Discussion
Are Claud Butler bikes any good?
I used to work in a budget bike shop, all low end stuff but I was led to believe Claud Butler was the top end stuff. A Claud Butler 400 can be had for £350 but I see guys on here saying a £1,000 bike is bottom end stuff.
I haven't got a lot to spend, but I want a half decent road bike (do I want a hybrid? I don't know, advise me).
Basically, I want a bike I can do 5 miles a day commuting on and do 20 miles on a Sunday.
I used to work in a budget bike shop, all low end stuff but I was led to believe Claud Butler was the top end stuff. A Claud Butler 400 can be had for £350 but I see guys on here saying a £1,000 bike is bottom end stuff.
I haven't got a lot to spend, but I want a half decent road bike (do I want a hybrid? I don't know, advise me).
Basically, I want a bike I can do 5 miles a day commuting on and do 20 miles on a Sunday.
Sounds like you're in the £250-£350 territory which if you are quick, lucky and an abnormal frame size might catch you an entry level hybrid from Scott or Specialised in the 2013 sales. Otherwise the Diamond Back/ Dawes/ Viking\ claud butler models are accessible and will perform well enough to meet your needs. I have a basic Claud Butler MTB which is 15 years old and is still an adequate hack to and from the shops, station,etc. The newer shiny bikes come outta the weekend.
Don't ignore the second hand market. There are plenty of folk who spent 000's on their P&J 4 or 5 years ago who will let it go relatively cheap as they wish to upgrade...
Good luck
Don't ignore the second hand market. There are plenty of folk who spent 000's on their P&J 4 or 5 years ago who will let it go relatively cheap as they wish to upgrade...
Good luck
47p2 said:
What have you cycled up until now, Mountain bike, road bike, BMX etc ?
WHat are you wanting to do on your 20 mile weekend trips, road, track ?
It's 10 years since I've been on a bike. When I was a kid, I was into BMX, mountain biking, whatever, I just fell away from it. I just want something I can do my 4 mile each way commute on, and do a 6 mile ride to see my folks on and back home again.WHat are you wanting to do on your 20 mile weekend trips, road, track ?
Recently bought a Trax TFS1. Got it for a fiver so I can't complain too much, spent another fiver on cables. Its a good enough budget bike but its horrible to ride. Theres an awful knock off the suspension on every bump.
I want a decent road bike, but I haven't got a lot to spend. £500 tops, and that is pushing it. I can get my boss to cover it on the cycle to work scheme.
There's decent and there's decent.
I've got a £300 carrera tdf and a £1800 Boardman pro carbon.
The tdf is a perfectly useable bike, theres nothing wrong with it (OK gearing is a bit high but I'm being picky) however comparing it to the Boardman is like comparing a hot golf to a lotus Elise. Similar on paper performance stats but one is a hell of a lot more fun to drive and handles better all round. Plus it looks damn good too :-)
Specs seem to have taken a dive and prices rocketed over the last couple of years but there are still a lot of very very nice bikes out there new for about the 1k mark. (Planet x, Boardman team carbon, there is a lot of choice at that level)
At the £500 mark it seems to be neither here nor there, no great improvements over the red triban the whole internet holds up as "best first budget road bike".
If you look at the "best bike for 1k" thread that's still on the first couple of pages on the forum there's a long list of great examples, including a Moser speed sora that looks incredible value with shockingly nice wheels for the price point....
Personally if I had £500 to spend I'd grab a Boardman road race at £500 on next months 10% off weekend at Halfords, get another 10% British cycling discount, then grab some gatorskins for the winter (funnily enough picking up exactly that for my girlfriend tomorrow).
I've got a £300 carrera tdf and a £1800 Boardman pro carbon.
The tdf is a perfectly useable bike, theres nothing wrong with it (OK gearing is a bit high but I'm being picky) however comparing it to the Boardman is like comparing a hot golf to a lotus Elise. Similar on paper performance stats but one is a hell of a lot more fun to drive and handles better all round. Plus it looks damn good too :-)
Specs seem to have taken a dive and prices rocketed over the last couple of years but there are still a lot of very very nice bikes out there new for about the 1k mark. (Planet x, Boardman team carbon, there is a lot of choice at that level)
At the £500 mark it seems to be neither here nor there, no great improvements over the red triban the whole internet holds up as "best first budget road bike".
If you look at the "best bike for 1k" thread that's still on the first couple of pages on the forum there's a long list of great examples, including a Moser speed sora that looks incredible value with shockingly nice wheels for the price point....
Personally if I had £500 to spend I'd grab a Boardman road race at £500 on next months 10% off weekend at Halfords, get another 10% British cycling discount, then grab some gatorskins for the winter (funnily enough picking up exactly that for my girlfriend tomorrow).
Edited by TheLemming on Thursday 10th October 01:18
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff