newbie in need of advice!!

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ward-c

New Member
hi everyone, just joined having read lots of stuff on here, all very interesting. 44 years old, 6 foot 2, 14 stone. am looking for a bike for leisure/keep fit, perhaps the odd commute. fancying a drop bar and also like the sound of a fixed, by the sounds of it less maintenance involved, not too many hills around leeds either. is it correct you cant freewheel on these( so my legs will be going ten to dozen downhill??) not averse to a geared one either so any advice re double, triple, compact- whatever that means!! would be greatly appreciated. budget 5-600, prob 2nd hand to give me more for my buck. you can see by my stupid questions im not exactly up on current trends or technology so thanks all.:wacko:
 
Fixed means you can't freewheel. But you can get single speed bikes which let you do this.

Personally I would not advise either for a beginner - even the smallest hill can look very big when you are on a long run.

Doubles refer to 2 chainrings attached to the pedals (Usually 52/39 teeth -big ring/small ring),Compacts also have two rings but are smaller which makes pedalling easier,and Triples are like compacts but with an extra small ring added to help you get up really steep hills.

If you want to cultivate the look of a roadie then only the Double will suffice;)

You also need to ascertain what size bike you will need.
 
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ward-c

New Member
thanks for that, very helpful. have heard triples referred to as having an extra granny ring and would like to keep my manhood intact. so, compact double it is. therefore which new/2nd hand bikes in my 5-600 budget fit the bill?? this doesnt include clothing or shoes. i realise sizing is a contentious issue but any help there would be great- i have 32-33" inside leg and quite long arms. when a frame is a compact what does this mean?-will it be smaller than would normally be ok for me, ie 57 instead of say 59?
 

colinr

Well-Known Member
Location
Norwich
even the smallest hill can look like an exciting challenge when you are on a long run
Corrected :biggrin:

I went from very little cycling on a cheap MTB to quite a lot on a fixed road bike and got away with it. I'd hesitate to recommend it though and for your budget you should be able to get a decent geared bike.

Compact frames usually come in S, M, L, XL instead of numbers and in theory can accommodate a wider range of sizes. My 'M' is roughly a 54cm, I'd guess you'd want a 56/58 or L but it's best to try the bike if at all possible.
 
ward-c said:
thanks for that, very helpful. have heard triples referred to as having an extra granny ring and would like to keep my manhood intact. so, compact double it is. therefore which new/2nd hand bikes in my 5-600 budget fit the bill?? this doesnt include clothing or shoes. i realise sizing is a contentious issue but any help there would be great- i have 32-33" inside leg and quite long arms. when a frame is a compact what does this mean?-will it be smaller than would normally be ok for me, ie 57 instead of say 59?


Sorry " Exciting Challenge" it should have been -except when you are near home after an exhausting ride!

Back to the bikes- you have to be slightly careful as a lot of bikes have a sloping top-tube which in effect reduces the Centre to top measurement of the seat tube by 4cms or so. Also bikes have a differing top-tube measurements,so it's a matter of judging each bike as it comes.

You really need a seat tube of 56 based on a horizontal top tube (which reduces to 52 sloping) - but if buying second hand make sure they have measured it properly.
 
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ward-c

New Member
bike manufacturers dont make it easy do they?! my lbs just sat me on a 58 trek and a 57 bianchi. the latter was way too small and he didnt have a 59 or 61 in stock. the model name escapes me, think it was via nirone 7 but it was just over budget and much nicer aesthetically than the trek. might have ordered one had the salesman given a damn-think he just wanted to have his lunch! had a bianchi when i was kid-prob worth a fortune now if only ide left it in garage.:biggrin:
 

Debian

New Member
Location
West Midlands
Whilst correct sizing is important, it's just as important that the bike feels right.

My MTB is technically too large for me, if it had a horizontal top tube then it would be but it has a steeply sloped top tube so there's plenty of clearance. The reach was a little too much but a shorter, and adjustable stem cured that. It now feels fine and is very comfortable for me to ride even though the frame is technically slightly too large for me. The "correct" sized frame simply felt too cramped.

And I would go for the triple chainring; a time will come when you'll be glad of it. :sad:
 
ward-c said:
bike manufacturers dont make it easy do they?! my lbs just sat me on a 58 trek and a 57 bianchi. the latter was way too small and he didnt have a 59 or 61 in stock. the model name escapes me, think it was via nirone 7 but it was just over budget and much nicer aesthetically than the trek. might have ordered one had the salesman given a damn-think he just wanted to have his lunch! had a bianchi when i was kid-prob worth a fortune now if only ide left it in garage.:sad:

There is no way a 57 would be too small -unless they have not raised the saddle.The 57 refers to the seat tube length with an imaginary horizontal top tube (actual st length is 54). Or do you mean too small along the top tube?
 
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ward-c

New Member
like i said the guy just wanted his lunch i think! the bianchi did just seem smaller than the trek in the sense i had to lean down much more even with my long arms- perhaps it was just the geometry of the bianchi didnt fit my frame, if you see what i mean.
 

postman

Squire
Location
,Leeds
If you are in Leeds .I always point people in the direction of Drakes cycles .Harehills Lane .Just past what was the pub .Fforde Green .

I always found them helpful to newbies .like what i was once .Thats were i began my bicycle buying days many years ago .
 

Banjo

Fuelled with Jelly Babies
Location
South Wales
ward-c said:
like i said the guy just wanted his lunch i think! the bianchi did just seem smaller than the trek in the sense i had to lean down much more even with my long arms- perhaps it was just the geometry of the bianchi didnt fit my frame, if you see what i mean.

A lot is down to personal preference.A smaller frame means the seat post will be well extended so the seat is much higher than the handlebars which some people (me included )find uncomfortable.

A frame that is too big may have you reaching too far forward .This can be rectified if not too extreme with a shorter stem and moving the seat forward on its rails.

i am 5ft 9 with a 31 inch stand over height and have a 56 cm Scott Speedster which feels great to me but is too large according to the bike shop guys.
Take care to get the right size for you and dont neccesarilly go along with what the shop tells you.
 
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ward-c

New Member
yeah gonna have a trip to drakes its not too far away. looked at a scott speedster outside asda the other day and liked it, i think they are a scott stockist. anyone give their thoughts on other possibles??
 
ward-c said:
yeah gonna have a trip to drakes its not too far away. looked at a scott speedster outside asda the other day and liked it, i think they are a scott stockist. anyone give their thoughts on other possibles??

Stand back and have a think before buying.

Going down the new bike route for the money involved means entry level frame and equipment. This often leads to heavy and not particularly hard wearing components.
 
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ward-c

New Member
yeah thanks, i realise that but where do i find a local good quality 2nd hander? ebay is ok but never seem to be right size if a looker appears on there, classifieds here never seem to show one either- there was a perfect dolan recently selling for 560 but i was too late and he had broken it down and sold the bits seperately. occured to me there must be a market for a 2nd hand bike shop as generally all my lbs shops only sell new. just happens i recently took a substantial redundancy payout from work and looking to invest it. any thoughts anyone or should i post a new thread for that??
 
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