Buying Advice...

[Motaman]

hi, I work in a place in Bedminster and can get hold of Falcon or Claud Butler bikes pretty easily, I live near St George and the drive to work can sometimes be a massive pain so I have decided to get a bike.

I have looked at the Claud Butler range and the Falcon range, is there any big reason why I should go for CB rather than falcon? Falcon seem to be the better choice, financially. The City6 looks like a good fit, I'd need it for the commute and for some light off road use when me and the mrs go riding on the weekend.

Any advice?

Thanks

Paul

 

[Brommyboy]

That is a difficult question to answer! When I came back into cycling I enjoyed it so much that each year I changed the type of cycle until finding the one that suited the type of cycling I learned to prefer. If it just for commuting then get the type which is most comfortable for you, to ride and to purchase. Use that to determine what you prefer. Even if you change the bike each year it will cost you less than other forms of transport, especially if you are starting at the cheaper end of the market. The make is not really important but the gear fitted to it is.

 

[snailracer]

My only concern with the Falcon City 6 is the limited gear range - is the lowest gear low enough for you in hilly Bristol?

Many bikes have a triple front chainring, which is more hassle to set up and keep in correct adjustment, but allows you to crawl up any hill without strain.

Another method would be to ask the bike shop to swap in a front chainring with fewer teeth, which effectively lowers all the gears.

 

[Alan Whicker]

The Falcon Richmond is a similar bike to the City Six, but has 18 gears. Might be worth pointing out that both bikes have grip-shift gears, which not everyone gets along with (though I do!).

 

[the snail]

I would go for something with more gears, the falcon might be a bit of a plodder for recreational use and hard work up those Bristol hills. If you could stretch to £250ish I think you'd have a better choice of bikes. The Claude Butler bikes are the more upmarket range from falcon, so probably nicer components and a bit lighter. If you're strapped for cash it might be worth seeing what you can find on ebay?