Hi - I have just registered and am thinking of buying a road bike. I am 42 pretty fit, mountain bike a bit - but am fed up with raod bikes flying past me on the cycle paths. I want to spend around £500 ish. I have been advised I need a 56cm frame as I am 6ft tall. I have spotted a cannondale r600 2003 version at £540 and it's 56cm - should I get measured etc or just buy a bike and make adjustments to the bars and saddle from there ?
new to cycling
- Thread starter darren007
- Start date
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vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
darren007 said:
Road bikes on cycle paths.
What's wrong with the road 
Getting measured will give you a very good idea of what sort of adjustments that you light have to make to an off the peg bike.
I've used generic advice culled from several cycling forums to adjust my bikes and it has done the job for me.
You could save a packet and put slicks on your mountain bike. this will add several miles per hour to your speed. You might even consider a spare set of wheels with slicks on them for faster rides.
I was once dropped by a youth on a BMX and I was doing 18 mph on a tourer on a shallow climb at the time - didn't create an urge to own a BMX though
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
I'm a big fan of Cannondale bikes but £550 for an 03 R600 sounds expensive to me.
I'm guessing that this road bike will get most use in wet weather when the off-road trails are knee deep in mud. Therefore you'll probably be better off with a road bike thats capable of taking full length mud-guards.
For about £550 my money would be on a Ribble Mirage Audax.
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/SpecialEditionBikes.asp
However, this bike has a major downside. Like most bike with a racing geometry the maximum tyre size is limited (In this case to 23mm / 25mm without mudguards). These tyres are fine for normal roads but perhaps a bit on the skinny side for cycle paths.
Wider tyres will make things much more comfortable. Sadly they are also quite a bit slower. If you want the bike to be comfortable then perhaps more of a hybrid / tourer might suit you better. (This type of bike will be significantly slower).
thanks for the replies - to answer the questions - I plan to use the bike on the cylce paths ( old railway lines ) between Bristol and Wilts that are like roads without the cars - I plan to then build up to roads in due course. The reason for not outting slicks on the mountian bike is that I find it frustrating to hit 18th gear and still want to push on and go faster. I want to cycle to get fitter thats the main aim.
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
Only 18, Is this a downhill bike?
Assuming your top gear is 44/11 (a ratio of 4)
And your wheels will have a circumfrence of 2089mm (26 x 1.9 tyres)
Pedalling at 100rpm x 4 x 2089 = 835600mm /min
= 835.6 m / min
= 0.8356 km / min
= 50.136 km/hr about 31mph.
Most people would kill to be able to maintain 25mph using a dedicated time trial bike!
Royalrider
Senior Member
I would get measured or at least check out some of the many sites on the web about sizing and get someone to help you measure yourself. You say you are 6ft and someone has advised a 56 cm frame. All I can say to this is sizing is not simply about how tall you are. You may be able to adjust saddle height and bar height to make a 56cm fit but reach is an important consideration. I am 6ft 1in and was measured by Paul Hewitt, very well respected by most who frequent this and other forums, and he built me a cycle around a 60 cm frame.
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
Efficency.
Although your bike maybe capable of being pedalled at 30mph unless you're super humen without the help of a big hill you're unlikely to be able to achieve this sort of speed.
A road bike is far more efficient than a slick tyred MTB. Which basically means the road bike will travel further / quicker for the same effort.
Even with a road bike you probably still wont get 30mph without the help of a big hill; but you'll be that little bit closer!
Dave5N
Über Member
- Location
- Outside The Little Nibble
Hi Darren, welcome. Good luck in your search and enjoy the bike!
Hi,
When you go to the LBS, they will look you up and down and suggest a 56 for a nice close frame or a 58 if the bike has a shortish toptube for the frame size.
The real test is to stand over a bike, then sit on it for a while and glance the front spindle is hidden behind the handlebars.
Welcome to cycling.
When you go to the LBS, they will look you up and down and suggest a 56 for a nice close frame or a 58 if the bike has a shortish toptube for the frame size.
The real test is to stand over a bike, then sit on it for a while and glance the front spindle is hidden behind the handlebars.
Welcome to cycling.
hi all - have been to my local bike shop - Webbs of Warmley - thay have advised a 57 cm frame and an Orbea bike for around £799 - whats the view on this make - it is aluminium with carbon forks. They say this is a great all round starter bike - I guess I will need to then buy pedals and shoes etc ?
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
I'm not that familiar with Orbea bikes. In fact they're relatively unknown in the UK.
Having quickly looked on their site i'm not sure which model you were offered for £800 so I can't comment on the bike.
I would strongly suggest you test ride it before buying. These are not the sorts of models I would think of for using along a cycle path / recommend to someone who's apprehensive about riding on the road.
Having quickly looked on their site i'm not sure which model you were offered for £800 so I can't comment on the bike.
I would strongly suggest you test ride it before buying. These are not the sorts of models I would think of for using along a cycle path / recommend to someone who's apprehensive about riding on the road.
