Suggestions for a starter road bike.
Discussion
I am in the market for a half decent ‘starter’ road bike and would like a few suggestions from the PH massive.
Currently I mainly ride off road but want a road bike for the odd bit of evening road riding and the occasional long distance (60-ish mile) road ride. Budget is circa £250 so I am not looking for a new bike, probably flea-bay or used ads somewhere. I know very little about road bikes but ‘think’ I would like alloy frame, carbon forks, triple set etc.
I have mainly been looking at Giant OCR/SCR/Defy’s, Specialized Allez - would love Bianchi but think they are just ever so slightly out of my price range!
Can you suggest any alternatives to the above, I would prefer advice based on experience/ownership if poss!
Currently I mainly ride off road but want a road bike for the odd bit of evening road riding and the occasional long distance (60-ish mile) road ride. Budget is circa £250 so I am not looking for a new bike, probably flea-bay or used ads somewhere. I know very little about road bikes but ‘think’ I would like alloy frame, carbon forks, triple set etc.
I have mainly been looking at Giant OCR/SCR/Defy’s, Specialized Allez - would love Bianchi but think they are just ever so slightly out of my price range!
Can you suggest any alternatives to the above, I would prefer advice based on experience/ownership if poss!
How about a Decathlon B'twin Sport 1? Slightly above your budget at £269.99, but a good bike (I've tried one), with an alright spec for its price.
Linky:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sport-1-54-57-695674...
Linky:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sport-1-54-57-695674...
dependant upon where you live, a triple is probably not worth it, a double will be most likely 39/53 which should be enough. i find triples very annoying as it seems to take an age to find a gear that suits.
you should be able to pick up a 2007/8 trek 1.2 or a spesh allez for that price. there are usually some good bargains in cycling weekly. the raleigh airlite range is solid and reliable and you should get a year or two old 300 model for your budget. dont worry about groupset hierarchy, get something that fits and is well maintained from a trustworthy seller. then over time upgrade as things wear out. for £150 you could transform it with some planet x model b wheels and a nice smooth rear mech (the one you will use the most and be thankful for smooth reliable shifting)
you should be able to pick up a 2007/8 trek 1.2 or a spesh allez for that price. there are usually some good bargains in cycling weekly. the raleigh airlite range is solid and reliable and you should get a year or two old 300 model for your budget. dont worry about groupset hierarchy, get something that fits and is well maintained from a trustworthy seller. then over time upgrade as things wear out. for £150 you could transform it with some planet x model b wheels and a nice smooth rear mech (the one you will use the most and be thankful for smooth reliable shifting)
I've been riding a specialized allez 27 for 3 years. Fitted me well, very comfortable on long rides but still nimble enough on shorter ones.
I always felt the bike was capable of batting above it's level, which has gotta be a a good thing.
I've just bought a new bike to replace it only because the allez got damaged, and seriously just considered replacing like for like.
IMVHO, there are points 2 note:
a) It's not so much about the brand, as to whether it fits you correctly. Leg/Torso/Arm length all vary and the frame geometry varies also so it's worth trying several bikes for both size and geometry.
b) Pablos point is correct, especially since triples do have overlap on the gears...but, if you're starting from fairly unfit and plan to get "quite" fit a triple has got a wide enough gear range to support you through that. When I started on my specialized, I used to regularly need the small gear, but obviously as you get fitter/stronger, you spend more time in the big gears. So if you're just starting out, a 30 can be useful to help you train, but if you already have a degree of fitness, you'll be fine on uk roads with a 20
I always felt the bike was capable of batting above it's level, which has gotta be a a good thing.
I've just bought a new bike to replace it only because the allez got damaged, and seriously just considered replacing like for like.
IMVHO, there are points 2 note:
a) It's not so much about the brand, as to whether it fits you correctly. Leg/Torso/Arm length all vary and the frame geometry varies also so it's worth trying several bikes for both size and geometry.
b) Pablos point is correct, especially since triples do have overlap on the gears...but, if you're starting from fairly unfit and plan to get "quite" fit a triple has got a wide enough gear range to support you through that. When I started on my specialized, I used to regularly need the small gear, but obviously as you get fitter/stronger, you spend more time in the big gears. So if you're just starting out, a 30 can be useful to help you train, but if you already have a degree of fitness, you'll be fine on uk roads with a 20
Edited by MattYorke on Saturday 10th July 11:57
Thanks for all of the pointers chaps. I had a stroke of good fortune this week and a friend has given me a Dawes Super Galaxy! The bike looks as if it is from the mid-90's, it was not exactly what I had in mind but is a great way of getting onto the road for the cost of a couple of beers.
The bike needs a good clean up, probably benefit from a service and needs some new handlebar tape otherwise it looks good to go. When I get the chance I will post up a couple of piccies.
The bike needs a good clean up, probably benefit from a service and needs some new handlebar tape otherwise it looks good to go. When I get the chance I will post up a couple of piccies.
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