Buying my first (adult) bike - any help?

[lhalpin1]

Hi all,

After a couple of opportunities to get on a bike in the last few months (after not having been on one for around 10 years) I’ve found myself wanting to buy a bike and start cycling a bit more. I’ll initially be using it on cycle paths/around park trails with the hope of working up to commuting from work, to eventually commuting to and from work ( approx. 7 miles each way, largely cycle paths).

I’m looking at two bikes currently – one Pendleton from the dreaded Halfords and a Dawes from Evans – and I would really appreciate any thoughts you all have on which one would be better to go for.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/pendleton-drake-hybrid-bike

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/dawes/discovery-trail-2015-womens-hybrid-bike-ec114545

Any other recommendations in the sub-£200 category are welcome. I know this isn’t much to pay but I would rather avoid paying a large sum of money to find out that the cycling enjoyment doesn’t transfer from holidays to home.

Thanks all for any help!

 

[Garry A]

I think the Pendleton wins in the looks department but only three gears, OK for relatively flat ground but up anything steeper I'd prefer the 18 speeds on the Dawes. The Dawes is ugly as sin in my opinion, but better gears.
Go with your heart, which one makes you smile?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Although they look similar they are fairly different bikes. The three speeds of the Pendleton will likely do the job just fine and will be easier in terms of maintenance, however you may prefer the extra spread of gears with the Dawes and I notice that it's listed as being a kilogramme lighter (if that bothers you - neither of them is a heavyweight).

I personally have quite a soft spot for Dawes, having had a couple of them in the past, and they still have a good reputation for producing dependable bikes so that's the one I'd suggest.

 

[lhalpin1]

Thanks both! Went to take a look at them both today (in Glasgow we have a Halfords, an Evans and a Decathlon close to each other) and popped into Decathlon. While in there I saw this one:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/hoprider-300-womens-city-hybrid-bike-id_8307663.html

Think I'll go for it instead - it has everything I'm looking for at a decent pricepoint, and the Decathlon bikes seem to get good reviews .

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Thanks both! Went to take a look at them both today (in Glasgow we have a Halfords, an Evans and a Decathlon close to each other) and popped into Decathlon. While in there I saw this one:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/hoprider-300-womens-city-hybrid-bike-id_8307663.html

Think I'll go for it instead - it has everything I'm looking for at a decent pricepoint, and the Decathlon bikes seem to get good reviews .

That looks a good choice for the money, especially with hub dynamo lighting included. Let us know how you get on with it.

 

[lhalpin1]

So I purchased, been out on two leisure rides so far and marked tonight as my first 'commute' - to a volunteer group night. It's only 3 miles each way and pretty flat but it's a start for me.

Something felt a bit funny on the way there and very funny on the way back until the left pedal fell off 2.5 miles from home. I had to use the bike as a sort of seated skateboard for the remainder of the way as the pedal would not go back on. Back to the shop for repairs tomorrow, d'oh!

 

[Garry A]

Unless the pedal is actually broken then its easy to screw it back in. Always handy to take some basic tools with you like a 5mm Allen key, tyre lever, spare tube and a small spanner. A wee saddle bag is handy for carrying these. The pedal fell of my first Halfords bike cycling it home from the shop, scary as it was on a busy road.

 

[Cyclist33]

So I purchased, been out on two leisure rides so far and marked tonight as my first 'commute' - to a volunteer group night. It's only 3 miles each way and pretty flat but it's a start for me.

Something felt a bit funny on the way there and very funny on the way back until the left pedal fell off 2.5 miles from home. I had to use the bike as a sort of seated skateboard for the remainder of the way as the pedal would not go back on. Back to the shop for repairs tomorrow, d'oh!

Joking aside, be clear when you take it back in that this happened as a result of the shop set up, if they suggest you caused the failure. It sounds like the pedal wasn't screwed in right. Schoolboy error for an employed bike mechanic.

 

[lhalpin1]

So I went back with the bike last week - they swapped it and gave me a new one, which I took out for a ride on Saturday. Or tried to, as there was a problem with the gears. I don't know how to describe it other than they seem to 'slip' as I cycle - it definitely doesn't go in right.

My car packed in this week and I'm not planning to replace it until October. Took the bike back to the shop tonight and was told 'the bike tech went home an hour ago - I can look and find the problem but I'm not allowed to fix it'. I suggested that I be given another new once instead once since my journey involved two trains, cycling and a ferry. Went into the car park with the new one - the same problem with the gears!!! Straight back in and said to them, and he 'fixed it'. After a mile, I got on the ferry and at the other side the gears promptly started slipping again!

I'm now at a loss. The bike is exactly what I'm looking for and not having this issue with the first one makes me think it's the technician, rather than the bike. Tempted to take it to a LBS and ask them to look at it, but then I'd be paying for someone to fix it when it's brand new!

 

[Cyclist33]

Shucks!

I would be tempted (professional cynic) to say the bike is hardly exactly what you're looking for because one key criterion should be: that it works.

That's just a joke.

I would advise against taking the bikes back and requesting new ones again and again. I think what you describe is quite normal.

I suppose some would say at the budget you're buying at you could expect some issues but I don't really buy into that. Are you aware that new gear cables stretch? and as a result the gear changing takes a while to bed in and in fact most shops invite you back after a month or two so they can refit the cables after the stretch. It's quite common for gears not to work too well new out of the shop. Having said that I've got one bike that I've had for a year and have never had any such problems since new.

Are you able to describe more fully exactly how the gears are slipping? If it's like every pedal revolution or so it feels like they jump..? that is usually the chain being off the line of the rear cogs. You can check this and usually sort it yourself. Here's how:

- Put the bike in the gear (or one of the gears) where it's "slipping".
- Look down vertically on the rear cogs (the cassette) from approx where the saddle is. Or from behind the cassette. At any rate your eye needs to be straight lined up relative to the cassette.
- Compare the position of the cog's teeth, the jockey wheels (these are the two little cogs under the main cassette if you didn't know) and the chain - they should all be in line with each other.
- There is (hopefully) a little plastic nut around the end of the outer gear cable where it joins the derailleur component. This is the barrel adjuster for the rear gear. If you turn it clockwise the jockey wheels will move outwards and anticlockwise, inwards towards the wheel.
- It only takes minute adjustments to this to bring the chain in or out of line. Usually simple enough though.

Good luck!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Sorry to hear about the problems you're having. As you've said, it sounds like a faulty mechanic rather than a faulty bike so perhaps this would be an opportunity gain your first bit of bike maintenance knowledge. It might seem like a bit of a dark art to start with but is quite easy if you are patient and get things just-so.

As Cyclist 33 has already given instructions I'll just add that the Park Tools website has instructions for fixing anything on a bike. The relevant bit for gear adjustment is here: http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur

There are also various videos on youtube that might help. Don't know if it's the best out there but this one seems to be a favourite with many:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ

 

[phantasmagoriana]

If you're female and in/around Glasgow (assumption based on the OP - I may be wrong!), you could also check out the Belles on Bikes repair workshops to learn some maintenance skills - they're on a Thursday evening (I think once a month), and details of the next one are here: http://www.meetup.com/Belles-on-Bikes-Glasgow/events/223859477/

I've never attended one myself but they look like a good start for learning the basics of gear and brake adjustment etc.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

If you're female and in/around Glasgow (assumption based on the OP - I may be wrong!), you could also check out the Belles on Bikes repair workshops to learn some maintenance skills - they're on a Thursday evening (I think once a month), and details of the next one are here: http://www.meetup.com/Belles-on-Bikes-Glasgow/events/223859477/

I've never attended one myself but they look like a good start for learning the basics of gear and brake adjustment etc.

^^^^ An excellent solution.