WTB road bike

Jono

Jono

Jono

Man of Honour
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
13,262
Location
Northallerton/Harrogate
Hello,

If I can get 0% finance on something, I can happily spend up to 1k ish on a bike. Obviously I'd rather spend less. I don't CARE how fast it goes; I won't be racing anyone. I don't care what colour it is. I don't know enough to care about components, so I thought I'd ask some people that might.

I ended up (in a thread back last August), putting some semi slicks on my hardtail and I've been riding that, but it doesn't seem to go as well as my dad's ancient Halfords racer thing that he bought when he was about 20.

Plus I'd quite like to take it off road again.

What I want out of a bike:
Something that's expensive enough for it not to be ****
Something that's cheap enough to allow me to buy other stuff I might need, e.g. I don't have a decent bike computer (or one that works). I might want to go for clippy pedal things and shoes. I have never tried using them before.

Perhaps one day I will decided to cycle 30 miles to work and back instead of driving. It's on a mainly flatish route (vale of york) so I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. Especially if they decide to install a shower at work. I will push that.

I can cycle 30 miles in a day fine, but my buttocks aren't in training for it to be a regular thing.

My usual routes are pretty hilly though, near my house. Something that makes getting up those easier would be nice.
I know nothing about road bikes, other than there are a few places that sell them. I probably wouldn't be able to notice much of a difference if I took some out on a demo.

Halp, please :)

I'm only about 5' 8-9 with little legs, which is annoying. Also I am fat.
 
I would go for a ribble gran fondo at £800 - £1400 depending on the spec you choose.
They do interest free credit over 9 months.

Or, sign up for a 0% credit card and buy a planet-x or boardman.
 
Last edited:
touch said:
I would go for a ribble gran fondo at £800 - £1400 depending on the spec you choose.
They do interest free credit over 9 months.

Or, sign up for a 0% credit card and buy a planet-x or boardman.
Click to expand...

Sounds a bit like Gran Fondler :)

I shall check those out, thanks :) Are the boardman's actually any good? Would I have to take it to a proper bike shop to get set up? My cousin is an idiot and he got put in charge of building bikes in Halfords, so I don't really have much faith in their ability in general to get things right.
 
Yep, general opinion is that they are good bikes from a bad shop.
A few guys on here have them, most got them built or checked over by an alternative shop. Shouldnt cost more than £50 to build a bike.
 
Went to Arthur Caygill's in Richmond (N Yorks) yesterday, Had a look at the defy, and he didn't seem too impressed with it. Reviews online seem good, though.

What's the difference between the Sora/Tiagra/105 groupsets (or components thereof) - other than cost?

I don't care really about saving a few hundred grams here or there... but I don't want things to fall apart.
He showed me a coupe of his own bikes - anyone any experience of those? One of which had the full Tiagra groupset - Touring whatsit? I dunno.. 27 gears, which is probably what I would want - as when i'm up to it I'd love to ride over buttertubs pass or whatever it's called.

Bikes I looked at were between £900 and £1300 - 0% finance makes it easier.

I do not wish to be changing components really.

Did have a look at the ribble configurator and for Tiagra full groupset on the Gran Fondler it seemed about the same sort of price as a Caygill something or other. But The Fondler is a full carbon frame? The others I looked at were just carbon forks.

I don't care about full carbon, but is it better? Or more liable to snap on me :)
 
Yep I've got a Boardman and love it. They're great value for money (ie lots of spec for your dosh, not budget/cheap).

For example I guy I met when cycling through France had the same chainset as me expect he custom built/bespoke ordered his bike, and the chainset cost him £700. My whole bike was £999 so.

Everyone who speaks to me when stopped at sportive feed stations and the like always comments on it - everyone almost got one or knows someone who has one and they always comment on how good value they are.

Most people don't have one because they're not as cool as other brands because they're only sold through Halfords.
 
Different frame materials have different characteristics; aluminium tends not to be vertically compliant and so every bump and ripple gets transferred though the frame to your bum. Some frames manage this better than others.

Carbon is lighter, more vertically compliant (less road buzz) and more hard wearing than you think.

Steel is generally heavier but very comfortable and is repairable where other materials aren't.

There are different types of steel, aluminium and carbon as well so it gets quite complicated.
 
I waddled into halfords to have a look at boardman bikes, not many on display, but I did peruse the little booklet attached to one of the stands.
There was some road bike down from 999 to 799. Had carbon forks and alloy frame, and Shimano 105 levels/chainset (I think). Wheels were Mavic something or other.

I also picked up a leaflet saying I can apply for the BAE Systems cycle2work scheme....

I'm not an employee of BAE systems... so how's that meant to work? My own employer is poo and isn't a member of the scheme.
 
then you can't use it.
the difference in the sora/tiagra/105 is how smooth the shifting is, how you change gears (sora has a little thumb bit you use to change down, others use paddles for both), how much they weigh and how long you _could_ expect it to last
also if you opt for SRAM or Campag it's different again.

I'd go for 2nd hand for my first bike as you can pickup a bargin and some bike shops still do 0% finance on 2nd hand

I picked up my Secture Elite Apex for £650 when they where £1200 new and am very pleased with it.
 
Russinating said:
Yep I've got a Boardman and love it. They're great value for money (ie lots of spec for your dosh, not budget/cheap).

For example I guy I met when cycling through France had the same chainset as me expect he custom built/bespoke ordered his bike, and the chainset cost him £700. My whole bike was £999 so.

Everyone who speaks to me when stopped at sportive feed stations and the like always comments on it - everyone almost got one or knows someone who has one and they always comment on how good value they are.

Most people don't have one because they're not as cool as other brands because they're only sold through Halfords.
Click to expand...

slight exageration on the chainset cost there i think lol....
 
[DOD]Asprilla;22060854 said:
I think he was probably talking about the groupset, not the chainset.
Click to expand...

I don't know, there's some crazy priced roadie stuff.

For the op I was in a similar position and bought a Ribble evo pro carbon with a Campy Veloce groupset. I'd used campy stuff in the past and it some how just seems "righter" than Shimano kit on a road bike. If you do go for Shimano then aim for 105 or higher so at least you get concealed cables.
 
eXist said:
slight exageration on the chainset cost there i think lol....
Click to expand...

He said it, and he was miffed so I doubt he'd exaggerate, but you may be right as I have no idea how much it costs.

[DOD]Asprilla;22060854 said:
I think he was probably talking about the groupset, not the chainset.
Click to expand...

Indeed.

Jono said:
My own employer is poo and isn't a member of the scheme.
Click to expand...

If it makes you feel better than I don't think any c2w schemes are as good as they used to be. You may as well just find a good 0% finance deal or apply for a 12mth 0% purchase CC instead. More flexibility then too. The main thing you'll lose out on (if they even still do it) is the 10% worth of free accessories.
 
Last edited:
Russinating said:
He said it, and he was miffed so I doubt he'd exaggerate, but you may be right as I have no idea how much it costs.



Indeed.



If it makes you feel better than I don't think any c2w schemes are as good as they used to be. You may as well just find a good 0% finance deal or apply for a 12mth 0% purchase CC instead. More flexibility then too. The main thing you'll lose out on (if they even still do it) is the 10% worth of free accessories.
Click to expand...

He must have meant the groupset for £700 as I think the top end Kforce light by FSA is £650 which you don't have :o

The schemes are still good and it works out pretty much the same as what you used to pay. In the other thread I said if you are a basic rate taxpayer buying £100 bike you'll pay £680 over 12 months + £70 fee at the end. If you're a higher rate taxpayer you pay £580 over 12 months + £70 at the end.

I recently assembled the Boardman with 105 and Mavic aksium wheels and I'd struggle to be negative about it!
 
Got the boardman team carbon myself and am loving it still, got a 60k sportive to do on Tuesday which should be fun. Due to the vat free price I got it for from wiggle a few of the bike club members have been tempted by them too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom