Newbie advice please....
Discussion
....I'll try not to make this too lengthy. I have decided I need to be more active, and due to a new job which is much closer to home I thought cycling to work might be the way forward. Last bike I had I got for Christmas when I was 12, now I'm confident I can remember how to ride one but have absolutely no clue as to what to throw my money at, so I'll be using car analogies to explain what I want. I'm planning on cycling along a path along side a river which is a pretty rough path, and its circa 3 miles each way. Obviously I don't need the bike equivalent of a Bowler Wildcat, more Range Rover Vogue. I'd like to spend under £300, but could probably stretch to £400 if it is really worth it. Is it worth buying new or am I better off looking at used examples? I don't want to end up with the bike equivalent of a Hyundai/Daewoo type thing, eg all the gear but low quality and liable to get me laughed at, but I do like gadgets eg disc brakes and fancy forks and stuff. I was thinking of something like this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/845119.htm (I know its sold),
Maybe this sort of thing http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/848723.htm
or perhaps even this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/812321.htm
Any good? The last one looks good, but just seems very cheap, is it a scam or the Daewoo Leganza of the bike world? The spelling is appalling in the ad, usually a sign of a scammer when it comes to car ads. Any help or advice hugely appreciated.
To summarise,
a) New or used?
b) What do I need/not need?
c) Any suggestions?
Cheers, Ollie
ETA - I'm a sliver under 6ft tall, what size bike do I need? Roughly will do, I just had a look on a bike website and they had a bewildering range of frame sizes.
Maybe this sort of thing http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/848723.htm
or perhaps even this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/812321.htm
Any good? The last one looks good, but just seems very cheap, is it a scam or the Daewoo Leganza of the bike world? The spelling is appalling in the ad, usually a sign of a scammer when it comes to car ads. Any help or advice hugely appreciated.
To summarise,
a) New or used?
b) What do I need/not need?
c) Any suggestions?
Cheers, Ollie
ETA - I'm a sliver under 6ft tall, what size bike do I need? Roughly will do, I just had a look on a bike website and they had a bewildering range of frame sizes.
Edited by OllieWinchester on Wednesday 4th February 18:56
Edited by OllieWinchester on Wednesday 4th February 19:01
if its a regular towpath kind of route, its not going to require full suspension, it will weigh you down and makes flat paths quite hard. you will get the same cushioned effect (and develop better riding skills) by standing on the pedals and using your kness and legs to cushion the ride. the kona you found is a good bike but more, in your terms, bowler than range rover.
for £300 you are better getting a hardtail bike to make it easier and quicker. the cannondale would be perfect, good solid frame, reliable components, the other bike (white one) is a jump specific bike, has very aggressive geometry, and is single speed which will make longer rides veryuncomfortable.
as for gadgets etc, ignore disc brakes, you dont need them for what you want to do and as i always say, cheaper disc brakes are just not that good. the v-brakes on the cannondale will be more than adequate. if you are looking at a budget of £300 you will either have to get an old bike to get quality parts or you will get a new bike with cheaper parts that will wear quickly.
your best bet is to search through ebay and bikeradar.co.uk classified ads till you find something around your price range. if you stick second hand you will be able to get a good qulaity bike for that price which will be more than adequate. stick to front suspension only, choose a reputable brand (Trex, Specialised etc) and take someone who knows what to look for but to be honest, the vast majority of mountain bikes sold in this country do little more than the occasional trip through bridleways so abuse, wear and tear is unlikely to be a major issue....
for £300 you are better getting a hardtail bike to make it easier and quicker. the cannondale would be perfect, good solid frame, reliable components, the other bike (white one) is a jump specific bike, has very aggressive geometry, and is single speed which will make longer rides veryuncomfortable.
as for gadgets etc, ignore disc brakes, you dont need them for what you want to do and as i always say, cheaper disc brakes are just not that good. the v-brakes on the cannondale will be more than adequate. if you are looking at a budget of £300 you will either have to get an old bike to get quality parts or you will get a new bike with cheaper parts that will wear quickly.
your best bet is to search through ebay and bikeradar.co.uk classified ads till you find something around your price range. if you stick second hand you will be able to get a good qulaity bike for that price which will be more than adequate. stick to front suspension only, choose a reputable brand (Trex, Specialised etc) and take someone who knows what to look for but to be honest, the vast majority of mountain bikes sold in this country do little more than the occasional trip through bridleways so abuse, wear and tear is unlikely to be a major issue....
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 6th February 09:21
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 6th February 09:23
What he says!
TBH get yourself down to your LBS (local bike shop) and see what they have...there's plenty of more basic mountain bikes from decent brands about at that price range. If it's going to be a commuter then reliability and comfort are going to be important so it's important that you try before you buy.
If it's a commmuter it's also important that you think about stuff like mudguards, decent breathable jacket, lock etc.
Good luck!
TBH get yourself down to your LBS (local bike shop) and see what they have...there's plenty of more basic mountain bikes from decent brands about at that price range. If it's going to be a commuter then reliability and comfort are going to be important so it's important that you try before you buy.
If it's a commmuter it's also important that you think about stuff like mudguards, decent breathable jacket, lock etc.
Good luck!
I'm in Hampshire. There is what I believe to be a very reputable LBS just up the road from me, now as I used to be a car salesman and have a inbuilt distrust of anyone and anything I don't want to be pointed in the direction of whatever they need to shift at that particular time. I will go up there and have a mooch about and a chat, but are there any hard and fast rules as to what to avoid etc? I'd hate to buy something and be all chuffed then tell someone only for them to look at me like I'm an idiot. Which I am.
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