Charity Ride

[GarySmith21]

Evening all,

As a complete newbie to cycling - excluding the years you spend on your bike as a kid - I was after some advice.

Myself and 2 friends have decided to undertake a bike ride for charity at the beginning of the summer.

The route is 260 miles long and we're planning to do it over 4 days.

We're currently debating what bikes to use. Working on the assumption that we won't be needing the bikes after the event, we need something short term.

We've looked into hiring but that leaves us nothing to train with.

We've therefore looked at buying 3 of the cheapest road bikes we can find - currently the Barracuda Cipressa - which gets slated on this forum for good reason. But will it do us for a few months training and the event itself? Also having 3 of the same should make it easier for us to maintain for the short time we have them.

What do you guys think?!!

Any help appreciated!!

 

[punkypossum]

I've comfortably done the same distance over 4 days on a mountain bike with semi-slicks...it's not that long, pretty much any bike would do (although a full susser might be a bad idea)

 

[GarySmith21]

Thanks punkypossum.

Have decided against the Barracuda. Now looking at either the Raleigh Airlite 100 or the Dawes Giro 200.

Alternatively, we might just get 3 second hand bikes off ebay.

 

[jimboalee]

Check out the bike hire stores in Edinburgh.

 

[postman]

Gary all the best for your ride.Once you have done you will have the bug.My first 'charity' ride was the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride.When it went togood old Scarborough.
When i had finished i actually cried.We had young people in wheelchairs cheering us.These were the children we were cycling for.
You will find it hard to stop doing it.Cycling is a 'drug'.

 

[HJ]

Get your selves down to the bike station on Causewayside and get them to sort you out with something suitable. Then when you have done your ride you can do a little more for Charity and give them back as a donation.

I should point out that there is one flaw in your thinking, you assume that you "need something short term", you under estimate the addictive nature of cycling. Having done the training and the 260 mile ride, you will probable find that you just want to keep on riding and you won't want to give up the bikes...

 

[jimboalee]

I beg to differ ( again ).

A chap I worked with did a charity ride. 100km B'ham - Oxford BHF.

After the ride, he threw the bike on the skip and swore he'd never do that silly stunt again.
Two girls from the Accounts Dept did the same ride ( as part of our Company team ). They phoned their boyfriends when they saw the hill up to The Brailes. The bikes were for sale on Monday.

They all trained for 6 weeks around North Worcestershire. Not enough, evidentally.

I carried on and rode home after, making a 200km day.

 

[HJ]

I beg to differ ( again ).

Just try not to make a habit of it

 

[aqaleigh]

Thanks punkypossum.

Have decided against the Barracuda. Now looking at either the Raleigh Airlite 100 or the Dawes Giro 200.

Alternatively, we might just get 3 second hand bikes off ebay.

I have a giro 300 and i've done over 2000 miles on it so far - its been great and I would recommend the giro for an entry level road bike