My First Road BIke

[Cwotherspoon90]

Hi. Im in the market for my first roadbike. the problem is im a fiscally challenged student! having trailed the 2nd hand markets its looking like my budget of £200 (tops) will only stretch to a B'twain or Carrera. having done my homework I realise these come with mixed reviews. Ideally im looking for something that will last me a year or so until I can muster up the cash for a Giant Defy or Scott S50. any thoughts or advice?

also i've recently been offered a Muddyfox Pace for £100... I realize these come with some terrible reviews but for the sake of a year (cycling occasionally to uni 20miles & recreationally at weekends upto 50miles) would this be a decent starter bike to tide me over?

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I wouldn't touch the muddyfox with a barge pole. If you can get a 2nd hand Triban 3 for your money then that is what I would recommend, lots of members on here have them.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Hi. Im in the market for my first roadbike. the problem is im a fiscally challenged student! having trailed the 2nd hand markets its looking like my budget of £200 (tops) will only stretch to a B'twain or Carrera. having done my homework I realise these come with mixed reviews. Ideally im looking for something that will last me a year or so until I can muster up the cash for a Giant Defy or Scott S50. any thoughts or advice?

also i've recently been offered a Muddyfox Pace for £100... I realize these come with some terrible reviews but for the sake of a year (cycling occasionally to uni 20miles & recreationally at weekends upto 50miles) would this be a decent starter bike to tide me over?

I know a lot of people are against Vikings but I have done over 6,500 miles on mine in the last 12 months
I was looking at the Viking Pursuit (new model) it's £259, the only real problem with it, is it is high geared. Looking at it, it seems the same as my Torino just different shifters and group set.
No doubt other will advise you against this as I probably would if more money available,
But I manage 16-17mph averages these days, and cover 150+miles a week, slower on the hills due to weight, but on the other hand it better for my over all fitness.

 

[vickster]

Didn't you upgrade the wheels etc?

 

[uphillstruggler]

if you already have a bike that you are happy with set up wise, wouldnt you be better off spending the £200 on upgrading worn or not so good parts?

if you spend £200 on a new bike, i would imagine that you would be back to square one pretty quickly.

either that or get a decent second hand bike with reasonable spec may be a better option.

best of luck whatever you decide

 

[AndyRM]

Didn't you upgrade the wheels etc?

Aren't the wheels what most people advise you to upgrade first on Tribans?

Swerve the Muddyfox. It will make you hate cycling I'd imagine.

Personally I'd keep looking around second hand.

Are there any bike recycling/restoration places near you? They can often be good. Similarly eBay, GumTree etc.

 

[Widge]

MuddyFox bikes make me genuinely sad!!

They used to be the bees-knees in british MTB circles. All home grown and with their own successful race-team etc. I bought a M/F mtb in 1999...shimano XT raceface, mavic wheels etc...for a thoroughly reasonable price and it is still being ridden regularly now with nary a hiccup. Great Bike.

Muddyfox sold their name to big-box supermarkets and cheap tat purveyors. I weep when I see a current generation bike bearing the name.

That said,

They don't seem any worse than any other catalogue bike brands a tleast! I see the pace retailing new for about £170. It's (probably just about) worth it. But they ain't the brand they were once, mores the pity.

 

[Dan J B]

MuddyFox bikes make me genuinely sad!!

They used to be the bees-knees in british MTB circles. All home grown and with their own successful race-team etc. I bought a M/F mtb in 1999...shimano XT raceface, mavic wheels etc...for a thoroughly reasonable price and it is still being ridden regularly now with nary a hiccup. Great Bike.

Muddyfox sold their name to big-box supermarkets and cheap tat purveyors. I weep when I see a current generation bike bearing the name.

That said,

They don't seem any worse than any other catalogue bike brands a tleast! I see the pace retailing new for about £170. It's (probably just about) worth it. But they ain't the brand they were once, mores the pity.

I used to live very close to the Muddy Fox shop in Howland Street in the mid 1980's. I loved looking in the shop with its Cycle/Evolution signage. Always wanted to buy one of their bikes but I was cash strapped student. Never understood why they are currently so underrated until now!

Dan

 

[MikeW-71]

2nd hand Triban 3, that's the one to go for. I have seen loads of them on Sportives too, very well regarded bike and the only bit that people want to upgrade is the wheels and tyres.

The only thing I can think of brand new for less than £200 is this:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_912087_langId_-1_categoryId_165710#tab2

I have no idea how good/bad it might be, but for a year you could get away with it and it will still teach you maintenance basics.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Didn't you upgrade the wheels etc?

Yea but only after about 5,000 miles, and yea they made a difference but it's not so important when starting out.
Though one word of warning spokes on the rear did keep breaking but not till the bike was 4 years old, they were weinmann XR18's not sure what are fitted these days, but any bike up to about £500-700 will probably need new wheels for an increase in performance.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

MuddyFox bikes make me genuinely sad!!

They used to be the bees-knees in british MTB circles. All home grown and with their own successful race-team etc. I bought a M/F mtb in 1999...shimano XT raceface, mavic wheels etc...for a thoroughly reasonable price and it is still being ridden regularly now with nary a hiccup. Great Bike.

Muddyfox sold their name to big-box supermarkets and cheap tat purveyors. I weep when I see a current generation bike bearing the name.

That said,

They don't seem any worse than any other catalogue bike brands a tleast! I see the pace retailing new for about £170. It's (probably just about) worth it. But they ain't the brand they were once, mores the pity.

I felt the same about Saracen - I had a Saracen Kili Pro Elite MTB with loads of trick parts on it way back in '94 - they built the thing to order and it cost 4 figures back then. It was virtually what the team riders used and was really a bit overkill for my needs but hey-ho you only live once (sadly). Was my pride and joy until I switched to a v.sexy Pace MTB.

I remember thinking that they had really sold out when £200 Saracens appeared in Halfords - not being snobbish about cheaper bikes btw but it does make you wonder how companies can screw up their own brands.

 

[vickster]

If it's just for a year, something with flat bars like this? http://www.decathlon.co.uk/riverside-1-men-trekking-bike-black-id_8202744.html

 

[Cwotherspoon90]

Thanks for the advice folks. looks like the muddyfox is a definite no go!

After trailing the 2nd hand markets a bit more I have the pick of a Carrera TDF (1 year old) for £200 or friends old Cannondale Saeco Caad3 for £150 (and a hand flitting) any opinions?

C

 

[vickster]

How about a flat bar roadbike to tide you over http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/specialized-sirrus-elite-2008.133918/ It won't lose much value when you come to sell in a year to change to drops

 

[Cwotherspoon90]

How about a flat bar roadbike to tide you over http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/specialized-sirrus-elite-2008.133918/ It won't lose much value when you come to sell in a year to change to drops

I used to cycle flat bar... im hoping to get used to drops before upgrading. Flat bar definitely seem to be the cheaper option though.
any opinion on the Cannondale Saeco Caad3 1999/2000 (£150) vs Carrera TDF 2011/2012 (£200). Cheers.