else can watch you ride and help identify the best type of bike for you by the manner in which you ride. of course you can change your style according to the bike and indeed, the bike can change your style of riding but if its a big investment you want to get it right.
as an example, when i bought my last bike, it was a period of about 5 months from having the cash to handing it over....
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 1st February 15:36
Work out type of bike you want, how much you will use it, and how much you can afford, taking in to account any gear you'll need to get about the same sort of time.
Now spend a little time on the specs section of some of the more well known brands, to see what you'll get for your money, in terms of components, and compare them.
It's useful to see what the pecking order of components from the manufacturers. Shimano's website will show which is better than the next in the range, for example. This information isn't too hard to work out.
When you've used the nerd method above to get it down to about 3 possibilities, go ride a few, and see how they feel.
It's important to shop at local bike shops when you can. If everyone only used the internet, we'll be buggered in the future. When they've been helpful, reward them with a sale. If they're pants, then buy elsewhere...
Now spend a little time on the specs section of some of the more well known brands, to see what you'll get for your money, in terms of components, and compare them.
It's useful to see what the pecking order of components from the manufacturers. Shimano's website will show which is better than the next in the range, for example. This information isn't too hard to work out.
When you've used the nerd method above to get it down to about 3 possibilities, go ride a few, and see how they feel.
It's important to shop at local bike shops when you can. If everyone only used the internet, we'll be buggered in the future. When they've been helpful, reward them with a sale. If they're pants, then buy elsewhere...
Thanks for the pointers - all appreciated.
From a belts and braces perpective what kind of bike do you think I should consider bearing in mind over two thirds of my cycling is on-road and the rest isn't overly extreme. I'm assuming a full suspension bike is a waste of time and that I would kill off a hybrid?
From a belts and braces perpective what kind of bike do you think I should consider bearing in mind over two thirds of my cycling is on-road and the rest isn't overly extreme. I'm assuming a full suspension bike is a waste of time and that I would kill off a hybrid?
Personally, I'd go for a hard tail MTB. I had a nice Giant XTC for a while until some thieving pikey b
ds had it away.
I used it for canal trails and bigger forest tracks, as well as going down the pub with the missus in the summer. I'm more of a road bike kinda guy than a hard core MTB guy, so it suited me fine.
I miss it.
ds had it away.I used it for canal trails and bigger forest tracks, as well as going down the pub with the missus in the summer. I'm more of a road bike kinda guy than a hard core MTB guy, so it suited me fine.
I miss it.
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