JamesM
Senior Member
- Location
- West Yorks
My wife's looking for a cheap bike to see how she gets on with cycling but I don't want her getting a pile of junk. Go Outdoors are selling a Raleigh Mustang for £99.99 - anyone come across them before?
Is this cheap or was it never worth close to £240?
- Thread starter JamesM
- Start date
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You can do better than that for £240, no idea how it stacks up against other bikes retailing at £99 though. Looks like the sales tactic Sainsbury's use to sell dodgy wine in the aisle displays (was £11:99 now £5:49).
What sort of budget? Something like a Carrera Subway (from Halfords) is relatively cheap yet widely recommended.
What sort of budget? Something like a Carrera Subway (from Halfords) is relatively cheap yet widely recommended.
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
It is cheap, sadly it also looks it.
I would look at getting a QUALITY second-hand bike.
I would look at getting a QUALITY second-hand bike.
OP
OP
JamesM
Senior Member
- Location
- West Yorks
I had thought of that option RedBike but wouldn't know where to look or what to look for.
Budget is as cheap as possible. Cheapest one LBS does is £130. Obviously not as good as more expensive ones but the guy there reckons it's as good as you'll get for that kind of money (can't remember what it is, I'll have to nip back and check)
Budget is as cheap as possible. Cheapest one LBS does is £130. Obviously not as good as more expensive ones but the guy there reckons it's as good as you'll get for that kind of money (can't remember what it is, I'll have to nip back and check)
see this, http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=39020&highlight=buying+bike
get a cheap bike and your throwing your money away, no need to spend thousands, but the difference between £80 and £300 is vast.
check out ebc
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com
get a cheap bike and your throwing your money away, no need to spend thousands, but the difference between £80 and £300 is vast.
check out ebc
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
The revolution series from EBC (as above) are great value for money as are Decathlons bikes (although avoid the very cheap ones). Giant also tend to make good quality budget bikes.
If you really want as cheap as possible then Asda have a bike shaped object at £60. Although I strongly advice that you avoid buying anything from Halfords, catalogue stores or supermarkets.
If you want something respectable new then you'll probably have to increase your budget to say £250.
If you really want as cheap as possible then Asda have a bike shaped object at £60. Although I strongly advice that you avoid buying anything from Halfords, catalogue stores or supermarkets.
If you want something respectable new then you'll probably have to increase your budget to say £250.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
My wee sister had one as a kid (fixed fork) and it was good enough for her but it was a heavy bike (the suspension will make it heavier) and was pretty low specced; I think you'll do better.
e-rider
Banned member
- Location
- South West
This is a mega cheap bike and looks very similar to other £100 bikes. Your lady friend will struggle to enjoy cycling on this bike. I would say that to get a decent bike you need to spend £300 min. and also know what to look for. For womans mountain bikes 'Specialized' make decent bikes for £300.
soulful dog
Veteran
- Location
- Glasgow
A cheap bike for your wife to see if she wants to take up cycling? Like RedBike, I thoroughly recommend you go for a second hand bike. It doesn't even have to necessarily be a good quality one, a half-decent second hand bike can be bought for cheaper than buying a new £100 bike and it will be a lot more enjoyable to ride. If she takes to it, then look at getting a better one, even if it is only a few months down the line.
I bought an old Raleigh for £40 (can't remember the model, it was just a bog-standard ladies bike - not a mountain bike) to see how I'd get on with cycling, I quite enjoyed it so sold it maybe 6 months later for £30 and upgraded to a second hand Claud Butler for £120. I keep promising myself if I can lose some weight, I'll eventually treat myself to a new bike, and maybe spend £300 on a decent one too!
I bought an old Raleigh for £40 (can't remember the model, it was just a bog-standard ladies bike - not a mountain bike) to see how I'd get on with cycling, I quite enjoyed it so sold it maybe 6 months later for £30 and upgraded to a second hand Claud Butler for £120. I keep promising myself if I can lose some weight, I'll eventually treat myself to a new bike, and maybe spend £300 on a decent one too!
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
Go to the local tip (recycling centre) and look in the metal bin.
9 times out of 10 you'll see cheap bikes in there.
Look closely, hardly a scratch, hardly ridden.
Theyre known as BSOs (Bicycle Shaped Objects).
They cost less than £100, get ridden a couple of times, either break or they're so disappointing to use that they go in the garage/ shed or wherever.
Couple of months or years on - the space is needed.
Into the car boot and off to be turned into beer cans.....
That's good advice in the posts before this one.
9 times out of 10 you'll see cheap bikes in there.
Look closely, hardly a scratch, hardly ridden.
Theyre known as BSOs (Bicycle Shaped Objects).
They cost less than £100, get ridden a couple of times, either break or they're so disappointing to use that they go in the garage/ shed or wherever.
Couple of months or years on - the space is needed.
Into the car boot and off to be turned into beer cans.....
That's good advice in the posts before this one.
Alembicbassman
Confused.com
Most cheap bikes come with dreadful quality pressed metal and rough cast components. Plastic is also used on brake callipers and levers, which breaks quickly.
You can get a basic Giant city bike for around £200 new. Or for £200 you can get an even better used bike.
Liquidation sales are good, new bikes for low prices (no warranties though).
The Raleigh leisure bikes are cheap Chinese imports. Their road bikes are actually pretty good (I have one), good quality components and frames, but they cost the same as the other makes, Trek, Giant, Specialized etc...
You get what you pay for.
For £200+ get at least:
Aluminium frame.
Shimano Acera/Alivio 24 speed (been around Donkey's years and tough as nails)
Rigid Cro-mo forks (cheap suspension forks are not good at this price point and not really that useful on road).
You can get a basic Giant city bike for around £200 new. Or for £200 you can get an even better used bike.
Liquidation sales are good, new bikes for low prices (no warranties though).
The Raleigh leisure bikes are cheap Chinese imports. Their road bikes are actually pretty good (I have one), good quality components and frames, but they cost the same as the other makes, Trek, Giant, Specialized etc...
You get what you pay for.
For £200+ get at least:
Aluminium frame.
Shimano Acera/Alivio 24 speed (been around Donkey's years and tough as nails)
Rigid Cro-mo forks (cheap suspension forks are not good at this price point and not really that useful on road).
Fiona N
Veteran
Don't - please don't - go for the £70 Asda BSOs. There was a 'review' in the Guardian last week and they weren't impressed but the following day I happened to be in an Asda and saw the display so went to look at them. Frankly I wouldn't have given them £7 - nasty cheap gear, wobbles and loose bits all over the place, bearings felt like sand - assuming, of course, the pedals and wheels had bearings at this price! Horrible - Ebay would be a far better place if you're looking to spend less than £100 as other posters have pointed out.
OP
OP
JamesM
Senior Member
- Location
- West Yorks
Don't worry. There was never any danger of me buying the Asda one! As I said in the opening post, I really don't want to get her a pile of junk as I want her to enjoy it!
I've found a shop reasonably locally that says it does part exchanges and thus has "a small range of second hand bicycles". Might pop along there and see what they've got...
I've found a shop reasonably locally that says it does part exchanges and thus has "a small range of second hand bicycles". Might pop along there and see what they've got...
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
JamesM said:
Looking at that shops range of new bikes they don't half sell a load of rubbish. Lord knows what their second-hand stuff is like if someone has exchanged it in for one of those Pro-bike 'things'.
Merida and Pashely are great brands but sadly probably well out of budget.
Dawes and Claud Butler both make nice bikes but they have also started making a lot of rubbish too.
The other brands just look sterotypical of the cheap rubbish you always get in catalouges.
