Best time of the year to buy a new bike?
Discussion
Hi Chaps
I've currently got a Specialized Hardrock Pro that i commute on and was purchased through our cycle to work scheme. This is due to end in a couple of months and i really want to move onto a Road Bike. This will continue to be my commuter but i'd also like to use it on events and in general leisure riding with friends etc.
My first question, is there a specific point in the year when one should look to buy? I know some places are stocking 2012 bikes now so is better to try and pick up a 2011 bike up now? Or wait? Alternatively, between now and say the spring, are there times i should look for when i'll pick up a better deal on a bike or get one reduced in an end of year/season sale?
Secondly - I know nothing about Road Bikes and yet there are so many to choose from. I've been spending a fair bit of time on various sites looking at bikes and prices (though i know i'll need to go out and test them in person where possible), and i can see you can spend £500 on a Trek 1.2 Triple 2011 which has a Carbon fork and yet you can obviously spend thoasands and thoasands for i'm sure less weight and better components. Any advice on this would be really appreciated.
Ideally, i'll wait until i've finished paying for the mtb and then look to buy another, but if the advice is i'll get a better deal now or before November, i'll definitely look to buy now.
Any advice on both points, really greatfully received.
Cheers
Gaz
I've currently got a Specialized Hardrock Pro that i commute on and was purchased through our cycle to work scheme. This is due to end in a couple of months and i really want to move onto a Road Bike. This will continue to be my commuter but i'd also like to use it on events and in general leisure riding with friends etc.
My first question, is there a specific point in the year when one should look to buy? I know some places are stocking 2012 bikes now so is better to try and pick up a 2011 bike up now? Or wait? Alternatively, between now and say the spring, are there times i should look for when i'll pick up a better deal on a bike or get one reduced in an end of year/season sale?
Secondly - I know nothing about Road Bikes and yet there are so many to choose from. I've been spending a fair bit of time on various sites looking at bikes and prices (though i know i'll need to go out and test them in person where possible), and i can see you can spend £500 on a Trek 1.2 Triple 2011 which has a Carbon fork and yet you can obviously spend thoasands and thoasands for i'm sure less weight and better components. Any advice on this would be really appreciated.
Ideally, i'll wait until i've finished paying for the mtb and then look to buy another, but if the advice is i'll get a better deal now or before November, i'll definitely look to buy now.
Any advice on both points, really greatfully received.
Cheers
Gaz
Hmmm. With bike sales being as they've been lately (i.e. massive), it's nowhere near as easy to get a late-season/outgoing bargain of a bike if you're not on the outer fringes of the size ranges. IME just set a budget and find a bike that fits when you want/need it, rather than finding the "nicest" bike you can for the money and waiting, waiting...waiting.
there are deals now, there will be deals over christmas, there will be deals in the new year.
it all depends what you want and when you decide that bike is low on stock in your size. my advice is not to choose a particular bike or brand, just decide on a budget and then see what comes up.
at the sort of price you describe there are hundreds of bikes, no real bad ones and nothing that is exceptional compared to the rest. If you set your heart on a trek X.X you may miss out on a similar spec bike going much cheaper. Dawes, Carrera and Raleigh are not trendy and wont feature on le tour but make solid and reliable bikes.
Don't get hung up on groupset, yes Tiagra is higher up the hierarchy than Sora or 2300 but you wont notice a difference. It wont make you ride faster or climb better, there is only a marginal improvement in the performance and
Don't get hung up on having to get certain components, a "carbon fork" at that price will have an alloy steerer (the bit that fits in the bike and attaches to the stem) so all is not always as it seems.
Don't solely focus on the trek, specialised or giant range. Almost every aluminium bike <£1000 will come from one of 5 or 6 factories in the far east. Most share identical geometry and could well be the same thing under the paint....
Find out what size you are, look online for the geometry of bikes you are interested in and try to work out how it differs from the bike you sat on that was a good fit, things to look for are longer top tubes which may be an issue if you have short legs and a longer body for example.
Buy cycling weekly, a lot of independant shops advertise in it, you may get a better deal comapred to a chain
Cycle shop staff will sell their mother for a sale, take everything they say with a pinch of salt - i worked in retail hence i can say this....
it all depends what you want and when you decide that bike is low on stock in your size. my advice is not to choose a particular bike or brand, just decide on a budget and then see what comes up.
at the sort of price you describe there are hundreds of bikes, no real bad ones and nothing that is exceptional compared to the rest. If you set your heart on a trek X.X you may miss out on a similar spec bike going much cheaper. Dawes, Carrera and Raleigh are not trendy and wont feature on le tour but make solid and reliable bikes.
Don't get hung up on groupset, yes Tiagra is higher up the hierarchy than Sora or 2300 but you wont notice a difference. It wont make you ride faster or climb better, there is only a marginal improvement in the performance and
Don't get hung up on having to get certain components, a "carbon fork" at that price will have an alloy steerer (the bit that fits in the bike and attaches to the stem) so all is not always as it seems.
Don't solely focus on the trek, specialised or giant range. Almost every aluminium bike <£1000 will come from one of 5 or 6 factories in the far east. Most share identical geometry and could well be the same thing under the paint....
Find out what size you are, look online for the geometry of bikes you are interested in and try to work out how it differs from the bike you sat on that was a good fit, things to look for are longer top tubes which may be an issue if you have short legs and a longer body for example.
Buy cycling weekly, a lot of independant shops advertise in it, you may get a better deal comapred to a chain
Cycle shop staff will sell their mother for a sale, take everything they say with a pinch of salt - i worked in retail hence i can say this....
Many thanks both for your advice. If there's no really "ideal" time i'll leave it until closer to the current scheme runs out - gives me more time to do my research then.
Naturally i want to pick up something decent, but if there's not much difference between a £500 bike to a £800-£1000 bike i'll concentrate on those areas.
What's the best way of establishing the right size bike? Nice tip too about the geometry - last thing i want is to make my back hurt going to a road bike from an mtb.
Cheers.
Naturally i want to pick up something decent, but if there's not much difference between a £500 bike to a £800-£1000 bike i'll concentrate on those areas.
What's the best way of establishing the right size bike? Nice tip too about the geometry - last thing i want is to make my back hurt going to a road bike from an mtb.
Cheers.
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