New Bike?

[Steampig]

Now then.
Unfit 30 something looking to get back fit and lose some timber.
From a footballing background and reasonably fit however... ive been plagued with ankle ligament problems (torn/damaged the left outside ones 6 times!) over the last 5 years and any playing and now even training has become non existent over the last 12-18 months.
4 weeks ago i underwent ankle reconstruction surgery which fingers crossed will sort out the long standing problem.
As a young teen i used to ride a fair bit on a big heavy MTB, me and my friends used to love watching the tour de france and go out on long rides/make time trial courses. (i was always miguel indurain!! )
6 years ago i bought a cheap MTB to cycle to work on, after a couple of months the £100 bike was starting to fall apart so i bought a dawes giro 500. i loved it and could ride the 16 mile round trip nearly as quick as i could drive it!.
After one of my many spells in a cast and a cold winter i stopped riding and sold it on to a friend. (really wish i hadn't!!)
Im looking to get a road bike and help speed up the rehab, i also really am looking forward to getting back on the bike as id never been as fit as i was whilst riding. (think im still secretly wanting to be big mig!!! )
Im based in a valley and there are loads of rolling hills around us to get my teeth stuck into. i also camp in edale derbyshire regularly and would love a crack at them hills round there eventually!!
Im looking for a decent entry level bike that i can get a few miles and hours on but that's not going to cost the earth.
I have a decent LBS near and have had a brief chat with them and they recommend this http://www.airevalleycycles.com/products.php?plid=m1b0s6p6993
Ive not managed to find a review on this so wondered if anyone has has one/knows anyone who has one? any hints, tips or advice would be great.
Cheers ​

 

[Edge705]

You will find better spec for that money However if your looking to start out cheap then you will do a lot worse than to buy the specialised Secteur or Allez - If your looking for lightness then you could spend around £1000.00 and get a carbon framed bike.

What i will say to me a decent set of wheels are an absolute must on a bike especialy when decending down hills and cornering at speed and you will not really get these on cheap end bikes so it might be worth considering getting a cheaper bike (£600 - £800) and then pay for an upgrade on the wheelset.

Also and it just my opinion i find descending on a carbon bike much easier than a steel, alu, or alloy bike.maybe its just me but I feel I have much more control.

Would it not be possible to borrow a bike off someone? and try out the different frame types? Like I said and I think most will concurr make sure you bolt on a decent pair of wheeels if you intend to go a litle faster than normal cyclists? or intend on decendinng hills at pace

Good luck

 

[Steampig]

Cheers ill bare this in mind.
really wanting to spend no more than £1000-£1200.
Not really thought about thundering down hills and im not sure ill be going faster than many!! (but i guess ive got to come down em!) just wanting something that i can get some miles on with a bit of comfort thats not going to fall to bits inside 12 months.
How much would i be looking to send on a decent wheelset?
Dont know anyone with a road bike so that rules me out of borrowing one!
Think ill keep looking round see what's about

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

£1,100? We obviously have different ideas of what "entry level" means!

Before I saw that, I was going to suggest a Halfords Carrera TDF, Raleigh Airlite 100, Edinburgh Bike Co-op Revolution Continental, Dawes Giro 300 or something from Decathlon.

For what it's worth (and I have no experience of Ridley or Aire Valley Cycles), my immediate impressions are 1) £1,100 for Tiagra? I'd really expect 105 (especially bearing in mind the original price); and 2) when a shop suggests a discounted bike over anything else, the cynic in me wonders if it isn't just the bike with the best profit margin.

 

[Steampig]

jimmy
i did have an old dawes giro 500.
wanted something that would last but not bankrupt me. just get the feeling if i bought a halfords or dawes id be wanting to ugrad within 12 months? then im back to square one and getting something better?
they did show me a cheaper wilier laverado and kuota korsa apex groupset but when i spoke about about what i wanted it for he suggested id maybe try the ridley as it was reduced and had more gears which might help while i recoup from the ankle surgey.
he did say to pop back in when im getting in a position to ride and we could sit down and have chat

 

[Sittingduck]

Sounds like the LBS is trying to flog you fairly exotic stuff and a notch above 'decent' entry level spec (which incidently, I would place at more like 500-600). If it was me I'd be looking around...

 

[Steampig]

The LBS dont sell anything at that price prices start at £750 ish!
Not knowing a great deal about road bikes i just asume thats the prices they start at?
only other shop close is halfords and ive heard horror stories about them ie not getting the right sized bike and poor construction?
The rule of thumb i was usuing was i could go into jjb and find a pair football boots for £10 but i wouldnt want to be playing in them all season!! id rather spend abit more and buy something thats going to last if you get what i mean?
i bought the dawes giro 500 from same LBS and they were really good helping to make sure it was the correct size/fit etc. that was a few years ago and i just assumed prices had changed!

 

[Sittingduck]

I maintain that a £600 bike is going to last perfectly well. You need to find another LBS, imho

It's your money though and if you fancy spending a grand then great but I'd be after something with a better spec (105/Rival).

 

[theloafer]

how about this got my cannondale synapse carbon apex from them great bunch of guys

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/bi...dale-synapse-carbon-105-road-bike-2011-p88442

 

[BSRU]

We have an LBS like that in Swindon, £2000 sale bikes in the window, never been in as I assume I am not worthy

 

[Steampig]

What's your take on getting bikes off the web? looking at decathlon there seems to be some nice bikes on there?
Also some on ebay and the like?

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

1) A good relationship with a bike shop is worth a great deal: Wiggle aren't going to true your wheel at short notice because you want to ride tomorrow and not charge you because you're a regular customer.

2) Halfords do have a generally poor reputation for servicing and after sales support; however the Carrera TDF and all of the Boardman range are well regarded and shouldn't be overlooked.

3) To continue your analogy: I don't know much about football boots, so I buy a cheap pair in the certain knowledge that they will need replacing and when I do that I will have practical experience of what is important to me and worth paying extra for.

 

[BSRU]

What's your take on getting bikes off the web? looking at decathlon there seems to be some nice bikes on there?
Also some on ebay and the like?

I have bought bikes from bike shops on the web with no problem, my main concern has been making sure it is the right size, lots of research helped.
Unfortunately the LBS I normally use does not have the bikes I want to buy.

 

[Steampig]

1) A good relationship with a bike shop is worth a great deal: Wiggle aren't going to true your wheel at short notice because you want to ride tomorrow and not charge you because you're a regular customer.​

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2) Halfords do have a generally poor reputation for servicing and after sales support; however the Carrera TDF and all of the Boardman range are well regarded and shouldn't be overlooked.​

​

3) To continue your analogy: I don't know much about football boots, so I buy a cheap pair in the certain knowledge that they will need replacing and when I do that I will have practical experience of what is important to me and worth paying extra for.​

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Good advice. Air Valley has a good rep and one of my close friends worked there for a good few years, ill be taking him with me next time i go look. Im sure he will stear me in the right direction (although he is mainly a trails bike rider) and he might be able to get me a few quid off!!​

Theres an other LBS about 10 miles away so i might go look at that one.​

The carrera virtuoso seems to have decent reviews on the halfords site ? maybe worth a punt at that price?​

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If i buy £10 boots i know there no going to be leather and will split inside 6 months no matter how well i look after them, i could buy a decent pair at £50(by no means top price) and and know if i look after them ill get 2/3 years out of them! ​

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[Steampig]

theloafer
that looks a very nice bike! origanally i decided i was going to spend 1k max, i keep seeing my budget rise everytime i see something else!! haha
im going to have to be strict and cap it otherwise ill be spending money i dont have