New components or new bike?

[FlyingCyclist]

Yes I have asked this before. But now I'm seriously thinking about getting back in to cycling again.

I can't remember when I bought the bike (actually parents bought it). It was bought from Robin Nolan Cycles in Keighley many moons ago (the shop has been long gone now and was the only cycle shop in Keighley. Then Airevalley Cycles opened, but now that has shut down. The only cycle shop is Skipton, but only been there once with a mate years ago). Bike has never taken apart and cleaned/regreased/lubed, only on the outside I cleaned the chanset a couple of times, but that is all. I once took the front wheel apart and its' bearings where not spheres any more or they had disintigrated. That is how neglected it is!

I bought new tyres for it and I replaced the crappy cantilever (because I couldn't stop after cycling down steep hills) for v-brakes which are an absolutely charm when stopping.

Bike: BSA WestCoast

Shimano SIS 8-speed
Schwalbe 26 x 1.50 Active City Jet k-guard tyres (nearly no tread an abosolute dream than treaded tyres!) with about 50miles on them.
Shimano v-brakes

So, new components, or wait til the bike conks out on me and buy a new bike, or sell this and buy a new bike?

I was thinking about a road bike. Hardly do any cycling on canal paths. I think I would be more interested in cycling on the roads near where I live and the only place I would cycle on canals is the Crinan Canal in Argyll and I hear it has been resurfaced with packed-in gravel. Maximum amount to spend is £1000. Lots of cycling up hills so would need something that would suit that.

 

[Vantage]

New bike. Without question.

 

[NorthernDave]

You could get a very decent road bike for a grand. And you could get something very acceptable for quite a bit less:

This Boardman Road Comp could be yours for £500: http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/boardman-road-comp-bike - a very capable road bike, I've got last years model and would recommend it to anyone.

Or a Boardman CX for the same money and capable of canal tow paths and off roading as well as on road: http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/boardman-cx-comp-bike

There is a Halfords in Keighley and if you join British Cycling for £30-ish, you get 10% off virtually everything in store - so that's £50 off either of those bikes!

EDIT to add: or you could go the whole hog and get a carbon bike for just £800: http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/boardman-road-team-carbon-bike

 

[MarkF]

David, you are in Keighley?

Keith Lambert's cycle shop is in Bingley, only minutes away. You can cycle along the canal, on good to excellent surfaces, all the way from Keighley to Leeds!

 

[avsd]

New bike. The Broadman range mentioned above is good choice. Another alternative is Decathlon. The https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-road-bike-grey-black-105-id_8377756.html is a good deal. Nearest store to you looks to be Bolton,

 

[Vantage]

Or you could get a tourer or audax bike which have mudguards for british weather.
A road bike is all well and nice till you realise you have 20 more miles of relentless rain being flipped off the back tyre and all over your now freezing cold wet arse.
A tourer would also give you the low gears you'll want for those hills and should you get bored of tarmac, a tourer will handle the rougher stuff better than a dedicated wiggo bike.

 

[FlyingCyclist]

NorthernDave
I've looked at the Boardman bikes 2 years ago on the halfords website. Both versions you mentioned look nice. Would love a carbon bike. Any new bike would be a saviour than my current heavy block of metal

MarkF
Yep I'm in Keighley. I've cycled on the canal up to Shipley (and the other way to Skipton). Both nice rides.


Now, the only thing is that I've never had road shoes, or clip on pedals. Are they easy to unclip when you want to stop suddenly etc?


Edit: Would the chainset on the Boardman's be ok for hilly hills, even for an amateur like myself?

 

[NorthernDave]

The Boardman bikes come with flat pedals, not the clip in type, so you're ready to go.
If you decide to upgrade I'm told that you quickly get used to it.

 

[KneesUp]

I would enthusiastically recommend a CX bike. With your budget you could easily get one of the Boardman offerings and a spare set of wheels - keep road tyres one one set and some mildly treaded ones on the other then all you need to do is swap them over to cope with lovely smooth tarmac to lumpy, muddy tracks.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Now, the only thing is that I've never had road shoes, or clip on pedals. Are they easy to unclip when you want to stop suddenly etc?

You don't have to have clip in pedals, they're just an option. But yes, they're very easy to clip out of in a hurry, once you've got your head round it and developed the muscle memory, and that doesn't take long. It's just a little outward twist of the heel.

 

[FlyingCyclist]

I would enthusiastically recommend a CX bike. With your budget you could easily get one of the Boardman offerings and a spare set of wheels - keep road tyres one one set and some mildly treaded ones on the other then all you need to do is swap them over to cope with lovely smooth tarmac to lumpy, muddy tracks.

I used to ride on muddy cycle tracks, but not any more. I'm more interested in road cycling. I could always get some fatter tyres/wheels in the future if I wanted to.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I'm just surprised that Boardman are the only make mentioned so far. They're perfectly fine bikes, but you've got a grand to spend and that makes the cycle world your oyster, it's not like you're restricted! You seem decided on road, so look at some of the bikes from Giant, Cube, Scott, Cannondale, and Merida.
I can personally recommend the Giant Defy, even though it's not a bike I personally ride; My wife has one though (Defy 1 with 105 groupset) and I love its handling and speed, and I'm jealous that it's hers... My road bike is the carbon TCR Advanced, and her Aluminium Defy is every bit as good... and give or take a pound or so, it's nearly as light. Her bike cost 250 pounds less than mine too... they're a steal.

Have a look on Paul's bikes, here's one example:
https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m7b0s6p6968/GIANT-DEFY-1-DISC-2016

 

[Racing roadkill]

There's no point in flogging a dead horse. The economics of this don't stack up, that said, I like fixing stuff, and can't resist a project, but I also like new bikes.

 

[Globalti]

New road bike with discs and the ability to fit winter mudguards, no question. For £1000 you'll get a decent alloy frame and something like 105 kit, with a triple chainset if that's what you want. For general messing around and touring in hilly areas I do like the ratios on a triple but I wouldn't have one on a pure road bike because, as Velominati says, mountain bike gears have no place on a road bike. Buy from a decent LBS and if you ask nicely or buy last year's model you can expect 10% discount or accessories in lieu. Don't forget to get some proper padded shorts and gloves and clothes that won't flap in the wind; the dhb brand from Wiggle is excellent value kit and very well made. If you clean it up you'll be able to sell that old BSA to somebody who wants a cheap commuter.

 

[flake99please]

Evans are doing a trade in on old bikes. Take the old one in to your local store for money off a new one. The old bike will be used for folks less fortunate than ourselves. Win/Win situation for all involved.