My advice to newbies.

[Hookys]

I ride a carera kraken bike which I have turned off the front suspension and changed tyres to 26x1.50 does anyone think this bike is ok for a Newcastle to Peterborough charity cycle ride or is there any more adjustments I can make to make my ride easier ?????

 

[pad1979]

hi have just bought a 2nd hand giant xtc-4. i initially wanted a basic bike to commute but this one came up for 200 quid so i thought i might as well get in to it as a hobby, the problem is i have little inclination with these sort of things and there is a problem with the rear brake. it was very weak and had next to no fluid in the system. a couple of lads at work (unfortunately) persuaded me to let them try and bleed it through. there was some fluid in the system but they flushed it out of the back and told me to get some dot 4 fluid which i did, only we had no proper equipment and they made a right mess trying to tip the fluid in. i now realise the importance of doing this task properly having watched it done on youtube and i'm hoping they haven't done any permanent damage . i would like still like to attempt it myself and having looked in to it in more depth i realise there are kits available. there are a couple of giant bleeding kits online but im not sure if i need the roots version or the mph 3, because underneath the fluid reservoir it says g4 - will either or any of these kits fit my bike ? also should i be worried why the fluid needs replacing ? do i have a leak somewhere ? part of me feels like just getting a pro to do it, but how much would it cost and also i would rather learn to do it myself than always pay out to get it done. is it really a simple task ? any help would be greatly appreciated

thanks

 

[thojj]

I aquired a second hand Carrera Vanquish,(Bessie),having borrowed a Giant OCR 1 from a friend for a month in Feb.of last year.Bessie faithfuly allowed me to learn how to ride,suffered friendly ridicule from Trek etc. owners and never let me down in just on 14000 miles in 14 months.Without doubt she was the reason for my great love of cycling.
I bought a 2010 Cannondale six carbon 105,(Katrina),for a price that was so good that I checked with the local cycle clubs and police to make sure she had not been stolen!
I agree entirely with the Halfords problem having been reliably informed by a *mechanic* that I should not put more than 50 psi in my tyres..
Bessie worked for me,Im not sure who the mechanics work for though....

 

[Psycolist]

Wondering what sort of bike to buy? Start here.

pretty much everyday there is a post on this forum saying,

'hi newbie, which bike?'

This is good, the people on this forum are passionate about helping people begin cycling.

Unfortunately there are so many, that the responses can be somewhat sporadic. It's not that people dont want to help but it really does get asked an awful lot. These are my views, there are a lot of people with more experience than me on here, but i have been in the same position as most people asking this question as i only got back into cycling over the last couple of years. i have included a lot of generalisaton but these tend to be comonly expressed views on this forum.

So what have you got?
First things first, i'm fairly sure that most people on here have, in a deep dark corner of the garage 'an old bike'. Well thats good, drag it out hose it off and assess the beast. Put some air in the tyres (i KNOW that theyre flat!). My guess is that this bike will do 90% of people who are getting back into cycling, at least for the first couple of months. If it has been in there, unused for a good while, say 4 years plus treat it to a service at your local bike shop (LBS). This should cost you about £60. Use it, enjoy it and if you are lucky you will have no need of new bikes.
If however there is no 'old bike' in the garage or it is completely inappropriate or unsafe then read on.

Firstly a bit of background
You can buy bikes EVERYWHERE nowadays. so lets have a look at the options.

Internet - Great deals - Little service, problems with sizing, not for the uninitiated
Discount suppliers - Motorworld and the like - Very Cheap, Bikes from about £80. The reason theyre cheap is because they're crap. Avoid at all costs.
Specialist bike chains - Buy a bike mag, the big swanky adds will be bike chains, Evans, Edinburgh Cycle co-op. and the like. They offer great choice, decent service and keen pricing. - A bit too corporate for some tastes (not edinburgh cycle co-op which i beleive is a proper co-operative)
Local Bike Shop-Every town has at least one, they dont always have the greatest choice but they do have almost without exception a passion for cycling, and a desire to see you leave on the right bike for you. Fnd a good one and you will treasure it like your firstborn child. These men and women know their stuff.

All things being equal - use your LBS, you wont regret it.

Halfords-One of britains biggest bike retailers, tens of thousands ride happiy on bikes from halfords. They are selling some pretty nice looking Chris Boardman bikes right now. But it is fair to say that they have earned a poor reputation on cycling forums like this. So use with trepidation.

You want a bike? WHAT FOR?
What sort of journeys do you have in mind? This is THE crucial question to deciding what bike you chould buy. I reckon the easiest way to adress this is to look generally at what each type of bike does, then match it to your needs.

ROAD BIKE - A racer as most of us used to call them when we were kids. If you are of a certain vintage then you will find things have changed... A LOT! They are as light as a feather and very quick. But by far the biggest change is that there are no more levers to change gear any more, they are incorporated into the brake levers and it was an invention bordering on genuis!! Dropped handle bars, thin wheels and tyres, anywhere between 10 and 27 gears. These are light fast, used for commuting where your journey is by road (or very good quality cycle tow path). Used for keeping fit, club and sportive (long timed rides). Not great for hooking up child seats trailers etc. If it was a car it would be a Ferrari.



HYBRID - pretty much designed to be fast commuters. They have 'flat' handlebars, (more comfortable/better view) Good brakes and bits that commuters need such as screws for mudgaurds and panniers etc, Use on road and good quality cycle paths. not ideal for the 'sportier' side of cycling. If it was a car it would be a Golf GTI





TOURER - a sort of relaxed road bike, will do everything that the bikes above will and a hole lot more, if a tad slower. Comes with holes and screws for lots of panniers and racks in case you fancy going to Bolivia. A comfortable ride. If it was a car it would be a Volvo Estate.





MOUNTAIN BIKES

Heavyier and sturdier than the bikes listed above. They have different gearing too, which means it's much easier to get up hills on them but not quite so easy to tear along on the flat. Not my area of expertise but they generally fall into three catagories

Rigid - Similar to a Hybrid but a bit slower. Big fat tyres = comfy ride. great for tarmac and rougher trails and cycle ways. Ideal for fitting kids seats to it. A great all rounder used by lots of commuters. If it was a car it would be a Ford Mondeo.





Frount suspension - Great for rough x country rides and a little tarmac based riding. Quite slow as theyre heavy and 'bouncing up and down is an in efficient use of energy. If it was a car it would be a RAV 4.



Full Suspension - usually identified by a metal spring or similar connected to the back of the bike - these are really specialist sports bikes for full on mountain biking. If it was a car it would be a Land Rover.



Specialist bikes - recumbent, trikes, folders, bmx...... the list is endless but most people returning to cycling pass these by. No matter what you are interested in someone on these forums will have one or have ridden one so ask away


Now consider the original question, what journeys will you be using the bike for? Once you have an idea of which bike is for you then get on the internet and get out to the shops. The staff will help you and when you have narrowed it down to two or three models post here and people will find it much easier to advise you on specific bikes. Your big limiting factor is budget but there is something out there for everyone, even if youre skint the second hand market can usually turn something suitable up.

There you go, thats my advice i hope you find it useful. This should with luck enable you to begin making sense of the bike market today. Any feedback welcome.

Andy

Good job

 

[Psycolist]

Great post Andy, I just have 1 concern...




....is surely much too strong, I think Halfords bikes are pretty good for the uninitiated, I have a racer (Carrera) and think it's perfectly good for my commutes, leisure rides, and prospective JoGLE next year.

I have no links with Halfords, nor any other party involved with their suplliers etc, I just feel that this should be watered down, or completely removed....

My view is that Halfords are thier own worst enemy. They try to be all things to all road users but employ mostly part time staff on minimum wage that have no formal training or knowledge of the products they sell. I'm sure each shop has a clued up manager and maybe 1 or 2 'specialists' but whats the chance of Joe Public actually speaking to one of these. They reap the crops of the seeds they sow.

 

[Norm]

My view is that Halfords are thier own worst enemy.

I see they came bottom of the Which? survey. Again.

 

[Sandra6]

Loving the advice, not so happy with the hating on Halfords. Guess where I work???
I think Halfords are like any shop the staff are key, some are great (the guys in our bike hut are amazing) and some, sadly, are not so great. Part of the problem when working for a chain is that you have to sell their products which are not always what you want to recommend. Try asking the person selling you the bike what they ride. None of our staff (apart from me) have an apollo.
Anyway, loving that my specialized hybrid is a gti - but then my appollo is a hybrid too and it's definitely more of a lada!

 

[Levity]

Great information here but I sorry i am still going to ask a which bike type of question. I know the type of bikes but can't decide what to go for as I want a bike to do everything. I am keen on doing 3-5k quick cycles for fitness and more longer leisure cycles and possibly a charity ride or two. A cyclocross was suggested to me as a compromise. I am 49, getting fitter but with back that sometimes plays up and knees that can't put up with jogging. Currently I cycle occasionally 5k on my old rust bucket of a raleigh tourer that I got 2nd hand in the early 90s. I am on a budget of £700

 

[ulidia2012]

Hi all, very informative thread, ty for all the contributions. i have bought my first bile for some time, a Giant Defy2, i plan to use it for commuting - 20 miles round trip 2 days a week initially but building up to 5, with longer trips at weekends.

I am just looking a tip or 2 for someone returning to cycling, not the obvious, panniers, keeping dry but something i may have missed just really good common sense advice for someone returning to cycling after 20 years.

Thanks

 

[slippy900]

Wondering what sort of bike to buy? Start here.

pretty much everyday there is a post on this forum saying,

'hi newbie, which bike?'

This is good, the people on this forum are passionate about helping people begin cycling.

Unfortunately there are so many, that the responses can be somewhat sporadic. It's not that people dont want to help but it really does get asked an awful lot. These are my views, there are a lot of people with more experience than me on here, but i have been in the same position as most people asking this question as i only got back into cycling over the last couple of years. i have included a lot of generalisaton but these tend to be comonly expressed views on this forum.

So what have you got?
First things first, i'm fairly sure that most people on here have, in a deep dark corner of the garage 'an old bike'. Well thats good, drag it out hose it off and assess the beast. Put some air in the tyres (i KNOW that theyre flat!). My guess is that this bike will do 90% of people who are getting back into cycling, at least for the first couple of months. If it has been in there, unused for a good while, say 4 years plus treat it to a service at your local bike shop (LBS). This should cost you about £60. Use it, enjoy it and if you are lucky you will have no need of new bikes.
If however there is no 'old bike' in the garage or it is completely inappropriate or unsafe then read on.

Firstly a bit of background
You can buy bikes EVERYWHERE nowadays. so lets have a look at the options.

Internet - Great deals - Little service, problems with sizing, not for the uninitiated
Discount suppliers - Motorworld and the like - Very Cheap, Bikes from about £80. The reason theyre cheap is because they're crap. Avoid at all costs.
Specialist bike chains - Buy a bike mag, the big swanky adds will be bike chains, Evans, Edinburgh Cycle co-op. and the like. They offer great choice, decent service and keen pricing. - A bit too corporate for some tastes (not edinburgh cycle co-op which i beleive is a proper co-operative)
Local Bike Shop-Every town has at least one, they dont always have the greatest choice but they do have almost without exception a passion for cycling, and a desire to see you leave on the right bike for you. Fnd a good one and you will treasure it like your firstborn child. These men and women know their stuff.

All things being equal - use your LBS, you wont regret it.

Halfords-One of britains biggest bike retailers, tens of thousands ride happiy on bikes from halfords. They are selling some pretty nice looking Chris Boardman bikes right now. But it is fair to say that they have earned a poor reputation on cycling forums like this. So use with trepidation.

You want a bike? WHAT FOR?
What sort of journeys do you have in mind? This is THE crucial question to deciding what bike you chould buy. I reckon the easiest way to adress this is to look generally at what each type of bike does, then match it to your needs.

ROAD BIKE - A racer as most of us used to call them when we were kids. If you are of a certain vintage then you will find things have changed... A LOT! They are as light as a feather and very quick. But by far the biggest change is that there are no more levers to change gear any more, they are incorporated into the brake levers and it was an invention bordering on genuis!! Dropped handle bars, thin wheels and tyres, anywhere between 10 and 27 gears. These are light fast, used for commuting where your journey is by road (or very good quality cycle tow path). Used for keeping fit, club and sportive (long timed rides). Not great for hooking up child seats trailers etc. If it was a car it would be a Ferrari.



HYBRID - pretty much designed to be fast commuters. They have 'flat' handlebars, (more comfortable/better view) Good brakes and bits that commuters need such as screws for mudgaurds and panniers etc, Use on road and good quality cycle paths. not ideal for the 'sportier' side of cycling. If it was a car it would be a Golf GTI





TOURER - a sort of relaxed road bike, will do everything that the bikes above will and a hole lot more, if a tad slower. Comes with holes and screws for lots of panniers and racks in case you fancy going to Bolivia. A comfortable ride. If it was a car it would be a Volvo Estate.





MOUNTAIN BIKES

Heavyier and sturdier than the bikes listed above. They have different gearing too, which means it's much easier to get up hills on them but not quite so easy to tear along on the flat. Not my area of expertise but they generally fall into three catagories

Rigid - Similar to a Hybrid but a bit slower. Big fat tyres = comfy ride. great for tarmac and rougher trails and cycle ways. Ideal for fitting kids seats to it. A great all rounder used by lots of commuters. If it was a car it would be a Ford Mondeo.





Frount suspension - Great for rough x country rides and a little tarmac based riding. Quite slow as theyre heavy and 'bouncing up and down is an in efficient use of energy. If it was a car it would be a RAV 4.



Full Suspension - usually identified by a metal spring or similar connected to the back of the bike - these are really specialist sports bikes for full on mountain biking. If it was a car it would be a Land Rover.



Specialist bikes - recumbent, trikes, folders, bmx...... the list is endless but most people returning to cycling pass these by. No matter what you are interested in someone on these forums will have one or have ridden one so ask away


Now consider the original question, what journeys will you be using the bike for? Once you have an idea of which bike is for you then get on the internet and get out to the shops. The staff will help you and when you have narrowed it down to two or three models post here and people will find it much easier to advise you on specific bikes. Your big limiting factor is budget but there is something out there for everyone, even if youre skint the second hand market can usually turn something suitable up.

There you go, thats my advice i hope you find it useful. This should with luck enable you to begin making sense of the bike market today. Any feedback welcome.

Andy

Hey Andy how you doing? That was quite impressive you must have a lot a free time on your hands either that or its raining and you cant get out on the beast lol... Very helpful advise, i've just purchased my first bike since my old bmx 30+ years ago and i'm gagging to get out on it, i had borrowed a good bike for few months it was a Cannondale 6300 but i came off it twice first time i twisted my knee the chain came off while i was in a low gear pounding up a hill lucky enough the traffic was behind me a good hundred yards the second time is more prepared so i took it in to get serviced and was told the teeth on the crank spindle thingy was worn causing the chain to come off but it was going to cost £170 so neadless to say i gave it back, so that put me off buying second hand which is ashame cos i wanted a good branded name but i decided to buy a Viking Torino which is kinda budget but all i can afford, i hope its going to be ok because if anything goes wrong with it it will end my cycling foreva!!!! I will next year if all goes well upgrade to a greater beast and would appreciate it if you could recommend me a good quality bike thats light and has got top components and around £800 bracket? I apologise for writing such a long letter....

 

[blown out the back]

Hi fair stab and informative all i would add is try as many as you can you will quickly find whats right and whats not keep upb the good work tudaroo

 

[songsforpolarbears]

this is a super resource. Thanks very much!

 

[moonjiver]

I appreciate your trouble in posting all this, think it ought to be given some kind of medal! After a few years, I'm getting back into cycling and enjoying it but .. where to start with a new modern bike? It's a bewildering choice.

Thanks to a lot of advice from the forum, I'm now looking at basic hybrids to start me off, maybe upgrade later. Good for local poodling around and all the potholes but also comfortable for longer runs. I spent years on drops but rather think that sleek racers are not for modern road conditions. You need something much sturdier and also the wide flat bars on bikes I've tried seem to make them very controllable.

Currently looking at one or two Vikings, a bottom range Claud Butler and .. a Raleigh Grande from Halfords!! I know about the poor assembly issues, trouble is I found that one very comfortable, breaks and gears terrific, and the frame and whole set-up seemed roomier for my 6ft height.

Sure some people will shoot me down and tell me to pay out more!

 

[Spiky Simon]

I spent years on drops but rather think that sleek racers are not for modern road conditions. You need something much sturdier and also the wide flat bars on bikes I've tried seem to make them very controllable.!

I think a hybrid would be fine to get you going again if that's what suits you. However, I would disagree with the above -- even the potholiest, muddiest roads around here are fine on road bikes.

 

[David Garside]

Hello. I've had a quick look around the forum and cannot find an answer to this question...I apologise if there is one and i've not found it.
How do you actually size the bike up that you require...I'm 5'6" and have an inside leg of 31". I know there is a relation to the distance "bum to pedal and bum to floor"....but how and what do you do to get the correct one for you.
Sorry if this seems a very basic and stupid question.