Thinking that n+1 = road bike...

[coffeejo]

I swore that I wouldn't start thinking about upgrading my bike until I'd been cycling for a year, but after managing yesterday's 85 mile ride, my thoughts are turning towards lighter frames. Trouble is (she says, shrugging her shoulders and putting on a crap accent), I know nothing...

My hypothetical plan is to keep the hybrid as a hack / shopping bike and use the n+1 for long / fast rides and maybe, maybe, maybe (since one always needs to keep a fresh challenge on the horizon) the odd audax. Maybe.

Anyway, going back to I know nothing, what should I be looking for / avoiding? A couple of people in my group swear by their Giants and I know Trek has a good reputation but beyond that, I feel a bit like a fish out of water.

Oh, I'm 5'2, if that helps.

 

[400bhp]

How much do you want/have to spend?

 

[WychwoodTrev]

Go for a Giant Avail look here

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/rangeViewer.asp?categoryID=1008

 

[coffeejo]

How much do you want/have to spend?

Ah, yes, good point £800 would be my absolute limit.

Go for a Giant Avail look herehttp://www.cyclestore.co.uk/rangeViewer.asp?categoryID=1008

Why that bike in particular?

 

[cyberknight]

You will get a good bike from anywhere at that price, best to try them for fit before spending your cash as the geometry will be different on different brands.

I am a Boardman fan so i would of course recommend a comp fi , £800 on the nose with sram apex that gives you a reaaly wide range of gears for going up and down hills.

http://www.boardmanbikes.com/fi/fi_road_comp.html

 

[400bhp]

As the Cyber man says, for that price you will get a good bike.

Boardman's are superb for the money-you might be lucky and get a Cannondale CAAD9 for that price (I swapped a Boardman Road Comp for a CAAD 9-frame and Tiagra running gear is better than the Boardman equiv.). More than likely though, a CAAD8.

I wouldn't get too hung up TBH, your bike will be good for that money.

 

[400bhp]

Edit: actually just noticed your size-you will probably to be able to get a good bargain from somewhere as its likely your bike frame size will be on the small size.

Go down to Evans, try a few out and then keep an eye on their deals.

 

[VamP]

A perfect time to be thinking about a road bike. 2012 models are just coming in, and 2011 models are being offered at discounted prices.

Enjoy the process. Read up, get our there and test as many bikes as you have time for.

You should be able to snag a good bike for £800 in the sales, but it might take a bit of hunting.


From a purely personal point of view, I always steer away from the BIG brands, as there's just loads of them about, and look for the less well known manufacturers, but there's no reason why you should be influenced by that.

If I was you, and that is a huge IF, I would be looking at something like this:

VamP's dream bike if his budget was £800ish and he was a woman

Of course if I was you, I'd already be coming up with a 100 and 1 reasons for going for the Pro over the Comp.

 

[coffeejo]

Cheers guys, I feel a bit more confident about this now. Quick question: since I'm not massively strong in hills, am I right in thinking that I should go for a triple chainset?

 

[rockyraccoon]

Cheers guys, I feel a bit more confident about this now. Quick question: since I'm not massively strong in hills, am I right in thinking that I should go for a triple chainset?

Yes, you are! I got a double specialized and ended up changing to a compact (now I find the jump between large and small ring very annoying). A triple will give you a better range of gears for climb any hills. Even if you don't use the smallest ring, it is nice to know you have it and you could use it when you really need.

Go for a triple, you'll definitely not regret.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I swore that I wouldn't start thinking about upgrading my bike until I'd been cycling for a year, but after managing yesterday's 85 mile ride, my thoughts are turning towards lighter frames. Trouble is (she says, shrugging her shoulders and putting on a crap accent), I know nothing...

My hypothetical plan is to keep the hybrid as a hack / shopping bike and use the n+1 for long / fast rides and maybe, maybe, maybe (since one always needs to keep a fresh challenge on the horizon) the odd audax. Maybe.

Anyway, going back to I know nothing, what should I be looking for / avoiding? A couple of people in my group swear by their Giants and I know Trek has a good reputation but beyond that, I feel a bit like a fish out of water.

Oh, I'm 5'2, if that helps.

As others have said in your price range you will find it hard to get a bad bike. Try out a few and see what feels right to you. I have a double and on a few occasions I wish I had a triple, that said after a month or so I am getting up hills in just under middle gear that I needed bottom for previously. End of the day go with what feels right to you

 

[WychwoodTrev]

Ah, yes, good point £800 would be my absolute limit.



Why that bike in particular?

I admit to being a big fan of Giant bicycles I have a Giant Youkon mtb had it over 4 yrs not even had to adjust the gears their bikes arebuilt to last.
The Avail got s cracking write up in cycle weekly a couple of months ago.
t the end of the day.it is up to you I hope you love and enjoy your new bike.

 

[al-fresco]

Cheers guys, I feel a bit more confident about this now. Quick question: since I'm not massively strong in hills, am I right in thinking that I should go for a triple chainset?

I'm not very good on hills either - but I'm a lot better than I was because I didn't get a triple. In fact I'd always intended to swap my 36 inner chainring for a 34 but after 1500 miles, a lot of it in the hills, I'm thinking I'll probably not bother.

 

[coffeejo]

Still on the question of hills and going back to "I know nothing", is there anyone out there who can explain, in a language that a numpty like me can understand, how the gears / range thereof compare between what I've got now and (as an example) one of the bikes that my LBS has got up on their website?

Current: Marin Larkspur City (Crankset - Suntour NCX-410, 48/38/28 / Cassette - Shimano HG30, 11-32, 8 Speed)

Pondering: Orbea Aqua Dama T23 (Crankset - SHIMANO 2300 34x50 COMPACT / Rear cogs - SHIMANO HG50 13-26 8S)

TBH, that might all be written in Swedish for all I understand.

All I do know is that I (slowly and painfully) managed to get up the steep side of Tor Hill (Glastonbury) on Monday using the granny gear of the Larkspur.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Still on the question of hills and going back to "I know nothing", is there anyone out there who can explain, in a language that a numpty like me can understand, how the gears / range thereof compare between what I've got now and (as an example) one of the bikes that my LBS has got up on their website?

Current: Marin Larkspur City (Crankset - Suntour NCX-410, 48/38/28 / Cassette - Shimano HG30, 11-32, 8 Speed)

Pondering: Orbea Aqua Dama T23 (Crankset - SHIMANO 2300 34x50 COMPACT / Rear cogs - SHIMANO HG50 13-26 8S)

TBH, that might all be written in Swedish for all I understand.

All I do know is that I (slowly and painfully) managed to get up the steep side of Tor Hill (Glastonbury) on Monday using the granny gear of the Larkspur.

You current bike has a lowest great of 28-32 the one you are looking at 34-26. (The smaller the front cog and larger the rear cog the better for hills) If both bikes were equal in every other way your current bike would be easier to ride up hills.

However you have to add into the equation the resistance the tyres will provide. (The skinnier the tyre the less rubber contacts the ground and thus less resistance is generated.) The weight of the bike is another factor. A lighter bike will be easier to ride up a hill than a heavy one. Finally the geometry of the machine. If you are more streamlined you body will provide less resistance and thus up and down hill will be easier.

Hope that helps.