What bike?

sim667 · Post by **sim667** » 21 Jul 2008, 10:46am

Im looking at buying a new bike/nearly new bike and cant really decide whats gonna suit me best..... I currently do fairly short rides on a 700c racing bike, the gears dont work on it and I dont really look after it so well..... (its 28 years old).

I want to get a new bike that I can use for getting around to freinds houses and for going on a longer ride every now and then. Im not completely glued to the idea of a drop handle bike, but i do like riding the one I have got..... what I do worry about is the robustness of them and the amount I may end up having to spend on getting wheels straightened etc. There's lots of cycle lanes where i live but it normally means either bumping up and down kerbs to get on them (or cycling to the nearest drop kerb to get on it)......

Becaue of my concerns about robustness I'd also be interested in suggestions of tri cross bikes and road tyred commuter/mountain bike frame bikes aswell as road bikes like ive spoken about lately.

I dont want to spend a huge amount but I'd be happy with between £300-£400..... Im going to see if I can get one on the cycle to work scheme at work.

Big T · Post by **Big T** » 21 Jul 2008, 12:07pm

Depending on your "need for speed" - I'd go for one of the cheaper tourers such as the Dawes Horizon or one from the Edinburgh Cycle Co-op.

If you want something a bit more sporty, them a Dawes Giro or one of the cheaper Giant SCR range. Decathlon also do some cheapish road bikes.

sim667 · Post by **sim667** » 21 Jul 2008, 12:24pm

Ive been doig some research today and had started thinking alng the lines of an urban mountain bike.......

Ive been looking at the cannondale bad boy 650 and the trek equivlant..... both of which come into my pric bracket if i can get them on a cycle to work scheme

does nayone know anything about these.

eileithyia · Post by **eileithyia** » 21 Jul 2008, 12:31pm

Why would you want to bump up and down kerbs risking damage (and cost) to you and your bike??????? I can hear LBS's rubbing their hands in glee at the thought of all those replacement wheels.
TBH have never bumped up and down kerbs on either my road bikes or my MTB, and aways stop to ease bike up and down kerbs, ok ok might bump down on MTB, but usually just find the nearest dropped kerb.

Anyway good luck in your search.

sim667 · Post by **sim667** » 21 Jul 2008, 1:22pm

Bumping up and down kerbs isnt the greatest of my worrys, roads where i live are the worst in the UK officially, I quite often dont see potholes when im cycling home from freinds houses at 2 or 3 am ..... I'd also like to be able to cycle across patches of grass etc...... hence im swaying more toward an urban bike.

Dean · Post by **Dean** » 21 Jul 2008, 1:25pm

Try second hand - for example the For Sale board here - and you might get a bargain.

If in doubt, ask the wise heads of the forum for their opinion of said bike.

If I wanted another bike, I'd probably go second hand.

fatboy · Post by **fatboy** » 21 Jul 2008, 1:28pm

I would second the low-end tourer idea, I've got one myself. Nice solid wheels, good range of gears, drop bars for multiple hand positions and reasonable quick. You won't win any races but won't be slow either. Trouble with tourers are they are hard to find to actually look at to decide whether they really are for you.

sim667 · Post by **sim667** » 21 Jul 2008, 1:54pm

I dont think the tourers are going to suit me too well.......

Im after something quick and manouverable for in traffic and will last well..... Ive gone of the idea of having a 700c bike really as Im just worried about how long it would last, as im not the most delicate of chaps at the best of times....

I think Ive settled for the more urban bikes, they seem to be suited to the purpose Im really after, getting around town, to see my mates, shortcuts down alleyways, hopping over a bit of grass etc....

Im really interested in these 2.....

http://gb.cannondale.com/bikes/08/ce/model-8BRD.html

and

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/2008/urban/soho/soho30/

But I dont really know what to compare on them (I dont know much about bikes at all)......

this is also looks like a nice bike, but is £150 less...... Is the £150 extra worth spending on the above bikes?

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/2008/urban/sport_urban/su20/

sim667 · Post by **sim667** » 21 Jul 2008, 2:04pm

Ive been a right plonker...... the trek soho series ae 700c bikes.... doh!

So I guess the decision would be between the cannondale (£550) and the trek SU 2.0...... Is the extra £150 worth paying for the cannondale?

fatboy · Post by **fatboy** » 21 Jul 2008, 2:15pm

The cannondale bike may have 26" wheels but it only has 32 spokes so a 700c tourer with 36 spokes will be stronger. The Trek has 700c wheels, again with 32 spokes. These wheels are not as strong as on any tourer.

Why do you think that a tourer won't be strong enough? They are designed to be loaded up with round the world clobber and ride on variable terrain. Standard tyre width is 32mm although they can take 37mm.

The EBC revolution country has brake levers on the flat section of the bars which I wish my bike had.

IMHO these "urban" bikes are intended to be "courier chic" and trendy and seem to be a marketing exercise. They might be right and I might be talking out of where the sun don't shine

just don't believe the marketing departement seducing you that they know best!

sim667 · Post by **sim667** » 21 Jul 2008, 2:28pm

My concern isnt so much to do with the wheels its more do do with general robustness of the overall bike..... I know my bike at the mo (old racer) im always having to fix bits on it......
that might just be because it old

One thing I do find with the racer is that in traffic I find it hard to see over the top of bars as I like to have my hands on the brakes..... It does have suicide bars, but as ive discovered suicide bars are called that for a reason. I was going to keep my racer so with the cannondale I would have the best of both worlds.

I thought the trek su 2.0 wasnt a 700c wheel?

fatboy · Post by **fatboy** » 21 Jul 2008, 2:45pm

sim667 wrote:I find it hard to see over the top of bars as I like to have my hands on the brakes..... It does have suicide bars, but as ive discovered suicide bars are called that for a reason.

The new version of these actually works. Also riding on the hoods of the brakes isn't a bad position for looking around and that's where the gear change of most tourers now is located

As I said what I'm saying might not be right for you but don't think that a tourer will be flimsy because they've got 700c wheels because they are not. It's why "roadies" tend to be sniffy about them. IMHO they are stronger than the urban bikes. All I'm saying is that just because you're not planning to tour the world don't rule tourers out. They make great multi-purpose bikes. I've commuted regularily on mine (which involves carrying it onto trains). I've towed child trailers, child tag-alongs. I've hauled shopping in panniers that I can barely carryed. I've also gone off road on tow-paths and some decidely rough tracks as well as hitting many a pot hole and the bike has handled it just fine. I've also hammered around for fun - I don't doubt that it'd beat the socks off an old racer - hit downhill speeds of 45mph; on my weekly evening fun ride my bike is much faster than all the MTB derived hybrids that my friends have.

It does seem a minefield chosing even a style of bike. Bike shops don't tend to favour anything other than MTBs, hybrids or road bikes. You'll find that many people on here ride tourers for many different reasons.

Good luck in you hunt!

sim667 · Post by **sim667** » 21 Jul 2008, 3:14pm

cheers for the advice, I still have no idea what to go for.... I do like the look of the hybrids and unfortunately I'm a vain little git, I also like the drop handle racers, but I do think I may well go for the cannondale as I do like it a lot, and I do already have a drop handle which I was going to do up. I think the cannondale will be be good As I can stick nobblies on it and go off roaring with freinds every once in a while

Sorry for the short response, I'm on my phone

ferrit worrier · Post by **ferrit worrier** » 21 Jul 2008, 6:34pm

Hi Simm667

I've just bought a Giant SCR 1.5 there are other models in your price range. I'm really thrilled with mine, but I do look after it ! if I've been out in the rain I ensure that I oil the chain and sprockets when I get back, I've spent a lot of ££££££'s on it and I want to keep it looking good. If you consider the bike scheme make sure you know the implications of "Salary sacrifice" it can afect things like pension contributions etc, I'm no financial advisor, so make sure it's ok for you.

I think the best advice is pop down to your local LBS and have a chat with them, I'd steer away from the big chains, (if you'll pardon the pun)

Regards and good look

Malcolm

ndevans · Post by **ndevans** » 21 Jul 2008, 7:01pm

Hi, trek su 2.0 onsale at Evans cycles (online) for £324 at the moment.

I'm in similar boat although looking for more suggestions on urban bikes in the £250 - £350 price range to begin cycle commute. Have a 7 mile journey into town not too hilly. Also want the bike for weekend cycling and some holiday biking, nowt heroic though.

Any additional recomendations on top of the Trek would be great as I'm new to the bike world and so they all look the same to me at this point!

Neil

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What bike?

What bike?

what bike