After getting into my cycling a little more I recently invested in a new road bike. However, I am finding that buying the bike was just the start of spending £s. Whilst I knew that would be the case to a degree, I was probably a little naive in that I'd just hop on the bike and would upgrade later as money permitted when I had some more experience. However, given the below, I'd would welcome some guidance on what folk view as a sound/essential investment, as opposed to 'nice to haves' that can be picked up as finances etc. permit.
I've invested in a new, stronger lock and paid for secure cycle storage at my local train station, which I saw as my first priority. However, a week into owning my new bike, below are a couple of examples where people are telling me that I need to spend some more £s in the short term (money that I hadn't planned to spend, just yet anyway)......
- Tyres. On only my second short spin, I got a flat rear tyre this morning. I am hopeless at anything close to hands-on mechanical work, so replacing the inner will be good practice for me. However, cycling colleagues and a shop near where I work are now telling me that I need to invest in more expensive tyres unless I want punctures every week (I have whatever comes as standard on the basic Specialized Allez). Is the accepted reality that £500-600 of bike means the tyres are rubbish, and I need to splash out if I'm to avoid being late for work on a regular basis, or have I just been unlucky in getting a flat so early.
- I am looking into some race blades as per some of the guidance on the winter cycling thread. I'm not too bothered about me getting wet/muddy but if race blades really do protect the bike sounds like they'll be a sound investment?
Many thanks
I've invested in a new, stronger lock and paid for secure cycle storage at my local train station, which I saw as my first priority. However, a week into owning my new bike, below are a couple of examples where people are telling me that I need to spend some more £s in the short term (money that I hadn't planned to spend, just yet anyway)......
- Tyres. On only my second short spin, I got a flat rear tyre this morning. I am hopeless at anything close to hands-on mechanical work, so replacing the inner will be good practice for me. However, cycling colleagues and a shop near where I work are now telling me that I need to invest in more expensive tyres unless I want punctures every week (I have whatever comes as standard on the basic Specialized Allez). Is the accepted reality that £500-600 of bike means the tyres are rubbish, and I need to splash out if I'm to avoid being late for work on a regular basis, or have I just been unlucky in getting a flat so early.
- I am looking into some race blades as per some of the guidance on the winter cycling thread. I'm not too bothered about me getting wet/muddy but if race blades really do protect the bike sounds like they'll be a sound investment?
Many thanks