Need a new bike - Maximum budget: £300
- Thread starter AaronR271
- Start date
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chap
Veteran
- Location
- London, GB
You have to ask yourself what you will usually find yourself doing with the bike...[cue dirty jokes]
If it is a bike more designed for the city (read concrete) and the odd trail by a riverside, take advantage of smoother, narrower tyres (not crazy racing ones mind.) If you can see yourself hurtling down green pastures or the idea of a bike caked in mud is in your minds eyes then stick to the knobbly sort.
If you do not plan on many hills I would recommend a relaxed bike such as the Dutch (formerly English) bikes. Also consider going 2nd hand, if you are unsure as many people buy bikes then don't bother, so you can get a bargain. On that note, find an agreeable local bike store, preferably independent and not the sort where you'll be face-to-face with a snotty teen dismissing anything as 'crap' that isn't a pogo stick with 90% of the wheel taken up by disc brake technology. I.e. in general avoid chain stores like the plague
And irrespective of that, have fun!
- Are you planning to use it to commute?
- Is this the grocery bike?
- Are you planning to use this despite inclement weather?
- Is speed an issue (Ok it is
but do you plan to race?) - Is this the weekender bike?
- How much space do you have?
- How much have you allocated for accessories: lights, reflective, basket?
If it is a bike more designed for the city (read concrete) and the odd trail by a riverside, take advantage of smoother, narrower tyres (not crazy racing ones mind.) If you can see yourself hurtling down green pastures or the idea of a bike caked in mud is in your minds eyes then stick to the knobbly sort.
If you do not plan on many hills I would recommend a relaxed bike such as the Dutch (formerly English) bikes. Also consider going 2nd hand, if you are unsure as many people buy bikes then don't bother, so you can get a bargain. On that note, find an agreeable local bike store, preferably independent and not the sort where you'll be face-to-face with a snotty teen dismissing anything as 'crap' that isn't a pogo stick with 90% of the wheel taken up by disc brake technology. I.e. in general avoid chain stores like the plague
And irrespective of that, have fun!
Thankyou once again everybody for your help!
I've narrowed my choice between these two bikes now, which both don't have suspension,
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/trek-72-fx-item130330.html
and
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/trek-t10-mens-item130656.html
I don't mind the style of either, and the price difference really isn't that much, so if you could tell me the better one as I don't know? - Personal views please! thanks!
- from what i've read, the first one (Trek 7.2 FX looks better, but hey, i'm a newbie.)
I've narrowed my choice between these two bikes now, which both don't have suspension,
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/trek-72-fx-item130330.html
and
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/trek-t10-mens-item130656.html
I don't mind the style of either, and the price difference really isn't that much, so if you could tell me the better one as I don't know? - Personal views please! thanks!
- from what i've read, the first one (Trek 7.2 FX looks better, but hey, i'm a newbie.)
HJ
Cycling in Scotland
- Location
- Auld Reekie
The best thing to do, is try test riding both of them, any descent bike shop will let you test ride bikes, then go for the one that feels the best. There is not a lot difference in the speces and at the end of the day your the one who is going to be riding it. You will know which is right for you if you ride it around the block a few times and go up and down the gear range.
RecordAceFromNew
Swinging Member
- Location
- West London
slight change of plan, i'm still looking at the previous bikes everyone has listed, but is it worth getting a road bike instead of hybrid? (if i just use it for road, which i will.)
Are Dawes or Coyote good makes? been looking at http://www.cyclesuk.com/104-203175 and http://www.cyclesuk.com/104-202024
thanks
Are Dawes or Coyote good makes? been looking at http://www.cyclesuk.com/104-203175 and http://www.cyclesuk.com/104-202024
thanks
biffosbats
New Member
- Location
- birmingham
Hi Aaron, just going/almost been through the same process myself, so can understand your dilemma.....Have had a Halfords £150 mountain bike with front disc brake/front suspension for about 15 months now. After not having had a bike for about 10 years, I thought this was the way back. Have used it for road and canal paths, cycle paths, parks and some sticky muddy paths too - although it is quite heavy it has served me well. But now I am fitter and more confident I wanted something lighter and quicker without going the whole road racer bit...so have about settled on a Mongoose Crossway 350 disc. If you hunt round you can get one (probably a 2009 model, but can't spot the difference between 2010 and 2009 apart from price!) for a tad over £300. But you will need to build it yourself or get help assembling it out of the box. Otherwise most places (shops and web) do it for about £370 so maybe that's a bit over your budget. The neat thing is the front suspension which can be locked out if you don't want it on the road, then unlocked for the towpaths!
Hope you find what you want
Biffosbats
Hope you find what you want
Biffosbats
thanos
Active Member
i understand deals are to be had, but a decision has to be made at some point (and still havent made mine) and at this point in the year, for sale repositories are exhausted it seems, so one can only look for so long, unless you can afford to wait for 4 months or so until september.
as far as hybrids, i only have one on the list, and its the trek 7.2 fx 2009 from jejames - but you have to pick this up from store. The position felt right, the components are there (alivio back even though the front one is nothing special), and mind you i even looked at 'better' ones like the absolute 2.0 Halfords has the carrera subway at 199 right now, but got on the bike, and .. it seemed to be cheaply made (the bike is fine) and also it does have 26" rims, vs the treks slimmer (35) 700s.
Im still trying to convince myself to go for a road bike, but the price hike is there (i considered going for a halfords carrera virtuoso, but the mech spec does seem to be a bit low).
as far as hybrids, i only have one on the list, and its the trek 7.2 fx 2009 from jejames - but you have to pick this up from store. The position felt right, the components are there (alivio back even though the front one is nothing special), and mind you i even looked at 'better' ones like the absolute 2.0 Halfords has the carrera subway at 199 right now, but got on the bike, and .. it seemed to be cheaply made (the bike is fine) and also it does have 26" rims, vs the treks slimmer (35) 700s.
Im still trying to convince myself to go for a road bike, but the price hike is there (i considered going for a halfords carrera virtuoso, but the mech spec does seem to be a bit low).
