Newbie - low budget - short rider

[Steady]

My budget is low, Carrera Zelos and Triban 3 range, just been to Halfords but the Zelos just didn't leave me feeling right, it felt okay just not convinced by it, but I've never had a road bike before so I don't know how much of it is down just not being use to the position. The staff were nonexistent and busy.

The 51cm Carrera Zelos felt okay to stand wise, cross bar up my crotch but only just, the reach however on the hoods felt a little stretched but I could brake okay from the hoods, and the drops felt okay ( a bit low, I don't know much about the correct handle bar height.) I was wobbly but was able to stop, start peddling the short narrow Halford aisles. It basically felt a little bit to big.

I'm 5ft2, 29 inch inside leg so the 51cm is on the upper scale of my height, I guess.

I haven't tried the Triban 3 but I think I'd feel better on one, it's just the 650c tyres, the range doesn't seem very big just three different makes for sale on most sites, and superficial, but they don't come in colours!

I'm a little bit lost, I know a £300 budget for a road bike makes things very difficult for a short rider.

 

[Mo1959]

Not sure what else to suggest other than decent second hand? I am a fraction over 5' 3" and my two road bikes are 47 and 48cms so agree that 51 may be slightly large but bikes are all slightly different so you really need to do as you have already done and try them out.

 

[Steady]

Not sure what else to suggest other than decent second hand? I am a fraction over 5' 3" and my two road bikes are 47 and 48cms so agree that 51 may be slightly large but bikes are all slightly different so you really need to do as you have already done and try them out.

Second hand market seems like a dangerous place to me as my technical knowledge is pretty much zero so I really wouldn't know what to look out for, or how to judge them for value. Thanks for the reply.

 

[outlash]

Try this and see what you come up with: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/Store/catalog/fitCalculatorBike.jsp , your best bet is to try as many bikes as possible. Having made the mistake of buying a bike online without even seeing it in the flesh (funnily enough a Triban 3), if your budget is low you don't want to be wasting your money taking a punt on a bike you've never seen, let alone sat on.


Tony.

 

[cyberknight]

Maybe you just need a shorter stem, what was the standard size of the one on the zelos ?
I used to get neck ache when riding long distances , changing to a stem 10mm shorter cured it, flipping the stem can raise the height of the bars although its hard to say without being there .

 

[L14M]

The zelos stem is stock at 130mm. I'm 5,3 and I fit the bike fine with the seat forward slightly. Good fit on the legs too.
Take a look at my thread which highlights the weak points of the bike.
I'd recommend it to anybody! It was my first road bike. honestly after a few miles you get used to it

 

[Steady]

Maybe you just need a shorter stem, what was the standard size of the one on the zelos ?
I used to get neck ache when riding long distances , changing to a stem 10mm shorter cured it, flipping the stem can raise the height of the bars although its hard to say without being there .

The zelos stem is stock at 130mm. I'm 5,3 and I fit the bike fine with the seat forward slightly. Good fit on the legs too.
Take a look at my thread which highlights the weak points of the bike.
I'd recommend it to anybody! It was my first road bike. honestly after a few miles you get used to it

I agree with you L14M, it actually was a really good fit on the legs at the default height Halfords kept their saddles, the few improntu stops I had to make whilst people walked in front of me weren't disastrous to rise out of the pedals and put feet down on the floor, cross bar despite being there wasn't hit!

So it seems if the Zelos is still an option as the reach can be cured with a stem, at the time I had no one to ask, and was just lucky enough to catch someone who would unlock the only 51cm Zelos from the stand!

I think I'll try the Triban 3 on for size, and then decide whether the woes of 650c wheels are worth it. I'm not to bothered about the size of the wheels, I'm just worried about getting tyres/inner tubes as it seems very niche!

And thanks for the link outlash to that sizing calculator, looks a fantastic one.

 

[Cameronmu917772]

Don't be scared and don't be lazy.
Do you research it took me a good month to settle on my bike I have a specialized allez at the time it was selling for around 750 but I managed to find a guy selling it on gumtree and talked with him for a few hours until I agreed 375 and he drove 90 miles to deliver it.and it was in new condition proper new at that!!! I haven't looked back and just this month clocked 150 miles (when I could get out) 300 is a fine budget I would say because at the end of the day you don't want to spend 3 grand on somthing you don't know if you will get the use out of?

 

[L14M]

Yeah, do research and test rides. Any questions about the zelos just ask!
Liam

 

[Steady]

Went and tried the Triban 3, felt a whole lot more comfortable on the 51cm, the ride was completely different and I felt more in control of it, so I bought it. The downside is 650c wheels, but I don't think I'll ever want to really upgrade them and Decathlon sell them, and I think they'll stick with 650c's on smaller bikes for a while so.. pretty happy!

Shame about the rain that's over the East Midlands at the moment!

 

[cyberknight]

Went and tried the Triban 3, felt a whole lot more comfortable on the 51cm, the ride was completely different and I felt more in control of it, so I bought it. The downside is 650c wheels, but I don't think I'll ever want to really upgrade them and Decathlon sell them, and I think they'll stick with 650c's on smaller bikes for a while so.. pretty happy!

Shame about the rain that's over the East Midlands at the moment!

Indeed , its been drizzling and a nasty wind all day , i had hoped for my 1st ride all week after a stomach bug but instead i have a screaming 2 year old and a naughty 6 year old to entertain .
East midlands ? I might see you about one day

 

[Easytigers]

Hi there,
Well done on making a decision :-) I've got a Triban and love it! Unfortunately, the only thing that needed changing was the wheels! The back one went spectacularly about 5 miles from home and ended up with a long walk home! 'm a bit of a heffer though so you probably won't have the same problem. Hope you love it and have lots of trouble free riding

 

[Steady]

Indeed , its been drizzling and a nasty wind all day , i had hoped for my 1st ride all week after a stomach bug but instead i have a screaming 2 year old and a naughty 6 year old to entertain .
East midlands ? I might see you about one day

It's something when we're bothered by the rain more than kids, they're just fine to be on gadgets whilst I just curse the weather.

Yup, East Midlands, Derby but I don't think I'll be going to far out of it just yet but there's always the chance! I've been doing the road routes on my dual suspension for a while, roadies around here are friendly enough to nod.

 

[Steady]

Hi there,
Well done on making a decision :-) I've got a Triban and love it! Unfortunately, the only thing that needed changing was the wheels! The back one went spectacularly about 5 miles from home and ended up with a long walk home! 'm a bit of a heffer though so you probably won't have the same problem. Hope you love it and have lots of trouble free riding

Hopefully that doesn't sound as painful as it reads! Not to lean myself, a road bike was a self-treat/additional motivation for losing weight, I think the Triban made the decision for me the moment I sat on it. :-)

 

[cyberknight]

It's something when we're bothered by the rain more than kids, they're just fine to be on gadgets whilst I just curse the weather.

Yup, East Midlands, Derby but I don't think I'll be going to far out of it just yet but there's always the chance! I've been doing the road routes on my dual suspension for a while, roadies around here are friendly enough to nod.

I commute from swadlincote to that dastardly car factory and sometimes get on club runs if the boss wife and kids let me out .