Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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SummitFreedom
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Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by SummitFreedom »

I am 33yo, 174cm height and 68kg in weight.

Wanting to get a cycle to get fitter, enjoy scenery as I cycle and go to the supermarket to buy groceries.

Where I live in Kent, there is a nice cycling path and quite a few others just like it.
It consists of both tarmac and what I assume is classified as a gravel path. It has many many stones on it.

I rented a Ridgeback Hybrid at a cost of around £30 for a day from the only local cycle rental place there is. There is no suspension on the bike.
I cycled around 35 miles.
I spend most days in bed or on a chair so I am very unfit.


I found the following issues:
My butt hurt real bad from the seat + the stones once I hit the gravel path. Every stone I could feel. It was torture. Really took the enjoyment out of it.

Neck was in a lot of pain form the riding position I assume. Nothing like riding a motorbike where you are upright. I am talking about motorbikes that are designed for commuting in places like India, not sporty ones.

Balls would hit the frame if I wanted to stand.

- END -

So do I need a mountainbike with front and rear suspension that I can lock when on tarmac paths?
Because I cannot tolerate the pain from the gravel path.
Or will riding it more on a hybrid make my butt eventually not hurt from it cus I am really doubting it. Every single stone that the tire went over hurt real bad.

How much do I need to spend on a cycle? I want removable pannier, mudguards, kickstand too.

My local bike shop sells pretty much only 1 Hybrid without suspension and a few with suspension. All Giant cycles. He sells a Giant Disc (not sure which exact one) WITHOUT any accessories like kickstand or pannier etc, for £650.

I see most people with a Cube cycle where I live and I like the look of them.

Thanks
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SimonCelsa
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by SimonCelsa »

SummitFreedom wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 2:16pm
Balls would hit the frame if I wanted to stand.

- END -

Try stuffing your balls in a saddlebag :wink:
Nearholmer
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Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by Nearholmer »

It sounds as if you might have been on a bike the wrong size (too big), and certainly not adjusted to fit you properly, with a saddle that didn’t suit you.

For the types of surfaces you are describing , if I understand you correctly, you shouldn’t need suspension, which unless you pay a huge amount for the bike adds a fair bit of weight anyway.

Maybe go to a good bike shop and discuss things with them, but do beware of getting sold something “fancier” than you really need.

One last thought: if the ground gets really lumpy, you should take your weight through your legs onto the pedals, not direct through your backside. You don’t necessarily need to fully stand up, just hover your backside above the seat. It all comes with practice.
SummitFreedom
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by SummitFreedom »

Nearholmer wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 7:31pm
For the types of surfaces you are describing , if I understand you correctly, you shouldn’t need suspension, which unless you pay a huge amount for the bike adds a fair bit of weight anyway.

Maybe go to a good bike shop and discuss things with them, but do beware of getting sold something “fancier” than you really need.

One last thought: if the ground gets really lumpy, you should take your weight through your legs onto the pedals, not direct through your backside. You don’t necessarily need to fully stand up, just hover your backside above the seat. It all comes with practice.
Surely people do not ride 10+ miles of gravel path with their butts off the seat?! That would be painful on other ways surely?!

I went to my ONLY local bike shop the other day and as I wrote he only has the Giant Hybrid Disc for £650. I think it is cheaper on Giant's website but I am not sure which exact Disc he is selling. Other stuff in his shop seemed pricier than say at halfords, such as the pannier thing.

I went to Halfords today and the guy there seemed knowledgeable - he owns 3 bikes and he told me to get a gravel bike and said the only diff between the gravel and hybrid is the gravel has drop down bar.

I am not too keen on the drop down as I want a more leisurely ride taking in scenery and I want to go to the supermarket and get groceries.

So he recommended and showed me the Boardman HYB 8.6 Mens Hybrid Bike.

But also he told me to get padded shorts and there will be no pain at all if I get those he said (he didn't specify any, just get padded shorts).
Whereas the independent bike shop guy that I spoke to a few days before, told me I will just get used to it and it wont hurt after a while. He didn't recommend padded shorts which IMO is a red flag.

Your thoughts?
hemo
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by hemo »

None of my bikes have suspension, instead I make use of widest tyres I can fit and adjust my position and weight for uneven sufaces. That said I do have a suspension steerer dampner that takes up about 70% of vibration on my cargo bike.
Nearholmer
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by Nearholmer »

Surely people do not ride 10+ miles of gravel path with their butts off the seat?!
If it’s a gravel path, you shouldn’t need your backside off the seat. I said if it gets really bumpy take the weight through your legs.

The classic bike for a beginner in cycling is a hybrid, flat bars, but some people (me included) find that flat bars cause shoulder ache after a couple of hours so get on better with drop bars for longer rides. But, flat or drops, you’ve got to get the right size bike, adjusted correctly.

The Boardman HYB 8.6 is a good value bike, light and nippy.

Padded bum shorts do make a big difference, but it’s also about having the bike adjusted correctly to fit you, and about how you ride. Once you are off of smooth tarmac, you need to ride actively, taking weight through your legs when necessary, not just sit on it like stool or a sofa, because if you do that your nether regions will get pounded. It comes with practice.

I ride what amounts to a gravel bike, no suspension, and with the right tyres can go for hours on end over fairly lumpy ground without getting saddle sore.
SummitFreedom
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Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by SummitFreedom »

Nearholmer wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 9:41pm
Surely people do not ride 10+ miles of gravel path with their butts off the seat?!
If it’s a gravel path, you shouldn’t need your backside off the seat. I said if it gets really bumpy take the weight through your legs.

The classic bike for a beginner in cycling is a hybrid, flat bars, but some people (me included) find that flat bars cause shoulder ache after a couple of hours so get on better with drop bars for longer rides. But, flat or drops, you’ve got to get the right size bike, adjusted correctly.
How? Apparently Halfords is a bad place to buy bikes from mainly because apparently staff that perform repairs/assemble the bike are useless and don't do a good job of it, and things like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BlFlYJmIfU - his life is devastated as a result - read about his injuries as a result of Halfords selling a faulty cycle.

The Boardman HYB 8.6 is a good value bike, light and nippy.
Isn't it too much (£600 + £80 for 3 year Halfords care plan) to spend on a cycle when I am not going to be a hardcore cyclist? Also note that no mudguards, pannier or kickstand are included.

Padded bum shorts do make a big difference, but it’s also about having the bike adjusted correctly to fit you, and about how you ride. Once you are off of smooth tarmac, you need to ride actively, taking weight through your legs when necessary, not just sit on it like stool or a sofa, because if you do that your nether regions will get pounded. It comes with practice.
Sooooo people actually ride 10+ continuous miles of gravel path without being seated?! Really?! Because the gravel paths I speak of are really stone paths.
Not a high quality image but hopefully you can see the size of the damn stones.
Not a high quality image but hopefully you can see the size of the damn stones.
Nearholmer
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by Nearholmer »

Hmmm …….

Assuming for a movement, and perhaps only a moment longer, that you genuinely want advice and help, rather than to engage in banter …,,

Boardman bikes are exceedingly good value for money, well made and with good components. I rode many thousands of miles on the one I had and others will tell you the same. Evans are another chain that sells good value own-brand bikes, Pinnacle.

Bikes are one of those things where the product gets better as the cost goes up, so you can buy cheap (£200) bikes, but they tend to have poor-quality parts. Best idea is to look for bikes in end of season sales, where you can sometimes find 20% or 30% discounts.

But, Halfords staff are a mixed bunch, ranging from excellent to dreadfully poor, and you never know which you will get, so if you have a bike assembled by them, check it over carefully, or get a knowledgable mate to do so for you. I would never have them service a bike for me.

That path doesn’t look particularly lumpy to me. I’d probably be sitting down there.
SummitFreedom
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by SummitFreedom »

Nearholmer wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 10:33pm
Bikes are one of those things where the product gets better as the cost goes up, so you can buy cheap (£200) bikes, but they tend to have poor-quality parts. Best idea is to look for bikes in end of season sales, where you can sometimes find 20% or 30% discounts.

That path doesn’t look particularly lumpy to me. I’d probably be sitting down there.
The image is terrible quality. Those stones are medium to large. Some of them are too big to cycle over; and if one did accidentally cycle over one, you would likely fall off without a mountain bike with suspensions I reckon.

But how much should I spend on a cycle given my use case? I am not going to be daily commuting with it.

I would probably use it 2-4 times a week I reckon.

Also I notice the boardman has the cables exposed wheras the Giant has them in the frame. Does this make any difference? Perhaps the Giant would cost more to service as the cables are in the frame or not?

Thanks
Nearholmer
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Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by Nearholmer »

Only you know what you can afford, but I would say that you need to go above c£400 to get a bike with good quality components, although you might strike lucky in a sale.

If you know about bikes, secondhand can be a very good route, but I sense that maybe you need to learn a bit more first.

Internal cabling is unnecessary for a simple bike, adds cost, and makes maintenance more fiddly.

Nothing to do with it really, but how soon do you think it will be before AI bots can hold conversations in a way that makes it impossible to spot easily that they aren’t human?
Last edited by Nearholmer on 8 Dec 2022, 9:24am, edited 1 time in total.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by Bonefishblues »

SummitFreedom wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 10:45pm
Nearholmer wrote: 7 Dec 2022, 10:33pm
Bikes are one of those things where the product gets better as the cost goes up, so you can buy cheap (£200) bikes, but they tend to have poor-quality parts. Best idea is to look for bikes in end of season sales, where you can sometimes find 20% or 30% discounts.

That path doesn’t look particularly lumpy to me. I’d probably be sitting down there.
The image is terrible quality. Those stones are medium to large. Some of them are too big to cycle over; and if one did accidentally cycle over one, you would likely fall off without a mountain bike with suspensions I reckon.

But how much should I spend on a cycle given my use case? I am not going to be daily commuting with it.

I would probably use it 2-4 times a week I reckon.

Also I notice the boardman has the cables exposed wheras the Giant has them in the frame. Does this make any difference? Perhaps the Giant would cost more to service as the cables are in the frame or not?

Thanks
You have a very good eye for a beginner, noticing the difference between internal & external cable runs.
jimlews
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by jimlews »

Have a look at 531 colin for guidance on how to set up your bike.

http://wheel-easy.org.uk/wp-content/upl ... -2017a.pdf

Re: Balls hitting top tube.
An important aspect of buying a bike is stand - over height.
Straddle the top tube (cross bar) and check that with both feet on the ground you have at least 1.5" clearance.
If you are contemplating any off road riding you may need 3" - 4" clearance, or more.

Re: Bum hurting - this may be because you have the saddle at the wrong height.
With your heel on the pedal (crank arm at bottom of its rotation) and your bum on the saddle,
your knee should be only slightly bent.
This should enable you to remain seated, or stand on the pedals (with your bum off the saddle) as required.
No one is suggesting that you ride long distances 'out of the saddle'' The recommended technique is to 'unweight' the saddle
when you wish to surmount an obstacle or negotiate a pothole etc. It is kinder to your bike and to you.
Cycling is like any other endeavour, it takes practice. But don't expect to cover vast distances right away.
A little and often ie, 3 -5 miles is better than attempting to do 60 miles first time out, then never touching the bike again.

Good luck, and enjoy; you have chosen the best and most rewarding pastime ever invented !
Jon in Sweden
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by Jon in Sweden »

I would say that if you're just starting out to go second hand. At your height, you have a world of different bikes available affordably. You're the same height as my wife, and before moving to Sweden, I picked up 3 lovely bikes for her (that would have retailed at about £4500-5000 in today's prices) for £406.

One of my wife's bikes is a Kona Dew Drop. It's built as a long distance tourer, with drop bars and a wide gear range. It's comfortable and quick enough, and the relaxed geometry of the frame means it's not tiring for beginners to ride.

One of the main advantages of a drop bar bike is being able to move your hands into different positions if things start to ache. On a flat bar, you have no options.

Additionally, saving money by buying second hand would free up budget for decent padded cycling shorts (don't go to cheap - there is a big difference in comfort between budget and not) and maybe even a bike fit.

The gravel track you rode on is not at all rough in the grand scheme of things. It's just that your keister isn't used to it. It'll take about 3 weeks for it to HTFU (harden the f**k up) 8)
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RickH
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by RickH »

One thing to remember is getting your tyre pressure right for riding on stony tracks (& decent tyres). I've got 40mm tyres on my bike (Kona Sutra) & run my tyres at around 35 at the front & 40psi rear, despite being about 10kg heavier than you. I've recently picked up some WTB Raddlers (https://www.wiggle.co.uk/wtb-raddler-tc ... =106176313 - although they were more than £10 cheaper when I got them) which seem a good balance of rolling well on most surfaces without being too fragile. The poor reviews from some seem to be problems running tubeless but I generally run with tubes (although I ran WTB Nanos tubeless for quite a while with no problems).

I noticed the difference tyres make yesterday. I'd bought, but not previously fitted, some Schwalbe Winter Marathon Plus tyres & had my first ride on them yesterday. I really felt how much less smooth the ride was at the same tyre pressures (& dropping the pressure a bit made them feel reeaallyy slooooow!) compared to my normal lighter, more supple tyres.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
djnotts
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Re: Want to buy a cycle and want to know which one to get

Post by djnotts »

"One of the main advantages of a drop bar bike is being able to move your hands into different positions if things start to ache. On a flat bar, you have no options."

Oh dear. Usual real cyclists ride drops bias. A few quid for bar ends solves the positions issues. And flatbar brake levers more efficient and effective. Etc, etc.

Re OP, reads a bit odd to me.
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