£300 set budget for a new bike - suggestions?

[infinityleague]

Hello everybody.

I have a set budget of £300 for a new bike. I want to get back to cycling which I left behind by about 30 years.

I want to start from next week with two clear goals in mind…preparing for the a) London to Brighton BHF challenge & b) Dragon Ride in Wales next year.

Can anyone help me out with a bike that fits my budget and is “manageable” on both the above challenges?

Thanks in advance.

Alfred.

PS : Another £100 for various cycling accessories.

 

[Brandane]

You don't give much information, other than "a new bike for £300".
Mountain? Road? Hybrid? Probably a road bike given the nature of the 2 events you mention.

At £300 I really think you would be better looking at the minefield of the used bike market (maybe you meant "new to you" rather than actually new?). Prices are quite low with a lot of the Covid bike buyers now trying to offload. And with summer rapidly disappearing, it might be a good time for buyers. If you want an actual "new" bike at £300 you are really restricting things. Hard to think of any new road bike at that price.
Beware the stolen bike offloaders on the usual well known websites. Good luck.

 

[Webbo2]

Hello everybody.

I have a set budget of £300 for a new bike. I want to get back to cycling which I left behind by about 30 years.

I want to start from next week with two clear goals in mind…preparing for the a) London to Brighton BHF challenge & b) Dragon Ride in Wales next year.

Can anyone help me out with a bike that fits my budget and is “manageable” on both the above challenges?

Thanks in advance.

Alfred.

PS : Another £100 for various cycling accessories.

It might be worth your while linking in to any local cycling clubs in your area. My club North Yorkshire has some excellent second hand bikes being sold from around the £ 300 price.

 

[Jameshow]

https://www.studiovelo.co.uk/bikes/...utm_campaign=&adgroup=&utm_content=&utm_term={matchtype)_&network=g&device=m&placement=&gad_source=4&gad_campaignid=20955221753&gbraid=0AAAAABZc7b5xAta1lGaBqs4ORcQrwcnZX&gclid=CjwKCAjw2vTFBhAuEiwAFaScwpIrjQzp_22LxTzQXCwHrkVrtP-9oiczbJaMzoPec94hS82MkRKxwxoCzS0QAvD_BwE#miv-2

How about this ok it's rim brakes but Cannondale do good aluminium frames...

 

[infinityleague]

Thank you for the replies.

I couldn’t mention specifics as I am totally confused between so many varieties of bikes in the market now. There were just normal bikes and an MTB, when I did cycle few decades ago.

I only want to get back to cycling so don’t want to spend too much on the first purchase. May be think of something expensive after a few solo rides (I don’t want to join any clubs either). That’s why the set budget of £300.

I’m already pushing it with £300 as I would need another £200 for all the accessories. Something that would last me about 3-4 years and do some basic challenges like I mentioned above.

 

[TheDoctor]

@infinityleague - Can I ask what size frame you're looking for, or how tall you are?
I have a cyclocross bike that would be free to a new home, and I could fit some road tyres to it.
If you're about 5'8" ISH, that could work.

 

[fossyant]

Second hand !

 

[infinityleague]

@infinityleague - Can I ask what size frame you're looking for, or how tall you are?
I have a cyclocross bike that would be free to a new home, and I could fit some road tyres to it.
If you're about 5'8" ISH, that could work.

I’m 5’10”. Thank you, willing to take you up on that offer.

 

[infinityleague]

Second hand !

That’s the last option if I cannot find a new one in my budget range after going through all the available online cycle catalogues.

 

[TheDoctor]

I’m 5’10”. Thank you, willing to take you up on that offer.

Ill PM you in the morning

 

[fossyant]

That’s the last option if I cannot find a new one in my budget range after going through all the available online cycle catalogues.

You get alot more value for money. But you need to look at the photos/description etc.

I bought a Colnago Cyclo Cross bike two years ago for £330 off ebay. The guy had used it for touring mainly as it had good climbing gears. I had spare wheels in my garage, so I use it off road and on - I've done a cycle tour on it, and also long hilly Sportive events on it with road tyres. It needed new cables and a good service, which I did. You don't get much new for £300. The bike I bought sold for about £1,500 in 2012. Yes it was a 10 plus year old bike but had been looked after.

You would be mad not to look at the used market - spend a few hours on ebay. You'll spot the good and the bad. You can always ask here and send links.

 

[sevenfourate]

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybr...ike-2020---grey---s-m-l-xl-frames-346126.html

Sale price (Happens fairly often !) is £276…..

Highly rated, overlooked, belies its price point, bulletproof.

 

[philipgonzales3]

Multiply your budget by 10 and you will be good for a nice mid range bike. Albeit, I'm in the US of A and not that familiar with the conversion rate and differences in the market. Used would definitely make the most sense.

That's what I did at first, buy a used hybrid bike for ~$300 and once I got hooked, I decided I wanted to try a road bike and bought a new one for $2500.

 

[T4tomo]

That’s the last option if I cannot find a new one in my budget range after going through all the available online cycle catalogues.

That's where you're going wrong, it should be your first option....

 

[All uphill]

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/hybr...ike-2020---grey---s-m-l-xl-frames-346126.html

Sale price (Happens fairly often !) is £276…..

Highly rated, overlooked, belies its price point, bulletproof.

That's a great deal!