What bicycle to get?

[shewy]

Any cyclists on here?
Going to get a new bike to work on my fitness, just don't do
impact stuff very well these days, got a mountain bike which is great on trails etc, but not sure which type to get for the road, obviously there is the road bike but also hybrid and cyclocross as well.
Any pointers

 

[Pin-seeker]

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?84142-Bike-advice

This may help.

 

[ScienceBoy]

These are really popular where I live.

 

[shewy]

Not quite what I usually see in the rolling hills of south Wales

 

[Rooter]

I am a bit of a specialized whore, however Merlin cycles online do their own brand now with decent components. Depends massively on budget, you could spend 500 or 15000 very easily!

much like golf clubs though, i would recomend getting fitted!!

 

[shewy]

Thinking 500 to 700 max, which type though so many to chose from, got a great local shop though.

 

[NWJocko]

I got a bike last year (for the road) and after looking at hybrids etc you're better off with a proper road bike imo.

I really enjoy it, not had much time to get out this year after a knee problem sadly but sorted now so will be training over winter for a couple of charity rides next year.

 

[patricks148]

have you though about just getting another set of wheels with Road Tyre's on?

Will be way cheaper that buying a road bike and if you already have a decent MB.

 

[Stuey01]

Road bike. Don't half ass it with a hybrid or cyclocross, you'll end up wanting to change it in no time.

You can get disc brakes on proper road bikes now, but probably not in budget.

Have a look at the boardman range in halfords, get the best one you can in budget. They are amongst the best value out there, with good components and frame for the money.

 

[Three]

Here's my 2p **just experience from a recreational cyclist, more advanced may disagree **,

As a complete cycling neo-novice (my paper round bike doesn't count) I recently bought a bike for similar reasons, dodgy knees, some exercise and some fun. Eg off along the river later with a mate for a few hours cycle before hitting the beer this afternoon.

It's a complete myriad of products, it's probably like golf equipment for the beginner, it all looks the same but the prices vary greatly and often it's hard to get a proper explanation why, often the "experts" just say " this is more expensive because it's better" .

So here's what I found to be important :

Frame size. You need the correct size. Don't compromise on this.

Frame components. The lighter and more advanced the materials, the more it's going to cost. But how many times are you going to throw it on your shoulder and run with it so be realistic. As a fun rider, can you really justify hundreds of quid extra just for a few kilos?

Style of bike. I have a cross, which basically means it's fine for the road but no worries about going through a muddy or grassy path, a load of cobbles, bit of rough area etc. There's an on and off suspension switch on the front forks, so on rough ground you can get a much smoother ride.

Brakes. Sorry to the purists, but as a recreational rider, my good old fashioned brake-blocks do exactly what it says on the tin, ie the bike stops. As this stage I wouldn't pay extra for disc brakes, absolutely no reason to.

Wheels. Big as possible, think mine are 28 inch. Obviously the quality and strength of the wheels is important if you're a hard off-roader, but for normal stuff most wheels should be good enough.

Gears. The quality does vary. A few friends have bought very cheap bikes and almost all have problems with the gears. This may be down to the lack of servicing or just not good products, but not all gear assemblies change smoothly and without trouble every time. The Shimano Altus on mine seem to be near the entry level of reasonable quality, not perfect as I've been back in the shop for some tweaks a couple of times. Pretty smooth and good now though.

Which leads to my final point, BUY FROM A SHOP. The reason I say this is that little things do need tweaking, servicing needs to be done and the warranty is important. Ordering over the Internet would be a nightmare for this unless you are able to do everything yourself, or don't mind paying another local place to do it.

Based on the pre-Brexit exchange rate, I spent £350 including 2 good quality locks (again don't compromise). Based on rip-off Britain prices, that's probably about £500 in British shops.

I cycle almost daily, I'm really happy with what I have. Would it be cool to have fancy disc brakes? Yes. Would it be cool to have more expensive gears? Yes. Would it actually make a difference? I don't think so in reality.


So again, just my views from a novice, others feel free to disagree. ☺

 

[Pin-seeker]

Slightly off topic,but 02 customers can get a free bike pump or water bottle from Halfords.

 

[shewy]

Went into my local store and was recommended a gravel bike? Never heard of one

 

[Stuey01]

Went into my local store and was recommended a gravel bike? Never heard of one

It's a new category they've made up. It's a road bike with room for fatter tyres and with disc brakes.

 

[shewy]

I like the idea of a more relaxed riding position though, specialised diverge looked good

 

[Matty6]

Take a look at Genesis too. Fantastic range of bikes in all styles. I personally have one of their hard tails from a few years ago....Core 10. I used it to ride from North Wales to Cardiff. I could never ride a road bike as I have issues with my lower back. I fitted an adjustable stem to my bike so I could angle the bars to whatever position I like. I also fitted some Continental road tyres. The bike rolls effortlessly on tarmac and really is easy to ride.

The Bike Shed in Pontcanna sell Genesis bikes (along with many others). Worth popping along to them if you're ever in Cardiff.

 

[shewy]

Thanks for that I'm always in Cardiff

 

[Stuey01]

Genesis make lovely bikes. I have a day alfine di2 which is awesome, but I wouldn't have it as my only road bike. I'd be looking at the genesis equilibrium for that.

 

[philly169]

I bought a Boardman Hybrid comp from Halfords to ride to work (36 mile round trip) was £500, the following year I decided I wanted a road bike to see if it was quicker or more comfortable. Picked up a Carerra Zelos off ebay for £150 locally. Much more comfier for the long rides. I use the boardman for cycles with the wife, to pubs and stuff.

I'm thinking of doing some sportives next year, so road bike is ideal for now.

 

[Aztecs27]

If you want a road bike, don't look any further than here: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-359113-road-bikes

You won't find any bikes with the same spec for anywhere near the price that you'll get with a B'Twin. don't let the shop name or the lack of high end brand name put you off - I can assure you they are incredible bikes. I've had two and my next one will be a B'Twin as well.

This one: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-road-bike-105-id_8350480.html at £650 - with Carbon Forks, a Shimano 105 groupset and Mavic Askium wheels, would cost you closer to £1000 if it had "Specialized" or "Giant" stamped on it.

If you're a small bloke, and can fit on one of these: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-road-bike-105-id_8331275.html (which is last year's model of the above bike) - you could probably buy it and sell it for a profit once they're all sold out!

 

[Kellfire]

Stupid question - do all road bikes come on thin tyres? I always liked the stability of a more "off-road" width of tyre.