First Road Bike... opinions needed please...

[Tin Pot]

Hello

New to the forum and new to road bikes so hoping to get some help please.

I'm looking to buy my first road bike but don't want to fork out a great deal of cash... I'd rather save that for my second road bike if I manage to get into it so my budget is around the £400 mark. I know that's not a huge budget but a wife and two kids dictate how much surplus cash I have available for a road bike.

I know they don't have the best reputation but the bike that has caught my eye is this one from Halfords;
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/carrera-vanquish-road-bike-2015

It seems to be a fairly decent bike for the budget. I did also look at this one; http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/carrera-tdf-mens-ltd-road-bike which seems to be a similar option.

Once again I know I don't have the biggest budget but also looking to buy new as I'm taking advantage of a cycle to work scheme so any advice or suggestions is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance...

Rich

Why are you getting a bike and what are you going to use it for?

 

[DooDah]

DO you know anyone who knows a lot about bikes? If so, you can get a lot for your money second hand, but you need to be careful about it.

 

[vickster]

Why are you getting a bike and what are you going to use it for?

Presumably cycling to work given its a c2w purchase, over what surfaces is not clear though. On that basis something that can take mudguards and a pannier rack should be considered

 

[Rykard]

don't over spend on you first bike, look for something in the sales from last year as the spec is normally almost as good, some cases better. If you like it great buy a better one, if you don't you haven't blown a load and then need to get something else...

 

[Tin Pot]

Presumably cycling to work given its a c2w purchase, over what surfaces is not clear though. On that basis something that can take mudguards and a pannier rack should be considered

Possibly...maybe we'll find out one day

 

[RichieRich198232]

Thanks for all the replies and sorry for the delayed response. Wife and two kids dictate how much spare time I get as well as my bike budget! :-(

Surface will be roads. I live on the border between Teesside and North Yorkshire so the plan is to cycle to work a few times a week and get out into North Yorkshire on a weekend. Quite a few people have mentioned the B'twin range from Decathalon as been good bikes for the money... thinking it may be worth the trip to Sheffield (nearest Decathlon to me) to check them out. It seems for the budget I have either Halfords Carrera or the Decathalon B'twin range seem to be the front runners... it's just deciding which to go for...

Thanks again for the advice... taking it all on board.

 

[Rykard]

if you're going to sheffield, it might be worth dropping into Planet x - see if they have any good deals going, ex demo etc.

 

[DooDah]

if you're going to sheffield, it might be worth dropping into Planet x - see if they have any good deals going, ex demo etc.

Good call that man.

 

[Rykard]

Good call that man.

i occasionally have a bright idea

 

[DooDah]

i occasionally have a bright idea

Lol, planetx do some great bikes

 

[Chris1972]

Hello

New to the forum and new to road bikes so hoping to get some help please.

I'm looking to buy my first road bike but don't want to fork out a great deal of cash... I'd rather save that for my second road bike if I manage to get into it so my budget is around the £400 mark. I know that's not a huge budget but a wife and two kids dictate how much surplus cash I have available for a road bike.

I know they don't have the best reputation but the bike that has caught my eye is this one from Halfords;
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/carrera-vanquish-road-bike-2015

It seems to be a fairly decent bike for the budget. I did also look at this one; http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/carrera-tdf-mens-ltd-road-bike which seems to be a similar option.

Once again I know I don't have the biggest budget but also looking to buy new as I'm taking advantage of a cycle to work scheme so any advice or suggestions is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance...

It would be a good idea to search the free adds gumtree and eBay because there are some great bikes out there for little money and some in as new condition . You could probably pick up a grand spec bike for that kind of money

 

[NorthernDave]

I nearly bought a Carrera, but then there was an offer on the Boardman Road Comp that was simply too good to resist...

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/which-carrera.182896/