Toying with the idea of a cheap road bike...
Discussion
Wonder if the PH PedalHeads can help me here.
I'm a lapsed mountain biker, living in an area with barely a mild incline on offer, and becoming a fat lazy pleb as I very rarely have time to drive out to somewhere suitably rugged for a decent ride.
As the MTB is hard work on-road, and likely to be nicked no matter how hefty a lock I use, I recently dragged my ancient, tatty, 3rd or 4th hand Ridgeback Romany hybrid out, with the aim of riding into town/to the supermarket etc rather than driving to try and drag my fitness level up. Trouble is, despite having stripped, cleaned, lubed and reassembled the whole bike with a new chain and rear cassette a couple of years (and very few miles) ago, it still "skips" when I pedal hard.
Rather than continue to throw good money at a bike worth roughly eleven quid, I'm now pondering buying a new cheapish road bike. Not necessarily a full-on racing bike, just something that's easy to ride at decent speeds on tarmac. Probably better with a hybrid as the riding position suits me better. Plus, having ridden MTBs since my early teens, I'm used to bikes that can absorb a good deal of clumsy abuse, and I'm not sure the nice, delicate, lightweight racing bike wheels and frames would stand up to it very well.
Trouble is, while I've a dim idea what to look for in MTBs, all the road bike stuff is totally different and I don't know a good road groupset from a bad one. They've all got side-pull brakes, too, which are fundamentally associated with the word "crap" in my mind - quite possible I'm wrong but I'm used to hydraulic disc brakes now and the side pulls just look dangerous!
Is it possible to get anything reasonably decent for under £300? Not interested in light weight or blingy looks, just something robust, with reputable components and no silly gimmicks (suspension forks, for instance). And ideally nondescript enough to leave locked up outside Aldi with half a chance of it still being there when I return to it!
Ta.
I'm a lapsed mountain biker, living in an area with barely a mild incline on offer, and becoming a fat lazy pleb as I very rarely have time to drive out to somewhere suitably rugged for a decent ride.
As the MTB is hard work on-road, and likely to be nicked no matter how hefty a lock I use, I recently dragged my ancient, tatty, 3rd or 4th hand Ridgeback Romany hybrid out, with the aim of riding into town/to the supermarket etc rather than driving to try and drag my fitness level up. Trouble is, despite having stripped, cleaned, lubed and reassembled the whole bike with a new chain and rear cassette a couple of years (and very few miles) ago, it still "skips" when I pedal hard.
Rather than continue to throw good money at a bike worth roughly eleven quid, I'm now pondering buying a new cheapish road bike. Not necessarily a full-on racing bike, just something that's easy to ride at decent speeds on tarmac. Probably better with a hybrid as the riding position suits me better. Plus, having ridden MTBs since my early teens, I'm used to bikes that can absorb a good deal of clumsy abuse, and I'm not sure the nice, delicate, lightweight racing bike wheels and frames would stand up to it very well.
Trouble is, while I've a dim idea what to look for in MTBs, all the road bike stuff is totally different and I don't know a good road groupset from a bad one. They've all got side-pull brakes, too, which are fundamentally associated with the word "crap" in my mind - quite possible I'm wrong but I'm used to hydraulic disc brakes now and the side pulls just look dangerous!
Is it possible to get anything reasonably decent for under £300? Not interested in light weight or blingy looks, just something robust, with reputable components and no silly gimmicks (suspension forks, for instance). And ideally nondescript enough to leave locked up outside Aldi with half a chance of it still being there when I return to it!
Ta.
Edited by Jonny_ on Thursday 15th May 21:49
Gruffy said:
I just started with a Triban 3 from Decathlon at £299. Wherever I looked online for a budget bike the only answer I'd come across was the Triban. It seems to be far and away the best value for money at this end of the market. For what it's worth, I'm very pleased with it so far.
Got mine 3 years ago and no complaints whatsoever. Liked it so much that I have a Decathlon mountain bike as well now, which is just as good.Thanks for all your suggestions chaps!
Looked into some of them, the Triban looks good if I can get to grips with the riding position, will have to get over to Sheffield (nearest decathlon store) and try one.
Also a good shout on the Subway, again I'll pop over to Halfords and have a look at one, only reservation is the tyres look more dirt-oriented in the pics whereas I'd like the narrower and less-treaded kind for road use.
I'm avoiding second hand as it's a minefield of stolen and knackered machines!
Looked into some of them, the Triban looks good if I can get to grips with the riding position, will have to get over to Sheffield (nearest decathlon store) and try one.
Also a good shout on the Subway, again I'll pop over to Halfords and have a look at one, only reservation is the tyres look more dirt-oriented in the pics whereas I'd like the narrower and less-treaded kind for road use.
I'm avoiding second hand as it's a minefield of stolen and knackered machines!
As a die hard mountain biker who only dabbled into road cycling barely a year ago, I'd say go ahead and do it. As a method of training you can't beat it, it'll never give you the same buzz as riding a good section of trail but it will get you fit. A proper road bike with drop handlebars will feel alien at first but stick with it and you'll find it feels natural after a while
Coincidentally, I've just had exactly the same thoughts so borrowed a friends very nice carbon fibre Scott road bike yesterday and took it for a 25 mile spin. I found the hills a real pain compared to my mountain bike - on the way up I'm not fit enough to spin the lowest gear fast enough and going down I found the brakes to be terrifyingly bad compared to the disks on my MTB. This was on very dodgy steep, narrow, broken up lanes in the Cotswolds with potholes you really don't want to hit at thirty miles an hour on road wheels and every chance of rounding a bend to find a tractor flying towards you taking up the whole road. What I loved though was riding on the flat. Each pedal stroke felt like it was combined with a big push from behind as the bike surged forward.
For me, living where I do, road tyres on my MTB feels like the perfect compromise and I was only 3 mph quicker on average on the road bike over nearly the same route (about half a mile off road on the MTB, the rest the same). I think a on flat route the difference would be much greater but I was still surprised how close it was.
For me, living where I do, road tyres on my MTB feels like the perfect compromise and I was only 3 mph quicker on average on the road bike over nearly the same route (about half a mile off road on the MTB, the rest the same). I think a on flat route the difference would be much greater but I was still surprised how close it was.
I accept that the triban is the best value new bike, but...
Why not go old? I just picked up a 2002 giant tcr team once for buttons. It's 20 speed campag, weighs 7.7 kg, carbon fork etc. there must be loads of bikes from this era on the bay - and you can effectively get an old ferrari for new fiat money...
Why not go old? I just picked up a 2002 giant tcr team once for buttons. It's 20 speed campag, weighs 7.7 kg, carbon fork etc. there must be loads of bikes from this era on the bay - and you can effectively get an old ferrari for new fiat money...
m1dg3 said:
Coincidentally, I've just had exactly the same thoughts so borrowed a friends very nice carbon fibre Scott road bike yesterday and took it for a 25 mile spin. I found the hills a real pain compared to my mountain bike - on the way up I'm not fit enough to spin the lowest gear fast enough and going down I found the brakes to be terrifyingly bad compared to the disks on my MTB. This was on very dodgy steep, narrow, broken up lanes in the Cotswolds with potholes you really don't want to hit at thirty miles an hour on road wheels and every chance of rounding a bend to find a tractor flying towards you taking up the whole road. What I loved though was riding on the flat. Each pedal stroke felt like it was combined with a big push from behind as the bike surged forward.
For me, living where I do, road tyres on my MTB feels like the perfect compromise and I was only 3 mph quicker on average on the road bike over nearly the same route (about half a mile off road on the MTB, the rest the same). I think a on flat route the difference would be much greater but I was still surprised how close it was.
Road bikes aren't as fragile as you'd think, they'll shrug off potholes and similar without issue (unless you are very unlucky!) and although the brakes do take more of a squeeze they'll still stand the bike on it's nose. Gears are also easy enough to swap if you need lower ratios while starting out.For me, living where I do, road tyres on my MTB feels like the perfect compromise and I was only 3 mph quicker on average on the road bike over nearly the same route (about half a mile off road on the MTB, the rest the same). I think a on flat route the difference would be much greater but I was still surprised how close it was.
If you are after a halfway house there are also cyclocross (CX) bikes. These are basically slightly stronger roadbikes with space for bigger tyres designed for off-road racing but they make ideal "do it all" bikes.
Some Gump said:
I accept that the triban is the best value new bike, but...
Why not go old? I just picked up a 2002 giant tcr team once for buttons. It's 20 speed campag, weighs 7.7 kg, carbon fork etc. there must be loads of bikes from this era on the bay - and you can effectively get an old ferrari for new fiat money...
That's the approach I took, except my effort involved rebuilding a 1995 Giant CFR1. A carbon frame with 105 level bits for BSO money, and it's working out quite well as a first road bike. Why not go old? I just picked up a 2002 giant tcr team once for buttons. It's 20 speed campag, weighs 7.7 kg, carbon fork etc. there must be loads of bikes from this era on the bay - and you can effectively get an old ferrari for new fiat money...
Am I right in thinking that 105 is the Shimano groupset of choice for road riding, sort of equivalent to XTR on mountain bikes? If this is the case, what are the equivalents to Deore or LX?
Another possibility is a cheap MTB (ideally with a rigid fork) and some road tyres that can stand high tyre pressures to get the rolling resistance as low as poss. Sort of a DIY hybrid. Can pick up something like last year's entry level Giant for a couple of hundred quid, main reservation being that I assume the gearing will be considerably shorter than a road bike.
Another possibility is a cheap MTB (ideally with a rigid fork) and some road tyres that can stand high tyre pressures to get the rolling resistance as low as poss. Sort of a DIY hybrid. Can pick up something like last year's entry level Giant for a couple of hundred quid, main reservation being that I assume the gearing will be considerably shorter than a road bike.
Darkslider said:
As a die hard mountain biker who only dabbled into road cycling barely a year ago, I'd say go ahead and do it. As a method of training you can't beat it, it'll never give you the same buzz as riding a good section of trail but it will get you fit. A proper road bike with drop handlebars will feel alien at first but stick with it and you'll find it feels natural after a while
Got to take issue with you here - it won't give you the same buzz but it will be a different buzz, and could be better. A steep climb off road will be harder and more technical than a steep climb on road, so at that point you will feel like you are having a better work out. But over a couple of hours, I think off roading is more relaxing, the terrain forces a more natural variation in pace and I think it is easier to take it easier. When you're on road your speeds will be higher, your lowest, average and highest speeds, and it will test your endurance more. I guess I am trying to say (for me anyway) off-road is more explosive, on-road is more about stamina and will power to keep the cranks turning. Off-road is more like the explosive fitness a good footballer or rugby player needs, whereas on road it is more about consistently pushing yourself. And a good downhill corner sequence on a road bike is as good as anything off road!I am a die-hard drop handlebar fan though; flat bar bikes give you one maybe two positions to put your hands, but drop bars give you 5 or more. With the buzz of the road on a long ride I think that is crucial, never mind the aero benefits of getting your back straight. I wouldn't write off ebay or secondhand though, there are lots of bikes out there that have been bought on a whim and hardly ridden. If you can get a look or ride before you buy even better.
Cross bikes tend to be more expensive than road bikes, everyone wants them at the moment.
From best to worst:
105 is nice, but not bling. great value for money, ideal on a first (expensive) road bike. I'm not a mountain-biker but I'd guess more XT than XTR.
Going up:
Ultegra is the first level of bling - enthusiastic club riders and similar will often have this.
Dura Ace is the top end. High level racers and dentists.
Electronic versions of both of these are available and highly rated.
Going the other way:
Tiagra is a decent groupset but the cables run from the sides of the shifters instead of under the bar-tape. Makes for a slightly messier looking front end but makes maintenance easier.
Sora is the same but with one less cog (yes, I know it's technically a sprocket). This can matter quite a bit as it's usually the 16t one, which is exactly where a lot of people want to be on the flat.
Claris is entry level. Solid but a little heavy. Loses another speed compared to Sora. Works well enough though.
It used to be the case (until last year) that Sora and 2300 (the predecessor to Claris) had thumb shifters rather than the dual control levers featured in the rest of the range. These were best avoided as they limited your ability to shift from the drops but fortunately are now no more. I only mention this in case you are looking at 2013 bikes or second-hand.
| Name | Speeds | Hidden Cables | Electronic Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dura Ace | 11 | Yes | Yes |
| Ultegra | 11 | Yes | Yes |
| 105 | 11 | Yes | No |
| Tiagra | 10 | No | No |
| Sora | 9 | No | No |
| Claris | 8 | No | No |
105 is nice, but not bling. great value for money, ideal on a first (expensive) road bike. I'm not a mountain-biker but I'd guess more XT than XTR.
Going up:
Ultegra is the first level of bling - enthusiastic club riders and similar will often have this.
Dura Ace is the top end. High level racers and dentists.
Electronic versions of both of these are available and highly rated.
Going the other way:
Tiagra is a decent groupset but the cables run from the sides of the shifters instead of under the bar-tape. Makes for a slightly messier looking front end but makes maintenance easier.
Sora is the same but with one less cog (yes, I know it's technically a sprocket). This can matter quite a bit as it's usually the 16t one, which is exactly where a lot of people want to be on the flat.
Claris is entry level. Solid but a little heavy. Loses another speed compared to Sora. Works well enough though.
It used to be the case (until last year) that Sora and 2300 (the predecessor to Claris) had thumb shifters rather than the dual control levers featured in the rest of the range. These were best avoided as they limited your ability to shift from the drops but fortunately are now no more. I only mention this in case you are looking at 2013 bikes or second-hand.
Edited by Mr Will on Friday 16th May 13:21
Mr Will said:
From best to worst:
105 is nice, but not bling. great value for money, ideal on a first (expensive) road bike. I'm not a mountain-biker but I'd guess more XT than XTR.
Going up:
Ultegra is the first level of bling - enthusiastic club riders and similar will often have this.
Dura Ace is the top end. High level racers and dentists.
Electronic versions of both of these are available and highly rated.
Going the other way:
Tiagra is a decent groupset but the cables run from the sides of the shifters instead of under the bar-tape. Makes for a slightly messier looking front end but makes maintenance easier.
Sora is the same but with one less cog (yes, I know it's technically a sprocket). This can matter quite a bit as it's usually the 16t one, which is exactly where a lot of people want to be on the flat.
Claris is entry level. Solid but a little heavy. Loses another speed compared to Sora. Works well enough though.
It used to be the case (until last year) that Sora and 2300 (the predecessor to Claris) had thumb shifters rather than the dual control levers featured in the rest of the range. These were best avoided as they limited your ability to shift from the drops but fortunately are now no more. I only mention this in case you are looking at 2013 bikes or second-hand.
Think I read recently that 105 is now available in 11 speed flavour.| Name | Speeds | Hidden Cables | Electronic Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dura Ace | 11 | Yes | Yes |
| Ultegra | 11 | Yes | Yes |
| 105 | 10 | Yes | No |
| Tiagra | 10 | No | No |
| Sora | 9 | No | No |
| Claris | 8 | No | No |
105 is nice, but not bling. great value for money, ideal on a first (expensive) road bike. I'm not a mountain-biker but I'd guess more XT than XTR.
Going up:
Ultegra is the first level of bling - enthusiastic club riders and similar will often have this.
Dura Ace is the top end. High level racers and dentists.
Electronic versions of both of these are available and highly rated.
Going the other way:
Tiagra is a decent groupset but the cables run from the sides of the shifters instead of under the bar-tape. Makes for a slightly messier looking front end but makes maintenance easier.
Sora is the same but with one less cog (yes, I know it's technically a sprocket). This can matter quite a bit as it's usually the 16t one, which is exactly where a lot of people want to be on the flat.
Claris is entry level. Solid but a little heavy. Loses another speed compared to Sora. Works well enough though.
It used to be the case (until last year) that Sora and 2300 (the predecessor to Claris) had thumb shifters rather than the dual control levers featured in the rest of the range. These were best avoided as they limited your ability to shift from the drops but fortunately are now no more. I only mention this in case you are looking at 2013 bikes or second-hand.
M4FFU said:
Another question: triple, or compact?
Mainly personal taste these days. I have a compact on my road-bike as I don't like to be shuffling the front gears backwards and forwards all the time. Others will tell you that they prefer the small jumps between the front gears that a triple offers. I suspect a standard double offers the best of both if you are a strong enough rider (I certainly wasn't when I started)Regardless of which one you choose, you'll be able to get more than enough gears to get up and down anything you'll encounter in this country. A compact with an 11-32 cassette offers gears that'll get you from walking pace to over 40mph.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff