Stolen bike / Spec me a new bike?

Tony Williams

Tony Williams

Tony Williams

Soldato
Joined
13 Jul 2006
Posts
3,371
Location
Hell!! \m/
Okay okay, today had my MTB chained up (cheap chains - big mistake) I came out for dinner and went into Sayers right outside where my bike is parked. So I wonder about town for 30 mins on the way back, bam - gone.

Spoke to a enviromental officer, they are checking cameras. When I get home I am gunna contact Merseyside police. The bike is a GT Avalance 3.0. Do these bikes have any codes or anything to ID with - I'll check out paperwork too. Bloody £300, it costed.

Now in the worse case senerio I'll need a new ride. Thinking of a racer this time, was looking at £500-£700 and I'll need a decent lock.

Might cover the name, etc too. This time I wont park outside Sayers, in busy area, I'll park back in college, where I think there is a camera - means a walk but worth it.

Don't even think lolcats would make me happy. :(

So lads - what is recommended??
 
Road bike?

Oh, options in that bracket are difficult and you''d really be limited to either a compromise frame or a compromise groupset. Given the choice I'd go for a decent frame since the best shifters aren't going to cheer you up if you are riding spaghetti.

Specialized Allez; very good frame and available in a number of different price options from £500 to £800. The Sectuer is also good, but is very 'relaxed' for my liking.

Ribble Cycles; they build to order and you can configure exactly how you want.

Fuji Roubiax; don't know a lot about them, but have heard only good things.

Trek 1.2; can't really go wrong with a Trek.

Giant Defy; The defy 3 and 4 are in your price range and are, by all accounts, very good frames.
 
Alright lads so this bike then. £599, pricey but I'll push for it tonight, make an order. Okay can someone go over what I have listed and see that it's good for the money

INFACT. IS IT POSSIBLE?? to get some sort of GPS sysem inside the bike so if goes missing I can track it online? Sounds a swet idea.

Now, this time I wanna be able to carry stuff with me, not a back pack, nothing much just a cheap way of taking a few pairs of clothes or shopping wouldn't mind something on the rear

http://www.evanscycles.com/products...rt-double-2010-road-bike-ec019409?query=allez

I need a lock:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/kryptonite/kryptolok-series-2-d-lock-ec006262#BVRRWidgetID

Lights
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/smart/lunar-25-1-2-watt-lightset-ec020480
 
No to the gps tracker I'm afraid. People have looked at it, but the antenna needs to be outside the frame to get signal and that makes it visible and removable.

If you don't want a pack then you can look at something like a rack and panniers or a carradice seat pack. Costs conform cheap to expensive and choice is limited by weight and volume. The Allez isn't designed to carry a rack but this can be overcome

General advice for a lock is getthe best you can spending at least 10% of the cost of the bike. U-locks are better than chains and cables.

The main difference with lights is whether you want to see or just be seen. I usually have one flashing at the front and on solid plus one flashing at the rear.

If no-one else gives options I'll provide some more detail on each of these later.
 
Recommendations:

Lights

Rear Light. Very bright and visable from the side. A popular choice with many cyclists.

Front Light. Again, very popular choice and very bright.

Bags

Carradice do some highly though of bags that sit behind your saddle.

You can get a full rack as well on which you can attach panniers, but because that bike has no mounting points you'll have to use p-clips.

There are racks which attach to the seat post only, but these are weight limited and can either brake or damage the seat post if you overload them.
 
Smashing like me vs the laws of physics.

Actually, it's just a suggestion for you and it is a good bike. Best think you can go and do is go to a bike shop and sit on one though, and get some advice from the people in the shop.

The best bike is the one that fits and is comfortable otherwise you won't use it.
 
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