First bike advice....

[Emmaroid]

Totally new to biking and would like some advice... I shall try and supply you with as much info as I can with regards what I can think is relevant an applicable! If you think of anything else, let me know!

1) When/where will I be riding - both on and off road, not commuting but apparently I will be joining mates on rides out of about 18 miles-ish. I want to be able to go off roading but nothing heavy, although who knows!!!

2) Price - I started out thinking of bikes around £250 but somehow i've ended up looking at ones which are £550! I am going to have to pay in bits over time so imagine that unless I end up building one myself, I will be putting a deposit down etc...

3) Weight/fitness - very little fitness just recently! I am 17 and a half stone (I think, it could have changed over christmas) and so I have weight to lose.

4) - cycling experience - none! ZILCH! Nada! I haven't had a bike since a kid but am keen to do this! I dont have any real hobbies and am quite keen for this to take off!

Tbh It is a couple of mates who have suggested me joining them and I think it is a great idea but I dont have anyone to lend me a bike to see if I like it but at the same time I am bothered about getting a naff bike and it putting me off...

The bike I absolutely LOVE so far (but without riding so is mainly aesthetic) is this one:

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.revel.0.ltd/11860/56887/

I have also seen some Trek and Specialized ones too which are both 29ers...

I did have a load of points to add but my mind has gone blank so I will leave it here for now and let you ask questions!

 

[MrJamie]

It might also be worth looking at the 700c Giant Rove/Roam (Women/Men variants) if you like the Revel http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.rove.2/11874/56927/#overview I think the main differences are the wheel size and also ranges of gearing. In a similar situation I bought myself a Roam a couple of years ago, still love it and still makes me want to go out on it, I imagine the same would be true of the no doubt similarly specced and priced Trek/Specialized bikes

So long as you stick with it initially, youll get much fitter quite quickly even if 18 miles seems impossibly far to start with.

And welcome

 

[defy-one]

firstly welcome ... you have made the decision to ride so good for you.

Mr Jamie makes a good point - the bike you buy will be very important, if your only riding off road then your choice would be fine, BUT if you want to to ride roads,cycle paths and some gentle off roading , i would strongly suggest you look at a hybrid bike. it will have the bigger slimmer wheels (and gearing) you need for on road, and still be strong enough to go across parks etc

 

[Emmaroid]

Thanks Jamie... I know ultimately the decision is down to me, but are there no bikes which are cheaper which are not going to put me off? or would you stick with my idea of getting a bike of this price from the off?

 

[Emmaroid]

Sorry you guys replied after I had started typing!

Would the 29" wheels not sway towards a more hybrid type bike? Again, apologies for my lack of kowledge in such things, i'm sort of going by the advice given by a few people I know so far...

I guess I could compare overall weights when looking between the 2 types of bike...

forgot to add, I was advised to simply change the tyres from chunky to slimmer if doing more on road than offroad as it is what a friend does but like I say, just trying to source as much advice as possible atm :-)

 

[HovR]

The Giant Revel is a much more off-road oriented bike, and would be in its element at trail centres and on rougher trails etc, so I feel you may find it a bit over-the-top for road use. That said many people do use mountain bikes on the road, with locked out forks and road tires fitted, quite happily - just don't expect to be quite as fast as a hybrid or road bike.

You might want to consider whether you really need a suspension fork, as they tend to be a bit more heavy than a standard fork which would be a disadvantage for road use. If you will be off-road quite a bit and you want a suspension fork, then look for a bike with a fork that is described as having a 'lockout'. This allows you to put the fork in to a rigid mode for road use, which means your energy isn't being wasted making the fork bob up and down, especially when climbing hills.

The bike MrJamie linked seems like a good option.

 

[Emmaroid]

Thanks HovR, I forgot to say I ws going to opt for a lockout front fork, but will defo check out the bike Jamie has suggested also!

 

[HovR]

Would the 29" wheels not sway towards a more hybrid type bike? Again, apologies for my lack of kowledge in such things, i'm sort of going by the advice given by a few people I know so far...

29 inch wheels are more mountain bike specific, whilst 26 is used on both mountain bikes and off-road oriented hybrids. The 700c wheelsize is used on road oriented hybrids, and road bikes.

forgot to add, I was advised to simply change the tyres from chunky to slimmer if doing more on road than offroad as it is what a friend does but like I say, just trying to source as much advice as possible atm :-)

That's good advice, but if you're thinking about doing that before you've even bought the bike maybe you would be more interested in a 700c hybrid that comes with thinner tires? It really depends how often you will be going offroad and what sort of offroad you will be doing.

Glad to be able to help.

 

[festival]

Giant bikes have a great reputation for fit, quality of ride and value for money and I strongly recommend them, but there are plenty of good bikes available for around £500. One bike for road/offroad is generally a compromise but the Revel would be a good choice if it includes proper offroad riding otherwise the Roam would be ideal for un made paths and light trails.
Bikes around £250 are not really up to anything other than very gentle offroad riding.
Its more important that you find a good LBS who will help you, not only in buying the right bike but will spend time with you and help in the future.
29ers can offer an advantage in certain conditions, but I think its not an important factor in your choice.
You will need to consider the cost for helmet, shoes, pedals, gloves,clothing etc etc, you may not need to kit yourself out like a pro, but you will benefit from enough proper kit. If you need to down grade on the bike price you can be assured that Giant offer the same quality frame on the cheaper revel's/roam's as the top models.

 

[lulubel]

What kind of bikes do your friends ride? What size wheels do they have, do they have suspension or not, etc?

If you're going to be riding with your mates mostly, it makes sense to find out what kind of bikes they use for the rides they do, and look at something similar in style as a starting point.

 

[Emmaroid]

Thanks for that Festival...

Its a bugger that the LBS don't have any reduced price bikes ie from previous years. The additional 'kit' I know I can pick up over the months whilst paying for it so will grab any bargains which come along..

Again, thank you for the advice, it's all going in and registering

 

[Emmaroid]

Good point Lulubel.... I know one friend rides a self built single speed... the other has a Spesh with front susp, but unsure of the model. Am awaiting their presence for further questioning on out future outings!

 

[MrJamie]

I think spending that bit extra money really makes the difference at that price range, but you should be able to find one for about £400-500. When I bought my Roam, 2 friends also bought similar bikes, a Crosstrail and another Roam and all were amazed how much better they were to ride than the cheaper bikes we had in 80s/90s and how incredibly versatile they are. We've done plenty of road cycling, canal paths, offroad trails etc. The gear ratios are plenty low enough for offroad and not far off a road bike for on road. I personally like the front suspension on trails, really saves my wrists on crap surfaces too compared to my bike with a rigid fork and im plenty heavy enough that the ~1kg extra weight of front suspension isnt going to make the hugest difference.

Just to confuse things further, as far as im aware 700c and 29er are the same wheel size, just the latter tends to be used more around mountain bikes. I wouldnt worry too much about tyres as you can/will end up changing them at some point anyway

You might be able to find some cheaper deals online (I think i got mine about £100 off), but you miss out on the help youd get from a LBS, although if they arent good they might also just try to sell you what they want to sell anyway. :P

 

[Emmaroid]

Thanks Jamie, just been in touch with my mate about my recent revelations above and he is of a similar opinion to yourself re: suspension...

Tbh I will have to go with a LBS as I need to put a deposit down etc (not an interest free deal) which is something I doubt I could do from afar...!

I have looked on Ebay to see if anyone is selling anything reasonably local for a couple of hundred but alas nothing to suit....

Thanks for the replies so far, it is of great help...

 

[Cyclist33]

The Giant Revel is a much more off-road oriented bike, and would be in its element at trail centres and on rougher trails etc, so I feel you may find it a bit over-the-top for road use. That said many people do use mountain bikes on the road, with locked out forks and road tires fitted, quite happily - just don't expect to be quite as fast as a hybrid or road bike.

You might want to consider whether you really need a suspension fork, as they tend to be a bit more heavy than a standard fork which would be a disadvantage for road use. If you will be off-road quite a bit and you want a suspension fork, then look for a bike with a fork that is described as having a 'lockout'. This allows you to put the fork in to a rigid mode for road use, which means your energy isn't being wasted making the fork bob up and down, especially when climbing hills.

The bike MrJamie linked seems like a good option.

I suppose it can depend on your body weight distribution and stem length and angle, and steerer height, but in fact if you have enough weight bias to the rear, switch to a nice low gear and take it nice and steady, there's no reason why an unlockable fork should bob up and down on road hills. It bobs because people tend to huff and puff in too high a gear, and come out the saddle.

Stu