Advice

[Joey1985]

Hi guys

Im new to cycling ive agreed to a challenge 150 miles im going out to get myself a bike soon any advise im more worried about the gear system tbh do i get 14 speed or 24 etc any advice on this would be great would rather talk to you guys that someone over the shop counter as i guess they will be just trying to make a sale thanks guys

 

[Elswick Cotterpin]

Hey Joey, the type of challenge, on road or off road, or a bit of both, the terrain, hilly or not so hilly, amount of gear you may need to be carrying, self-supported, camping whatever, your own preferences, flat-handlebars, drop handlebars, maybe your own level of fitness, too, and of course budget... (pause for breath), are all going to influence the type of bike you need. Any more details you can give us?

 

[Joey1985]

Thanks for the quick reply the route im doing is mount snowdon to swansea so im led to believe its more downhill and flat than hills my budget is not that alot under 500 seen a bike i was looking at aluminium frame light weight drop handle bars but only 14 speed and was not sure if 14 would be ok for this challenge

 

[Katherine]

So, what, where and when is the challenge?
And, where will you be training for it?

 

[Joey1985]

I will be training around swansea area have plenty of time not untill june but the soon i get training my fitness is pritty good in general and i use my legs alot i do alot of mountain climbing just did the national three peaks will try my best to cycle at least half of the route im doing at the end of training

 

[Sharky]

Yep, need to know more on the type of ride. Given the right parameters, you can do any ride on almost any bike.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/vgrPhwRvgf4Gb4XkM0NXXB/the-rickshaw-challenge-2015p

 

[mjr]

Number of gears is mostly irrelevant. More gears mainly means smaller steps between them so you'll be able to optimise your power usage and keep near 90 cadence, but more fragile parts and shifting.

What's important is the gear sizes and the range. You can calculate them for a given bike's technical info at sites like http://www.SheldonBrown.com/gears/

 

[Elswick Cotterpin]

Which bike are you looking at? Lots of good bikes available for £500. Have you ridden drops before? not everyone likes them. I have sixteen speeds... and use less than half of them for the pottering around I do! Whatever bike you decide is best suited to your needs the frame size is the most important one to get right. Best thing is to sit on a few and try them out for size if you can. Most bike shops will advise you on size, but some are more helpful than others.

 

[Joey1985]

Thanks for your replies guys been very helpfull screen shot of the bike i fancy in the sale

 

[MichaelW2]

You need low gears to climb hills and high gears to descend quickly. For endurance riders, low range is more important than high.
If you are riding and training in cold, wet conditions you will need mudguards, proper, full length bolt-on ones (SKS chromoplastic) that fix to threaded eyelets on the frame and fork. Don't get a summer afternoon play bike an then hack it around with velcro, clips and elastic bands.
Pick the correct size frame, in height and reach.
Pedals are usually low grade and replaced. You don't have to use a clipless system, and if you are a newbie, I would advise improving bike handling skills before switching.
Tyres are often low grade. Some people just ride them as is. Upgrades may bring better protection , grip and comfort. 25mm is now normal, 28mm is good for winter roads.
Budget for your accessories and if you want to haggle, go for extras, not cash off.
Lights, lock, mudguards, pump, repair kit, helmet, mitts, windproof top, waterproofs, cycle shoes and clipless pedals.

 

[Joey1985]

Brilliant help thank you michael

 

[mjr]

Not enough info on the Half-odds screenshot to work out what the gears are. I'm slightly surprised by a 2x7 modern road bike and suspect the rear axle spacing will mean that you can't upgrade it to 8, 9 or 10 at the back easily... but that would mean replacing the combined brake/shifter levers so might not be worth doing on a relatively low-price bike anyway and there's so many 7-speed rears in use that spares will probably be available for a very long time.

I wouldn't buy from them but if Decathlon or similar aren't offering anything decent, it's probably an OK convenient option.

 

[Elswick Cotterpin]

Joey, if you go to the home page here on cycle chat and put Carrera Zelos in the search box you'll find quite a few hits for it if you want to see what other owners thought of it. Mostly positive, I think.

 

[User16625]

Thanks for the quick reply the route im doing is mount snowdon to swansea so im led to believe its more downhill and flat than hills my budget is not that alot under 500 seen a bike i was looking at aluminium frame light weight drop handle bars but only 14 speed and was not sure if 14 would be ok for this challenge

Hilly as **** then. The Llanberis Pass alone is worth a granny ring and a 30+ rear sprocket. Assuming you will be riding the A470 I dont remember the rest being significantly hilly, but I have only ridden those roads on a bike with an engine.

 

[Karlt]

There is no Mount Snowdon. There is Snowdon.

That aside, you've been utterly misled. A ride cannot be "mostly downhill" unless it starts high and finishes low - you don't mean you're starting at Snowdon summit? I can't for the life of me imagine a bike that'd be suitable for riding down Snowdon on the bridleways up there and also for a further 150 miles. For the first you'd need a MTB with at least front suspension and possibly full bounce; for the latter you want a road bike with slick tyres.

Whatever, once you're off Snowdon it's going to be as much up as down, and some will be steep. Any chance of a route?