Someone PLEASE HELP ME!!! :)

[laura1985x]

I'm a total newbee... No idea what i'm doing apart from the fact that i've signed up to a triathlon and need a bike! I trawled Ebay and googled everything I can think of to find used bike dealers!! I have a £300 max budget but first off the big question....
What size?!.... I'm 5'2 / inside leg 77cm
Struggling to get my head round frame size in inches/cm and wheel size... why is everything so complicated!!
I will instantly be in love with anyone who responds to this post.... Seriously!!
Thank you in advance
Laura xxx

 

[laura1985x]

Further more to this i'm based in Bristol/Bath on the weekends and Windsor area Monday to Friday....
Willing to travel to any good shops if any can be recommended!!

Thanks guys xx

 

[l4dva]

Just go into any local bike shop and try a few bikes out for size. Then once you got an idea of what you want and what size you can have a look around ebay etc see if anything comes up.

As a general rule of thumb you should be able to sit on the saddle and have your heal on the pedal at the pedals lowest position, that should give you a rough idea of what size frame, then of couse you would have to adjust the saddle height accordingly

 

[rich p]

I'm guessing you're 24 so you can fall in love with me, Laura

He's right. You really need to go to a local bike shop and get an idea of what's available in your budget and most importantly get a sizing fit. I, personally, would recommend that you get a new bike that fits you rather than taking a punt on an untried secondhand one but someone will disagree in a minute.

 

[adds21]

Further more to this i'm based in Bristol/Bath on the weekends and Windsor area Monday to Friday....
Willing to travel to any good shops if any can be recommended!!

for Bristol, I can recommend the ZeroG bike shop (http://www.zerogcyclecorp.com/). I recently bought a bike from them and they appeared to know what they were talking about (more than me anyway, not that that's saying much! ).

A.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Hi Laura and welcome to the forum.

The problem with frame size is that manufacturers measure their frames differently, so as a previous poster said, you must go to a local bike shop (lbs) to try bikes for size. Mrs a is about your height and did not find it easy to get a road bike to fit. Lbs generally only stock bikes that will shift quickly and there fore average size.

Once you have an idea of size, Google the phrase "road bike" and "size" and you will be surprised that quite a few may come up.

Certainly e-bay is an option, but you could try some dealers also as they may have customers trade-ins or as one of my lbs's does, a customers' "for sale" board.

The local paper may advertise some, or your nearest supermarkets sometimes have advertisement boards.

Anyway, best of luck in your search.

 

[laura1985x]

Ha ha... Your right Rich I am 24 but you didn't give me the answer I was after so sorry not in love with you yet!!!

See this is what i'm finding, i'm not lazy or stupid just very confused!

So I found a bike a liked 43cm frame which it says is 'ideal for anyone 4ft 11 to 5ft 2'.....

However Halfords say its simple - your frame size is how old you are so 24 years = 24 inches = 61cm = i must technically be a giant compared with the above?!

I also just found another bike '50cm ideal for anyone 5th 5'.......

Arrrggghhhhh

 

[Dayvo]

Ha ha... Your right Rich I am 24 but you didn't give me the answer I was after so sorry not in love with you yet!!!

Why not? You didn't ask for an answer, just someone to reply to you post!

I will instantly be in love with anyone who responds to this post.... Seriously!!

*was that all right, Rich?*

 

[Wigsie]

However Halfords say its simple - your frame size is how old you are so 24 years = 24 inches = 61cm = i must technically be a giant compared with the above?!

I also just found another bike '50cm ideal for anyone 5th 5'.......

Arrrggghhhhh

The genius of Halfrauds strikes again. I am 6ft 4 an ride a 61" frame!

Couple of rules to follow when looking for a bike.

Never buy from a shop that wont let you test ride a bike.
Never let them try and sell you a sale bike staright away.
Never go into Halfrauds for a bike unless you know what your looking for or take it straight round an LBS and get them to check it over.

Basically if you are having uneasy feelings in a shop just walk away... but bear in mind that the 'best' LBS's are run by cyclists rather than sales men/women so their gift of the gab and customer service is not always top notch but their enthusiasm will be great.

Good Luck

 

[Will1985]

£300 is almost certainly second hand market, but you can still get some very good bikes for that especially on eBay.
A 50cm top tube might just work. There are plenty of bikes on eBay but as you have seen, you need to know what you are looking at!

You can always shift the saddle forward as much as possible which will also help your run off the bike - this has the effect of shortening the top tube, but I'll stick by saying 50-51cm tt maximum.

Avoid Halfords like the plague.

I'm a more suitable age, but current situation would not allow

 

[Sittingduck]

Evening

I presume Halfords were referring to childs bikes in their slap-dashed attempt to offer sizing advice... ?!

Anyway, as prevously advised; Go to a Local Bike Shop and ask to test ride a few bikes. This will give you a fair idea of sizing. Then search for 2nd hand bargains of the same make / size!

Good luck,
SD

 

[Joe24]

You love me, everyone loves me.

£300 is pretty much second hand, you cant even get the base lever Giant for this much now. The SCR4 used to be £350 or £300 in some places and when they changed it to the Defy it went up to £400 i think.
Id avoid Halfords(like Will says) and go for a local bike shop that can give you more advice and should let you test out a few bikes in your price range. They may also have some decent second hand ones in you can try out and see if they are your size, aswell as giving you advice of different ones.
Oh, remember to ask them for discount aswell.
And i got a good deal on my first road bike by going to a shop that did factory seconds. They had nothing wrong with them but maybe a little scratch, or a spoke broken on a wheel or missing shifters or something, which the shop sorts out and sells off alot cheaper then they usually do.
You can usually tell which bike shops are in your price range and will do good deals. I know where the cheap low end bike shop is around here, the mid-high range shop and the mid-top of the range shop is.

Oh, and if you didnt already know it, you do love me, like my sig says. Or used to say
Oh, you might also find that a LBS will have a bike that they can size you up on to know what size frame, stem and everything else you need.

 

[laura1985x]

Why not? You didn't ask for an answer, just someone to reply to you post!



*was that all right, Rich?*

Yeah have to agree I wasn't very specific was I?!

Thanks guys for all the replies...
Off to Basingstoke tomorrow in search of a good LBS

Thanks again xxx

 

[Lambchop]

Hi Laura, local bike shop prob best bet for getting idea of the size you need, if your in Bath, try Johns Bikes, Walcot Street or Total Fitness opposite the Hilton. If they don't have anything to your liking or price range, eBay is then your other option..

Also try Evans cycles in Woking - not far from Windsor. By the way, hasn't Windsor gone down hill recently. Would be a bit worried about going out there in the evening!!

 

[laura1985x]

And yes I love you all..... Muchos!!

Good night!! xxx

Can't really comment on the windsor nightlife i'm afraid, I may be 24 but I don't get out much!
Thanks for the bike shops in Bath, will check them out on the weekend!