New Bike Advice Please

[nufc2009]

Thanks sittingduck

the specialized one looks very good

 

[summerdays]

there are many hundreds of threads about first bike choices every year on this and other forums. if you use the search buttons you will find lots of useful information and advice.

There is no soft way of putting this so I may as well be straight with you.

new bikes like this under £300 are basically rubbish. You are wasting your time and money considering them. They are very heavy, use cheap no-name components often in steel .
The simple fact is you would get 5x the better bike deal by buying a used bike for the same price in good condition that cost around £750 new . But I know that isn't going to sway you from buying one of these cheap rubbish bikes is it?


if you want a cheap bike get a bike from Asda theyt are selling them currently for £50.00

I wouldn't recommend a £50 ASDA bike to anyone - the ones at £250 will be a step up from that. You have to remember Peanut that when people are starting out they haven't got the foggiest what they want from a bike, and how to tell a good second hand one from a bad one (I'm not sure I would know even now), plus on Gumtree there is the worry over whether it is a stolen bike. I've a friend who keeps buying second hand bikes and running them into the ground only to buy another second hand bike a year or two later.

If the OP is prepared to spend a little now, knowing that in the future he may want to buy a second bike then I don't see a problem with him doing that and ending up with a bike that he is happy leaving outside the pub etc and a best bike. (After all we all like an excuse to own more than one bike).

 

[willem]

How about a decent second hand Dawes Galaxy?
Willem

 

[ianrauk]

2 excellent choices SD.

I have the Kona Dew and can say it's an excellent bike, have done a few thousand miles on it with no problems.

And... you cant go wrong with a Specialized.

Hi

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kona/dew-2009-hybrid-bike-ec017268?query=kona dew

http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oad-bike-ec016920?query=specialized sirrus 09

 

[nufc2009]

i think i will go with either the kona or specialized duck suggested, which is technnically better/best vaule for money?

and its good to hear the kona running good after a few thousand miles. is there any advantage/disadvantage between the 2??

noone has said yet about my weight, im guessing 16st is ok for these hybrid bikes then, will it hurt the wheels or anything in anyway????

Thanks everyone

 

[Sheepy1209]

Hi - like you, I'm not far short of 16st (or at least was, I've lost a few pounds lately!) - I bought a Fuji Absolute DX for about £250 (it's an old 2007 model, Fuji don't seem popular for some reason but it'll do me).

I won't go so far as to recommend the Fuji over anything else as I don't have the experience to know better, but what I can say is it stands up to my weight on some pretty rough tarmac with no problem - wheels are 700x28s. I keep my tyres pumped to maximum which should help reduce the risk of rim damage.

I'm doing about 20 miles a day on the bike during the week - no problems so far!

HTH

 

[nufc2009]

thats good to hear, i want to lose this beer gut asap but when i see most the bikes i wonder if weight is a problem

is this like your bike sheepy? http://biddlebikes.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=136

looks ok to me, maybe the experts know more. i do like that specialized duck suggested, if there is not much difference between that and this fuji i could save a few more quid, unless the specialized is worth the extra.

there is this scott sportster one aswell as the kona and specialized sittingduck mentioned, and the fuji you picked out... so which is best, whats the best value, best option for me?

Scott Sportster P6 2009 Hybrid Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/sportster-p6-2009-hybrid-bike-ec016321

Fuji Absolute DX
http://biddlebikes.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=136

Specialized Sirrus 2009 Road Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oad-bike-ec016920?query=specialized sirrus 09

Kona Dew 2009 Hybrid Bike
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kona/dew-2009-hybrid-bike-ec017268?query=kona dew

Sorry for all the links and posts, i just want to make sure i get the right bike and avoid some crap bikes like peanut said to avoid. these are the last 4 bike make and models what seem pretty good.

 

[peanut]

noone has said yet about my weight, im guessing 16st is ok for these hybrid bikes then, will it hurt the wheels or anything in anyway????

Thanks everyone

it won't be a problem unless you ride over every pot hole you can find.
I have been 17stone+ for the past 6 years and have only lost one spoke. Its still broken and the wheel is fine.
I use 19c race tyres at 110lbs pressure with no problems. There are plenty of cyclists that have cycled at weights in excess of 24stone

Most of these threads have resulted in the Sirus being voted the best bike overall for that sort of money. Do a search for new bike

 

[nufc2009]

its good to hear that not only is my weight is ok for such bikes, but other larger people are getting out and doing some riding.

and yes i agree, the sirrus does seem to get the vote, just wanted a final opinion on the 4 listed. more then likely i will get the sirrus, always good to double check the others are not better first

i had a look earlier and evans seems about the cheapest + they will build it if i remember reading.

out of interest what bikes are you lot riding?

Thanks again

 

[Sittingduck]

Wet Commute / Track: Specialized Globe 08
Dry Commute / Road: Home made road bike

 

[NormanD]

Ah a fellow Geordie ... welcome to the forums

The specialized is a very nice bike, except its comes with grip shift gears, personaly I'm not a fan of these, others like them a lot, still I see many Sirrus's being ridden along the tyne by fellow riders, so its a very popular bike for many people.

The scott sportster on the othe hand IMHO is a great bike for the price, I've had a ride about a few times on my mates bike and it feels good, comes with rapid fire shifters, which might suit you better.

Evans cycles ( metro centre) don't have any of the specialized bike on show, you have to pay a £50 deposit and they'll get the bike in for you to try (£50 returnable after test) this is because Evans Cycles http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/comms/srv.a4d?f_pg=home.htm&f_Cardinal=1 are the main importer for the North East.

Myself I ride this bike http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=36352 its an old Ralieigh frame which I updated (over a period of six months) with many new parts as i could afford them.

As many cyclist will tell you the proof is in the riding, a bike you like the looks of, might not feel right to ride around on, so if you can, test a number of bikes before buying is the best advice.

Hope you manage to find the right bike for you
Norm

 

[nufc2009]

hi, thanks mate. the scott bike does look good aswell, might be worth testing a few out (never really thought about it really!)

the sirrus is cheaper on the link you give:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebw...QRY=C105&f_SortOrderID=1&f_bct=c003155c002910

i found this other bike (looks crap i admit) what do you lot think, good or crap? was only looking at it because you can pay weekly on it (get a mp3 player with the money saved)

CBR "citylite"
http://www.littlewoods.com/rf/p.do/...s_item_loc_id=1&product=449792932&pageSize=12

good, or avoid at all costs?

 

[GaryC]

Having read this, I got my first bike since being a teenager about 4 years ago (I'm 37 now.. eek) .

I plumped for a Ridgeback Adventure K4, I can't provide a link for it because it's not current, but what are people's thoughts on this as a bike? It's a hybrid, aluminium frame, front suspension forks and shimano gears.

I've just resurrected it out of storage to start using it again since the little one was born.

 

[nufc2009]

i read on google the ridgeback's are good, but i dont know anything apart from what i hear.

you have a bike with wheels, more then i currently have

 

[GaryC]

Heh. I got it from that cycle shop in low fell. I don't know if you're local to that shop, but perhaps you are from your handle on here!

I'm taking my bike in to work during the summer so I can get 45 minutes in most lunch times. Riding up and down the river team and roads of the Team Valley isn't perhaps the most stimulating, but it will hopefully be 40-odd minutes of exercise most days that I wouldn't otherwise get.