New bike time - don’t know where to start!

[Julia9054]

Which suppliers/retailers can you access with your C2W voucher?

Just looking into that at the moment. It’s the scheme run by Halfords/Tredz which also uses some independent bike shops. It’s a bit more restrictive than cyclescheme from what I can gather.
Re refurbing my current bike, it’s tempting but I’m a bit short of actual money at the moment!

 

[vickster]

Just looking into that at the moment. It’s the scheme run by Halfords/Tredz which also uses some independent bike shops. It’s a bit more restrictive than cyclescheme from what I can gather.
Re refurbing my current bike, it’s tempting but I’m a bit short of actual money at the moment!

You used to be able to use C2W for parts?

 

[PaulSB]

I would take a serious look at Dolan. They make very good bikes at reasonable prices. I know many happy Dolan riders and was one myself for several years.

https://www.dolan-bikes.com/road-bikes/

 

[Jameshow]

A new 105 groupset and wheels would only set you back £400? In effect you'll have a new bike.

Or as has been said you can get a new carbon bike for £2k. Ribble, boardman, planet X are the best value tbh.

 

[PaulSB]

I have a six year old Cervelo which I love, suits me in every regard. I did think about replacing her but cost and the worry I wouldn't find something I would enjoy so much deterred me. Instead I had my LBS strip her back to the frame, thoroughly clean everywhere and upgraded components. For £750 I effectively have a brand new bike set up with Ultegra and oval chain rings, lets not debate that like them, so if your frame is good and you love it perhaps saving up some cash and taking this route is the better solution?

 

[Julia9054]

I have a six year old Cervelo which I love, suits me in every regard. I did think about replacing her but cost and the worry I wouldn't find something I would enjoy so much deterred me. Instead I had my LBS strip her back to the frame, thoroughly clean everywhere and upgraded components. For £750 I effectively have a brand new bike set up with Ultegra and oval chain rings, lets not debate that like them, so if your frame is good and you love it perhaps saving up some cash and taking this route is the better solution?

I must admit, after an evening puzzling it out online, I am coming around to this way of thinking.
My main issue is the money - having a lump of it in one place rather than paying monthly (Though this is not insurmountable if I decide it’s the right decision)
My current bike has a triple - it was popular at the time especially on bikes marketed at women.
I’m not wedded to the idea of replacing it with another triple - especially as they are a bit harder to come by as they have fallen out of fashion.
Can a triple be replaced with something else? And still have low enough gears to get my lazy @rse up big hills? I think I’m in need of a bit more technical know how.
Also, my local LBS closed down in January and he has gone to work at Specialized. I miss him!! Anybody recommend someone they really trust in Yorkshire?

 

[Jameshow]

Double compact and 11-36 will get you a 34 - 36 bottom gear do able with a long cage rd.

Single 44 x 50-11 will get you a lover gear but the rear cassette and MTB rd will cost you more.

 

[T4tomo]

My current bike has a triple - it was popular at the time especially on bikes marketed at women.
I’m not wedded to the idea of replacing it with another triple - especially as they are a bit harder to come by as they have fallen out of fashion.
Can a triple be replaced with something else? And still have low enough gears to get my lazy @rse up big hills? I think I’m in need of a bit more technical know how.

You can still get triples, Shimano Tiagra has a triple option, and yes you can replace with a double, but clearly then its new shifters time too, and ideally a chainset compatible with existing bottom bracket (although a new BB is quite cheap and easy to fit, especially if you have a threaded BB)

If you are going on the refurb option, what groupset have you got on it at the moment? this is most important bit of info for accurate advice on how to upgrade it / replace bits.

You may not need a whole new groupset, but your issue is if say you have an old 105 10 speed, the new Tiagra 4700 10spd isn't compatible with it.

Also when you say worn out, if shifters and derailleurs are working then new cassette chain and chainrings could breed a lot of life into it for not a lot of outlay. the shifters are the most expensive bit of the group-set.

I'm assuming on 12 yr old Jamis road bike its rim brakes?

re getting low gears on a double, with the right rear derailleur you can run such as 11-34 cassette at the back which will give you a "1-1" lowest gear with a 50-34 compact chainset. you can get even bigger rear sprockets. there are options to go lower with gravel group sets, but these are pretty much then all for hydraulic disc brakes... thee are getting less options new for rim brakes, which is a shame.

the other option is a decent 2nd hand groupset off ebay from someone who has upgraded to Di2 or similar.

 

[fossyant]

What's worn out ? Piece of cake to replace chain rings, most likely only the middle and outer need doing. New Cassette and chain, plus cables. It's a lot cheaper than a new bike.

 

[Spiderweb]

I must admit, after an evening puzzling it out online, I am coming around to this way of thinking.
My main issue is the money - having a lump of it in one place rather than paying monthly (Though this is not insurmountable if I decide it’s the right decision)
My current bike has a triple - it was popular at the time especially on bikes marketed at women.
I’m not wedded to the idea of replacing it with another triple - especially as they are a bit harder to come by as they have fallen out of fashion.
Can a triple be replaced with something else? And still have low enough gears to get my lazy @rse up big hills? I think I’m in need of a bit more technical know how.
Also, my local LBS closed down in January and he has gone to work at Specialized. I miss him!! Anybody recommend someone they really trust in Yorkshire?

Try Spa Cycles in Harrogate.
You won’t need to replace the triple, they’ll tell you which chainrings are worn and swap them.
It could be a lot cheaper than you may think.

 

[cyberknight]

As said above it depends on how much needs doing cost vs a new bike and how much you like your old one .My old alloy boardman is still one of my favourite to ride after i had the frame resprayed and built it from the ground up .
The only original bits are the frame/ forks and handlebars

 

[alicat]

And if you do go down the new bike route, check out Spa Cycles anyway. I think they are in your neck of the woods?

 

[vickster]

And if you do go down the new bike route, check out Spa Cycles anyway. I think they are in your neck of the woods?

They don’t take Cycle to work though (or sell anything in carbon) unfortunately.

They do have a 10 speed 105 chainset for £150 though, a new cassette, chain and even a rear mech would be about the same again

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m8b0s109p2901/SHIMANO-105-FC-5703-50-39-30-Triple-Chainset-(10spd)

Definitely worth going and getting a quote

Perhaps an interest free credit card or Klarna/PayPal credit if want to pay off over (a little) time?

 

[fossyant]

Worth searching around as you 'can' get cassettes quite cheap - I've picked up two microshift cassettes (8 speed for the old MTB, and a 10 speed for the FS) for less than £15 each. Chain rings vary but Spa have a huge choice - I suspect it's only the large one that's worn, and possibly the middle.

I go through large chain ring, chain and cassette every 12 months on the commuter. The FS MTB can eat chainrings depending upon what I've been riding - that's not a cheap option. £50 for one chain ring is the cheapest I've found.

What chainset is it (usually have a serial number on back of crank arms if shimano.

 

[ColinJ]

its not an issue for me i use both sram and shimano the only real world difference is the shifter action on sram has one lever so you push 1 click to go faster , the brake lever is not connected to the shifting .takes me literally seconds to adjust when i change bikes

I was surprised how quickly I adapted to the SRAM Double Tap system. I have it on the 1x11 bike that I keep in Devon. I know that purists would find some of the steps between gears too big but I ride singlespeed a lot so I am very used to tuning my cadence to my speed rather than my gear to my speed. The 42/42 bottom gear is low enough for most steep hills and the top gear of 42/11 is high enough for me. I like the simplicity of the system.

I would definitely be looking at renovating the old bike rather than buying new. It should be possible for a few hundred pounds rather than a couple of thousand for a new bike.

I bought a great new triple chainset and bottom bracket from Spa Cycles for well under £100.