Travis_Bickle
Have a look at sites like road.cc or Cycling Weekly. Loads of price-based group reviews. I bought a Ribble Audax for £650. Nothing fancy but I ride a 64cm frame and not many build them that big. It's quite upright too so easier on the back etc for longer rides.
I'd look for what are described as 'sportive' bikes. I have a Tiagra groupset, cheap but does the job. The Decathlon BTwin road bike just won Cycling Weekly's best - value award. Spend the money if you get into it. Bloke I go riding with started with a £300 Carrera from Halfords. Just bought a Felt for a grand as he's out all the time now.
Travis_Bickle
Ray_Hankin's_shorts
[quote=Travis Bickle]Have a look at sites like road.cc or Cycling Weekly. Loads of price-based group reviews. I bought a Ribble Audax for £650. Nothing fancy but I ride a 64cm frame and not many build them that big. It's quite upright too so easier on the back etc for longer rides.
I'd look for what are described as 'sportive' bikes. I have a Tiagra groupset, cheap but does the job. The Decathlon BTwin road bike just won Cycling Weekly's best - value award. Spend the money if you get into it. Bloke I go riding with started with a £300 Carrera from Halfords. Just bought a Felt for a grand as he's out all the time now.[/quote]
So you didn't rate the Felt Z85 then Trav?
Loads on eBay, the Yorkshireman inside me sort of wants to get a deal - you know, £800-1000 bike for £300 and in good order.....
Cuts
Giant Defy 3 if they are still available will be more than good enough for most riders.
If you're a regular sized bloke there's probably a good second hand market. I'd you're tall or short shop around for last year's model closepouts etc.
Travis_Bickle
[quote=Ray Hankin's shorts][quote=Travis Bickle]Have a look at sites like road.cc or Cycling Weekly. Loads of price-based group reviews. I bought a Ribble Audax for £650. Nothing fancy but I ride a 64cm frame and not many build them that big. It's quite upright too so easier on the back etc for longer rides.
I'd look for what are described as 'sportive' bikes. I have a Tiagra groupset, cheap but does the job. The Decathlon BTwin road bike just won Cycling Weekly's best - value award. Spend the money if you get into it. Bloke I go riding with started with a £300 Carrera from Halfords. Just bought a Felt for a grand as he's out all the time now.[/quote]
So you didn't rate the Felt Z85 then Trav?
Loads on eBay, the Yorkshireman inside me sort of wants to get a deal - you know, £800-1000 bike for £300 and in good order.....[/quote]
Not a case of not rating it. The 2016 model got 9 out of 10 in Cycling Weekly. Mate has a Felt and loves it. Try and get a sit on one if you can.
Cuts
Ride up grades don't buy upgrades
under_the_arches
[quote=Travis Bickle]Have a look at sites like road.cc or Cycling Weekly. Loads of price-based group reviews. I bought a Ribble Audax for £650. Nothing fancy but I ride a 64cm frame and not many build them that big. It's quite upright too so easier on the back etc for longer rides.
I'd look for what are described as 'sportive' bikes. I have a Tiagra groupset, cheap but does the job. The Decathlon BTwin road bike just won Cycling Weekly's best - value award. Spend the money if you get into it. Bloke I go riding with started with a £300 Carrera from Halfords. Just bought a Felt for a grand as he's out all the time now.[/quote]
Just got me self an a ribble sportive racing. First carbon bike I have had and it is great.
Ray_Hankin's_shorts
[quote=Travis Bickle][quote=Ray Hankin's shorts][quote=Travis Bickle]Have a look at sites like road.cc or Cycling Weekly. Loads of price-based group reviews. I bought a Ribble Audax for £650. Nothing fancy but I ride a 64cm frame and not many build them that big. It's quite upright too so easier on the back etc for longer rides.
I'd look for what are described as 'sportive' bikes. I have a Tiagra groupset, cheap but does the job. The Decathlon BTwin road bike just won Cycling Weekly's best - value award. Spend the money if you get into it. Bloke I go riding with started with a £300 Carrera from Halfords. Just bought a Felt for a grand as he's out all the time now.[/quote]
So you didn't rate the Felt Z85 then Trav?
Loads on eBay, the Yorkshireman inside me sort of wants to get a deal - you know, £800-1000 bike for £300 and in good order.....[/quote]
Not a case of not rating it. The 2016 model got 9 out of 10 in Cycling Weekly. Mate has a Felt and loves it. Try and get a sit on one if you can.[/quote]
Got it. If I'm honest it's what I've been telling our lass (I'm buying her a bike for her birthday) so I should listen to my own advice......
Mitaman
king of the slums wroteHow about a Giant TCR 0, are they any good?
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/int/tcr-0-2016I'm thinking of getting off the fags and doing some riding in 2017, might go long distances if I get into it.
I hear Giant are reliable and a good entry level bike.
Shop has this listed as 40% off which in real money is about 600 quid to buy.
Not sure if I can sneak it past Mrs KOTS, but let's see..
There's a second-hand shop in Higashi Ginza selling top-end bikes cheaply. You can buy a beauty, and in very good nick for a lot less.
Ray_Hankin's_shorts
Ended up buying one of these off eBay
[url]http://www.rutlandcycling.com/231644/products/cube-2014-peloton-pro-road-bike.aspx[/url]
Bloke lived close by and let me have a spin on it before I splashed the cash
Good nick and at £250 quid I'm happy
I'll no doubt want to upgrade after a while but a good start......imho
Travis_Bickle
Decent frame, Fulcrum wheels and 105 for £250 is a good deal. And you got to ride it which is the most important thing.
Did 40 miles today, through to Tod, over to Littleborough, climb to Blackstone and then down Cragg Vale (fun in the wet) and home. Lovely way to kill a few hours. Wet and windy but not unpleasant
Travis_Bickle
And Cuts was right about upgrades. My road bike is a comparatively cheap one. And very workmanlike. It's my legs I'm 'upgrading' with every mile. And I save weight by losing it as opposed to buying new bits for the bike. Corny but true....
CharlieG
Best upgrade out there is wheels............and tyres. As long as the gears change when you want them to, you're fine. Some Swiss Stop brake pads will improve any braking system, comparatively, cheaply.
Young_Marxist_at_Tescos
Spot on Charlie. Spend on wheels if possible.
Travis_Bickle
True. Tiagra on my bike is a 'cheap' groupset. Never let me down. Bombproof. I got better wheels for nowt when I bought the bike as there was a delay in them building it.
Anyone use deep dish wheels? I borrowed a mate's bike with Zipp carbon wheels for the first Etape Du Dales I did. Light as anything but made a proper racket when braking.
CharlieG
Winter bike has Ksyrium Equipe's, summer bike Fulcrum Racing 3's.
Ray_Hankin's_shorts
Rode it today - really really good
Looks the bollocks too
Very pleased
Travis_Bickle
Daughter's first MTB, bought today. That's Xmas morning sorted. I'll save Blue Pig for the New Year obviously......
Just got to wrap the f***er when it comes now
Mitaman
Just stick a big bow on the handlebars, that's what I did for my little lad.
She'll be made up with that, for sure.
Cuts
Can't claim that upgrades line but it is one of my favourite.
Travel do that thing from The Snapper. Wrap up a pump. Tell her if she's good , maybe a wheel for her birthday, saddle for next Christmas etc...