A Newbie's bike shopping notes

[Weesilvie]

Hello all

Firstly, apologies if similar questions have been asked before - there's just so much useful and interesting stuff in here, I couldn't ever hope to read it all! And I'll apologise for not being terribly knowledgeable about bikes...

So, I have discovered that my work will allow me an interest free loan (which I pay back through salary reduction over a year) to buy a bike which I can use to commute to work. Not the Cycle to Work scheme (even though I work for the government - go figure!), but the same as if I wanted to buy a year's season ticket for the train, for example. I have an old and cheap bike which really doesn't fit me (it's a big gents one, I'm an average sized woman!), so although I look forward to going out cycling, it's never quite comfortable. I want to enjoy it more.

Yesterday I went round all my nearest local bike shops and had varying experiences - I went to three independents, Cyclelife, Evans, a Zero G shop and a Specialized concept shop. My favourites were one of the independents and the Zero G shop. Cycllife, the Specialized store and one of the independents were a bit weird, one of the independents was great but tried to press me out of my budget range, Evans had loads of assistants in it none of whom came to talk to me - my favourites were one of the independents and Zero G, so I would like to buy from one of them. Zero G also happens to be less than 10 minutes walk from my house, making it perfect!

The two bikes I tried, were within my budget range, and I liked were the Specialized Vita and the Trek 7.1 FX, both £350 (budget is £400). These were what I was recommended after telling the shop assistants that I wanted a hybrid type bike for a short commute (under 2 miles each way) and for longer leisure rides in evenings and weekends - I live in Bristol, so the railway path, the riverside paths etc, some tarmac and some that kind of fine gravel. I don't intend spending days on end on the bike, but the capability to do a few longer rides would be nice.

Do you think my choice of shops is appropriate? Do you think the bikes I am looking at will be appropriate for the kind of use I'm suggesting (i.e. daily, some longer rides, but not millions of miles)? Another desirable feature is that it should be lightweight - I need to lift it up steps and turn it round in a small space to be able to store it in the house. One of the shops recommended that front suspension adds to the weight unnecessarily, so I have steered away from it. Should I have done? I would also like to fit a rack and some panniers.

I note various discussions in here on saddles and tyres and such like - whichever bike I choose, is it worth looking at changing any of the bits and pieces like that?

Thanks all

 

[Piemaster]

Some sensible shopping going on there . Sounds like you've gone about choosing a bike the right way, getting a feel for the shops, talking to assistants and getting some good advice. This isn't intended to be sexist just an observation that made me smile before I looked for the bikes, but I would have guessed you were female without you're choice of female frame bikes. My wife shops the same way. I don't.

If you're happy with Zero G, go there. Somewhere you are happy to take it back to if you have any problems in the future after purchase is a great idea. May even be worth a few £ more on original purchase cost over the likes of Evans.

Both bikes look promising for you intended use. Buy the one thats nicest to ride. Easy as that. I don't own a bike with suspension and never found it any bother on the types of surface you describe. You can play about with tyre pressure to adjust how the bike feels on rougher surfaces.

I can't see if the bikes you mentioned have 'braze-ons' - mounting points for a rack. Would be worth checking first but there are ways around it. See if the shop will fit one and sell you panniers with the bike - they may even do you a bit off as a package.

don't worry about saddles/tyres immediately. See how you get on with the ones fitted. they are easy enough to change later.

 

[Weesilvie]

Hello Piemaster - thanks

The chap in Zero G showed me that the Specialzed one had those fixings for a rack, not sure about the Trek one, so I'll check next time I look. I have a rack on my old bike so hopefully thay can can just switch it for me, save me buying a new one.

I'm new to the whole seriousness of cycling, so really don't understand all the jargon that there is in the catalogues about gears, frames and all that - at the end of the day I want a bike that functions for what I'm buying it for, feels nice and - yes, I admit it, looks nice!

 

[corshamjim]

If you're fitting a rack, I would get the bike shop to supply and fit that at the time you buy the bike. Hopefully then they won't charge you for the labour of fitting it. Racks are usually not too difficult to fit yourself, but I've found a couple recently which have been a right pain for one reason or another.

The only other thing I would think about fitting from day 1 (if the bike you chose doesn't have them already) is mudguards. Again, if you buy them at the time of purchase get the shop to fit them for you.

Both the bikes you mention look like they should be fun and fit for what you want to do.

 

[Weesilvie]

I have a slight concern about the width of the tyres - 35 for Trek and 32 for the Specialized - will these be sturdy enough for a proper clumsy cyclist and for paths and tracks that aren't tarmac (but aren't across fields or up mountains!)? And please excuse the ignorance - could I put bigger ones on, if necessary?

If there are potholes to be found or ways to throw myself off the bike, I'll find them, in shedloads!

 

[summerdays]

Another shop in Bristol that several friends have bought from is Bike up by habitat.

Another thing to consider at the point of purchase is whether you want to change the tyres to ones with puncture resistance - hopefully they should just charge you the difference and fit them for you as well. As for the saddle ... I would give the one on that comes with the bike a try first and it you don't like it then wander over to the specialized shop to get a ladies one (after they measure your sit bones sitting on their cushion).

 

[Weesilvie]

I would also like a decent set of lights and a simple computer - any advice? Don't want to spend loads but want something that will work sensibly and last. I like the thought of Cat-Eye - but that's becasue I like anything anything to do with cats!

And locks - I don't want to be losing my shiny new bike! I have a very basic D-lock from Halfords - will this do? I have seen extension thingies so you can lock both wheels with one lock - is this a reasonable way to go?

 

[summerdays]

A good thread to follow is the Bargins thread ... and I remembered seeing the Smart Lights at Planet X post:https://www.cyclechat.net/
I've no idea myself what the front light is like but the back light - the Smart 1/2 Superflash, is one of the recommended rear lights (I've several myself which I paid between £7-15 pounds for - they were more expensive in the past). That would probably be a good first set of lights - then depending on how much night cycling you do you may decide to get additional lights.

(I'm not a Cat-Eye fan ... I think that they are over priced generally).

 

[Weesilvie]

Thanks Summerdays - I'll have a look at the bargains thread. I know that bits and pieces are likely to be much cheaper to buy online, but I'm hoping that wherever I get my bike from will give me a discount on a few things. Think what I'll do is get the things I'd want to see before buying and/or might need help fitting, such as a rack and panniers, from the shop. Lights and computers can come from a website, I'm sure I can manage to fit those myself!

And I've been looking at the Bike UK website - might need to take myself on up there later today! At least if I buy from there it's downhill most of the way home....

By the way, the other independent shop I liked is Fred Baker. The one that tried to push me out of my price range was Mud Dock - a shame, because it's a nice shop

 

[Norm]

Hey, Silvie, welcome to CC.

I have a slight concern about the width of the tyres - 35 for Trek and 32 for the Specialized - will these be sturdy enough for a proper clumsy cyclist and for paths and tracks that aren't tarmac (but aren't across fields or up mountains!)? And please excuse the ignorance - could I put bigger ones on, if necessary?

I've got 32mm tyres on one of my bikes which gets used for all sorts of off road stuff, including across fields and up (Berkshire) mountains, so don't be too concerned at the tyre sizes.

Although the Vita comes with Specialized All Condition Sport, rather than the Specialized Borough CX Sport I use, and I don't think they would work very well on mud and wet grass anyway.

The choice of rear light is easy - get a couple of Smart 1/2 watt.

Front lights is not so easy, because you get what you pay for and the "best" light depends whether you are using it to see (on unlight roads and paths) or to be seen (on lit roads).

Cateye Computers are good, a basic wireless like the Cateye Velo wireless is all that is needed, although the MC100W is a handy upgrade.

Buying from a good independent is good, they'll help you choose what is right for you. Rather than recommending a particular bike, though, I'd recommend a test ride of at least an hour.

 

[vickster]

I've got a cateye velo wireless, done 600 miles with it, faultless, although the rubbery stuff between its bracket and the handlebars has disintegrated

I had a 2009 Trek 7.3 (I think, may have been a 7.2). Very light and quick bike

 

[Weesilvie]

Thanks all

Have now been to the Bike UK shop and can add the Ridgeback Comet to my list of desirables - £350 again. Three seems like a suitable shortlist, so I'll wait until I've got time and the weather's right to test ride them all in the same day, so as to hopefully make it easiest to choose. Hope the links work - these are they -

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bike...etails?url=uk/en/bikes/road/fitness/fx/7_1_fx

http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=52914&scid=1002&scname=Transport/Fitness

http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/comet

Really looking forward to my shiny new bike! I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[Jenkins]

I ran the Trek 7100 (which is essentially the 7.1FX with front suspension) for three years so I can recommend the 7.1FX. It is a good entry level bike, the 35mm Bontragers were strong enough to use on a bridal-way/rough track which formed part of my commute at the time on a daily basis while the bike as a whole would take the abuse of this track, a pot holed dock road and speed bumps while remaining comfortable, yet it was still capable of relatively fast fun fides when required. In addition it also took a rack and panniers and full mudguards.

 

[Piemaster]

Back to the tyres. I do a very short stretch of my commute on 23's over this without any bother. 35's will be fine




I like the sign on the post on the left too.

 

[Weesilvie]

I'm a libran which makes it very difficult for me to make decisions! A friend at work was telling me that he had a good experience at Evans recently and that perhaps I shouldn't dismiss them. He told me the name of the assistant he spoke to who sounded great, so if I go back there I'll seek her out.

So, another question - should I consider adding a Pinnacle (Cobalt or Lithium 2), a Scott Sportster 60 or a Kona bike to my shortlist?

I'm all for giving myself the best base to choose from, but if that involves too many to choose from, then I could be in trouble!