Best Bike?

[dav1d]

I already have a mountain bike which I currently use, but I want to get a tourer or racing bike.I can spend around £500 on it. I would like it to be lightweight, but not flimsy, It would need to be a bike that can easily fit a pannier rack on, as I plan on using it on long journeys. It would also have to have decent tyres because if they are not, I am the kind of person that gets a lot of punctures!Is the Raleigh Pioneer U1 Commuter Bike any good? Only seen a photo on the Halfords website, so I don't know.

 

[bonj2]

if you must use halfords, get one of the boardman range of bikes, and check it on delivery as they can't be trusted to set it up correctly/safely.

but why not consider something else
like a ribble audax/winter
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/BikeBuilder.asp#

or a kaffenback
http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Custom_Kaffenback_Build.html

to avoid punctures, don't ride in the gutter where a lot of debris collects, but stick to the left tyre track - i.e. the path that the left hand tyres of cars typically go along. The cars' tyres typically sweep debris away. it's safer anyway as you're more visible.

 

[dav1d]

Thanks. The halfords bike was just an example, I don't need to use Halfords, although I would prefer to buy from a bike shop in or near Piccadilly in Manchester rather than online so I'd be able to take it back easy if it had any faults with it.

Seen a bike I really like the look of in the April issue of Cycling Plus on page 140: 2009 Ribble Sportive Racing, quite a bit over my £500 (almost double!) but I may be willing to save the extra if it suited my needs. Can't find it on that website as a complete bike. Would that type of frame be no good to fit a pannier rack on?

 

[Randochap]

If you can see your way to £1,000, then you're into a whole different realm -- of quality bicycles. There are plenty to choose from in this range. I'm sure someone will be able to point you to an appropriate UK option.

Here, for instance, I could get a semi-custom Marinoni tourer or "audax" bike w/ mid-range Campag or Shimano components.

See the touring/randonneuring pages at VeloWeb for ideas.

 

[bonj2]

Thanks. The halfords bike was just an example, I don't need to use Halfords, although I would prefer to buy from a bike shop in or near Piccadilly in Manchester rather than online so I'd be able to take it back easy if it had any faults with it.

if it had "faults" with it it would be more likely due to having been set up wrongly than due to an actual faulty/broken component, and therefore you would be as well sorting it out yourself, if necessary with help by asking on here or yacf.co.uk.

 

[ed_o_brain]

dav1d, if you are in Manchester, it might be worth you paying GBH Custom Hacks a visit. They are in the Northern Quarter. I deal only with second hand bikes, but they will make sure you walk away with something that is suited to you and the type of cycling you want to do.

Failing that, theres Harry Hall, Bike Doctor, Edinburgh Bicycle Coop, Evancycles, Withington cycles and many more for you to look at.

 

[dav1d]

if it had "faults" with it it would be more likely due to having been set up wrongly than due to an actual faulty/broken component, and therefore you would be as well sorting it out yourself, if necessary with help by asking on here or yacf.co.uk.

I know they are probably rare, but there was actually a fault with my Kinetic Sabre - it had the wrong front wheel in the box!The wheel in the box was a totally different wheel, and wouldn't have been any good. Luckily, we were fixing it up just outside (I wanted to ride it ASAP but Toys R Us have a two day waiting list, so we did it ourselves), so we took it back in and they opened up another box and got the wheel out of that. I'd just feel a little bit safer if I could get to the shop where I bought the bike easily.

dav1d, if you are in Manchester, it might be worth you paying GBH Custom Hacks a visit. They are in the Northern Quarter. I deal only with second hand bikes, but they will make sure you walk away with something that is suited to you and the type of cycling you want to do.

Failing that, theres Harry Hall, Bike Doctor, Edinburgh Bicycle Coop, Evancycles, Withington cycles and many more for you to look at.

Thanks. I know where Edinburgh Bicycle Coop is, but I'm not sure where the others are. I'm not 100% sure where the Northern Quarter is - is it anywhere near the Museum Of Science and Industry?

 

[a_n_t]

I'm not 100% sure where the Northern Quarter is - is it anywhere near the Museum Of Science and Industry?

not really, it's the oldham st / tibb st kind of area.

 

[ellis]

Might be worth going Harry halls its just off oxford road (palace thearter) opposite the Ritz

 

[Zorro]

I bought a Specialized Allez 2009 back in October and I can't recommend it enough!

I especially wanted to get a bike with the capacity for a pannier rack. The rack attached fine and I use it for commuting fine. The frame is lightweight aluminium and has carbon forks and seat post so it is a very lightweight bike.

The standard tyres it comes with are not great for puncture resistance but I have changed them to Bonti Hardcases and they are brilliant. Also the spec for the price is comparitively good. Tiagra rear derailler and chainset with sora front derailler and shifters.

It costs 550 for the double 18 speed version and 580 for the triple 27 speed version.

I know it is a little more than you want to spend but the extra 50 quid will be well worth it in my opinion.

Also it has a lovely matt black finish with stark white logos. Looks super sleek when flying along the roads!!!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if you must use halfords, get one of the boardman range of bikes, and check it on delivery as they can't be trusted to set it up correctly/safely.

but why not consider something else
like a ribble audax/winter
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/BikeBuilder.asp#

or a kaffenback
http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Custom_Kaffenback_Build.html

to avoid punctures, don't ride in the gutter where a lot of debris collects, but stick to the left tyre track - i.e. the path that the left hand tyres of cars typically go along. The cars' tyres typically sweep debris away. it's safer anyway as you're more visible.

agreed, although i'd clarify that carrera are also good bikes (with bonj's caveat about checking them over post-delivery), but apollos should be avoided.