Wanting a bike
Discussion
Not having a go at this OP in particular, but I wonder why it is that so many people taking up cycling think that £200 is a "reasonable" budget to start looking at? It can't be coincidence. Is it because it's double the price Tesco charge for an obvious POS?
I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
Gizmoish said:
Not having a go at this OP in particular, but I wonder why it is that so many people taking up cycling think that £200 is a "reasonable" budget to start looking at? It can't be coincidence. Is it because it's double the price Tesco charge for an obvious POS?
I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
You can't get anything vaguely like an SLR for £200 though. Perhaps that's why no-one asks.I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
I'd hope that if someone comes on the photography forum asking which compact camera to buy for about £200 they don't get told that it'll be rubbish and they should get something 2.5x as expensive.
OP - you'll probably get a better bike if you go secondhand - it's like spending £6k on a car and choosing between a 'it'll get you there and back and probably be quite reliable' Dacia, or £6k on a 2 year old Focus or <insert whatever car you'd like for £6k here>
Of course, if you want a Sandero because you want a new car and you don't really care much beyond that, then they are perfectly fine.
If £200 is all you can afford up front currently, then second hand is definitely the way to go if you want any kind of longevity out of the machine. Worth checking if your employer is signed up to the Govt backed Cycle To Work scheme. You could then get anything up to £1000 voucher for bike/safety equipment. It comes out of your wage in 12 monthly instalments. Altogether it is significantly cheaper than the cost of purchasing outright and you should be able to up your budget to around the £500 mark without really noticing the monthly payment. Definitely worth looking into
This one is even closer to the OP's budget.
http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p52140/Dawes-XC-21-2013-...
Steve
http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p52140/Dawes-XC-21-2013-...
Steve
Steve vRS said:
This one is even closer to the OP's budget.
http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p52140/Dawes-XC-21-2013-...
Steve
Even though it is over budget, the Specialized above will be a much better bike. The Dawes has a threaded headset for a start....http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p52140/Dawes-XC-21-2013-...
Steve
I'd be looking at a Carrera Subway (Halfords) or Pinnacle Lithium 1(Evan's Cycles). Both are fairly sturdy hybrids, suitable for both light trails and commuting to work.
As said above, if you really want a mountain bike worth having I'd see if you can up the budget by a couple of hundred.
Sarkmeister said:
Even though it is over budget, the Specialized above will be a much better bike. The Dawes has a threaded headset for a start.....
What's the problem with that? Most of the advantages of threadless headsets are to do with ease of manufacture. Either is a perfectly good mechanism though.[quote=blugnuI'd hope that if someone comes on the photography forum asking which compact camera to buy for about £200 they don't get told that it'll be rubbish and they should get something 2.5x as expensive.
[quote]
Because a £200 bike unless you are lucky or know what you are looking at will turn out to be a massive unreliable liability that could kill your enjoyment. Cheap bikes can be heavy, poorly made and have rubish components which means they never ride properly and will proably be chucked in the shed unloved a good bike will last years.
there is a descriptive term of BSO - Bike Shaped Object that is a perfect discription of the low end bikes, the sad thing is some of these have brand names on that make you think back to the cool and desireable bikes of your youth.
[quote]
Because a £200 bike unless you are lucky or know what you are looking at will turn out to be a massive unreliable liability that could kill your enjoyment. Cheap bikes can be heavy, poorly made and have rubish components which means they never ride properly and will proably be chucked in the shed unloved a good bike will last years.
there is a descriptive term of BSO - Bike Shaped Object that is a perfect discription of the low end bikes, the sad thing is some of these have brand names on that make you think back to the cool and desireable bikes of your youth.
Edited by Engineer1 on Wednesday 4th September 16:09
Engineer1 said:
blugnu said:
I'd hope that if someone comes on the photography forum asking which compact camera to buy for about £200 they don't get told that it'll be rubbish and they should get something 2.5x as expensive.
Because a £200 bike unless you are lucky or know what you are looking at will turn out to be a massive unreliable liability that could kill your enjoyment. Cheap bikes can be heavy, poorly made and have rubish components which means they never ride properly and will proably be chucked in the shed unloved a good bike will last years.there is a descriptive term of BOS - Bike shaped Object that is a perfect discription of the low end bikes, the sad thing is some of these have brand names on that make you think back to the cool and desireable bikes of your youth.
I think most of us have said that at a budget of £200 the OP would be best off looking for something second-hand.
Sarkmeister said:
blugnu said:
What's the problem with that? Most of the advantages of threadless headsets are to do with ease of manufacture. Either is a perfectly good mechanism though.
It makes upgrades (or replacement) of any of the surrounding components much more difficult.Gizmoish said:
Not having a go at this OP in particular, but I wonder why it is that so many people taking up cycling think that £200 is a "reasonable" budget to start looking at? It can't be coincidence. Is it because it's double the price Tesco charge for an obvious POS?
I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
Get plenty of "Which bridge camera should I buy?" threads though...I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
blugnu said:
Sarkmeister said:
blugnu said:
What's the problem with that? Most of the advantages of threadless headsets are to do with ease of manufacture. Either is a perfectly good mechanism though.
It makes upgrades (or replacement) of any of the surrounding components much more difficult.I'm standing by my opinion that the bike we are discussing is an awful choice for someone commuting 12 miles or so a day. You may feel differently.
Gizmoish said:
Not having a go at this OP in particular, but I wonder why it is that so many people taking up cycling think that £200 is a "reasonable" budget to start looking at? It can't be coincidence. Is it because it's double the price Tesco charge for an obvious POS?
I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
I think suggesting a minimum of £500 for someone who wants to ride 6miles each way is being a touch dramatic! I'd say that "decent" bikes (new) start at £500, which is also a decent starter SLR camera budget - but you don't get loads of people in the camera forum asking which SLR to buy for £200?
That specialized hardrock is an aweful bike.
I paid £350 in the sale last year for the disc version (RRP £400) for my lad after he'd outgrown the Hotrock 24.
How disapointing. It weighs a LOT. The bars are 1 kilo alone and are thick wall steel. I was flabbergasted (wow there's a first) when I removed the forks. They felt like they were at least twice the weight of the Rockshox Rebas I replaced them with! I've replaced almost the entire bike now (crankset is also a joke) but the frame is still clearly heavy. I intend to buy him a Ragley Marley frame and reassemble the original bike and flog it soon.
If you want a starter bike MTB then get a used hardtail Boardman or a Hoodoo Voodoo but for a 12 mile commute you should buy my 1995 (RRP £615) Marin Redwoods hybrid for £60 and it'll go down the street at c. 80% of the difference between a MTB and a road bike and then you can muck about off road on it too.
Otherwise the Decathlon Triban 3 is the best starter road bike I reckon.
I paid £350 in the sale last year for the disc version (RRP £400) for my lad after he'd outgrown the Hotrock 24.
How disapointing. It weighs a LOT. The bars are 1 kilo alone and are thick wall steel. I was flabbergasted (wow there's a first) when I removed the forks. They felt like they were at least twice the weight of the Rockshox Rebas I replaced them with! I've replaced almost the entire bike now (crankset is also a joke) but the frame is still clearly heavy. I intend to buy him a Ragley Marley frame and reassemble the original bike and flog it soon.
If you want a starter bike MTB then get a used hardtail Boardman or a Hoodoo Voodoo but for a 12 mile commute you should buy my 1995 (RRP £615) Marin Redwoods hybrid for £60 and it'll go down the street at c. 80% of the difference between a MTB and a road bike and then you can muck about off road on it too.
Otherwise the Decathlon Triban 3 is the best starter road bike I reckon.
Sarkmeister said:
blugnu said:
Sarkmeister said:
blugnu said:
What's the problem with that? Most of the advantages of threadless headsets are to do with ease of manufacture. Either is a perfectly good mechanism though.
It makes upgrades (or replacement) of any of the surrounding components much more difficult.I'm standing by my opinion that the bike we are discussing is an awful choice for someone commuting 12 miles or so a day. You may feel differently.
It may be an outdated standard, but it works perfectly well. The bike that was used to "win" the Tour de France a mere 14 years ago had a threaded headset.
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