What Bike - road / tri, on a budget
Discussion
Faced with doing our first tri in May, SWMBO and I have started our training programme, and managed to get a couple of decent rides under our belts. However, we have a bit of an issue with using MTB's for distance road riding, in that they suck! Heavy, slow, and generally bloody hard work. So now we have it in mind to upgrade to proper road bikes with drops n skinny tyres n all that good stuff.
Yesterdays ride took us to a local(ish) bike shop and we popped in to have a mooch, got chatting to the owner and they recommended (as a Raleigh dealer) the Raleigh Revenio 1, carbon forks, Shimano 2300, a snip at £550, plus another £100 for pedals and shoes.
We tried it out in the car park of the local bus station, and the difference was huge - so much easier to ride that we pretty much decided there and then that we need to change asap.
However, being a bloke and a PHer, I had to go and look around to make sure that I was getting best bang for buck, and very soon found that I was entering into a veritable minefield: do you really need carbon forks, which groupsets are the best, who makes the best frames etc etc etc
So I'm looking for a bit of advice. We may do just this tri, then never touch the bikes again, or we might do more, so whatever we buy has to have some second-hand value and not be scrap (if we only do this one), and it has to last (if we do more). Budget I've set is £300 - £600 (and that has my sphincter tightening!) and I'll consider (for myself) new or 2nd hand. SWMBO will only go for new, so I think she has her heart set on the Raleigh - she loved it!.
My selections so far are:
The Raleigh - carbon forks, Shimano 2300 8 spd, 50/34 front, 12-26 rear
Carrera TDF - steel forks, Shimano 2300 8 speed, 52/39 front, 12-26 rear
or something like this off the 'bay:
Trek 5200 carbon - carbon everything, Shimano Ultegra, Shimano 105, 50/34 front, 11-28 rear.
What would you do/buy, and why? Wallet says get the cheapest from Halfords, head says get the one from the local bike shop, heart says get the best I can off ebay within the budget
Yesterdays ride took us to a local(ish) bike shop and we popped in to have a mooch, got chatting to the owner and they recommended (as a Raleigh dealer) the Raleigh Revenio 1, carbon forks, Shimano 2300, a snip at £550, plus another £100 for pedals and shoes.
We tried it out in the car park of the local bus station, and the difference was huge - so much easier to ride that we pretty much decided there and then that we need to change asap.
However, being a bloke and a PHer, I had to go and look around to make sure that I was getting best bang for buck, and very soon found that I was entering into a veritable minefield: do you really need carbon forks, which groupsets are the best, who makes the best frames etc etc etc
So I'm looking for a bit of advice. We may do just this tri, then never touch the bikes again, or we might do more, so whatever we buy has to have some second-hand value and not be scrap (if we only do this one), and it has to last (if we do more). Budget I've set is £300 - £600 (and that has my sphincter tightening!) and I'll consider (for myself) new or 2nd hand. SWMBO will only go for new, so I think she has her heart set on the Raleigh - she loved it!.
My selections so far are:
The Raleigh - carbon forks, Shimano 2300 8 spd, 50/34 front, 12-26 rear
Carrera TDF - steel forks, Shimano 2300 8 speed, 52/39 front, 12-26 rear
or something like this off the 'bay:
Trek 5200 carbon - carbon everything, Shimano Ultegra, Shimano 105, 50/34 front, 11-28 rear.
What would you do/buy, and why? Wallet says get the cheapest from Halfords, head says get the one from the local bike shop, heart says get the best I can off ebay within the budget
Hi
I was in a similar position a few months a go and in the end went for a Triban 3 from Decathalon. Its got carbon forks Shimano 2300 and is pretty well put together. I've found it fairly comfortable after a bit of tinkering (inverting the stem, messing with the seat height/position). The shifters are a bit awkward as you need to be on the hoods to change (or have long fingers), but you get used to it.
I figured at that price it would be a good winter training bike and should see me through my first couple of triathalon's... I couldn't justify spending on a full carbon set up as my fitness probably wouldn't do it justice anyway...
. I was tempted by some of the second hand bikes but don't really have the skills to sort any problems so went with something new.
So far I've just added pedals, shoes and a bottle cage. I'm thinking about upgrading the wheels/tyres too.
Which tri are you doing?
Cheers
Richard
I was in a similar position a few months a go and in the end went for a Triban 3 from Decathalon. Its got carbon forks Shimano 2300 and is pretty well put together. I've found it fairly comfortable after a bit of tinkering (inverting the stem, messing with the seat height/position). The shifters are a bit awkward as you need to be on the hoods to change (or have long fingers), but you get used to it.
I figured at that price it would be a good winter training bike and should see me through my first couple of triathalon's... I couldn't justify spending on a full carbon set up as my fitness probably wouldn't do it justice anyway...
. I was tempted by some of the second hand bikes but don't really have the skills to sort any problems so went with something new.So far I've just added pedals, shoes and a bottle cage. I'm thinking about upgrading the wheels/tyres too.
Which tri are you doing?
Cheers
Richard
I got a very simple Specialized Allez Elite (£800 so a bit over budget but still cheap) and overtook plenty of serious looking tri riders on the one I did on it (20th out of 220 on riding section; had never raced on a road bike before but I MTB a lot). Unless you get really serious, I think most bikes will do.
Vladimir said:
I got a very simple Specialized Allez Elite (£800 so a bit over budget but still cheap) and overtook plenty of serious looking tri riders on the one I did on it (20th out of 220 on riding section; had never raced on a road bike before but I MTB a lot). Unless you get really serious, I think most bikes will do.
Yeah, but you're a bit of an animal!! 4plusone said:
Hi
I was in a similar position a few months a go and in the end went for a Triban 3 from Decathalon. Its got carbon forks Shimano 2300 and is pretty well put together. I've found it fairly comfortable after a bit of tinkering (inverting the stem, messing with the seat height/position). The shifters are a bit awkward as you need to be on the hoods to change (or have long fingers), but you get used to it.
I figured at that price it would be a good winter training bike and should see me through my first couple of triathalon's... I couldn't justify spending on a full carbon set up as my fitness probably wouldn't do it justice anyway.... I was tempted by some of the second hand bikes but don't really have the skills to sort any problems so went with something new.
So far I've just added pedals, shoes and a bottle cage. I'm thinking about upgrading the wheels/tyres too.
Which tri are you doing?
Cheers
Richard
Thanks for that - in terms of fixing problems with second hand bikes, unless its a cracked alloy or carbon frame I'll be ok with most things, and there have been some cracking deals for c£400 - £450. I was in a similar position a few months a go and in the end went for a Triban 3 from Decathalon. Its got carbon forks Shimano 2300 and is pretty well put together. I've found it fairly comfortable after a bit of tinkering (inverting the stem, messing with the seat height/position). The shifters are a bit awkward as you need to be on the hoods to change (or have long fingers), but you get used to it.
I figured at that price it would be a good winter training bike and should see me through my first couple of triathalon's... I couldn't justify spending on a full carbon set up as my fitness probably wouldn't do it justice anyway...
. I was tempted by some of the second hand bikes but don't really have the skills to sort any problems so went with something new.So far I've just added pedals, shoes and a bottle cage. I'm thinking about upgrading the wheels/tyres too.
Which tri are you doing?
Cheers
Richard
I suppose I love to get a great deal and hate having to buy something twice, but to dump £600+ on "entry-level" scares the bejesus out of me.
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