Spec me a bike

Sudden

Sudden

Sudden

Soldato
Joined
15 Nov 2005
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London
This is a slight follow-on from an earlier thread, but thought it made sense to start a new one.

I cycled for a day recently in San Francisco and enjoyed it. I've been thinking for a few months anyway to get a cycle for commuting to and from work (London - Wandsworth/Putney to Richmond. Around 30 min each way acc. to Google maps), and this experience convinced me a bit more to give it a shot.

However, I don't have a clue where to start in order to find a bike. I know a few keen cyclists, but they are super keen so say that I can't reasonably spend anything less than £800 - £1000 which seemed high for a beginner.

So questions are, how do I go about finding a bike? Which are the stores to go to? Which brands should I be going for/looking at? What kind of bike? It'll primarily be used for commuting. Maybe the occasional weekend cycle around, but this would be the exception. And are there any 'must have' accessories I need as well apart from a helmet and a cycle lock?

I'm a small guy - 5'5. It seems like it'll make a difference to what bike, so thought i'd mention it.

Thanks all!
 
What sort of bike are you after? Road/racing bike? Mountain bike? Hybrid?

What type of handlebars do you want? That should narrow things down.

Ignore the super keen beans. You can get a perfectly good bike for £3-400.
 
That's part of the issue for me - i'm a complete newbie. I have no idea what I should get, so was hoping someone here could give me a bit more direction on what I should look at, given my planned usage.
 
Go to a bike shop and try a few things out. Anything over 300 quid (without suspension) will be well built with components that won't fall apart 5 minutes from the shop door.
 
i actually though the Decathlon Btwin Rvierside 900 is pretty good value for the money as a go-everywhere bike. 239 quid. If you want something more road orientated, then Btwin Triban with flat handle bar is also pretty good (assuming if you prefer flat handle bar to begin with)

EDIT: both are reasonably lightweight. I found one thing that keep putting new starters off is the weight of the bike. as entry level bike, try 12kg or below.

Also have a look at youtube, it's very easy to find beginner guide on different type of bikes:

Mountain bike, hybrid/adventure bike, cylcocross bike, gravel bike, road bike.
 
What budget? For a 30minute commute I'd want a road bike, much more efficient than anything else.

I'm sure you can find a b-twin or boardman for £500ish. Also check out Canyon, a friend recently got a full carbon bike for £1000. Spend enough so you won't regret getting something so cheap you'll hate ridding it.
 
Personally, for commuting in London i don't think you need to look any further than a single speed. For a noob they're very light on the maintenance and as there aren't really any hills to worry about - perfect for getting around. I use one fixed with a front brake. I save my road bike for proper rides.
If you think you may use it outside of commuting, then something like the triban would be a good idea as it's one of the best value for money road bikes you can get.
These guys do a cheap - if a bit heavy single speed http://www.gokucycles.co.uk/ or just pop down to decathlon and take a look at the tribans in the flesh
 
sHo0sH said:
Personally, for commuting in London i don't think you need to look any further than a single speed. For a noob they're very light on the maintenance and as there aren't really any hills to worry about - perfect for getting around. I use one fixed with a front brake. I save my road bike for proper rides.
If you think you may use it outside of commuting, then something like the triban would be a good idea as it's one of the best value for money road bikes you can get.
These guys do a cheap - if a bit heavy single speed http://www.gokucycles.co.uk/ or just pop down to decathlon and take a look at the tribans in the flesh
Click to expand...
saw a pair of those "aero" looking fixies down at Wandsworth station the other day. can't see to find weight information on those however. would definitely want to try one for a £225.
 
I own a Cube Attain road bike and a Giant Roam 2 hybrid. Both cost between £400-£500.

Out of the two I much prefer the Cube for general riding over the Giant. The Giant is great in the forest with its wide tyres and front suspension but it weighs an absolute ton. I live where it is nice and flat but I would still try and get a nice light bike. It would be much better suited to the stop-start of London cycling.

I would suggest an entry level road bike or flat bar hybrid.

I wouldn't go for a single speed unless your a bit keen or have a lot of experience riding one, they take a bit more skill and effort to ride safely.
 
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