best tips for buying online

[jwc0102]

hi, i was wondering if anyone has good tips for buying online I'm quite a new cycler so don't know what to avoid and what is a great buy
thanks alot

 

[vickster]

I wouldn't if not confident. Support your local shop, many are prepared to flex on price Fit is key with bikes, you can't check that online. If it's not comfortable, you won;t want to ride it or risk injury and you'll lose money selling it on

However, if that's the way you want to go, post some links on here for folks to comment upon

What are you looking for and what's your budget?

 

[ianrauk]

If you do buy online, then use on of THESE links to help support Cycle Chat

 

[Cycleops]

What will you be mainly buying?

The list above is a good starting point.

 

[jwc0102]

thanks on that advice my budget is quite limited but as you said i want to be safe on the road i am looking for a road bike not sure what make yet but a decent one that will help me improve alot

 

[vickster]

Go to Decathlon, look at the Triban range

The bike itself won't make you improve, riding it will, regardless

 

[RebornBumbler]

It would be well worth comparing the competition against this, I reckon:

http://www.merlincycles.com/felt-f95-road-bike-2014-boxed-72331.html

Otherwise you might score a good deal with an ex-demo/display model.

 

[jwc0102]

thanks very much for that advice i think i will either go for the tiban 5 road bike or as you said look for ex-demo/display model

 

[400bhp]

Don't forget if you're buying online you'll have to set it up yourself. That might seem very easy for most of us here but nit always obvious to a beginner.

Or you could take it to a shop to build up.

 

[jwc0102]

would it be any use looking at Halfords

 

[vickster]

How limited is your budget. The tribans at decathlon are generally better specced than similar halfords bikes. Never buy full price form halfords, they have numerous 'sales'

Halfords have a rep for being crap at setting up bikes properly, some branches are ok but they seem to be the exception!

 

[jwc0102]

oh ok my budget is definitely not really as much as i want it to be so max is about 350 - 400 so there is a very limited range in that range so that's why i look at there range

 

[vickster]

Decathlon probably offer the best in that range if wanting to buy new. Halfords, Viking are pretty poor relations at least in terms of spec and weight

 

[jwc0102]

ok how about the Dawes Giro 300 (sorry for asking so many questions i just have no idea about the technical stuff)

 

[vickster]

Spec? The triban 500 has carbon forks and Sora STI shifters and weighs under 11kg, those are good benchmarks