2nd hand bike for commuting?

[IC3]

I couldn't go to Halfords during this weekend, but my plan is to go there tomorrow or possibly tuesday.

What do you guys think about this road bike? It's seems solid, from nearly 600 to 269 seems like a good deal, right?
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_888017_langId_-1_categoryId_165710#tab1

 

[IC3]

I wouldn't say that it's particularly great. The supposed price before discount is a joke for starters and the fact that it's lower than sora is a bit of a shame. It's not terrible though.

Than what would be considered as 'great' for my budget?

 

[IC3]

Triban 3 but sadly you can't get it :/ Personally I'd try to push for a little over 300 but I realise that's sometimes easier said than done.

Yeah, I would prefer if you gave me models that are available... But, then again I could rise my budget to 500 or 600, wait a sec why not 1k or 3k? Do you get the message? I'm not spending more then 300, as the bike is not my only transport.

If the price of a bike can be slashed by 55% then the price is cobblers.

And yeah, the zelos has absolute bottom end gears, I'd avoid it personally. If your budget is £300 I'd get the Triban 3, even if that means getting the white one. It's only got a steel fork, rather than carbon, but at this price you don't get much choice. The gears are by Microshift, but they're proper twin lever gears, rather than the dire 2300 you usually get at that price range. For £300 there really aren't many other options, unless you go second hand.

So it's this same bike, the only difference is color and steel forks? If you look at the title. you'll see that from the start of this thread my aim was to buy a 2nd hand bike, as my budget is low.

 

[IC3]

The white Triban 3 is a different colour, has a steel fork rather than carbon, entirely different groupset... It's got the same name, and that's about it.

Anyway, if your budget is £300 then yeah, go with your original plan and go second hand.

You probably didn't read all my posts in this thread, so I'll say it again. I'm a total noob at cycling, especially road cycling. I need actual models of bikes to look out for, so I don't end up buying something crap and pay 3x times more then its actually worth..

Edit

That's why I've posted this thread on here... It's easy to say, "buy second hand..." without giving names of the models/makes or actual advice...

 

[IC3]

not a nice tone when someone is trying to help you eh how about you just get w/e you feel like and stop pretending that this is a paid "suggest me a bike" service you're receiving.

Sorry, but I'm just fed up with the offtopic in my threads. Some of the posts, just remind me the times of when people wanted to hit that 1k posts to enter the MM...

Edit

I could pick out the 'irrelevant' posts and paste them here in this post. But I would probably run of space available per post (if there is any?), it would be much easier to quote the 'relevant' posts.

 

[IC3]

Yeah. I'm getting pretty tired...too.

+1,
Oh well, I guess making a thread on a cycling forum is a better idea. This forum is mainly about IT...

 

[IC3]

lol.. you'll get the same answers

Sarcasm

Indeed. Enjoy going through the exact same motions as you did for the last four pages.

Yep, it will be fun to see another argument one/two pages long.

Yeah, go for it, make a thread somewhere where people are more snooty about bikes

If you don't have any money, are buying second hand, don't really care what you get and don't want to take people's advice, then just get whatever. For the money you're talking it hardly matters as long as you use some common sense, ie "Is this bike broken?".

Plus recommending anything when you're looking at second hand bikes is innately difficult because who knows what's available and for how much, and even if you do find a recommended bike it might be the wrong size, broken, modified or god knows what else.

I do, its just the fact that I don't want to spend more... I do listen to your advice, but it's hard to find a bike which has been discontinued. I'm might sound like a very demanding person, but I'm not. I just want the best, I can get for the budget (which is low)... Triban 3 WHITE will probably the bike I'll buy or that carrera hybrid. Without knowing anything about bikes/bike parts there's no point, as knowing my luck I'll buy some crappy bike which will turn out to be worst then e.g. Triban 3 WHITE...

Again, sorry for the "attitude" and "tone", but since new year everything started 'to fall apart'... I might sound like a depressed *****, but it really seems like jumping of the bridge would be the best thing to do (maybe not the best, but the easiest)...

 

[IC3]

Have a look on Ebay for bikes <£300 and see what you can find. Or Gumtree.

I was in the same situation as you when I bought mine and I wasn't looking for a particular model, just a bike that wasn't a pile of crap. For model reference, mine is a Trek 1.2 which is pretty much bottom of the range of Trek bikes.

In fact, what size are you and where are you from? Might be able to persuade a mate to part with his barely used Trek, its a 54cm iirc.

I've searched ebay and gumtree before opening this thread, but that was useless as I didn't know what to look out for.
My height is 6ft (184cm), so probably I'll need at least 57 or 60 and my location is Hertfordshire. Anyway thanks for the offer

Ebay, search in cycling for "road", limit price to £300, limit distance to 25 miles of my postcode:

Good, but will finish at over £300.
Not as good, but more likely to finish under £300.
The bike I ride. Rubbish at stock, marginally less rubbish with a carbon fork and upgraded gears.
Yeah, pretty good. Never used, by the look of it, so that helps.
Best bang for buck.

What's your location? I could maybe find something half decent in your vicinity.

That's kind of you, thanks! My height is 6ft (184cm) and location Hertfordshire

 

[IC3]

Some possibilities... I'm useless on bike sizing, so you'd need to check if they were right for you...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scott-Afd...1208627159?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item20e0b0a7d7 - Looks a few years old, but the kit on it is good
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orbea-bike-/121273094409?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item1c3c709109 - Very respectable brand name, but not sure how good the kit on here is
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-ocr-bike-/251461635076?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3a8c480c04 - Very nice, though I'm concerned that the left shifter looks like it's bent
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-C...1339494278?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item2a38ad1786 - This is a lovely old bike, but it needs a saddle, and it's only got downtube shifters

There's a lot of older bikes around you, but not so many newer ones, sadly.

Thank you!

The Scott and Giant are my favorites, the yellow is putting me off a bit. I'll email the sellers and try to see the bikes this weekend.

 

[IC3]

I've seen the sccott bike, but it had a massive crack on the clamp which keeps the saddle in place... I've started searching for bikes upto 350-370 59-61cm.

 

[IC3]

http://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-maven-road-bike-55803.html

All of you were right, about the road bike being better then mtb for commuting.

Edit

Is this better then the black triban 5? I'm gone buy a new bike, no point in saving 100 pounds... 450 is my limit!

 

[IC3]

I'd probably go for the Merlin at that price but someone with better knowledge may weigh in with something different

I'm probably blind, but does it actually say when the offer is ending? I'm also guessing, that they don't have stores around UK?

Originally my plan was to get a bike for 'healthier' commute, but I might actually get into cycling and do longer distances. I wouldn't mind loosing some weight (my weight is 12.5 stone, but I would like to loose 5kg )

 

[IC3]

both merlin and triban 5 are pretty much the same and by the looks of it the best bang for you buck you can get for 450ish.. I'd personally go with merlin if I wanted full groupo etc.. or triban 5 if I cared about the looks more.

The merlin doesn't look too bad, but triban 5 (IMO) looks nicer. Anyway, I've 2 days to decide. Is there any warranty on the bike, or do I've to pay extra?

 

[IC3]

well if you want life time warranty go with triban you'll get it for the frame and forks if I'm not mistaken.. as long as they have your size in.

Triban 5 does look nice, but if merlin is better then... hmm. Does merlin have any sort of warranty?

 

[IC3]

I'd go for triban 5 because it looks better price is pretty much the same and components are very similar bar brakes from what I can see and wheels of course.

Are you being sarcastic?
If merlin has better spec, then I'll buy merlin. No point in buying a bike just for the looks..

Edit

Nearest Decathlon is in London (around 45 miles away), I'm gone order online anyway.

 

[IC3]

Yeah, Merlin will be 430 and Triban 5 will be 443.99 so not a big difference... So which one is better in terms of spec/performance?

Edit

Grudas, Do you own a Triban 5?

 

[IC3]

both are pretty much the same..

merlin has, in theory better brakes, but white triban 5 for e.g. has the same as my triban 3 and they have lasted for ages and still work fine.

wheelsets on both are ??? as they are unknown brand etc but should last 2-3k miles no problems.. I eat wheels for lunch and I killed mine in 1.4k miles

I'd probably go with that green felt in 58cm.. awesome looking bike(seen a few around london) and from my previous experience felt make good in house parts so hubs etc should last for ages.

edit -;

no I own-ish a triban 3 but it has been rebuilt a few times due to me hating the way it looked, if 3 is anything to go by 5 will be great and I've only heard good things about 5.. and now 5(white) is on offer at £399 - possibly best bang for buck..

out of the 3 -;

felt
merlin
b'twin

you can't go wrong with either one of them to be honest.

Where I usually leave my bike there's a camera, but such a bright green might attract thieves . I guess a good lock should do the job, but the bike doesn't have pedals? So I'll have to buy pedals and a better lock, as my lock is poo.


Edit

So, Triban 5 white has 5 years guarantee and is the cheapest
Felt is probably the best looking and from what you're saying is the best, but doesn't have pedals and is the most expensive...
Merlin is (kind of) the same as Triban 5?

 

[IC3]

The Felt is £399 at Wiggle and also in grey, tempted myself.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-sora-wiggle-exclusive/

You're sir a 'LEGEND'!

 

[IC3]

Last question before I order, my height is 184cm and Arm span of 185cm (Ape index of 1.005). What frame size should I pick, 56 or 58? Upper body is 71cm

 

[IC3]

Can you touch your toes? And what's your inside leg?

I didn't do any sport in past 2 years, so can't really touch my toes. But If I stretched then I probably would. Inside leg is 88cm