Getting back to cycling. Which bike? Advice appreciated.

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Titan

Regular
Location
Greater London
Hi everyone.

After a not so short 15 year break from cycling I'm finding myself itching to get back in the saddle for pleasure and exercise. I've been on a health drive for the past year and lost a few stone by changing diet and gym-ing most days, and I'd like to add cycling into the mix. I used to pushbike everyday and everywhere as a lad and continued to adore cycling until at 18 I got a car and the bike took second stage. I did buy a new bike a few years later with the intention of cycling again, but it's pretty much sat in the garage for the last 14 years - until last weekend when I got it out and gave it a thorough clean and service.

The bike's a 2006 Carrera Kraken SE mountain bike that I think is fairly ok equipped with cable disk brakes, adjustable front shocks, 7005 aluminium frame, Shimano Deore quick shift gears (21) and an aftermarket Specialized saddle. As a kid I used to bike everywhere (road, gravel, off road etc.) and mountain biked were just what 'everyone' (my age at the time) bought.

I took the Kraken SE out for a mixed test ride yesterday that involved roads, gravel tracks and more challenging hills and woodland. I'd forgotten how much I loved being on 2 wheels! The bike coped pretty well, but it wasn't really up to the standard I hoped for. Off road it struggled to inspire plenty confidence and on road it was slow. The tyres are surprisingly smooth and kept skipping when biking up hill in the (dry) mud, so could be changed. And on road with the gears as high as they'd go I was being overtaken at speed by cyclists on road bikes who's legs were spinning noticeably slower than mine. I actually think the Kraken SE is the slowest geared mountain bike I've ridden. Good exercise though! lol.

The experience made me realise that my wants out of a bike have changed. I want to ride on road and on tow paths etc. far more than hills and mountains, and that my mountain bike is definitely too slow. I'm guessing it's probably not financially viable to upgrade my Carrera bike with new gearing etc. and suppose it's more sensible to buy a new bike for the road with the odd excursion along river tow paths etc.

I'd be grateful for advice and feedback. I've checked out a few bike shops online and liked the look of the Specialized Diverge, but don't really know too much about modern bikes yet so I don't know what's best to look for. I'm not completely sure if my budget is good/ok/not great by today's standards either but I can probably muster around a grand or so if the bike's right. Advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
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Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Hello and welcome to the forum .
You'll find a huge variety of bikes on offer and companies vying for your business.
I should try to buy locally as you can't beat throwing a leg over and if things go wrong it's great help.
I imagine you've got an Evans close by so look there. Don't forget Decathlon who offer excellent vfm and give a lifetime warranty on frames and one year on components. Their Triban road bikes get good press on here.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
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tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Planet X worth a look they always have some offer or another running.
Have a look at the London Rd will do all you want. Love mine happy on the road one minute and off road the next.
Good luck with your search.
 

AuroraSaab

Veteran
Hi Titan. I have recently joined the forum as I was in the same position as you - except it's 30 years since I've been on a bike. I was all for buying a new bike but after reading loads of stuff on the web, and pages and pages of advice in this forum, I decided to buy second hand. I ended up with a Giant Tcr C3 2009 carbon road bike for £200 and am really pleased with it. If you get a shortlist of bikes you are interested in, then have a look on ebay, Gumtree, and Shpock for used examples of the same model, you might find you get more for your money - as long as you don't mind having one a few years old.

Like you I had an old bike in the shed - a '90's Raleigh Pursuit - but quickly realised that bikes have come on such a lot since and it wasn't worth sorting out to be rideable.

Well done on the weight loss. I joined a gym 2 years ago and my fitness has improved hugely, but I am still struggling to lose weight as I find the diet aspect hard to stick to.
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
You can certainly snag a bargain buying secondhand but you need to know what you're buying and check it over very well particularly if it is quite a few years old and well used.
The best ones are from people that have bought a bike on a whim hardly used it and stuck it in the garage.
 
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