1st bike, I dont know where to start!!!

alfunk

I am looking for my first bike after riding my brothers mountain bike at the weekend.

I have about £500 to spend on the bike and a further £200 for extras such as safety gear which I can always spend more on as I go.

I am looking to commute 30miles a day, 15 to work, 15 back again in one peice I hope.

Can anyone advise me as my journey will involve travelling into London.

I want it for all weather conditions as its part of avoiding the gym too.

your help is appreciated!

alan

Atz

Are you planning any offroad or is it all road work for you? They're fairly differing goals and if you're not going to take it anywhere muddy, it's a whole new ballgame.

John Stevenson

If the journey is entirely on road, then you want a road bike, and beyond that, the trick is to find a bike shop where you like the vibe you get from the staff, and go from there.

At this stage, the advice, help and bike set-up guidance you get from a friendly shop is probably far more important than exactly what bike you buy.

alfunk

Hello again and thanks for your responses.

I am purely going to be riding on a tarmac road surfaces in most weather conditons but my route is quite hilly too, but never off road.

I kind of want something without handle bars which stick out too far as I discovered that motorists do not leave much room for cyclists whilst navigating around the inside of cars turning right.

It maybe wise for me to pop into my local action bikes and see what I can learn from them before commiting to spending a fortune on the wrong bike.

I am big on safety as I have had spinal surgery before and I know that some twat at some point is going to take me out. Who online is the best supplier of body armour and lighting?

supersonic

Dianese make some very good body armour. Road bikes tend to be narrowed barred anyway. Going to a shop to see a few bikes is always a good thing to do, and I am sure the roadie section here can help as well.

vernonlevy

alfunk wrote:

Hello again and thanks for your responses.

I am purely going to be riding on a tarmac road surfaces in most weather conditons but my route is quite hilly too, but never off road.

I kind of want something without handle bars which stick out too far as I discovered that motorists do not leave much room for cyclists whilst navigating around the inside of cars turning right.

It maybe wise for me to pop into my local action bikes and see what I can learn from them before commiting to spending a fortune on the wrong bike.

I am big on safety as I have had spinal surgery before and I know that some twat at some point is going to take me out. Who online is the best supplier of body armour and lighting?

Is it really that bad out there that you have to use body armour?

Riding assertively yet carefully should see you through. Be sensible when trying to squeeze through gaps narrower than your bars. I'd rather cede a few second on my journey time than place myself in danger. I've done OK so far and intend to keep it that way.

If you want body armour then nip over to the MTB forums and ask there - you'll get more answers.

alfunk

I was a driving instructor in southeast london and have witnessed some stupid driving in my time, I just want to make sure I come off better than somebody elses bodywork ;-)