Buying first bike

[C_____s]

So I know how to ride a bike but have never owned one before and I want to get into cycling as a hobby and to save money on travel for when I go see my friends and commute to work. I'm literally clueless about what I should be getting but my budget is £200 max(including accessories like locks and stuff) and everything seems to be either way out of that or on gumtree(where I need actual knowledge to scout good deals).

I live in London so I'd appreciate any advice about where to go and what to buy that applies here. Thanks in advance!

 

[roadrash]

please don't think im being a snob but honestly you are much better off going second hand given your budget, if you found anything new at that price it really would be questionable , not mine but this in the for sale section is an absolute bargain at £240 if the size is right for you..
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ridley-icarus-sls-ultegra-105-sora-mix-price-drop.232656/

 

[roadrash]

just realised being a new mwmber you will have to make several posts (not sure how many before you can view the for sale cection

 

[Cycleops]

Sound advice from roadrash. You can pick up some real bargains if careful. The linked bike is a real bargain, if it fits you. What sort of road bike do you want ( vintage, modern, relaxed, racy, drop bars I assime) and what is your height and inseam leg measurement?
If looking outside this forum you really need to know what you're looking at in terms of wear and value.
This looks OK but would need a check over.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ribble-prime-road-bike-558cm-frame/1299937244
This might be better as it hasn't had much use. This is the type of thing to go for.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/...cboardman-road-racer-bike-mountain/1299919646

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

If you want a new general purpose bike, my choice would be a B'twin Riverside hybrid with rigid forks from Decathlon.
The absolute cheapest bike that I would consider new would be a Muddy Fox Energy 26 MTB from Sports Direct at just under £100. I'd happily take punt on one just for knocking about on, but bear in mind I can easily fix things myself and I wouldn't go running back to the shop for silly stuff like badly adjusted gears or brakes. On a cheap new bike bought from a retailer and not a Bike Shop, I would expect the odd niggle and be prepared to sort them out myself.
The secondhand market is where the extreme value is though, but you need to be a DIY fault fixer to get the most out of it. My favourite two bikes are both old Raleigh hybrids, one 23 years old the other 30 years old and they only cost me £30 in total to buy used. Considering they both have lightweight Reynolds tubing frames, and in today's money, would probably cost over £1,000 for the pair new, I consider used quality bikes a bit of a bargain!

 

[Reynard]

+1 for buying used if £200 is the absolute maximum budgetwise.

I'd avoid anything from Sports Direct / Argos / supermarket. Those bikes are heavy, clunky, poorly made and won't be an enjoyable riding experience. Chances are they'll put you off cycling, and they certainly won't stand up to the rigours of commuting. Buy cheap, buy twice.

As you're a complete newbie, I'd suggest you try a bicycle cooperative / bicycle collective if you want to buy used. You'll be able to get a mechanically sound bike for a good price without the pitfalls of trawling through the small ads. As you're in London, you should be able to find one near you.

 

[Cycleops]

Agree, Muddy Fox or anything Sports Direct related should be avoided. @SkipdiverJohn is best taking his own advice here and buying one of the original eighties Muddy Fox bikes as they were rather good.

 

[Reynard]

BTW, Decathlon is a good place to go for accessories if you're looking for value for money. Dunno where you are in London, but the one in Surrey Quays holds pretty well much the full range in store.

Locks - buy the best you can. That's never money wasted. And buy two so you can lock the front wheel to a stand as well as the back wheel and frame.

 

[C_____s]

My height is 174cm and my inseam leg measurement is 30 inches. I'm not really picky on what kind of bike it is, I'd defer to you guys since you actually know things about bikes and what is good and what isn't. As long as it's able to ride in London on roads and in parks I'm okay with it.

Thanks for the advice so far guys, I appreciate it!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

+1 for buying used if £200 is the absolute maximum budgetwise.

I'd avoid anything from Sports Direct / Argos / supermarket. Those bikes are heavy, clunky, poorly made and won't be an enjoyable riding experience. Chances are they'll put you off cycling, and they certainly won't stand up to the rigours of commuting. Buy cheap, buy twice..

I would only agree with the above comments in respect of the really cheap end of the hardtail/full suspension bike market. Those things ARE total junk BSO's and will be a choice you'd regret. However, if you stick to bikes with simple, rigid steel frames even cheap ones can be durable and long lasting.
My hack bike came out of a builder's skip, and is an old Apollo MTB from the mid-1990's, which I use very regularly including some light offroad riding. Whilst it is quite heavy compared to an aluminium or carbon fibre bike, it is NOT clunky or poorly made. It is just a cheap bike sold originally for a low price. It can't be that terrible if it's lasted nearly 25 years!
Cycleops commented about Sports Direct, what they do is buy up old, tired brand names from the past, and sell those products at low prices. Ashley is a very rich man, so this strategy must have worked. So long as you are aware the brands like Muddy Fox aren't what they were 25 years ago, and don't expect the same quality, I see no particular reason to avoid other than if you object to their controversial employment practices.
Any old bike can be a gem or can be junk, and junk can often be turned into a gem with a bit of spannering and lubrication. The average cheap new bike probably has just as much wrong with it as the average old bike, so don't assume new equals no hassle, especially at the budget end.

 

[roadrash]

The reasons to avoid muddyfox from sports direct has been pointed out many times on these forums , they are very cheap, very heavy, piles of junk that would spend more time on a workstand than being rode and would very likely put someone off cycling for a very long time,

 

[Cycleops]

My height is 174cm and my inseam leg measurement is 30 inches. I'm not really picky on what kind of bike it is, I'd defer to you guys since you actually know things about bikes and what is good and what isn't. As long as it's able to ride in London on roads and in parks I'm okay with it.

Thanks for the advice so far guys, I appreciate it!

You will need a 48cm - 52cm frame or medium size.
Rather than us suggesting I think you should look on sites like Gumtree and eBay and if you find something you like post here for an opinion. Try to find a bike that has had not too much use.

 

[roadrash]

My height is 174cm and my inseam leg measurement is 30 inches. I'm not really picky on what kind of bike it is, I'd defer to you guys since you actually know things about bikes and what is good and what isn't. As long as it's able to ride in London on roads and in parks I'm okay with it.

Thanks for the advice so far guys, I appreciate it!

Ideally you really could do with trying to ride a few different bikes , by this I mean , road bike, mountain bike, hybrid etc, as they all have different characteristics, do you have friends with bikes you could try, it isn't ideal asking someone to recommend a style of bike to you, we could all recommend something different based on our own experience ,that may not be suitable for you.

 

[vickster]

If commuting to work, don't forget to budget for a good strong lock (unless you have completely secure parking in the basement of the Bank of England, M15 or similar), plus essentials including decent lights, some gloves, a helmet if you choose to wear one, basic tools, a pump for home and on the bike, inner tubes, mudguards, potentially insurance. Could easily set you back over £100 on top of your bike budget which leaves you tight on the bike

If you're in London and it's pretty flat, a low maintenance second hand vintage type single speed could be a good bet esp if money is always tight. Should be easy to find for under £200 on eBay or gumtree (obviously making sure it's the sellers to actually sell)

Something like this maybe

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/single-s...803118?hash=item4b43d8682e:g:gBUAAOSwbsta8GTM

 

[Reynard]

I would only agree with the above comments in respect of the really cheap end of the hardtail/full suspension bike market. Those things ARE total junk BSO's and will be a choice you'd regret. However, if you stick to bikes with simple, rigid steel frames even cheap ones can be durable and long lasting.

My hack bike came out of a builder's skip, and is an old Apollo MTB from the mid-1990's, which I use very regularly including some light offroad riding. Whilst it is quite heavy compared to an aluminium or carbon fibre bike, it is NOT clunky or poorly made. It is just a cheap bike sold originally for a low price. It can't be that terrible if it's lasted nearly 25 years!

Cycleops commented about Sports Direct, what they do is buy up old, tired brand names from the past, and sell those products at low prices. Ashley is a very rich man, so this strategy must have worked. So long as you are aware the brands like Muddy Fox aren't what they were 25 years ago, and don't expect the same quality, I see no particular reason to avoid other than if you object to their controversial employment practices.
Any old bike can be a gem or can be junk, and junk can often be turned into a gem with a bit of spannering and lubrication. The average cheap new bike probably has just as much wrong with it as the average old bike, so don't assume new equals no hassle, especially at the budget end.

Ah, well I'm in the middle of fettling up my late 80s Emmelle MTB prior to moving it on. Wasn't bought new, have had it since '93 myself and it's been used and abused since. It's built like the proverbial brick outhouse, only reason I no longer use it is that it's a wee bit too big for me and I prefer riding my road bike. Most of the "knackeredness" on it is cosmetic. Shame it's much too small for the OP.

BTW, Muddy Fox also make el-cheapo road bikes - and they're just as ghastly as the MTBs. There's one turned up at my local tip / recycling centre and it's been sitting in their sales area for weeks. Looks like it's barely been ridden at that. Funny though, the full susser mountain bikes with components made of cheese tend to sell really quickly. Go figure...