HeartfeltDawn said:Well, a decision is looming. The thoughts I have are like this:
-I'm a little stuck between buying a £400-ish bike now and then something more expensive next year for the Canadian voyage (maybe £1200-1500).
So the thought is there that I should just get something around about £700 to £1000 now and straddle those two extremes.
But wait, I could go for something like the Ridgeback Voyage or Dawes Horizon 2008 models... aargh!
I play electric guitars a lot. I don't go for super-expensive ones as I prefer buying midprice ones and modifying them. I'm already learning that the 'tinkering' factor with cycles is a lot worse than guitars, amps, effect pedals, pickups, strings etc. Cyclists certainly rival guitarists in the anal retentive stakes!
This site has taught me a great deal already in what to look for and what to avoid.
£400 now, then £1200-1500 next year gives an outlay of £1600 to 1900 (you could get a Roberts for that!).
£1000 for the Ridgeback Voyage now is an outlay of £1000 plus you get to ride it for a year!
I'd be looking to buy the best I could (or whatever it was that would satisfy my bikelust) now. What's that saying - buy it cheap, buy it twice....