Advice on what to buy please.

[Malc68]

Hi - I want to buy a reliable bike for a short commute (approx. 5 miles). Includes a couple of ‘reasonably steep’ hills.
I had a Carrea mountain bike for a while, which I bought reconditioned from a local charity (‘re-cycle- bikes for Africa).
Ok for a while but then a lot of trouble with the 21 Shimano gears – also, didn’t particularly like the riding position, with no adjustment on the handlebars. At 72 my mountain bike days are probably over anyway!
Now thinking of some kind of hybrid, and probably with just 6 or 7 gears, to avoid the extra changing of gears on the crankset.
Local cycle shops (Cycle King and Halfords) have some cheaper range bikes and wondering if these are worth buying.
Examples: Professional Premium Commuter - Professional Avenue Commuter Hybrid - Professional Metropolitan Commuter - Professional City Commuter. Ammaco Madrid Commuter - Schwinn Wayfarer 500 Commuter Hybrid. Price range for these, between £190 to £250.
I expect the answer will probably be ‘we get what we pay for’ – but would appreciate your advice. Thanks

 

[wiggydiggy]

I'd be tempted to go back to the charity first and see what they have before buying new, mention the things you didn't like and see if they have something more to your taste, the two bikes you posted I think are these I found below and they're not brands I've heard of and couldnt recommend them one way or another.

https://www.clearancebikes.co.uk/bikes/hybrid-bikes/ammaco-madrid-commuter-hybrid-bike-black__455
https://www.cycleking.co.uk/bikes/h...enue-commuter-hybrid-bike-black-and-red__1622

> with no adjustment on the handlebars

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.System-EX-Adjustable-Stem_24665.htm

You can buy things like that, if the shop fits it for you if you can't you can then adjust the angle which might help.

 

[Electric_Andy]

sorry, pretty much said what @wiggydiggy said :/

Many new budget bikes have loads of gears as it makes the bike seem "better" to the untrained eye. If I were you I'd go to the 2nd hand shop or see if there are any older bikes going on Facebook for example. I had the same issue as you with handlebars and I fitted an adjustable riser stem, quite easy to do and much more comfortable on my back and wrists.

Around here, many older bikes are given away free or advertised for £30 odd, as people think old means rubbish. But some of them well looked after will outlast a new budget bike

 

[Cycleops]

At the budget end of the market you're better off going used. I shouldn't go for any of the bikes you listed as they'll be poorly made with cheap components.
The secondhand market is on its arse at the mo so a used hybrid on somewhere like Gumtree is your best bet.

 

[Malc68]

I'd be tempted to go back to the charity first and see what they have before buying new, mention the things you didn't like and see if they have something more to your taste, the two bikes you posted I think are these I found below and they're not brands I've heard of and couldnt recommend them one way or another.

https://www.clearancebikes.co.uk/bikes/hybrid-bikes/ammaco-madrid-commuter-hybrid-bike-black__455
https://www.cycleking.co.uk/bikes/h...enue-commuter-hybrid-bike-black-and-red__1622

> with no adjustment on the handlebars

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.System-EX-Adjustable-Stem_24665.htm

You can buy things like that, if the shop fits it for you if you can't you can then adjust the angle which might help.

Thanks for the reply - Yourself, and others, seem to be giving similar advice that 2nd hand is probably the best bet. I'll try 'Bikes for Africa' again. They were very helpful last time. Cheers - take care.

 

[Malc68]

At the budget end of the market you're better off going used. I shouldn't go for any of the bikes you listed as they'll be poorly made with cheap components.
The secondhand market is on its arse at the mo so a used hybrid on somewhere like Gumtree is your best bet.

Thanks for the reply - Yourself, and others, seem to be giving similar advice that 2nd hand is probably the best bet. I'll try 'Bikes for Africa' again. They were very helpful last time. Cheers - take care.

 

[Malc68]

sorry, pretty much said what @wiggydiggy said :/

Many new budget bikes have loads of gears as it makes the bike seem "better" to the untrained eye. If I were you I'd go to the 2nd hand shop or see if there are any older bikes going on Facebook for example. I had the same issue as you with handlebars and I fitted an adjustable riser stem, quite easy to do and much more comfortable on my back and wrists.

Around here, many older bikes are given away free or advertised for £30 odd, as people think old means rubbish. But some of them well looked after will outlast a new budget bike

Thanks for the reply - Yourself, and others, seem to be giving similar advice that 2nd hand is probably the best bet. I'll try 'Bikes for Africa' again. They were very helpful last time. Cheers - take care.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

The only problem with buying second hand bikes, is that they can be absolute lemons if they have been used but not been looked after.

I've bought four in the last year.

• One needed new wheels, chain and cassette
• One needed new tyres, bottom bracket, chain and cassette. And after I'd done all that and fitted mudguards, I found the frame had lost it's structural integrity. I'm not heavy, but just sitting on the bike flexed the seat and chain stays so much that the mudguard clearance, which was ample, disappeared.
• Another had a bent chainring, worn out rims and non-functioning brakes
• The one I bought via CycleChat, I'll say was okay but I had to inexpensively replace a shifter not long after I bought it

The latter was the best of the bunch and really well priced, so no slight against the forummer who sold it. More than happy with it. I felt compelled to pop it on the list for completeness sake - and as I get almost as much enjoyment out of fixing bikes as I do riding them, that's all good in my book.

My point is this. If you are buying a second hand bike, not from a shop or ideally local bike shop, then it's possible you are going to hit some issues.

I would also add that no bike is maintenance free. You either need to get on good terms with your local bike shop, or learn how to do some basic maintenance yourself. Otherwise a new bike soon ends up in a position where it's performing as well or as badly as the bike you are replacing. How much maintenance is needed depends on quite a few things - how often it's ridden in the rain, where it's ridden, how it's ridden, quality of the components etc..

The good news is that a lot of spares don't tend to be particularly expensive for these sorts of bikes and in forums like this, there is always someone on hand to help diagnose a problem and point you in the right direction when it comes to fixing it.

It might be better to 'fix' the bike you have, both the gears and the riding position. Some older mountain bikes, even with just a change of tyres, can be ideal for commuting, especially over a short distance. If you could post a picture of your bike, then we might be able to advise on the riding position? And what is it that you don't like about the riding position?

What sort of problems are you having with the gears at the moment?

Finally, if there are hills involved on your commute, then it would be good to get an understanding of what gear you are riding up them in. If you go for a new bike with a 1x drive train for instance or even a hub gear, then it's important to check that your new bike has an equivalent gear to allow you to get up that hill. So again, a picture of your bike is a good starting point for that, with perhaps a note about what front chain ring and rear cog you wind up in to ride up the hill - if you can remember.

Whatever you decide, good luck with it.

 

[vickster]

I presume those from charities have been serviced and come with some sort of warranty

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I presume those from charities have been serviced and come with some sort of warranty

If you mean charity shops, I think it's more likely but not necessarily true. I'm sure someone here remarked that they'd bought a bike as either 'spares or repairs' or 'sold as seen' from a charity shop?

From a charity upcycling bikes, presumably serviced or passing some sort of inspection but I don't think you can expect a formal warranty?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

From a charity upcycling bikes, presumably serviced or passing some sort of inspection but I don't think you can expect a formal warranty?

My local one gives a 6 months warranty on reconditioned bikes.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I did google the charity the OP mentioned and they look like a bike recycle operation, and the bikes they sell are serviced but not suitable to send to Africa (they say they prefer to send simpler bikes).

 

[Jameshow]

Going back to buying new -

the decathlon riverside 100 would be ideal.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/hybri...pTBSCrfAFYjc7C-HCl6UwH5TwUjO0ayUaAqt3EALw_wcB

Argos also have a basic hybrid bike but with suspension most don't like it (but a your age you ought appreciate it?) for £120 which is a bargain.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9483903
The beauty o these two is if you have any sues you can return to the shop and they won't argue with you....

Finally this forme bikes is a class above the other too if it's in your size.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40452128...tixoXeJTeO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Big John]

My local one gives a 6 months warranty on reconditioned bikes.

The bike recycling charity I work for give a 60 day warranty on refurbed bikes. They're all road safe, serviced and should have many years of useful service left in them. Don't buy from places like Cash Converters. The cheeky buggers in our town send their customers to us when their bikes fail telling the customers that we'll fix the bike. We're not even connected to Cash Converters, we're a charity, but their customer comes in expecting their bikes to be fixed for free. They get a shock when we tell them it isn't. The state of some of their bikes leaves a lot to be desired. I can only imagine they're 'sold as seen'.

 

[wafter]

Look at used steel hybrids or tourers; stuff like Raleigh Pioneers can be had for ballpark £60 all day, are decent bikes in their own right and pretty much bomb-proof. Even if it does need a bit of work parts are cheap and it's a good opportunity to learn how to maintain your own gear, if you don't already know.

On top of that it's still going to be many times cheaper than some new chinese tat made from recycled pop cans.