2nd hand / refurbished racers

[swee'pea99]

I think you're being a bit dogmatic there, RR. As a longtime fan of 70s/80s steel frames, I finally succumbed to the sheer elegance (and reported performance) of a Vitus 979, and I certainly have not been disappointed. It's certainly neither dull nor unresponsive, and while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I personally don't find it clumpy or ugly (tho' I'd probably concede to yours - lovely bike - if aesthetics were the only criterion). As to its longevity, well, it's 20 years and fine & dandy - and it's held up to a year plus of my London commuting so far, which is more than two of my previous steel bikes did.

I don't think there's anything inherently bad about aluminium as a material for frames; it's just that its lightness allows mediocre design and construction to neverthless just about pass muster, which has enabled a whole generation of lazily-produced and fundamentally pretty crappy machines.

 

[Globalti]

Interesting comments. Can you educate me a bit on mediocre design and construction? I assume you mean those awful chewing gum welds you see on some alu frames? What qualities does alu have - apart from lightness - which make it attractive as a frame material? I'm interested in the comparative characteristics of different metals; I own a titanium MTB and could natter for ten minutes about titanium!

 

[gbb]

Hasnt this thread gone awry somewhat
The OP is looking for a cheap, basic racer at, i assume a cheap price. We've somehow moved to the benefits and asthetics of high end materials.
I may have missed something....but i dont think so

 

[kennyc]

2nd hand racers

Should have added to my 1st comment that I am based up in Glasgow.

Kenny

 

[Over The Hill]

So your suggestion is to purchase a bike with possibly more gears just in case because it must be better because it is newer ? what tosh

I have a 1970's six speed double steel reynolds 531 and it rides like a dream. There are plenty of great older bikes which can be picked up for a snip.

That was not my point.
Yes there are loads of out dated old bikes that were fantastic in their day and still are good for a ride or interest or just because you have pulled up the drawbridge on life.
BUT for your £50-£100 you can easily get a 21 or 24 gear bike.

Now your old croc may be great for you but the post is in BEGINNERS and really it is hard enough getting into the habit of cycling (weighing a bit too much, being unfit, getting used to a saddle etc) to also lumber yourself with a bike that is not up to the standard today and makes the job harder for you. You and the original post are living in the past. He because he has got out of contact with cycling, you (I guess) because you want to.

If you are new to cycling the best progress will be made with a modern bike. The old one will be a rusting heap that has been sitting in the shed for years.

Gears help you get up the hill, the more you have the easier it is. It is horrid busting a gut on a steep hill if you do not need to (most newbies get a mountain bike to help with this problem), you seem to forget what it is like starting out and how tough it can be.

If someone had just passed their driving test would you recommend that they get an old Cortina? No a modern car runs rings around an old one and it is the same with bikes. Yes you can find merit in the Cortina over the soulless modern car but really the modern car is the one to go for. Same with your bike. You want it to work and do a good job at getting you around and up the hills.

Alloy makes for a very light bike to handle putting away or on the car roof, less of an issue when riding, so again make life easier for yourself guys!

As may views as cyclists!!!!!!!!!

 

[RedBike]

BUT for your £50-£100 you can easily get a 21 or 24 gear bike.

You're not serious, are you?
You really would prefer a £50 - £100 MTB over a classic steel racer?
Each to their own.

Gears help you get up the hill, the more you have the easier it is

No they don't. It's having the 'right' gear helps you get to the top of the hill.

Alloy makes for a very light bike to handle putting away or on the car roof, less of an issue when riding, so again make life easier for yourself guys!

You'll probably find most good (old) steel bikes are lighter than budget aluminium ones.

 

[swee'pea99]

Absolutely RedBike. You missed one tho': "a modern car runs rings around an old one and it is the same with bikes." Er, no, it isn't.

 

[4F]

That was not my point.
Yes there are loads of out dated old bikes that were fantastic in their day and still are good for a ride or interest or just because you have pulled up the drawbridge on life.
BUT for your £50-£100 you can easily get a 21 or 24 gear bike.

You are right, you could easly get a modern pile of rubbish made out of cheese components for £ 50 to £ 100 which may have lots of gears however you will have to replace it in about 6 months time (if its last this long) as it has fallen to bits. I many years ago thought this was the route and bought a £ 69.99 mtb out of the littlewoods catalogue. Probably the worst thing I ever did as it did not last a year.

I found that by buying second hand and older bikes you could get some very good specs which you would only get the equivalant if you spent £ 750 plus on a modern bike.

Each to their own. If you are happy with spending £ 100 every year on a sub standard bike then good luck.

 

[Arch]

If you are returning to cycling then you are certainly in need of more than 12 gears unless you live in Holland.

Nonsense! About town I rarely use more than 3 of my gears - ok, York's pretty flat. But even when I'm up in Northumberland, as I am a couple of times a year, I rarely use more than 8 or 9 and for the most part am using the same 3 or 4 as at home.

Like redbike says, it's not how many you have, it's which ones you have, and how you use them.

I gather some people even manage with only the one!

 

[jasper]

You can't use all 21 gears anyway, because of the extremities of the chain position. In my opinion, anything more than a 21 sprocket on the back (23 at a push) looks silly on a road bike, more suited to an MTB. I rode up Mt Troodos in Cyprus (approx 2500m) on a 52/42 13-21 and I'm by no means the fittest bloke on here.

It had normal drops on though, not the aerobars.

It's a 16 years old, 14 spd, Columbus tubed, road bike and there isn't a patch of rust on it. Apart from the odd scratch it looks and rides brand new. Look after your bike, service it regularily and it will last years.

As others have said, new is not always better. Go for what your budget will allow and you'll generally get more for your money in a decent framed/spec'ed old bike. Personally, I prefer smaller tubed frame and not oversized as generally found on ally ones.

 

[swee'pea99]

Kenny - are you tallish? This looks worth a look...

 

[Over The Hill]

You are right, you could easly get a modern pile of rubbish made out of cheese components for £ 50 to £ 100 which may have lots of gears however you will have to replace it in about 6 months time (if its last this long) as it has fallen to bits. I many years ago thought this was the route and bought a £ 69.99 mtb out of the littlewoods catalogue. Probably the worst thing I ever did as it did not last a year.

I found that by buying second hand and older bikes you could get some very good specs which you would only get the equivalant if you spent £ 750 plus on a modern bike.

Each to their own. If you are happy with spending £ 100 every year on a sub standard bike then good luck.

I am back for more guys so pile in!

OK I have a Felt F85. It has 24 gears on it STI shifts and is not far off a modern spec. I bought it second hand last year for £140 when it was about four or five years old. It is like new when I get round to cleaning it. It gets me up hills with ease as it has a granny ring on the front and I cycle it up Ditchling Beacon when the hill defeats many much fitter riders. The bike was about £600 new.

I would recommend a bike like that. I did not say get a crap bike from littlewoods. My point is really that things advance for the better and so the newer bike is generally seen as better and will be a bit easier to ride.

If you want to latch onto some outmoded way of riding then go for it. Bloke who cycled around the world was on a modern bike not an old iron one- ask yourself why.

Reasonable second hand bike costs you nothing as you can sell it for the same money if you do not like it. You can get newish good quality bikes for not much money. A 20 year old bike is really not worth having when you can get a newer one so cheaply. New bikes do not hold their price.

 

[Scoosh]

A 20 year old bike is really not worth having when you can get a newer one so cheaply.

Is there a "dividing line" between what is old (= too old and u/s) and "newer" (= young enuf still to be good - and cheap) ??
I wonder if it is the retirement of friction shifters/introduction of sti (or whatever the correct tekkie term is) which can be taken to be the big change ??

Back to the OP:
kennyc - do you have an equivalent of The Bike Station in Glasgow ? I'm sure there will be something similar, where you might find what you are after. I got a fully serviced Peugot Aspin 12 speed, with bike lock, cycle helmet and Spokes cycle map of Edinburgh for ................................ £5.
Best buy ever. (OK, it was through a special deal with schools but the regular price for the bike would have been about £55)

 

[swee'pea99]

Or if you're, what, 5'8"-ish or something, this will give you a lot of bike for your money...

 

[Tharg2007]

hmm that would suit me, im looking for a geared bike, anyone any idea of what the tubing would be on that peueot?

actually no, its a little small for me, 22 c-t i need 22 c-c minimum