Getting Into Road Biking

[Officer_custard]

Hello,

So here is the deal. I live in a rural town around 10 miles from where i work, I earn a minimal wage and at the moment my mother is using my car to help gain money for a new one of her own. So for the past three weeks I've been making this journey on a battered old £25 hybrid fixer-up that just about gets me there. It's barely safe and it's literally like riding though custard. I enjoy riding bikes but this one just grinds my gears (Literally)

With this in mind I thought i'd get a new bike, a better, faster bike, that would make this journey easier and i'd be more likely to take it out on a sunny weekend and do some serious mileage. The problem is, I literally know nothing about bikes! My view is "I push down on the pedal and it moves forwards, keep the front wheel pointed where you want to go and you should go there, touch the brakes if it gets to dicey and change gear if it gets to hard" But mechanically not a clue, I've changed tires and pads before but when someone starts stuff like Chain-sets or Shimano gears, you literally would be better talking to a brick wall..


So basically I'm looking for a bike around £250 to £400 that I can use to get to work. I like the thought of a road bike and the chance to go into competitions etc but I really don't know where to start, what to look for and more importantly, what to avoid..

I have looked at these bikes which both seem reasonably priced but i'm open to suggestions.
Carrera Zelos

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_810601_langId_-1_categoryId_165710

(Updated Link)

Viking Torino
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/44223/Viking-Torino-Mens-Road-Bike-Sale.html


Thanks for taking the time to read this thread, I hope one day this will become a good fitness hobby and will upgrade and develop. DanDan

 

[Eribiste]

I reckon about two minutes before a host of responders advise you to visit Decathlon and look at a Triban 3. They're darned good value for the £300 or so one has to pay to acquire such a thing. A chum of mine has one, and it's given sterling service over the hundreds of miles he's ridden it.
Happy hunting.

 

[themosquitoking]

I think the Halfords link is wrong, it just took me to a page with no bikes on. I would generally not buy something like a bike from Halfords as the customer service in those shops is always worse than appalling.
Aside from that, there's been a couple of threads praising the bikes on http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-359113-road-bikes there recently.
Can't tell you much more as i know little more than you, you'll get better help than mine anyway here though.

 

[Officer_custard]

I have heard some fantastic reviews about the Triban 3 from my research.. Unfortunately my size, 54" is out of stocks... Ebay coming up short aswell, unless i drive 100miles for bike and i'm not that hardcore..... yet

 

[themosquitoking]

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=104491 that one looks pretty cool and that and price is all i'm going on.

 

[vickster]

Need to be a Giant to ride it lol but a good bike for the cash

 

[Officer_custard]

Looks good. Might be a silly question but what are so good about Shimano gears?

 

[vickster]

You shift from the handlebars for starters not down on the frame

Research, investment, weight, durability, millions of happy cyclists

 

[Officer_custard]

You shift from the handlebars for starters not down on the frame

What! That amazing. I'm so blind to all this...

 

[Rob500]

£399 Triban 5 A
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-a-id_8239801.html

 

[matthat]

Hi officer custard,
I started on a specialized hybrid 4-5 yrs ago and have now upgraded to a giant defy 3! Now both are out of your price range and mine to!! But luckily my employer is on the http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/. Which basically lets you spread your payments out over 12 months. Have a look at it because that way you may be able to spend a bit more and save on expensive upgrade out of your own pocket in 6-12 months time. By upgrade i mean better gear set or higher quality accessories. My original purchase was £560 with bike and helmet and lock and I think i paid about £28 a month for 12 months! It doesn't take a mathematician to workout that that doesn't add up to 560 its because the tax is taken off it!! Most major corporate businesses are on one of the various cycle schemes and even if not you can speak to your friendly HR dept and ask them to investigate going on to one.
Hope this is food for thought any further queries feel free to ask in PM or through thread.

Matt

 

[guitarpete247]

£399 Triban 5 A
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-a-id_8239801.html

I'd like to see one of these but all stores near me show it is unavailable. Is it in stores or only on the web?

 

[vickster]

What! That amazing. I'm so blind to all this...

Not sure if you're being sarcastic?! The ones you have linked to have STI gears as they are called

Maybe go to a local bike shop and have a look at the options. Quite a few will offer interest free credit if you are ok with the never-never (just make sure you insure itn and lock it up with a good lock - which alone will cost you around £60)

 

[Officer_custard]

Not sure if you're being sarcastic?!

I wasn't....

 

[Col5632]

I'd like to see one of these but all stores near me show it is unavailable. Is it in stores or only on the web?

I'm not overly sure about all shops but the Edinburgh store has told me that have various sizes in stock