Bikes..............
mrs bert and I are contemplating getting a couple of bikes for the purpose of light leisurely exercise along the myriad of local cycle paths we are blessed with here during the 'finer weather'
Now -we have worked out that we "require" hybrids, but we are tight bastards and dont want to fork out (geddit ) a great deal.........as close to £100 as possible.......so we're talking Squier and below....if possible. Now what we dont know is
a) what brands / models are to be avoided at that cheapo end of the spectrum
b) just dont, up your budget to £200 (I see halfords are selling the carrera subway for £199 or what looks like a decent raleigh for £150)
c) if you cant spend £400 dont bother.
......"Bertie is pretty much a zen master..................."
the subway's a decent bike for the price
Oh .. those kind of bikes. How about second hand? There are some bargains to be had.
b) and c).
Of course you can get a bike for £100, but it will be heavy and poorly equipped. You want to enjoy cycling, right?
Halfords isn't a great shop (check bike forums!) but they do cover the budget market quite well. Their Carreras are ok for what they are. Raleigh aren't what they used to be.
Personally, I would be spending several £100s on a new bike. Better build, lighter frame, better equipment.
Can you apply for the Ride to Work scheme? You can double your budget if you can!
heavy isnt an issue, bady made would beOriginally Posted by DiscoStu
Of course you can get a bike for £100, but it will be heavy and poorly equipped. You want to enjoy cycling, right?
over £200 isnt even going to be considered, these are going to be used, a few times a year, once a month at the very most. Think of these bikes as 'my son is thinking of taking up the guitar.........but we dont know how serious he is............'Halfords isn't a great shop (check bike forums!) but they do cover the budget market quite well. Their Carreras are ok for what they are. Raleigh aren't what they used to be.
Personally, I would be spending several £100s on a new bike. Better build, lighter frame, better equipment.
Can you apply for the Ride to Work scheme? You can double your budget if you can!
......"Bertie is pretty much a zen master..................."
£100 buys you a bike-shaped object: See Here.
£200 will just about get you something, if you stay away from bells and whistles.
"Brilliant things instead of weeping will be for the person who comes to the truthful one. But a long period of darkness, foul food, and the word 'woe' - to such an existence your religious view will lead you, O deceitful ones, of your own actions." - 1000 years BCE, Zoroaster predicts the coming of Keanu.
well in that case you're buggered!
And if he were, would you buy him one from Argos?
You don't actually need to use the bike to get to work - came very close to getting to getting one from old company, which was a 150-mile round trip.
"Brilliant things instead of weeping will be for the person who comes to the truthful one. But a long period of darkness, foul food, and the word 'woe' - to such an existence your religious view will lead you, O deceitful ones, of your own actions." - 1000 years BCE, Zoroaster predicts the coming of Keanu.
Just to echo what others have said, and add some personal experience to the mix.
I have 2 bikes - one for cycling to work which is a hybrid style with pannier rack, and the other a mountain bike for hobby use and family rides.
My kids have been growing fast so we've always grabbed them a second hand cheapo to keep costs down. But my youngest son was complaining that he was tired out after a short distance. I promised to improve it by pumping up the tyres, oiling it, etc. But when I tried to pick it up I noticed it was incredibly heavy.
My eldest now has a decent road bike which is very light and he can easily keep up with me. My youngest will be getting a lighter bike this year.
So, my suggestion is get a lightweight frame - aluminium most likely. The downside with that is that they are quite stiff compared to steel so you feel every bump. But you can get seatpost with shock absorbers and/or chunkier seats to counteract that. Also, you could use slightly bigger tyres to help cushion you a little, as it sounds like speed isn't your primary aim.
On that note, the Carrera Subway range is highly thought of. You'd also do well to look at second hand options. My brother picked up a nice lightweight Trek mountain bike recently for £50. It's usable as is but you could put thinner tyres on to make it more "hybrid".
My parents' superb apartment in the Costa Del Sol
Holiday Apartment in Andalusia
you do according to the guff that was on our company intranet
OK - so taking this to the limit, unless we can find something second hand, its the 1/2 price Subway @ £200 or dont bother ?
(not even the Raleigh avenue ?)
are Hybrids more ££ pound for pound than mountain bikes ? ie would it be a better option to get a mountain bike and 'swap the tyres' ??
I really am not going to spend more than £400 on two bikes.
Last edited by bertie; 16th January 2013 at 11:24 AM.
......"Bertie is pretty much a zen master..................."
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