Road Bike (Cycle) Confusion

[mrg3.6]

After getting a serious bollocking from my Dr for having a cold whilst being over 50, followed up (spitefully I suspect) with a colonoscopy & full body scan, I have been formally declared 'fit and well' subject to some very pointed medical advice......... 'get some exercise you fat b???d '.

The engineer (read cheapskate) in me came up with the great idea to convert my old Marin mountain bike into a road bike and after three weeks of riding hell I'm actually hooked, however I have rapidly come to the conclusion that small wheels & low mountain gears just don't work on the road.

So finally I have decided to buy a new road bike but am pretty overwhelmed with the huge choice (aluminium/carbon/tiagra/105 etc) out there?

Anyone got a good recommendation for a decent road bike for around 1k GBP that won't p155 me off or need to be upgraded for another decade?

Thx

Martin

[Mick Cliff]

...need to be upgraded for another decade?

Doesn't exist!

As you get fitter you'll want more (or less (as in weight), better gears, better wheels....)..... bit like 'needing' better brakes on your Porsche, or more power, or better suspension - you get the drift?

Start by looking at, for example, Ribble Cycles 'specials' (there are many more suppliers!) http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/pu/road-t ... dition/1rw

As a 'starter' road bike an Audax type machine would be ideal IMHO.
Speak to Ribble, they are very helpful.

Hot66 has good reports about a frame builder in Stoke (Brian Rourke), but his (James') choice might be outside your budget.

Try and stay local to you (where ever that is)
Oops - just noticed where you are!

[carreracat]

i have a mate that runs a bike shop in sin ming, he could set up with something martin for your budget but as mentioned above there is no end to what can be spent.

it's also worth looking at togoparts.com as it has a good singapore classifieds section and a lot of the lcoals spend big bucks on fancy bikes and then sell off quickly and cheaply when they get bored.

[silver911]

Another approach is to buy a relatively low cost or second hand 'starter' bike to get a feel of the road frame and geometry, knowing you'll sell it.
However once you have a few months on riding a road frame you will be 'better' able to work out what you are comfortable with and some priorities..

Ali framed bike with a 105 set are a good base line...Second hand carbon bikes are nice.. however you never know if the PO has decked it and the frame is damaged..

[Tosh]

mrg needs a new Weapon of Mass Reduction

(sorry, love that phrase).
Have a look at someone like Serotta - not saying buy one but their site is very useful for working out how a bike should fit (there was an outfit in London called Cyclefit who do all that http://cyclefit.co.uk/cyclefitting ). Getting one to fit right is more important than what it is: if your bars are too narrow, for example, it may end up pinching your neck and thus create a new (non weight related) issue. So I'd start there if you're going to invest: they'll likely knock money off the combo of fitting and buying if you buy from them.

Serotta fitting (use the drop down) - http://www.serottacyclinginstitute.com/ ... earch.html

[Gary71]

The Specialized Allez is the normal recommendation for the 'want a road bike' transition phase.

I went through the same with slicks on my mountain bike for a few months then started browsing for the £1k bike and ended up deciding to skip all the intermediate stages of upgrading and bought a £2k one

[neilbardsley]

planet x bikes on the www. A fraction of the price of some of the other bikes mention but just as good. For £1k you will get a good bike that will doing everying you want and more.

[shoestring7]

I was in a somewhat similar situation a few years ago. I decided not to buy a 'racer' but bought a lightweight, flat handle-barred road bike. In hindsight this was a mistake, the flat bars only allowed one riding position, and on longer rides this meant I couldn't move around so much to ease aches and pains. A bike with an 'easy' geometry and dropped bars would be the way to go.

Do you travel to Taiwan? Most of the world's bikes seem to be made there!

Charles
PS At 'our' age sadly, I find losing weight is 20% moving more and 80% eating less....

[hot66]

ignore all the shiney bits & flash paint jobs tempting you to spend money .. Get to a respected cycle shop & get them to 'fit' you to a bike. Try a few & get them to adjust things to suit your shape. Don't be tempted to go straight for the one with the full on TDF racing position ... try one of the more relaxed geometry , slightly more upright styles ... it will suit the kind of riding O expect you are wanting to do. Don't rule out a touring bike either.

Best bike in the world will be crap if it doesn't fit.

[40 scout]

If you really want to get fit I recommend a Raleigh Shopper preferably with flat tyres,

more effort in = more calories burnt therefore fitter / slimmer.

Surely if your bike is too efficient it requires less to pedal it therefore not so effective ??

Steve

[bjmullan]

Is it just me or are expensive bikes just a bit like expensive hi-fi?

Me I can't tell the difference between a £300 hi-fi and a £3000 hi-fi and doubt if a £3000 bike would make much different to my ride. And what's with the over priced parts that you can buy, not to mention the price they charge for clothing

[Mick Cliff]

Is it just me or are expensive bikes just a bit like expensive hi-fi?

Anybody's hobby is expensive if it's not your hobby...
Jut ask any hi fi enthusiast (or other hobbyist) if he would part with 37,000 quid for a rusty wreck of a car!

[911hillclimber]

Simply go to Halfords or a local independent, get a good simple bike (a bit of weight will do you good) and be happy.

I'm close to going back to a simple ATB for sunday exercises etc.

£300 will buy something fashionable (discs/fat noisey tyres/bell/drink bottle)

[Burma-Shave]

+1 on planet x. I thought about which bike for at least a year and they were the answer to the question.

James is right, fit is important unless you want to add a rhematology clinic to your list, but unless you are a weird shape you can achieve much of the correct fit by adjusting saddle height/fore/aft, stem height, cleat position etc once you have the bike.

I think there is a HUGE difference between a £300-500 bike and £1000-1500, especially now the latter price bracket includes full carbon.

After that it is diminishing returns, and more about marginal gains in racing or resolving mid life crisis by spending money. Fat businessmen on 5 grand pinarellos just look like nobs! I have had a P-x carbon with sram red groupset and have raced and commuted it for two years, its been fab and I have no desire to upgrade at all.

Get a decent one, loads of people want to get into biking but buy a cheapie and never use it because it is no fun to ride. Witness all the horrid full suspension monsters built from angle iron with flat tyres and rusty rims at your local skip emporium...

[mrg3.6]

After that it is diminishing returns, and more about marginal gains in racing or resolving mid life crisis by spending money. Fat businessmen on 5 grand pinarellos just look like nobs!

I know just how that fat businessman feels

So lots of good advice (thanks) on manufacturers and of course aligning the fitment with my streamlined torso

One other option I guess would be spend 'half as much' on a 105 groupset with a set of proper road wheels, I know its a mountain bike but the old Marin 'Bear (now Pear) Valley' steel frame seems to ride really well and doesn't seem to be overly heavy - here's the old girl:



Any thoughts or am I just putting off the inevitable

Martin