Anyone know much about bikes?

[Ozwin]

Thinking of getting a new one soon but have no idea what's good and what's not. You've got double suspension, disk breaks, weight of the frame, etc etc and it all confuses the hell out of me. Then you've got your different brands and whatnot, as well as obviously looking somewhat decent, don't even know where to start.

Also, my current bike is pretty old but could do with being tuned up a bit and it'd be fine to give to my bro or whatever, it's a bit rusty in places, needs a new chain, front suspension is stuck (think it might be rusted stuck) but if it's not going to cost much to fix then I'd be up for that. Does anyone know anywhere that does full checkup/repairs etc? And no, dodgy Dave down the street in his back yard doesn't count!

Cheers FT.

[potter3]

What are you planning on using it for?

[Ozwin]

Biking here there and everywhere, concrete/roads mainly but I do tend to bike everywhere when I can so comfort is pretty important I guess.

Don't really know what sort of price I'm looking at but if you could give me low end/mid range/high end I could probably base my decision on that.

[potter3]

I don't really know much about bikes tbh, just what I picked up when I was looking for myself, but a hard tail would probably be better than full suspension, you lose a lot of energy due to the rear suspension, when you're not really going to need it. Will be cheaper too.

Going purely from when I was looking at mountain bikes, £3-500 got you a fairly basic 'good' one, but again if you're mainly using it as transport rather than entertainment you don't really need anything special, don't need disc brakes, full suspension etc. Weight is more important though, obviously the lighter the better, but generally more expensive as well.

http://www.evanscycles.com

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com

A few sites, then there's obviously Halfords, they'll also probably be able to help you with your old one.

Edit: Oh, and as for the high-end prices, you're looking at more than you'd pay for a decent car

[Raj]

Biking here there and everywhere, concrete/roads mainly but I do tend to bike everywhere when I can so comfort is pretty important I guess.

Don't really know what sort of price I'm looking at but if you could give me low end/mid range/high end I could probably base my decision on that.

Why not ger a roadbike if your not planning on going of road?

Ive got this-

http://pedalrevolutionblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/fuji-roubaix-3-0_1.jpg

Buy the best spec you can for what you CAN afford,set a limit and go for it,no need at all to spend silly money

[Alexikokopops]

If I wasn't so drunk I might be able to add something to this. I cycle to work every day and my dad spends his days working for Sustrans and fixing bikes. As it stands though this has taken me about ten minutes to type so if you want any sense then you're going to have to wait.

WEGUA

[sphericalfox]

You should get one with two wheels.

[BunkMoreland]

I don't know much, but I was asking people the same questions back in about June and the advice was usually to get a hybrid bike and don't spend less than £200, ideally more

[Lobsterboyuk]

I do a fair bit of cycling. Don't know what your budget is but cyclocross bikes are a good choice for all year round riding if you're splashing the cash. I always use wiggle now, they have a 30 day test ride (for full price bikes, not sale bikes). Good sites for reviews include bikeradar.com and road.cc

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cyclocross-bikes/?o=2

Do all my own maintenance so can't help there but Halfords on Putney Road are gash, bought my son a xmas bike few years ago and the quality of the setup was abysmal. Bought him a bike from Evans in Nottingham and they were really good.

Would also recommend http://www.decathlon.com - worth the trip up the M1 (near Nottingham Ikea), their Btwin range is amazing value for money plus you can try out all different types of bike in the store

[CupidStunt]

if you are working, ask your employer about cycle to work scheme's, you can save a bundle, tax free, and pay weekly

http://www.bike2workscheme.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=cycle%2Bto%2Bwork%2Bscheme&utm_campaign=Bike%2B2%2BWork%2BScheme

[Finnegan]

Evans is the way forward and Bunk is about there with the price range if you genuinely care about comfort and are going to use it a fair bit.

Anything like a Trek, Fuji, Scott, Specialized, Canondale, Boardman or Claud Butler should be of good quality.

I'd personally recommend the CB as a good starting point for value with tidy quality. You can probably pick one up for about 200, 250 and still get a tidy hybrid.

Don't bother with anything other than a hybrid if it's your first serious bike really.

Oh and don't set foot in a Halfords in your life!

[Guest Col city fan]

I bike often but don't consider myself a serious cyclist in terms of I've had the same bike (a hybrid?) for many years.

The simple things I do are:

Take it to the bike shop for an annual service

Inject the inner tubes with 'slime' (fantastic for stopping punctures)

Added a gel seat (great for giving your ass a bit of comfort on longer rides)

My bike wasn't expensive... About 150 quid and has lasted me for years in terms of what I need it for. I went for the hybrid type to use both on the road and for gentle 'off-roading'.

It's my main form of exercise and has repaid what I spent on it times over.

[pSinatra]

if you are working, ask your employer about cycle to work scheme's, you can save a bundle, tax free, and pay weekly

http://www.bike2work...e+2+Work+Scheme

cycle to work scheme is definitely worth looking into. You get a reduction on the cost of the bike & you get a slight deduction in your National Insurance contributions. Halfords is an absolute no no - when there are so many good bike shops & websites available. I would say that the weight of the bike & the type of tyres are important.....they make the biggest difference in saving energy. As with anything though.......you get what you pay for. It may not be an option, but it's worth paying that little bit extra & getting yourself something decent that will last you a while. Cheap & cheerful may be good in the short term, but it will be ready for the scrap heap after no time. Also, a little maintenance goes a long way.

I bought the above bike on the 'cycle to work ' scheme. A hybrid as I don't really use anything other than tarmac. A Marin Muirwoods 29er. It's worth over £600, but paid for it over 12 months out of my wages. With all the reductions, it ended up costing me about £230.

[Guest Col city fan]

cycle to work scheme is definitely worth looking into. You get a reduction on the cost of the bike & you get a slight deduction in your National Insurance contributions. Halfords is an absolute no no - when there are so many good bike shops & websites available. I would say that the weight of the bike & the type of tyres are important.....they make the biggest difference in saving energy. As with anything though.......you get what you pay for. It may not be an option, but it's worth paying that little bit extra & getting yourself something decent that will last you a while. Cheap & cheerful may be good in the short term, but it will be ready for the scrap heap after no time. Also, a little maintenance goes a long way.

I bought the above bike on the 'cycle to work ' scheme. A hybrid as I don't really use anything other than tarmac. A Marin Muirwoods 29er. It's worth over £600, but paid for it over 12 months out of my wages. With all the reductions, it ended up costing me about £230.

Nice one..

[pSinatra]

Nice one..

Cheers!!

It is decent & anyone thinking of getting a bike should seriously look into the Cycle to Work scheme. Apparently my employer had been running the scheme for years, but I only found out about it by chance.

What I was paying for the bike each month out of my wages, I was saving more than that in fuel costs by cycling to work. It felt like I got it for free!!

[Uncle Phil]

I agree don't set foot in Halfords, Their bikes are put together by Neanderthals, but I think they're the only place that sell Boardmans which are cracking bikes for the price.

If you're mainly riding on road I'd stay away from a dual shock bike, a hybrid isn't a bad shout. Have a browse on Evans or Chainreactioncycles.

[Ozwin]

So what exactly is a hybrid? Obviously road and mountain bikes are self explanatory. Is it just the best of both worlds or something?

Cheers for the help so far though, very helpful.

[Finnegan]

So what exactly is a hybrid? Obviously road and mountain bikes are self explanatory. Is it just the best of both worlds or something?

Cheers for the help so far though, very helpful.

Yes, essentially, it's a cross between mountain and road. Most of them are geared a little towards city use.

It's basically a road bike that's a little more sturdy.

[Jon the Hat]

So what exactly is a hybrid? Obviously road and mountain bikes are self explanatory. Is it just the best of both worlds or something?

Cheers for the help so far though, very helpful.

They seemed to me to be as sturdy as early mountain bikes, whereas mountain bikes are now much stronger and with suspension.

[Lobsterboyuk]

Typically a hybrid has thin road tyres and flat handlebars similar to a mountain bike. If you're planning longer rides, a problem with hybrids is wrist ache caused by the hand position.

Another contender for a solid road bike is this:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bbg/road-track-bike/ribble-winter-training-audax-bikes?sub=conf_BBRW&type=RIBMO

I ride one this time of year and they're quite comfortable (for a sporty bike) and bomb proof.

[Ozwin]

Nice one, what's the consensus on front/rear suspension?

[Guest]

Nice one, what's the consensus on front/rear suspension?

I've got neither on mine (Scott Sub 40) which I got through the cycle to work scheme. I'm generally using it for roads but it will cope easily with most of the sustrans routes around Manchester.

Probably wouldn't want to use it on any proper off road terrain.

Unless you think you're gonna do any actual mountain biking I wouldn't bother with suspension

[Ozwin]

Right, ok, it's weird looking online cos you don't know the weight and size etc, definitely want to try before I buy like.

As for this bike to work scheme, reckon I could benefit from it even though I live like a 5 minute walk away from my work? Do they do checks and stuff or is it pretty relaxed, seems like there's some decent savings to be had.

[Guest]

They asked for my address but that was to do with confirmation of the voucher your employer gives you. Doesn't seem to have any relation to distance from work.

The way it works is you find what you want (bike, accessories, helmet etc.) Then get a quote to provide to your employer and they organize the voucher for that amount.

I went down to Evans in Manchester told em the sort of thing I was after. Left my card there with them and they let me take a couple out for a spin. They can tell you pretty much what size frame you'll want by your height.

[Alexikokopops]

Yeah, Wvan's are good for letting you try things. Halfords bikes are put together by small blin children with no hands. Suspension is pointless unless you're taking it proper mountain biking. Drop handlebars aren't as good for weaving in and out traffic (which I do a lot) but great for longer cycling.

It's worth popping into a shop and speaking to people there. They'll know a lot more than us folk