Sportive bike: new vs used
Discussion
Hello, I want to buy a road bike with a sportive bias. I'm starting with the London to Brighton event and going on from there in order to get fit.
Should I get a new one via cycle to work or buy a used one? I'm thinking of spending up to say £1000. I could get something nice and new, or a quick eBay search suggests I could get one of the best bikes 2012 had to offer, for example.
The question is which would be the better bet? Thanks in advance.
Should I get a new one via cycle to work or buy a used one? I'm thinking of spending up to say £1000. I could get something nice and new, or a quick eBay search suggests I could get one of the best bikes 2012 had to offer, for example.
The question is which would be the better bet? Thanks in advance.
Bike fit is the most important thing, a bargain isn't a bargain if you don't ride it because it doesn't fit you well (realise this wasn't what you actually asked). I'd start by visiting a few bike shops to see what fits before you go on the hunt for anything specific.
I'd never buy a bike second hand unless I knew the owner or it was for sale via somewhere like the bike exchange where you know it will have been thoroughly inspected, even then you're taking a risk - especially if it's carbon. I had a number of bikes stolen 18 months ago, among them was a Colnago CX-1 frame that looked immaculate (apart from the odd scratch). What wasn't obvious was I crashed it at just over 40mph into the side of a car when the driver pulled out on me, to the naked eye the external of the frame looked almost immaculate - on the inside of the frame there was significant de-lamination on the top and downtube.
Personally, with a budget of £1k I'd go for a new Alu framed bike like a Cannondale Synapse, Canyon Endurance or Specialized Allez - really depends what fits!
I'd never buy a bike second hand unless I knew the owner or it was for sale via somewhere like the bike exchange where you know it will have been thoroughly inspected, even then you're taking a risk - especially if it's carbon. I had a number of bikes stolen 18 months ago, among them was a Colnago CX-1 frame that looked immaculate (apart from the odd scratch). What wasn't obvious was I crashed it at just over 40mph into the side of a car when the driver pulled out on me, to the naked eye the external of the frame looked almost immaculate - on the inside of the frame there was significant de-lamination on the top and downtube.
Personally, with a budget of £1k I'd go for a new Alu framed bike like a Cannondale Synapse, Canyon Endurance or Specialized Allez - really depends what fits!
I'd say go secondhand. Look for an aluminium framed Giant Defy/Trek Domane/Specialised Allez. These are all good bikes from big brands; ebay and the secondhand sites are full of nearly new examples of these bought by people who think they'll get into it but the reality isn't what they anticipated. You'll save at least £500 on a new one, it will be just as good, and if you don't like it, you'll be able to sell if for close to what you paid, once someone else has taken the first buy depreciation hit.
Once you've done that and then ridden it for a few months, you'll have a better idea of what you like and don't like, you'll know if you just want to ride on a sunny Saturday or if you want to ride to work, or if you want to get up at 5 am and go for a training ride.
Once you've done that and then ridden it for a few months, you'll have a better idea of what you like and don't like, you'll know if you just want to ride on a sunny Saturday or if you want to ride to work, or if you want to get up at 5 am and go for a training ride.
Why the heck would you buy a secondhand bike when your ctw scheme could get you a £1k bike for £600 over a year?!?
Secondhand bike will involve going to look at bikes and they probably wont be as described and then you will need to service it accordingly and that is once again more faff. You also won't get shop like service with a used bike.
As someone else has said, I would go ali frame with 105 and maybe upgrade the tyres to something like Contitnetal GP5000S and don't forget you will bottle cages, helmets and other accessories.
Also, I have done L2B once and never again. I can't imagine that event wetting anyone's appetite for cycling. Choose one of the wiggle sportives as another event to do. Will be much nicer than L2B and minimal logistical headache unlike L2B.
Secondhand bike will involve going to look at bikes and they probably wont be as described and then you will need to service it accordingly and that is once again more faff. You also won't get shop like service with a used bike.
As someone else has said, I would go ali frame with 105 and maybe upgrade the tyres to something like Contitnetal GP5000S and don't forget you will bottle cages, helmets and other accessories.
Also, I have done L2B once and never again. I can't imagine that event wetting anyone's appetite for cycling. Choose one of the wiggle sportives as another event to do. Will be much nicer than L2B and minimal logistical headache unlike L2B.
bakerstreet said:
Also, I have done L2B once and never again. I can't imagine that event wetting anyone's appetite for cycling. Choose one of the wiggle sportives as another event to do. Will be much nicer than L2B and minimal logistical headache unlike L2B.
I did it last year. I went with friends who, a week or two before the event, mentioned they took 8 hours the year before and apparently hadn't done much riding since. I therefore took my full-suspension mountain bike - no way I'd be on my road bike for that long! Nice spinning up Ditchling Beacon on a a 50t cassette 
Apparently if you can get a really early start then it's pretty clear and you can go mostly flat out.
Gareth79 said:
I did it last year. I went with friends who, a week or two before the event, mentioned they took 8 hours the year before and apparently hadn't done much riding since. I therefore took my full-suspension mountain bike - no way I'd be on my road bike for that long! Nice spinning up Ditchling Beacon on a a 50t cassette Apparently if you can get a really early start then it's pretty clear and you can go mostly flat out.
I think my elapsed time was something stupid like 7 hours, but about half of that was stationary whilst they dealt with a serious accident and to be fair, I think that one was actually a fatality, which I did it on my CX running road tyres. My the time we reached the decent after Ditchling Beacon many of the roadies around me were pretty fed up and we went off like bullets from a gun. People were being shouted at to keep left Apparently if you can get a really early start then it's pretty clear and you can go mostly flat out.Was pretty unlucky on the punctures as well. I had three and was so annoyed at the last one, I paid one of the mechanics to fix it.
I crashed as well. Some wobbling idiot on a MTB meant the person in front of me crashed and I had a choice of going over his leg or his rear mech. I chose the later and of course that was the end of his L2B. I won't get started on the costs either.
My friends who have said they'd like to do it and asked me I have said I'd only do if they sorted everything for me as it wouldn't be fun ride as far as I'm concerned.
After 1 year, a bike that was worth over £500 is still valued at 25% according to the inland revenue. If you want to keep it at the end of the year then you have to buy it at this second-hand price.
There are ways to mitigate this by extending the lease at a zero rate for several years until it is valued at zero, but that's more paperwork that not all employers will want to do. It might also cause grief if you want to leave the job during this time. Check first.
There are ways to mitigate this by extending the lease at a zero rate for several years until it is valued at zero, but that's more paperwork that not all employers will want to do. It might also cause grief if you want to leave the job during this time. Check first.
The reason for considering a 2nd have bike is just the value for money. I was wondering if I went 2nd hand would I get a top of the Range wonder bike. I’m confident at maintaining a push bike.
London to Brighton: I have done it before years ago and I enjoyed it. I did it on a mtb with some mates in about 5 - 6 hours I seem to recall. I thought it was a good event, I liked the closed road and riding with so many people why did you guys dislike it? I also did the London to Paris years ago with 3 other lads, that was an excellent trip.
I have got fat and as I saw it come through my town last year I thought “I should do that again in order to sort myself out”.
So I have roped in a handful of mates, bought a place on the L2B already and booked a table for Sunday (late) lunch in a pub for afterwards. So now I’m committed :-)
London to Brighton: I have done it before years ago and I enjoyed it. I did it on a mtb with some mates in about 5 - 6 hours I seem to recall. I thought it was a good event, I liked the closed road and riding with so many people why did you guys dislike it? I also did the London to Paris years ago with 3 other lads, that was an excellent trip.
I have got fat and as I saw it come through my town last year I thought “I should do that again in order to sort myself out”.
So I have roped in a handful of mates, bought a place on the L2B already and booked a table for Sunday (late) lunch in a pub for afterwards. So now I’m committed :-)
alock said:
After 1 year, a bike that was worth over £500 is still valued at 25% according to the inland revenue. If you want to keep it at the end of the year then you have to buy it at this second-hand price.
There are ways to mitigate this by extending the lease at a zero rate for several years until it is valued at zero, but that's more paperwork that not all employers will want to do. It might also cause grief if you want to leave the job during this time. Check first.
Out of the four or five people that I know who have used the CTW scheme, I have yet to see any of them enforce it including my own employer and I have bought two bikes through the scheme. There are ways to mitigate this by extending the lease at a zero rate for several years until it is valued at zero, but that's more paperwork that not all employers will want to do. It might also cause grief if you want to leave the job during this time. Check first.
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