New bike from halfords only (cycle2work scheme) about £200

[MrMister111]

Hi

want to get back on a bike after ages! Work is running a cycle2work scheme so can pay monthly and pay about £150 over 12months for £200 vouchers

It has to be halfords. I know nothing really about good/bad bikes.

Be using it for general getting to work, out with the kids, general stuff nothoing taxing. only offroad will be very rare and very slight, hills etc ith kids.

I am 6' 1" seen the raleigh Glide but too small a frame I think

reading on here it says to keep away from full suspension at my price range, so only front needed.

What about the Apollo XC.26S? as I say I'm no serious biker.

Please give me help and suggestions for upto £220 at halfords for my use. I need to sign up by Wed or loose the scheme

thanks
MrMr

 

[gekko]

Where do you live? My organisation also uses Halfords but some local bike shops will take them. I used Pearson in Sutton, who have a much better selection. Also, Halfords will source a bike of your choosing even if they don't stock it. On Your Bike and Condor in London will take them as will Leisure Lakes (various branches around UK).

Also, consider pushing the budget up to £300-400. It won't make a huge difference to your monthly payments and you'll get a bike that will last you longer and be more comfortable. I think you will save in the long run.

If you definitely want to buy from Halfords, many people recommend the Carrera Subway as a solid bike that's an all-rounder. I've heard less good things about the Apollos.

Quality brands to look at elsewhere are Specialized and Trek, both highly recommended by people here. For Specialized, the Sirrus is popular (thin tyres, more toward road bike) and there's also the Globe and the Crosstrail (which I've ordered), which have slightly wider tyres and better suited to a bit of off-road. My partner has ordered a Trek, which I tried and found very comfortable. Look at the 7.x series.

BTW, I'm no expert - just getting back into biking myself so others will be able to offer more info, but thought I'd share my experiences in selecting a bike with the scheme as I've done it recently.

 

[John the Monkey]

For a budget option, the Subway is a great bet - usually well reviewed, solid bikes.

I think Halfords were doing a deal on the subway plus panniers, mudguards, rack & lights recently for £300ish(?) Do budget for a lock unless the bike is by your side every minute of the day. Halfords used to do the Magnum Mini + cable for £34, which is a good D-lock.

 

[Sittingduck]

+1 for the Subway (£260).

 

[solmisation]

Hi
I have just got a Carrera Subway2 on Cycle2Work, this is my first bike in over 12 years, so far it seems like a solid all round performer. As a previous poster said go for a higher value voucher, this will enable you to get a few extras. Also check with the store regarding the stock, when I bought mine the assistant told me that the new 2009 model was about to come out and that I would have to take the bike from display, but he gave me a £20 discount on it.

 

[MrMister111]

Wow all the subway then eh!!

I have to get it from Halfords as thats the only one for the scheme at work for me.

I understand that I should push my budget up, but would rather now, as not sure how much I'll use it tbh.

looks like a lot of people warning me off the Apollos.

What about the Diamondback ?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_217790_langId_-1_categoryId_165499

its £200, I thought diamondback were a good make? Its a name I remember from my past anyway! looks good, and seems to be a decent one?

i really want to keep around the £200 budget though as will only make it about a tenner a month, so even if dont use it much.

thanks so far for advice, keep it coming, going to halfords tomorrow!

 

[gavintc]

Save your money, get something better. Look at the comments on Halfrauds own site; heavy, poor gears and poor brakes. You cannot put reasonable components on a bike that will last at this price point. Why does it have disc brakes? This is a budget bike. IMO avoid, save up and get the Carrera Subway, it is only £60 more.

 

[gekko]

Hi MrMister,

Just to clarify, even though the vouchers are for Halfords, there are a few other places that will take them. I am using mine at Pearson in Sutton, even though they are issued for Halfords. Depending on where you live, there may be other places near you that will accept them. Ring up your local bike shops to check.

 

[MrMister111]

Hi MrMister,

Just to clarify, even though the vouchers are for Halfords, there are a few other places that will take them. I am using mine at Pearson in Sutton, even though they are issued for Halfords. Depending on where you live, there may be other places near you that will accept them. Ring up your local bike shops to check.

Specifically it states Halfords only o our bike scheme though, have to be from there, any bike

I would probably stretch to the carerra subway, but I like the look of the others better (diamondback and Apollo), and for my light communting/kids riding it may be ok?


Yeh I know what you mean but I dont want to spend too much really, comments Ive got everywhere are saying spend a lot more £300+ for a "proper" bike.

It will just be "round the doors" really, up and down paths, general bumps etc, nothing off road really

Out of the above, as they are basically the only ones around my price point which is best?

Also people in another forum are saying stretch to the Carerra Subway. this is £260, but no suspension, and to be honest doesn't look as good (god that sounds vain)

I understand the proper biker man, will whiff at these bikes at these prices, but I not a proper biker, I just want something to get too and from work, and around doors with kids, basic riding, nothing serious.

Please help me in this and remember what Im looking for, and please look on Halfords site as it has to be from Halfrds

cheers

 

[John the Monkey]

I would probably stretch to the carerra subway, but I like the look of the others better (diamondback and Apollo), and for my light communting/kids riding it may be ok?

It's your money, and certainly the way a bike looks isn't unimportant...as the photo gallery on here proves ;-)

Yeh I know what you mean but I dont want to spend too much really, comments Ive got everywhere are saying spend a lot more £300+ for a "proper" bike.

It will just be "round the doors" really, up and down paths, general bumps etc, nothing off road really

Suspension is difficult to do below around £500 (and some would argue even at that price) - so you either get soggy stuff that will sap your pedalling effort and make things much harder work than they should be, or skimping on the other bits of the bike. "Cheap" bikes are a lot of effort to keep going in the long run - the wheels don't stay true, the brakes need constant adjustment, and the gears drift so that they chatter constantly instead of changing smoothly.

The Subway won't make you the toast of the local bike club, but it *will* get you from place to place, should be fairly reliable, and is a fair bit of bike for your money (esp. if you can get one of the deals I mentioned above).

Bikes with suspension you don't need (and you don't really, for the sort of riding you're doing, it's just extra weight to push along) are likely to be more trouble than a (relatively) simple bike like the Subway.

£250 - £300 gets you a decent "cheap" bike that isn't going to bleed you of time & money for better parts and tinkering just to keep it going.

"The Subway (1) is a really impressive, lightweight and surprisingly smooth ride. The double chainset is restrictive in steep slow terrain, but stick on knobblies and it's a really enthusiastic ride on more open, rolling trails as well as the road."

Subway 1 review; http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/subway-1-8831

 

[MrMister111]

Says subway is 12Kg, diamondback 13.8Kg

Its just subway is not i the shop or even area Im going to so wont be able to see it.

Also will 20" be big enough frame for me with 34" legs, 6'1" tall?

thanks again for all comments I am reading and listening (a bit..

cheers

 

[Ivan Ardon]

No one on here will recommend the Apollo or the Diamondback over the Subway. If you've decided to buy it because you like the looks, then just do it.

The Subway is a good bike, cheap. The others are just cheap rubbish tarted up to look like a real bike.

 

[2Loose]

No one on here will recommend the Apollo or the Diamondback over the Subway. If you've decided to buy it because you like the looks, then just do it.

The Subway is a good bike, cheap. The others are just cheap rubbish tarted up to look like a real bike.

+1

A mate has bought 3 inexpensive bikes over the last 4 years, none was over £200 and all had atleast some suspension. None were nicked but they just fell apart or squeaked embarrasingly surprisingly quickly.

He spent £320 6 months ago on a bike with no shocks and not only has he had no problems at all since, his commute is a lot faster and easier as he isn't wasting his energy bouncing up and down.

He effectively wasted nearly 600 quid finding this out...

 

[MrMister111]

wow thanks a lot for that. I just ordered the Diamondback. I preferred the sus and disc brake on the Diamond compared to the subway

just been into Halfords and after much deciding, on what I want it for went for Diamondback

I wanted front sus, I wanted at least 1 disc brake, preferred the overall "package" of the diamondback to the subway (although I know everyone saying overall is a better bike)

surely the Diamondback is better than the apollo's?

 

[Theseus]

I was going to post some scathing comment, but I just can't be bothered.