Road bikes

[buzzmong]

Now, I know a couple of you are/were into your bikes, so I feel this might be a good place to seek some advice.

I was tempted to put this in hardware to ask the bitches, but I'm not sure it counts.

Anyway, I'm after a road bike. Don't need a mountain bike as despite having one for many years, I think it's only seen dirt once or twice, and I mostly intend to use a new bike for fitness and the sheer hell of riding long distances.

I'm also of the mindset that I'd like to wack a load of dosh down now with the aim of keeping the bike forever (or well, at least 10 years without changing anything that doesn't break), so with that in mind I've a budget of around £500.

I've had a look around a few places, notably I've been pointed at this Trek 1.1 in one store which looks quite good, and also at the Giant Defy 4 and 3.5 range in another good store. Obviously, I've access to Google, so I did spy anumber of candidates by Raleigh, of which various models are also stocked in another local store (although they didn't say "Hello" to me earlier).

Any help on the matter would be good as I know very little about road bikes or specifically, biking brands in general.

[eRabbit]

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Spend £30 on some slicks for your mtb, if you don't use it more, it's not worth you shaving your legs.

Also, remember the roads in this country suck, I wouldn't like to use a roadbike on them.

[buzzmong]

Spend £30 on some slicks for your mtb, if you don't use it more, it's not worth you shaving your legs.

Also, remember the roads in this country suck, I wouldn't like to use a roadbike on them.

I was tempted to slick up the mtb, but it's too small for me now as it was bought over 10 years ago, possibly when I was 12 or 13.

Hence the new bike love.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Ahh. anyway, I'm very, very not a roadie, and wouldn't touch one with a bargepole (I once crumbled a very pricey roadbike by pedalling) but if you must, try loads on, and think about going for something made of steel.

Steel flexes happily and can give you a more comfortable ride than aluminium, also you can fix it when it cracks.

Stuff generally shouldn't break, but be prepared to replace the drivetrain once a year if you use it a lot.


As far as brands go, if CRC sell it, it's probably good.

[Lateralus]

(If you haven't already) - get a job, then buy your bike through this: http://www.bike2workscheme.co.uk/

Essentially gives you a tax-free bike, and saves you quite a whack of money. A couple of my mates have done it and if I lived within a plausible cycling distance from work I'd do it myself.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Thinking about it more, if you really want something that'll last forever, buy a steel fixie, a brick is more likely to go wrong than a decent fixie.

[spoodie]

I was off-road biking before my back broke and I will get back to it soon. I know nothing about road biking as I don't see the appeal.

It might be worth noting that Evans Cycles organise group rides all over the country. It's quite cheap and flexible, with various lengths of route depending on your abilities or confidence. They do on and off-road. I've been on a few and they're good fun. You get to see some nice countryside without having to work out the route for yourself, plus they often get special permission to ride through certain areas you wouldn't normally be able to. For off-road anyway. Also you can hire bikes and some gear if you need it.

[HereComesPete]

Get one of these...

[Thompy]

I really hope you sit on the left side.

[spoodie]

[friznit]

[Roman Totale]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CKjNcSUNt8[/media]

[Sheriff Fatman]

Trek would be my first choice for on or off road. I worked on them for years and they are cracking bikes. I have a few mates who are roadies (well, triathletes, but it's all lycra to me) and most use Trek.

Giant are good, and Specialized are worth a look. I'd avoid Raleigh like the plague. It's well worth giving any candidates a try though. Companies use differing geometries, and whilst they don't look much on paper, certain people just don't fit certain bikes.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Thinking about it more.

I'd buy This, on the basis that it's not a road bike, but is meant for road use, which for a general commute and pottering bike seems wise.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

Oh, yeah, I figure I might as well explain myself a bit.

Road bikes are really, really good for riding long distances on decent country/not busy roads, and are generally as light/efficient as possible.

Unfortunately, that means they're not particularly sturdy, and pretty harsh on english roads.

If you're likely to be doing anything in towns/cities especially, with really bad drivers, and spending a lot of time in the gutter I'd go for something MTB-esque. On a few occasions I've been forced off roads by idiots, and a mountain bike is much, much better at handling a bit of abuse, fair bit more stable too, IME.

Course, I'm biased towards mountain bikes, as I'm not skinny, I don't ride gently, and I do tend to fight with cars, so I like the extra metal.

[Sheriff Fatman]

I'll echo what Berk said. Unless you plan on doing significant distances, perhaps with an eye on the clock, you are probably better off with a hybrid or fixed wheel. Personally, I wouldn't buy either. A mountain bike with a few minor mods can be a perfectly useful commuter/ride to pub and back-type bike, and comfortably take you many miles beyond that.

To make an obvious comparison; road bikes are like sports cars. Driving an MGB from London to Monaco for the GP might have its moments, but you are going to be in pain at journey's end.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

A mountain bike with a few minor mods can be a perfectly useful commuter/ride to pub and back-type bike, and comfortably take you many miles beyond that.

Also, the great thing about a mountain bike is that you're basically not limited in what you can use it for, the same bike you use for tearing around the woods on a weekend is just fine for a commute, and a bit of urban freeriding on the way home.

Also you don't have to shave your legs and wear lycra.

[MrGreen]

Thinking about it more, if you really want something that'll last forever, buy a steel fixie, a brick is more likely to go wrong than a decent fixie.

Sort-of this.

Having gotten sick of slicks on a hardtail MTB, I bought and now I ride a Fuji Track fixed-gear bike. It is essentially a bike made for velodrome usage, but with some brakes I put on. It never goes wrong, it is enjoyable to ride. I love it.

However, I'll echo what has been already said in that you sort of have to compromise for the bike. You can't freewheel, it is harder work to ride around on and the chances of you getting chucked off it at a highly inappropriate moment are increased. The whole bike clothing thing kinda goes over my head, most of it is riders trying to feel the part; See: Harley riders and vintage effect leathers etc.

Still, the impracticalities of the fixed gear bikes leads to some positives. Seeing as you can't brake or pedal at all the same as what you are used to, a whole lot more thought goes into it and it pretty much encourages smoother cadence. Bike messengers see this as some kind of Zen-State bollocks, still, you get a greater degree of control around the bike and you're more likely to be assessing the road quite far ahead of you.

Youtube "alleycat race" if you want an example of what cunts bike messengers are. Skillful cunts at that.

On the literal other hand, my right side outer knuckles are bone and bandage because I tried to bunny-hop curb mount at 25ish and slid along the road for a bit. Having a MTB or decent hybrid would have prevented such issues.

PS. Sup.

EDIT* I can personally recommend the Canondale Bad Boy and Ridgeback Nemesis for hybrid use. The ridgeback has a lully 8-speed hub gearing system, which never goes wrong, but adds to the rolling weight. Canondale is just nicely made, but pure pikey gold and not the best spec. for value.

[Baliame]

Wait what, MrGreen is alive?