Bicycle Advice

[Steven]

I've decided I want to get fit and as well as starting hill walking I want to get a bike for weekend cycles. The last bike I bought was a 150 quid mountain bike about 10 years ago, so I'm a bit out of touch.

I don't want an out and out racer and I don't want a mountain bike. A road/hybrid/tourer would be best I think. The distance I plan on covering is about 50 - 60 miles so I need something decent enough.

My budget is about 400 quid and I've been looking at this one so far:

http://www.claudbutler.co.uk/CORP/ROAD/levante.html

Does anyone know about bikes that can make some suggestions? Cheers.

 

[Stu DemonD]

Stick the mrs on the front, easy life

 

[Steven]

but not so good for getting away from the mrs for the day with a mate.

 

[Badger_Benji]

Dont buy a claud butler they arent the brand they used to be, I was part of their road race team, and we didnt even use there bikes, just had better ones resprayed

For that kind of money check out the CFR range from Giant, or the sirrius range from Specialized, either is a good buy.

 

[charlieboy]

steve the bike in the link is good for slight use, i was going to get one for work instead of the car (if i get into the fire service )

claud butler are good bike. my brother has a hardtail, disc brakes and he gives it a good hammering in the woods when we go out riding, no problems as of yet.

'specialized' bikes are a top make, 'connondale' are good too and very rugged (sp?) bikes

i have a 'scott USA' cross country bike, hard tail v-brakes and its good for riding road and cross country! worth a look (plus it was only just over £230 ish)

charlie

 

[Steven]

Giant? I always thought they were rubbish!

 

[charlieboy]

just remebered 'garry fisher' (i think ) bikes. light weight frames and good quality

giant make good mtb's not sure about the sort of bike your after

 

[Stilochris]

so do you want to go off road or on? or a bit of both?

the specialized sirrus range of hybrids are quite nice and have better frame quality than the CB. or any from trek, Kona or GT would be fine.

have a look at this...
http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=5324

dont forget though, you can always stick a set of slicks or semi-slicks on a MTB for road or bridlepath cycling...

giant are also excellent bikes and def not rubbish, same goes for Gary Fisher. personally id steer clear of any claud butler's. there are better bikes out there for the money..

 

[Steven]

I can't see me going off-road on it but you never know. I like the look of the Specialized Sirrius.

I've just found them in a shop local to me as well :

http://www.mcconveycycles.com/products.php?plid=m1b0s20p1738

 

[Stilochris]

you wont go wrong with a specialized. Have a search around like the link i posted and see if you can get any of the higher spec '05 models for the price of the basic 06,which i think is £400 exactly.

also, im not 100% sure but if the sirrus run 26" wheels then they should be able to take MTB tyres so they will be able to take some off road use...

enjoy!

 

[dave]

http://www2.trekbikes.com/lang_redirect.php?redir=/

http://www.specialized.com/SBCBikes...~zi=1025~ze=22372~za=1023~jsm=JTF_FULLSESSION

 

[Badger_Benji]

Giant are the worlds largest manufacturer of bicycles, you dont get to that postion by manufacturing rubbish. Im sorry I have to disagree with the claud butler, they are made in china to a very low budget, and are predominately manufactured for the catalogue industry, freemans etc. They tend to fit very low grade bottom brackets, headsets, and freewheels, which all have a tendancy to fail far faster than a decent item from say Shimano.

Yes Cannondale are a top bicycle, I sitll have mine i rode at the nationals when I was racing semi-professionally. Just to give some background I have worked in 8 different bike shops, raced for numerous teams, both nationally and occasionally internationally. I still work saturdays in a bicycle shop, as I enjoy the interaction with the customers.

If you can afford to spend £400 on a bike spend it, it will always be better than a £200 bike, you get what you pay for, always have and always will. As we are just entering the new year, you might pick up a bargain in a sale with some of last years stock, as many dealers are contracted to sell x amount of units so therefore need the room to sell the new stock.

 

[Stilochris]

good advice from badger benji, although i think cannondale's will be out of his budget. nice bikes though

if you want to get an idea of how good a manufacturer is, check out their top of the range bikes and who rides those bikes. that will give you an idea of the quality that will filter down through the rest of the range.

the current giant range is absolutely superb as is specialized.

 

[dave]

Giant are the worlds largest manufacturer of bicycles, you dont get to that postion by manufacturing rubbish.

ford have

 

[Badger_Benji]

The sirrius uses 700c wheels, so if you want to take it more seriously off road the cyclo cross tyres from michelin might be worth looking at. Trek again a very good make, the tour de france has been won for the last few years on a trek, there paintwork this year is absolutely spectacular. Trek bought gary fisher many years ago, the same time they were busy buying klein, fat chance and bontrager.

 

[custard]

http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/detail.cfm?ID=20808
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/acatalog/Sale_Bikes.html scroll down to merlin malt


for links and info
http://www.bikemagic.com/

personally always liked marin's.

 

[Stilochris]

Trek bought gary fisher many years ago, the same time they were busy buying klein, fat chance and bontrager.

mmmm. Fat Chance Yo Eddy...:slayer:

 

[Badger_Benji]

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=5397

Just spotted that in the evans line-up that is the cheapest cannondale they have, but it would get you a super frame. Mine is now 10 years old and still going strong, having been raced on, and now retired due to my knees going pop, I have no doubt it would still be out there doing the business on the circuits week in week out like it used to.

 

[charlieboy]

dunno if theres anything on www.chainreactioncycles.com

 

[Badger_Benji]

mmmm. Fat Chance Yo Eddy...:slayer:

Classic bike, they even made a ti eddy it was an awesome frame but just so expensive.

Now heres another blast from the past for you

Mountain Goat - Whiskey Town Racer
Trimble
Salsa

And my favourite

Yeti ARC - pre trek buyout as well, i am still looking for one of these on canti's and thumbshifters for that ultimate retro ride, complete with answer atac stem and accutrax forks.