Someone PLEASE HELP ME!!! :)

[snorri]

..... Muchos!!

Muchos:?: Wayhay

Careful laura, rich_p has history in that direction.

 

[bonj2]

Hate to be brutal but you aren't going to get a triathlon bike for £300. Add a nought to that.
What you need is something like this:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Quintana_Roo_Lucero_Lite_2009/5360043114/

a snip at 2960

 

[punkypossum]

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?!

Great! That means I've got several years to grow into mine (or maybe I aged over night and didn't realise? ) Also, my mtb and my road frame are different sizes, have I got 2 ages depending on how bumpy the ride is?

 

[mickle]

How very helpful Bonj.

Laura, you might be better off buying new but should probably raise your budget to get something remotely decent, £450 or thereabouts, and make sure the dealer fits a wimmins saddle in place of the gents one which will come fitted as standard.

Buying 2nd hand might save you a few quid but you'll get no warranty, no expert fitting advice and you have no way of knowing the service history. Your 2nd hand purchase might need for example, new cables (£20*), brake blocks (£10*), chain (£12*) cassette (£20*), tyres (£30*), tubes (£10*), chainrings (£30*), bar-tape (£10*) all consumables, perhaps a wimmins saddle (£20*) and a service (£30-£50*). I've seen it happen lots of times. Your £300 bargain could easily end up costing you more than the cost of a new bike. And a hundred quid later it'll be worth no more than what you paid for it.

If you ever find yourself on Park in St Bristol pop in to ZeroG bike shop and speak to Elly.




(* = ish)

 

[Will1985]

That QR is for wannabe Normanns in that colourscheme.

Triathlon can be done on any bike - given that this is her first (and in all probability is not FOP or MOP), I'd advise against tribars on the basis that they take some time to get used to. The same advice stands for first timers at time trials.

 

[bonj2]

How very helpful Bonj.

any time
just trying to make sure she doesn't get laffed at by turning up on an absolute shitter and getting absolutely hosed.

 

[Joe24]

You obviously dont have a clue Bonj. The fastest times are done on Argos full suspension mountain bike things

Im with Mickle on this and upping your budget is seriousness. £300 doesnt seem to get you alot now

 

[Angelfishsolo]

You are joking here I hope!!!!!!

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

 

[montage]

You love me, everyone loves me.

Hate to be brutal but you aren't going to get a triathlon bike for £300. Add a nought to that.
What you need is something like this:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Qu...09/5360043114/

Click this bar to view the full image.

a snip at 2960

These made me giggle

 

[Scoosh]

This month's Cycling + has a test of entry-level sub-£400 road bikes. Their favourite is the Carrera Virtuoso from Helfrauds, at just £330. Don't know about sizes though.

 

[Cubist]

Great! That means I've got several years to grow into mine (or maybe I aged over night and didn't realise? ) Also, my mtb and my road frame are different sizes, have I got 2 ages depending on how bumpy the ride is?

And my kids started off on 5" bikes? Wonder what a 45 inch frame looks like.........

 

[laura1985x]

I'm so confused now guys....

So after all the advice i'm now totally confused!!
I thought £300 would be more than enough to get a fairly decent bike for my first attemp at a triathlon which i should have added is a novice type one..

300m swim 22k bike and 5k run!

I thought a 'road bike' was what I needed, not a triathlon bike! I thought real experts who are super trim would want one of them.... I mean I really am a novice who clearly wants to look the part on a budget! However I disagree with buying one of those uber cool £2,500 bikes... I would have though i'll get laughed out of town when I come sweating my arse off up the track last on the ferrari of all bikes!!

Come on guys help me!!
Whats the whole - different frame sizes for mtb and road bikes? what the hell is a top pole? and can anyone tell me whether the 20" bike i've bidded on on ebay will actually be ok considering I bid on it before I wrote this post and i'm still winning aaarrrrgggghhh!!

I will check out the Bristol/Bath shops on the weekend...
Thanks for all the replies

Muchos Love xxx

 

[laura1985x]

Halfords... The bicycle experts... or not?!

You are joking here I hope!!!!!!

and I quote.....

'What size bike do I need?

• Whatever age you are you need to determine which size frame is suitable for you. The frame size is measured from the top of the seat tube to the bottom bracket. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers measure their bikes like this. Some of them measure from the intersection to the seat tube. This can cause some confusion, but Halfords is on hand to find the perfect size bike for you or your child. REMEMBER! If your bike is too big or too small, it is more difficult to control, increasing the risk of accidents and injury to you and others. See our guide to finding the right size bike.'
  
  

 

[Joe24]

So after all the advice i'm now totally confused!!
I thought £300 would be more than enough to get a fairly decent bike for my first attemp at a triathlon which i should have added is a novice type one..

300m swim 22k bike and 5k run!

I thought a 'road bike' was what I needed, not a triathlon bike! I thought real experts who are super trim would want one of them.... I mean I really am a novice who clearly wants to look the part on a budget! However I disagree with buying one of those uber cool £2,500 bikes... I would have though i'll get laughed out of town when I come sweating my arse off up the track last on the ferrari of all bikes!!

Come on guys help me!!
Whats the whole - different frame sizes for mtb and road bikes? what the hell is a top pole? and can anyone tell me whether the 20" bike i've bidded on on ebay will actually be ok considering I bid on it before I wrote this post and i'm still winning aaarrrrgggghhh!!

I will check out the Bristol/Bath shops on the weekend...
Thanks for all the replies

Muchos Love xxx

Dont listen to Bonj, hes taking the piss. But do listen to him on mudguards and other things, hes a true brain box.
As for the bike, im not sure. If your going by that age thing working out your age it is pretty rubbish, its your height that decides it.
Have a look on Evans cycles, they have a bike fitting guide. Also look on the manufacturers website for the bike you are looking at. It will give you the geometry of the frame and what it works out to, and also what height of the rider its for.
Go into the LBS first and have a look around.
For your first tri, id go for a second hand road bike then a mountain bike. You should be able to pick up a decent second hand road bike cheap off ebay or on here, or another cycle forum, or a bike shop. Go around looking in bike shops and see what they have.
£300 new wont get you much, i did TTs on my Giant SCR4 and didnt do too bad. That bike new was £350, but they changed the range and that one is now £400 i think and is called the Giant Defy4. The good thing with these bikes is they are easy to upgrade because the Defy range(and the SCR and TCR) range has the same frame, but just a different groupset and forks and stuff.

And if you dont love me now, you never will!!!
And maybe that has made sence, maybe it hasnt. Maybe it has helped, maybe it hasnt.

 

[Joe24]

and I quote.....

'What size bike do I need?

• Whatever age you are you need to determine which size frame is suitable for you. The frame size is measured from the top of the seat tube to the bottom bracket. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers measure their bikes like this. Some of them measure from the intersection to the seat tube. This can cause some confusion, but Halfords is on hand to find the perfect size bike for you or your child. REMEMBER! If your bike is too big or too small, it is more difficult to control, increasing the risk of accidents and injury to you and others. See our guide to finding the right size bike.'
  
  

Thats abit strange, i mean if you think about it, a young person thats 15 thats 6foot, they are saying needs a smaller frame then someone thats 60 and is only 5foot. If you get what i mean.

Check this out http://www.evanscycles.com/help/