Cycling UK Forum

Nice one Brucey, thanks of the tips.

Ok Graham, I hope to come in on Saturday afternoon. My colleague has recommended you also.

Thanks

When I said tour I may have misled. Its an organised ride for charity - with support vehicles for carrying our kit. All I have to do is get me and the bike to the next overnight stop.

A mate of mine wants to ride to Southern Spain one day, but i'd say that's a few years off yet.

Thanks again to all, especially Ant, 531Colin & Malaconotus.

I have been trying to locate a Raleigh in this range -100/200/300 with 55cm frame - locally to me (Huddersfield) to go and sit on and ride if they would let me, but nowhere has them in stock. I discussed the bike with staff in Evans Cycles in Leeds and they said all theirs were snapped up during the late summer!

I am buying the bike to train for and then do a 4-day tour of yorkshire beginning on 1st May (80 miles per day). I'll definitely ride to work in Leeds as part of my training once all set, which is about 18 miles one way. Living in Huddersfield I need as many gears as poss due to all the hills, so 20 is not bad to start with. I fully intend to carry on cycling beyond that trip, but I am not going to be racing. I'd say comfort on a days cycling is more important to me than shaving a few seconds off my 1km PB! I may use it for triathlons, but again, I am not competing to win, its more a battle with the distance.

So confidence was building that i'm looking at a bike which will, based on all your helpful comments on measurements etc. be the one for me. And if not, as Ant says, worst case is it goes back and i'm £25 down.

But then Erudin raises a concern over the brakes - what's the problem - is it that they won't allow space for mudguards - or something more problematic?!

Thanks again to everyone who has made time to help so far.

Thanks for all the replies. I definitely appreciate the try before you buy comments, however I can't find a stockist for this bike for the life in me. Anyone know how to size myself up against the geometry? Any decent websites for this?

I'm 6ft with a 32 inside leg, and if they size up big it is probably ok for me BUT can't decide if it worth the risk, given wiggle don't offer their 30-day test ride due to the huge discount!

Thanks

Hi,

I a considering buying this on wiggle:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/raleigh-airlite ... agra-2012/

There are very few reviews around on the Internet and as a first time road bike buyer, I wondered if anyone could offer me some advice - either to go for it or not?!

Thanks,

Toby