Hello from Cardiff

[Pontprennau]

Been browsing the forums for a wee while and decided it's time I said hello!

I'm 49, have been trying to lose weight for a few years now and 3 months or so back bought myself a dunlop bike from sportsdirect for £50!!

After a week I knew I was totally addicted and so decided to get something a little better, sold the Dunlop and bought a 18" Kona Hoss. Why ? Well I heard it was good for weighty folks and being a somewhat cumbersome 320lbs I didn't want anything that would just collapse!! Then I realised I rode the road somewhat and thought about a Hybrid so I currently also own a 20" 2009 Kona Smoke. To this I have fitted a suspension seat post and changed the gears from twist grip (godawful things) to trigger shifters!

I'm finding the Hoss more comfortable but a little "small" for me, the smoke is better sized but a little "long" for me.

I'm now debating selling both and trying a Specialized Crosstrail of some sort (with Disc brakes) Reason I don't want a road bike is I do an awful lot of "green laning". When you guys buy bicycles how long do you get to test ride them for before actually realising they are the right size for you ? I'm hoping the 19" would be the one for me!

 

[summerdays]

Welcome - wow you have bought 3 bikes in 3 months

. I'm not going to be much help but I would say that sizing also varies between bike brands I have found. You really need to try the bike to get the feel of the size. Before you rush into buying another bike ... try to work out which features you want from each bike and what feels right or not, and where you want to ride.

 

[Pontprennau]

Welcome - wow you have bought 3 bikes in 3 months

. I'm not going to be much help but I would say that sizing also varies between bike brands I have found. You really need to try the bike to get the feel of the size. Before you rush into buying another bike ... try to work out which features you want from each bike and what feels right or not, and where you want to ride.

The first bike was £50 which was a great test to see if I would enjoy cycling and I pretty much got my money back - a fiver!! The other 2 were bought cheaply and I'm getting good fun on both. I ride mostly cycle paths and trails. to get to some of these I need to ride on the road so the gearing of the smoke suits this best. BUT it has no suspension (suspension seat post helps LOADS)and the cycle feels a little "long" so after riding it for some time I feel the seat needs to go forward or the bars need to come back. I say this as when I've ridden the hoss for the same duration I'm nowhere near as "uncomfortable all over" as I am on the smoke so am slowly working towards changing the geometry to "match" the Hoss.

Looking forward I was disc brakes, hybrid gearing, front suspension (being able to lock this is a bonus for road work). The Specialized Crosstrail appears to fit the bill with my requirements, now I just need to try one and then either part X my bike(s) against one OR sell them and buy one. Being a bit new to dealing with cycling shops I have no experience of "what's possible" in the way of buying and selling.

Thanks for your input

 

[summerdays]

I'm a ditherer so it would have taken me about 3 years to work through that many bikes whilst I pondered and wasted time - I'm impressed with the get on with it way of going about bike buying. Whilst not everyone likes suspension seat posts - you can buy them separately so don't choose your bike based on whether it has a suspension seat post (I'm assuming that they could fit most bikes - I wait to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable). I like disk brakes myself too.

Have you managed to go for a test ride on the Crosstrail yet ... I was going to suggest trying Evans ... but I've just looked and your nearest is Bristol. I'm sure there must be some forummers who could recommend bike shops in Cardiff that will let you take one for a test ride.

 

[Pontprennau]

I'm a ditherer so it would have taken me about 3 years to work through that many bikes whilst I pondered and wasted time - I'm impressed with the get on with it way of going about bike buying. Whilst not everyone likes suspension seat posts - you can buy them separately so don't choose your bike based on whether it has a suspension seat post (I'm assuming that they could fit most bikes - I wait to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable). I like disk brakes myself too.

Have you managed to go for a test ride on the Crosstrail yet ... I was going to suggest trying Evans ... but I've just looked and your nearest is Bristol. I'm sure there must be some forummers who could recommend bike shops in Cardiff that will let you take one for a test ride.

My seatpost came from ebay and won't be sold with the bike I've done some exploring and tredz and donskene both sell specialized, so i just need to discover if either has a 19" crosstrail of some sort that I can at least try for size, I'm in no desperate rush right now, I'm changing the stem on the smoke to one much shorter so make the "stretch" length more in line with the hoss which is more "comfy" to ride for longer time periods!

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Pontprennau, Hi &

 

[guitarpete247]

Hi Pontprennau, . I used to live in Cardiff (78/9). I did a lot of cycling from Canton, off Cowbridge Road, to Cyncoed (was a student at Cyncoed College doing PGCE) and along coast towards Newport.