Another newbie...

[GavinNI]

Hi guys
A few years ago I wanted to get back into cycling and I bought a Specialized Hard Rock bike purely on looks. Granted, it feels like it's built like a tank but it also weighs a tonne. It was a daft purchase based on no research at all because I just didn't think about what I'd use it for. So here we are in 2008 and I want to get back into cycling again.

I've thought long and hard about what I'd use it for this time and here it is: commuting to work once or twice a week and general urban cycling plus some nice forest paths (loose stone but definitely not off-road as such) now and then at the weekend. I'd like a light bike as my Hard Rock is so heavy that it's an absolute pain going uphill and it puts me off cycling...I've noticed during my research that lots of manufacturers talk about how "lightweight" their bike is but very very few actually tell you the weight. I also want a flat bar, as it's my personal preference for cycling.

So, I spent a fun day in a couple of bike shops in Belfast. My budget is around 250-300 quid which I realise isn't much but I'm thinking about a Ridgeback, Specialized or Marin hybrid. I'm open to any suggestions though. The Ridgeback Cyclone (08) is on sale for £250 in one of the shops. There's also the Ridgeback Velocity or the Specialized Sirrus.

I know you guys get lots of questions like this so I've tried to be a little more specific about what I want. Any advice on a suitable bike would be extremely welcome.

Gavin

 

[Trent Tourist]

Hi Gavin - welcome back to cycling - you'll not be short of advice - here's mine - I'm a new boy to this forum too, came back to cycling this year after a 20 year absence. In April I bought a Felt QX70, about £300, & well worth it. As well as all round leisure use I commute just under 10 miles a day, using a mixture of road, cycle track & unsurfaced farm track. The tyres, not being tractor sized, roll along nicely, but give me no fears on surfaces not quite snooker table ;-) I added Ergo bar ends to vary hand holds, also nice for climbing. I've done 950 miles since April, and have no regrets with this bike - and the engine is 60 years old. To keep me rolling through the winter with lights and mudguards I've made up a 'winter bike' from an old 1980's Raleigh Wisp, but nothing to stop you fettling the one bike for winter.

Hugh.

 

[Scoosh]

Not much advice, just and to GavinNI and Trent Tourist and to TT for his advice - in his first post ! He's a *.

 

[swee'pea99]

Hi Gavin - welcome!

If you're 'getting back into cycling', I presume you know one end of a spanner from the other - at least to some extent - so I'd suggest at least thinking about combining ebay, google and a bit of patience. You could get a helluva lot of bike for the kind of money you're talking about. (But of course you don't get any help with fitting/adjusting/making it right for you - which is where a little bit of mechanical ability and a lot of homework can really pay dividends.)