# Is this bike any good?



## shutwai (20 Feb 2013)

Hi,

I want to get my first road bike, but has a very low budget of £200.

I found the 'Tiger Race 3000' on ebay, is it any good?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170989384571?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Thanks!


----------



## Portableaj (20 Feb 2013)

erm im not sure about this brand however you can spend £100 more on this bike.http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-red-road-bike-id_8274036.html Its new and spec wise is it worth £600 best bike of its price point. As well as that you will be getting a road bike not a hybrid


----------



## Easytigers (20 Feb 2013)

Portableaj said:


> erm im not sure about this brand however you can spend £100 more on this bike.http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-red-road-bike-id_8274036.html Its new and spec wise is it worth £600 best bike of its price point. As well as that you will be getting a road bike not a hybrid


So agree with this...I know money can be v tight but if you can beg, borrow etc the extra £100 you'll not have to buy twice...
Good luck,
Russ


----------



## TonyEnjoyD (20 Feb 2013)

Hi Shutwai and welcome aboard.
Personally, if I bought it at all I wouldn't spend more than £75 on that bike, especially considering it has stem mounted lever shifts, not even basic index shifters.
If you can't stretch to above your £200, try local Gumtree for you area or keep your eyes open on the classifieds on this form for a used roadie to come up, rather tan the hybrid on the ad you are looking at.

The guys n gals here will be more than happy to review any purchase you are looking at if you need further support.

Hope this helps


----------



## TonyEnjoyD (20 Feb 2013)

This is what comes up from time to time on eBay...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/btwin-triban-3-Road-Bike-/300863469528?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item460cdc37d8


----------



## Cycleops (20 Feb 2013)

If I were you I wouldn't touch that Tiger bike, you wouldn't enjoy the experience from the look of it. You should be able to get a half decent bike on ebay, second hand if you are patient. But also try sites like gumtree and preloved where prices seem a bit lower. If you don't have a bike knowledgable mate ask on on here for some pointers. Try to get something that has had little use and it needn't be too new either. I have a twenty year old bike that the guy had hardly used and just threw it in a corner. Good luck.


----------



## Peteaud (20 Feb 2013)

google tiger bikes

38lb in weight !!!

Either go used or get a T3


----------



## biggs682 (20 Feb 2013)

go used more choice


----------



## shutwai (20 Feb 2013)

*How about this one? It was £500 and is now £250, real bargain?*



*Muddyfox Glide Road Bike*

http://www.sportsdirect.com/muddyfox-glide-road-bike-mens-933071


----------



## Portableaj (20 Feb 2013)

biggs682 said:


> go used more choice


for a beginner going used is never the best idea and its a long process


shutwai said:


> *How about this one? It was £500 and is now £250, real bargain?*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


but he would he would be better off spending £300 on a btwin triban 3


----------



## vickster (20 Feb 2013)

I bet that bike was never really £500...

Triban 3 as suggested


----------



## festival (20 Feb 2013)

You ask, "is it any good?"
To be honest, you don't get anything any good for £145 full stop.


----------



## HLaB (20 Feb 2013)

Peteaud said:


> google tiger bikes
> 
> 38lb in weight !!!
> 
> Either go used or get a T3


Jeez, I thought my Viking was heavy, thats over half a stone heavier


----------



## HLaB (20 Feb 2013)

vickster said:


> I bet that bike was never really £500...


I suspect Amazon could be at it with the Viking on one page its £190 (what its worth IMO) but on another its £520


----------



## biggs682 (20 Feb 2013)

festival said:


> You ask, "is it any good?"
> To be honest, you don't get anything any good for £145 full stop.


yes you do try 2nd hand


----------



## kerndog (20 Feb 2013)

Portableaj said:


> for a beginner going used is never the best idea and its a long process


 
sorry to disagree, but I disagree. Im a beginner and I bought a cracker of a second hand bike on ebay for £450. I did a shed load of research to make sure I bought the right bike and I ended up with a nice bike for a good price. It's a 2011 allez sport compact, 18 speed. it had done under 200 miles and had a bunch of stuff with it like cateye wireless speedo, pump etc. anyway good bike for a reasonable price. Surely this applies to bikes that sell for less...

Used Triban 3 anyone?


----------



## HovR (20 Feb 2013)

shutwai said:


> *How about this one? It was £500 and is now £250, real bargain?*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Sports Direct (along with Halfords) are notorious for claiming huge discounts when really there is none. That bike is probably priced at £500 for 1 week a year or so to comply with regulations! It's a step in the right direction (in that it has STI shifters), but all the other components and frame are of questionable quality.

Try to steer away from the Apollo and Muddyfox brands, neither are great. As already mentioned, the cheapest road bike worth buying in your price range is the Triban 3 from Decathlon. Many others are simply not fit for purpose and will begin to fail rapidly. Second hand is really the best way to go in your price range.

If you decide to go second hand, when checking out a bike it's worth considering these things, although the best thing you can do is bring along someone who knows exactly what they're looking for.


Is the seatpost stuck? Ask the seller to demonstrate raising/lowering it for you.
Is the stem stuck? Same as the seatpost, you want to be able to adjust the handlebar height. (This only applies to older Quill style stems).
Grab the top of one of the cranks, near the pedal. Try wobbling it from side to side. If there is any play/motion in there that could indicate the need for a new bottom bracket, or at least new bearings for the current one. (I'd imagine you'd get a new BB for around $15 to $30 in the US).
Grab the top of the wheel. Again try wobbling it from side to side. If there is any motion in here that could indicate you need at best a hub service, at worst new hubs (although a little bit of flex is OK, you don't want play in the hub bearings). Do this on both wheels.
Check for play in the pedals. Any play may mean the require replacing or servicing later down the line.
Also check the brake pads and tires for wear.
Try to get a ride on the bike, or at least have someone lift the bike up whilst you pedal and change gear to make sure the gears are shifting correctly. If they're a bit clunky then you should be able to fix this with new cables.


----------



## HovR (20 Feb 2013)

festival said:


> You ask, "is it any good?"
> To be honest, you don't get anything any good for £145 full stop.


 
Really? My £88 Peugeot build seems to be doing well enough, been commuting on it since August with no issues. If OP isn't wanting to spend much money at all then a restored retro road bike from a Bicycle co-op/recycling project could be a viable option to get him on the road.


----------



## Portableaj (20 Feb 2013)

kerndog said:


> sorry to disagree, but I disagree. Im a beginner and I bought a cracker of a second hand bike on ebay for £450. I did a shed load of research to make sure I bought the right bike and I ended up with a nice bike for a good price. It's a 2011 allez sport compact, 18 speed. it had done under 200 miles and had a bunch of stuff with it like cateye wireless speedo, pump etc. anyway good bike for a reasonable price. Surely this applies to bikes that sell for less...
> 
> Used Triban 3 anyone?


if ur lucky which you were you can find a good second hand bike however its not always easy to find a bike in ur size the people who sell the bikes don't always know much about it they could be stolen then u have to check if everything is working as ur a beginner you u should save your self the same and buy a new bike u would be covered over a warranty if there is any problems compared to if u buy used


----------



## Dirtlover2005 (20 Feb 2013)

biggs682 said:


> yes you do try 2nd hand



I know someone eone looking for one


----------



## festival (20 Feb 2013)

biggs682 said:


> yes you do try 2nd hand


We all have ideas on what constitutes a "good" bike. I would say around £600 buys you a "worthwhile" bike, and £1000 gets you a "good bike"
I would suggest there is a difference between a good bike and a good buy.
You might get a £400 bike 2nd hand in excellent condition for £140, that would be a good buy.


----------



## Dirtlover2005 (20 Feb 2013)

kerndog said:


> sorry to disagree, but I disagree. Im a beginner and I bought a cracker of a second hand bike on ebay for £450. I did a shed load of research to make sure I bought the right bike and I ended up with a nice bike for a good price. It's a 2011 allez sport compact, 18 speed. it had done under 200 miles and had a bunch of stuff with it like cateye wireless speedo, pump etc. anyway good bike for a reasonable price. Surely this applies to bikes that sell for less...
> 
> Used Triban 3 anyone?



Yes please - I have a friend looking for one


----------



## festival (20 Feb 2013)

HovR said:


> Really? My £88 Peugeot build seems to be doing well enough, been commuting on it since August with no issues. If OP isn't wanting to spend much money at all then a restored retro road bike from a Bicycle co-op/recycling project could be a viable option to get him on the road.


 
Nothing wrong with doing as you say, but £88 is not going to create a good bike. You may enjoy it, it saves you loads of money, have an emotional attachment to it and your still riding a bike thats a good deal, but its unlikely to be a good bike.


----------



## HovR (20 Feb 2013)

festival said:


> Nothing wrong with doing as you say, but £88 is not going to create a good bike. You may enjoy it, it saves you loads of money, have an emotional attachment to it and your still riding a bike thats a good deal, but its unlikely to be a good bike.


 
Go on then, why isn't my bike 'good'?


----------



## AndyRM (21 Feb 2013)

Save your money Shutwai. That thing looks awful.

Second hand could be an option, but take someone who knows what they're looking at, or do your research carefully.

Another reasonable option around the £300 mark is the Carrera TDF.


----------



## festival (21 Feb 2013)

HovR said:


> Go on then, why isn't my bike 'good'?


Good value, good fun, good money saver, good at not attracting attention when locked up in town, good at getting you from a to b without falling apart. good at meeting your expectations. 
All these and many more make the bike such a wonderful machine but a good road bike should be light, stiff, comfortable, structurally sound and it should come with components that optimise the performance.


----------



## biggs682 (21 Feb 2013)

festival said:


> Good value, good fun, good money saver, good at not attracting attention when locked up in town, good at getting you from a to b without falling apart. good at meeting your expectations.
> All these and many more make the bike such a wonderful machine but a good road bike should be light, stiff, comfortable, structurally sound and it should come with components that optimise the performance.


exactley my point buy 2nd hand


----------



## biggs682 (21 Feb 2013)

Dirtlover2005 said:


> I know someone eone looking for one


Dirtlover2005 whats he after ?


----------



## vickster (21 Feb 2013)

A Triban I would assume...as he replied to the comment "Used triban anyone?"


----------



## GlenBen (21 Feb 2013)

Any bike is a good bike if its loved and ridden. 

But surely no-one could love that muddyfox. 

As has already been said, cheap, usable roadbike, avoiding second hand, leaves you with carrera tdf or the triban 3, and id take the triban everytime.


----------



## Powely (21 Feb 2013)

Go second hand but be selective on the model and condition.But to give you an example: I picked up a Giant Defy 3 for a friend for a little over £200 on eBay last year.


----------



## antnee (21 Feb 2013)

I looked at the allez sport compact, 2 nd hand But could't even justify it to myself so went out and got the T3 ok I know there are better bikes but for £300+ a few extras so probably spent about 80 quid more to get some more bits and pieces for I'm well chuffed.
But having said that if youv'e a tight budget then you will have to shop around but scan the net for all reviews of bikes in your price range but be prepeared to wait for that 2nd hand one thats hopefully not to far away to collect.


----------



## HovR (21 Feb 2013)

festival said:


> Good value, good fun, good money saver, good at not attracting attention when locked up in town, good at getting you from a to b without falling apart. good at meeting your expectations. All these and many more make the bike such a wonderful machine but a good road bike should be light, stiff, comfortable, structurally sound and it should come with components that optimise the performance.


 

Surely a reliable bike, that operates well and is fun to ride should be all that is needed to classify a bike as 'good'? Suggesting that a bike needs to cost more than £1000 or come equipped with the latest/most expensive technology or components to be considered a 'good' bike seems a bit bike-snobbish to me.



festival said:


> but a good road bike should be light, stiff, comfortable, structurally sound...


 
Implying that my particular road bike isn't comfortable or structurally sound just because it's an older steel frame?  Many would argue that a quality steel frame is _more _comfortable than modern counterparts. As for weight, I'd hardly class 8 kilos as heavy (although it's probably put on a few hundred grams since I fitted the rear derailleur).

I'll give you that older steel frames are slightly more flexible than modern frames, although that doesn't seem to put me at a disadvantage on club rides when I'm routinely reaching the top of large climbs in the first few riders, where the majority are on 'stiff' aluminium and carbon bikes.


----------



## festival (22 Feb 2013)

HovR said:


> Surely a reliable bike, that operates well and is fun to ride should be all that is needed to classify a bike as 'good'? Suggesting that a bike needs to cost more than £1000 or come equipped with the latest/most expensive technology or components to be considered a 'good' bike seems a bit bike-snobbish to me.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
As I said at the start, everyone will have their own opinions on the subject, in my opinion the word 'good' means 'best',or 'of high standard'.
I didn't imply your bike was uncomfortable or unsound and nowhere did I suggest it had to have the latest/most expensive components to be considered 'good'.
Let me tell you where I am coming from, the 'cycle business' (retailers, manufacturers ,press etc) regard the entry level for serious riding to be £600/£700 and £1000 brings a refinement without spending limitless amounts and that's how I define a good bike.
I am sure you are aware prices up to £8000+ are not uncommon, and while the law of diminishing returns kick in long before you get to that amount, a £1000 cycle is certainly not so much to make anyone a snob.
Finally in all sincerity, I have an old bianchi that I now only use to ride to the shops and the like and in its time it was a 'good bike' but time moves on and it just doesn't compare to my current giant tcr winter bike, not to mention my giant advanced SL.
N.B. neither are close to £8000.
Anyway, I accept its all a matter of opinion.


----------



## Powely (23 Feb 2013)

What we each deem 'good' is subjective. Personally, after looking for a new bike for a several months I feel you need to spend £800+ to get anything 'good'. Below that the ranges seem basic. But I didn't think that when I bought the Carerra, I thought it seemed like a fair bike for the money. I think differently now however. I wish I had invested more at the time but when you're starting out it's hard to know if you'll get the use from a bike to justify spending the extra money. That's why I think going second hand for your first bike is a good option as you can always resell it for probably a similar amount should it not get the use you first thought it might. Although you need to do your research to make sure you're not buying a piece of crud.


----------



## HovR (24 Feb 2013)

festival said:


> As I said at the start, everyone will have their own opinions on the subject, in my opinion the word 'good' means 'best',or 'of high standard'.
> I didn't imply your bike was uncomfortable or unsound and nowhere did I suggest it had to have the latest/most expensive components to be considered 'good'.
> Let me tell you where I am coming from, the 'cycle business' (retailers, manufacturers ,press etc) regard the entry level for serious riding to be £600/£700 and £1000 brings a refinement without spending limitless amounts and that's how I define a good bike.
> I am sure you are aware prices up to £8000+ are not uncommon, and while the law of diminishing returns kick in long before you get to that amount, a £1000 cycle is certainly not so much to make anyone a snob.
> ...


 
We have very different definitions of a good bike. I shalln't take it any further.


----------



## Cycleops (24 Feb 2013)

festival said:


> As I said at the start, everyone will have their own opinions on the subject, in my opinion the word 'good' means 'best',or 'of high standard'.
> I didn't imply your bike was uncomfortable or unsound and nowhere did I suggest it had to have the latest/most expensive components to be considered 'good'.
> Let me tell you where I am coming from, the 'cycle business' (retailers, manufacturers ,press etc) regard the entry level for serious riding to be £600/£700 and £1000 brings a refinement without spending limitless amounts and that's how I define a good bike.
> I am sure you are aware prices up to £8000+ are not uncommon, and while the law of diminishing returns kick in long before you get to that amount, a £1000 cycle is certainly not so much to make anyone a snob.
> ...



I think that Festival has more or less got it in a nutshell. That's as good a definition as I have seen of a good bike, using the current marketplace for new bikes to define it. If you talking old or built up bikes then things get more hazy.


----------



## festival (25 Feb 2013)

Cycleops said:


> I think that Festival has more or less got it in a nutshell. That's as good a definition as I have seen of a good bike, using the current marketplace for new bikes to define it. If you talking old or built up bikes then things get more hazy.


Thanks, its a case of semantics (I think that's the right word) but also, if you have never ridden a £1500 bike let alone a £3000 one you may have a gap in your knowledge and unable to appreciate the bigger picture.
E.g. I know the carrera brand very well and if someone asks "I have £350 max, is this a good bike?" I would say, for the money its good and will do a job (depending on the riders needs) but it sits very low in the list of what makes a good bike.
The last bike I raced on some years ago was a trek oclv with mavic krysirium wheels, campag record and finishing kit to match. It was as good as any pro would use, I loved it but after a long lay off, changes in frame design alone have been massive. Recently I found the aluminium giant tcr frame alone made a big difference in performance and comfort regardless of my state of fitness.
But a bikes a bike and I have seen plenty of good bikes let get into right state which is the real shame.
I will say no more as I recognize I am starting to sound like a bore ( or a snob).


----------



## Cycleops (25 Feb 2013)

No, I don't think you are sounding boring or snobish. It is always intetesting to try and define these terms we use all the time without really knowing what we mean.


----------

