New bike advice

[JoshM]

Hey guys,

So I'm relatively new to cycling and am interested in IM distance triathlon towards the end of next year. I'm very small, about 4'11, and fairly light at 53kg. I've a road bike at present with a 43cm frame, and am happy with the sizing.

My problem is that the components, particularly the gears, simply aren't up to the volume of training which would be required, and I'm looking to replace it.

I'd have up to £750 to spend and ideally I am looking for something that would take me through the training and event. I'm not expecting a pro bike, or an ultra light full carbon beast, but I'd like something reasonably light, with good reliable components.

Any suggestions, recommendations, tips etc?

 

[User6179]

Planet X pro carbon £699 looks good value.
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXSLPRIV22C/planet-x-pro-carbon-classic-sram-rival-11-small-road-bike

 

[JoshM]

Definitely on my 'compare' list thanks Eddy

Edited to add: on further investigations it's a little bit on the big side. Their 'small' frame starts at 5'3...

 

[bonsaibilly]

Not to challenge your thinking but exactly what bike and components do you currently have that makes you think they're not up to the job of the training? Bb

 

[vickster]

Why not just upgrade the parts? 105 groupset around £300

Are you expecting to grow still, ie a teen with sprouting to do?

Maybe look at the decathlon range, if wanting new, they start small

Or even some of the women's bikes?

 

[JoshM]

Not to challenge your thinking but exactly what bike and components do you currently have that makes you think they're not up to the job of the training? Bb

It's a Raleigh - not sure what model. The main problem is the gears. I don't know the correct terminology but essentially the bike only has 6-8 gears, which means it doesn't have the range I need. I can't get low enough on hills so end up grinding up them, and I can't get high enough on fast flats or downhills. Everything else seems OK at the moment though I'm getting more punctures than I'd like so perhaps need to think about new tyres. That, I'm prepared to accept, is at least partly bad luck though.

Why not just upgrade the parts? 105 groupset around £300

Are you expecting to grow still, ie a teen with sprouting to do?

Maybe look at the decathlon range, if wanting new, they start small

Or even some of the women's bikes?

Well past sprouting age I'm afraid. I'm just hobbit sized! Might be worth considering replacing the components I suppose. The gears are my main problem just now though I'm concerned that as I (hopefully) develop as a cyclist I might 'outgrow' some of the other components on the bike which I would then be obligated to replace which then ends up more expensive than buying a new bike. Especially considering my employer is in the cycle to work scheme. Perhaps this is an unjustified concern, as I couldn't tell you what these future replacements might be.

I'm happy to go second hand, to consider replacing components on mine, and buying a woman's bike (so long as the frame isn't showing pink or something!).

Essentially I'm pretty clueless and looking for some advice.

 

[Freds Dad]

Have you got a good LBS who can advise you on a new group set?

 

[vickster]

In terms of C2W, can you buy anywhere or limited to certain suppliers?

This in an XS might fit the bill. Can you get to a decathlon, where are you based? Just seen you are in Scotland they have a store in Renfrew or Edinburgh

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/ultra-700-af-road-bike-105-id_8324331.html

Hmm you may still be a little short for the XS
http://i1.wp.com/blog.decathlon.co....ALUR-700-ULTRA-AF-700-720-bike-size-guide.jpg

A couple of possible options, I'm not sure many, if any men's bikes are accessible in a small enough size, e.g. The men's Allez starts in a 49, the women's Dolce a 43

https://www.evanscycles.com/specialized-dolce-elite-2016-women-s-road-bike-EV244980

https://www.cyclestore.co.uk/giant_...gclid=CJ7pn6yl1M0CFRKNGwodEDYBJg&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.evanscycles.com/scott-c...esvaid=50080&gclid=CPTxltql1M0CFQPgGwod9w8GeQ

https://www.evanscycles.com/cannondale-synapse-alloy-tiagra-6-2016-women-s-road-bike-EV239487

Evans are very good for test rides and will get you any bike in that they have in stock for a £60 refundable deposit and do a 30 day exchange policy

 

[vickster]

Dolan do go down to a 44/45 and are really good at giving advice so could call and discuss sizing

Alu, better groupset (if small hands, SRAM hoods can be a better shape than shimano)

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/road-bikes/dolan-preffisio-aluminium-road-bike-shimano-105-5800.html

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/road-bikes/dolan-preffisio-aluminium-road-bike-rival-22.html

Carbon, Lower groupset but still 20 gears

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/road/road-bikes/dolan-l-etape-carbon-road-bike-shimano-tiagra-4700.html

Ribble do a 44cm, they say 5ft but again talk to them

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-7005-sportive/

 

[Globalti]

The specialists in bikes for small people are Islabikes. The founder's philosophy is that you need to size not only the frame but all the other components as well. A bike with 700c wheels may be too big even with the smallest frame possible so it would be worth looking at one with 26" wheels:

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/islabikes-road-and-cyclo-cross-bikes

There's a very clear sizing guide on that website.

 

[bonsaibilly]

The specialists in bikes for small people are Islabikes. The founder's philosophy is that you need to size not only the frame but all the other components as well. A bike with 700c wheels may be too big even with the smallest frame possible so it would be worth looking at one with 26" wheels:

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/islabikes-road-and-cyclo-cross-bikes

There's a very clear sizing guide on that website.

Do they spec miniature derailleurs as well, then?

BB

 

[bonsaibilly]

It's a Raleigh - not sure what model. The main problem is the gears. I don't know the correct terminology but essentially the bike only has 6-8 gears, which means it doesn't have the range I need. I can't get low enough on hills so end up grinding up them, and I can't get high enough on fast flats or downhills. Everything else seems OK at the moment though I'm getting more punctures than I'd like so perhaps need to think about new tyres. That, I'm prepared to accept, is at least partly bad luck though.



Well past sprouting age I'm afraid. I'm just hobbit sized! Might be worth considering replacing the components I suppose. The gears are my main problem just now though I'm concerned that as I (hopefully) develop as a cyclist I might 'outgrow' some of the other components on the bike which I would then be obligated to replace which then ends up more expensive than buying a new bike. Especially considering my employer is in the cycle to work scheme. Perhaps this is an unjustified concern, as I couldn't tell you what these future replacements might be.

I'm happy to go second hand, to consider replacing components on mine, and buying a woman's bike (so long as the frame isn't showing pink or something!).

Essentially I'm pretty clueless and looking for some advice.

Hmm, okay... that sounds odd to me. Without knowing the exact bike, my general understanding is that the upper and lower limit of a gear range on an equivalent bike would be roughly the same whether it had 6 gears or 30. Thus a modern "compact" road bike's gearing might have a maximum gearing of 50 teeth at the front cog and 11 at the back, and a minimum of 34/30. (The smallest rear cog being the highest gear at the back.) Conversely an older road bike might well have a higher front gear (eg 52 teeth on the cog).

It would be unusual for a road bike even one with only 6 gears, to have a top gear lower than 50/12 and a bottom gear higher than 30/32. Count the teeth on the largest and smallest cogs at both front and rear, and report back?

If you do buy a new bike you can do a lot worse than a Giant Defy, they don't get many bad reviews. And this year's models have just come down by 20%... you need to try for size before buying anything, though. BB

BB

 

[vickster]

And shifters? Hoods?