2nd hand bike for commuting?

FrenchTart · 14 Mar 2014 at 09:35

Dimple said:
Depends on the commute though.
Yesterday I used my road bike and decided to come home on the route I've been taking with my MTB and nearly rattled the road bike to death and nearly came to a full stop on grass & mud.
Road bike again today but I'll have to alter my commute.

And here we go again

(just kidding)

grudas · 14 Mar 2014 at 10:20

IC3 said:
Triban 5 does look nice, but if merlin is better then... hmm. Does merlin have any sort of warranty?

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.

IC3 · 14 Mar 2014 at 18:27

grudas said:
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.

FrenchTart · 14 Mar 2014 at 18:48

IC3 said:
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.

He's probably not being sarcastic tbh

If there's no local store advantage to be had then definitely go for the Merlin.

grudas · 14 Mar 2014 at 18:58

I was being serious.. The components are different but I didn't say they are worse haha..

nft_99 · 14 Mar 2014 at 19:04

got my hybrid from http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/ a landrover commute8 a brand name that seems to put off the local chavs so far so will do for me

the cable lock I got from Edinburgh bikes online.

FrenchTart · 14 Mar 2014 at 19:09

grudas said:
I was being serious.. The components are different but I didn't say they are worse haha..

The brakes are worse aren't they? I could be wrong.

The Merlin is cheaper though so for similar spec it makes sense to get the cheaper bike. If the brakes (and maybe wheels, dunno) are better then it makes even more sense.

grudas · 14 Mar 2014 at 19:30

FrenchTart said:
The brakes are worse aren't they? I could be wrong.

The Merlin is cheaper though so for similar spec it makes sense to get the cheaper bike. If the brakes (and maybe wheels, dunno) are better then it makes even more sense.

tbh my triban 3 brakes which in theory should be worse than triban 3 have served well enough for over 7k miles.. and still going.. no cable replacements either.

merlin wants £30 quid for delivery that brings the price up

but yeah the brake set on merlin at least is official "sora"

these two look alright spec wise too -;

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/61078/Raleigh_Revenio_1_2013_Bike

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/55463/Felt_F95_2013_Bike

I had a felt bike moons ago and the built was awesome on that!

IC3 · 14 Mar 2014 at 19:36

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? :confused:

Edit

Grudas, Do you own a Triban 5?

grudas · 14 Mar 2014 at 19:38

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.

IC3 · 14 Mar 2014 at 19:55

grudas said:
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?

grudas · 14 Mar 2014 at 20:57

That's correct.. No pedals is the normal on a road bike so don't be surprised by it

you can pick a cheap flat pedal pair for £15

BaJ · 14 Mar 2014 at 21:10

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

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

grudas · 14 Mar 2014 at 21:11

Now that is a banging deal.. Get it!

IC3 · 14 Mar 2014 at 21:20

BaJ said:
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 · 15 Mar 2014 at 10:14

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

[DOD]Asprilla · 15 Mar 2014 at 10:48

IC3 said:
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

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

IC3 · 15 Mar 2014 at 10:54

[DOD]Asprilla;26007632 said:
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

[DOD]Asprilla · 15 Mar 2014 at 13:23

If I had to pick one is say get the 56. It's easier to make a bike that's slightly too small fit tha one that's slightly too big.

IC3 · 15 Mar 2014 at 14:18

[DOD]Asprilla;26008228 said:
If I had to pick one is say get the 56. It's easier to make a bike that's slightly too small fit tha one that's slightly too big.

It might be relevant to this, I've ridden a sccott rode bike with frame size 57cm and it was ok for me. That's another reason why I hate buying from the internet, because I can't sit on the bike and try it out...