Help choosing bicycle

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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SummitFreedom
Posts: 497
Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Help choosing bicycle

Post by SummitFreedom »

Hi. I have decided I want a front suspension cycle.

UK here.

Carrera crossfire 3 hybrid vs giant roam disc 2?
The giant has an offer ATM. Free helmet, puncture repair kit and water bottle holder.

Price difference between carrera and giant is huge. 456 Vs 699.

Or maybe a Boardman Halfords cycle?
Nearholmer
Posts: 3927
Joined: 26 Mar 2022, 7:13am

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by Nearholmer »

This thread might help: viewtopic.php?p=1773108#p1773108
SummitFreedom
Posts: 497
Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by SummitFreedom »

Nearholmer wrote: 27 May 2023, 11:19pm This thread might help: viewtopic.php?p=1773108#p1773108
Sadly it's not helpful for me
JohnMorgan
Posts: 111
Joined: 9 Jun 2022, 7:19pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by JohnMorgan »

Hi,
Obviously the helmet etc would not be worth the extra £250, but the improved specification might. A wise man once said ‘buy cheap, buy twice’. It comes down to whether you need the better spec to have the bike perform as you want it to.
Do you work, and if so does your work place offer a ‘bike to work’ scheme? If so, the difference in price could be reduced by the fact that the bike to work payments are taken from your pay before tax etc, saving you a nice 30%.
Good luck!
rareposter
Posts: 1987
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by rareposter »

The Giant is on sale at the moment, £100 off.

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Roam-2-D ... 256894.htm

If you buy through the website and it's your first time shopping with them, it'll pop a code up for a further £25 off when spending over £250 which takes the price down to £574 which is a great price for that bike.
SummitFreedom
Posts: 497
Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by SummitFreedom »

rareposter wrote: 30 May 2023, 6:53am The Giant is on sale at the moment, £100 off.

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Giant-Roam-2-D ... 256894.htm

If you buy through the website and it's your first time shopping with them, it'll pop a code up for a further £25 off when spending over £250 which takes the price down to £574 which is a great price for that bike.
You are incredible!!!! Thank you so much! That likely makes that bike worth buying over the other Carrera?

That price for the giant is £125 cheaper than the original price. Is it worth buying that instead of getting it with the helmet, emergency puncture repair kit and bottle holder? My local bike store as well as giant's website is selling it for £699 with the 'free' kit.

Giant says helmet and puncture repair kit is worth £45, and bottle holder £13, totalling to £103 of 'free gear'.
I don't own anything to do with cycling, so need everything that is necessary. Including a helmet.

By the way, with summer coming up, how do I protect my face from going dark in the sun from cycling in it for hours if wearing a helmet?
I plan to cycle on trail paths only, crossing roads if I have to, but might cycle some roads... Maybe. Because trail paths are likely all rocky, and it's nice to ride on smooth surfaces. Rocky isn't nice at all.

I don't want skin damage from sun nor darkening of my skin.

Thanks
SummitFreedom
Posts: 497
Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by SummitFreedom »

JohnMorgan wrote: 30 May 2023, 6:05am Hi,
Obviously the helmet etc would not be worth the extra £250, but the improved specification might. A wise man once said ‘buy cheap, buy twice’. It comes down to whether you need the better spec to have the bike perform as you want it to.
Do you work, and if so does your work place offer a ‘bike to work’ scheme? If so, the difference in price could be reduced by the fact that the bike to work payments are taken from your pay before tax etc, saving you a nice 30%.
Good luck!
I don't work currently.
No discount for me sadly that means.
I want to use the cycle for fitness and leisure. I love adventure and I live in Kent. Lots of beautiful places to explore with summer coming up!

Lots of stony paths here sadly. I've ridden on one with a rental bike, and it didn't have any suspension. I was in serious pain for the entire time I was riding the rocky bit.

I've spoken about it in depth on here before, but everyone kept telling me that suspension is useless and does nothing on most bikes, and adds lots of weight and is an additional maintenance expense.

I can't rent a suspension cycle. I'm not going to buy one used to try as other suggested.

Went to evans cycle in Canterbury and had a chat for a long time with a worker there, who said 'don't listen to what people tell you online. I wouldn't want to ride the crab and winkle without suspension'.

Also that's not the only path I will ride. I'm bored of that path anyway now. There's lots more to explore around Kent!

If the cheaper carrera or another one sold at halfords would be better for my use case, I'm all ears.

I worry a lot about the cycle getting stolen entirely or parts getting stolen from it. I would rather not have to buy insurance.
Does insurance cover part theft on cycles?
JohnMorgan
Posts: 111
Joined: 9 Jun 2022, 7:19pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by JohnMorgan »

Hi,
Sorry, I have little experience of riding suspension bikes, so can’t help there. From the sounds of it you intend doing a lot of off-road travel, so I’d imagine (for you) that suspension would be worth it. If you decide to ride more roads later down the line, you could look at getting a set of road tyres for your wheels, or even a second hand set of wheels that you could fit road tyres to.
Am equally ignorant about bike insurance - both mine are decades old, and it would be easier to find another second hand than deal with insurance. Not to mention any insurance excess amount would probably be more than they are worth :-)
As far as bike security goes, I like to keep mine in sight at all times. I have a cheap (£2.50) cable lock that I use if I have to go into shops etc. The idea is to make it more convenient for a thief to take another one rather than mine. But, if they want it, they will have it. Mr Cade on YouTube did an interesting video on how quickly the various locks could be defeated with a battery powered angle grinder. About one minute to cut through any lock.
Hope you enjoy whichever you decide to get :-)
rareposter
Posts: 1987
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by rareposter »

SummitFreedom wrote: 31 May 2023, 5:07am Giant says helmet and puncture repair kit is worth £45, and bottle holder £13, totalling to £103 of 'free gear'.
I don't own anything to do with cycling, so need everything that is necessary. Including a helmet.
Slow down a second or this will end up going the way of the other thread! You asked about the bike, let's concentrate on one thing rather than "freebies" and suncream and rocky trails...

Lots of companies will offer to throw in "free" accessories on purchase of [thing] and they're invariably of rather limited quality and you as the customer end up with little choice.

Concentrate on the bike first. The Giant that you offered up as one of your choices and that I linked to on special offer is a great buy. Go with that.

Then start thinking about what else you need. At this stage, helmet (you can buy helmets from about £25 upwards). A bottle cage and water bottle. And that's pretty much it for the moment.
But buying a bike specifically because you get those things thrown in "for free" is the wrong way round. Buy the bike you like, not the one with "freebies"!
SummitFreedom
Posts: 497
Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by SummitFreedom »

rareposter wrote: 31 May 2023, 7:17am
SummitFreedom wrote: 31 May 2023, 5:07am Giant says helmet and puncture repair kit is worth £45, and bottle holder £13, totalling to £103 of 'free gear'.
I don't own anything to do with cycling, so need everything that is necessary. Including a helmet.
Slow down a second or this will end up going the way of the other thread! You asked about the bike, let's concentrate on one thing rather than "freebies" and suncream and rocky trails...

Lots of companies will offer to throw in "free" accessories on purchase of [thing] and they're invariably of rather limited quality and you as the customer end up with little choice.

Concentrate on the bike first. The Giant that you offered up as one of your choices and that I linked to on special offer is a great buy. Go with that.

Then start thinking about what else you need. At this stage, helmet (you can buy helmets from about £25 upwards). A bottle cage and water bottle. And that's pretty much it for the moment.
But buying a bike specifically because you get those things thrown in "for free" is the wrong way round. Buy the bike you like, not the one with "freebies"!
I didn't want to buy it because of free stuff.... I want to buy it because it looks nice, is the brand my local bike shop recommends and sells, and is at the upper limit of my budget.

The question I asked is if the free stuff is worth it over buying the cycle on its own.

Also should I get this cycle or the carrera? I don't know much about cycles, but the specifications look similar? And the suspension on the carrera is better?

Thanks
oaklec
Posts: 282
Joined: 5 Dec 2008, 1:50pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by oaklec »

Have you read this review of the Giant?

https://bestbikeselect.com/giant-roam-d ... view-2023/

It looks like it will be a good choice for your cycling needs
Lynskey Peloton, Ron Cooper, Bates BAR, Yates Expedition, Dawes Sardar, Dawes Edge, Pashley Parabike, Dawes Clubman
SummitFreedom
Posts: 497
Joined: 7 Dec 2022, 2:04pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by SummitFreedom »

I'm just going to get the roam disc 2.

Should I ask my local bike shop if he will price match the website that has it on discount?
He's closed today all day. And on Sundays. And he's gone for lunch so it's closed during lunch hour.

I first need to go in and try the cycle. Don't wanna ask him to price match the cycle till I've tried the medium and large sizes so I know which size I need.
Jdsk
Posts: 24627
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by Jdsk »

Please let us know when you've decided on the bike so that we can join in on protecting eyes and skin.

Thanks

Jonathan
oaklec
Posts: 282
Joined: 5 Dec 2008, 1:50pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by oaklec »

SummitFreedom wrote: 31 May 2023, 3:54pm I'm just going to get the roam disc 2.

Should I ask my local bike shop if he will price match the website that has it on discount?
He's closed today all day. And on Sundays. And he's gone for lunch so it's closed during lunch hour.

I first need to go in and try the cycle. Don't wanna ask him to price match the cycle till I've tried the medium and large sizes so I know which size I need.
A great idea to go into the shop when it is open and try the bike so you can tell whether you like it and what size you need. Then if you want to buy it you could ask if they would price match. If they don't you could still buy the bike from them to help build a good relationship for when you need the bike serviced or repaired.
Lynskey Peloton, Ron Cooper, Bates BAR, Yates Expedition, Dawes Sardar, Dawes Edge, Pashley Parabike, Dawes Clubman
MorningDew
Posts: 25
Joined: 7 Apr 2020, 11:57pm

Re: Help choosing bicycle

Post by MorningDew »

SummitFreedom wrote: 31 May 2023, 5:20am
JohnMorgan wrote: 30 May 2023, 6:05am Hi,
Obviously the helmet etc would not be worth the extra £250, but the improved specification might. A wise man once said ‘buy cheap, buy twice’. It comes down to whether you need the better spec to have the bike perform as you want it to.
Do you work, and if so does your work place offer a ‘bike to work’ scheme? If so, the difference in price could be reduced by the fact that the bike to work payments are taken from your pay before tax etc, saving you a nice 30%.
Good luck!
I don't work currently.
No discount for me sadly that means.
I want to use the cycle for fitness and leisure. I love adventure and I live in Kent. Lots of beautiful places to explore with summer coming up!

Lots of stony paths here sadly. I've ridden on one with a rental bike, and it didn't have any suspension. I was in serious pain for the entire time I was riding the rocky bit.

I've spoken about it in depth on here before, but everyone kept telling me that suspension is useless and does nothing on most bikes, and adds lots of weight and is an additional maintenance expense.

I can't rent a suspension cycle. I'm not going to buy one used to try as other suggested.

Went to evans cycle in Canterbury and had a chat for a long time with a worker there, who said 'don't listen to what people tell you online. I wouldn't want to ride the crab and winkle without suspension'.

Also that's not the only path I will ride. I'm bored of that path anyway now. There's lots more to explore around Kent!

If the cheaper carrera or another one sold at halfords would be better for my use case, I'm all ears.

I worry a lot about the cycle getting stolen entirely or parts getting stolen from it. I would rather not have to buy insurance.
Does insurance cover part theft on cycles?
I ride the Crab and Winkle regularly and it's much smoother than it used to be. In the past, front suspension definitely helped, especially with the stony section of farm track, but now most of it is smoother than many of the local roads. I've even done that ride on my road bike. The trail from Chartham to Wye is a little more demanding but I still ride that on an old fully rigid mountain bike (with 2" tyres). I used to ride those trails on hardtail mountain bikes but I came to the conclusion that the front suspension really wasn't necessary for them. I'm faster and have more fun on the fully rigid mountain bikes. When I bought a gravel bike at Evans recently (yes, the very same branch of Evans), no member of staff said, 'Oh! You shouldn't buy that. It's unsuitable for the local trails. You really need front suspension.'

That said, there are pros and cons. The front suspension will smooth out some of the rougher sections. If that's your priority, that's your priority. However, I can assure you that the cycle routes around Canterbury are very ride-able without front suspension, despite what a guy in a shop said. Fully rigid but fat-tyred bikes have done me well over what the local area has to offer.
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