Looking for a really inexpensive road bike

richk

yes, yes I realise it's probably been done to death but I'm looking to buy a really inexpensive road bike. Budget is probably ~£200.

I've got a mountain bike (now semi slick shod) being used as a commuter but have found a (very) local bike club that do Sunday morning runs (apparently ~45 miles at ~15mph) which is what I'm thinking in terms of wanting it for.

Anybody got any suggestions? (Other than spend more - that's not an option).

thanks
[/b]

daniel_b

Hi there,

I expect your best bet will be 2nd hand, though you can get some good deals on the Raleigh Airlites on ebay, but they are around £240. Decathlon might be worth a look, not sure how much the Sport 2 is, but worth a look.

Other than that I guess you might get lucky with a sale bike, maybe look towards the more 'unfashionable well known' brands, ie not Specialized/Trek, maybe you'll get a good deal that way.

Good luck.

Dan

richk

Thanks - there's a Decathlon shop not too far from home so might try & get over there for a look...

ColinJ

RichK wrote:

yes, yes I realise it's probably been done to death but I'm looking to buy a really inexpensive road bike. Budget is probably ~£200.

I've got a mountain bike (now semi slick shod) being used as a commuter but have found a (very) local bike club that do Sunday morning runs (apparently ~45 miles at ~15mph) which is what I'm thinking in terms of wanting it for.

Anybody got any suggestions? (Other than spend more - that's not an option).

thanks
[/b]

Well, I managed to knock up a really nice single-speed bike for £25! It would be ideal for 15 mph club-runs in a flattish area. I wouldn't fancy riding its 39/15 gear up here in Yorkshire, but I'll be using it for solely for outings in rural Warwickshire when I visit family/friends down there.

I had to buy a new seatpost and cables but the other bits came from my junk box and a generous mate who lent me the frame/forks and wheels (he's rather attached to the Basso frame so he won't sell it at a price that I can afford). It's amazing what you can find in skips or in the garden sheds of cycling friends. If you ask about you might be able to do the same as me. There must be loads of perfectly good steel frames languishing about as their owners have switched to new carbon fibre machines.

I bet if you ask nicely, someone reading this thread would probably be willing to donate parts to you just to see them "go to a good home".

I had an old Claud Butler which I let go for the price of a Pizza to someone off the old C+ forum. I wasn't using the bike and I didn't want it to just rust away in my cellar.

Some pictures of the bike:







(I've sorted out the positions of the brake levers and bars since the photos were taken)

redddraggon

Halfords? Require a bit of setting up yourself, but otherwise the cheaper bikes from there aren't bad for the money.

donaldinho

Good skills ColinJ, your single-speed looks really cool! 8)

LeighB

I have a Raleigh Airlite, bought a year ago for £190; look for special offers. I used the bike through last winter and the only thing that needed changing was the bottom bracket. On the second hand note a friend of mine was clearing out his garage and he gave me an old racer, free! After a clean up I have used this through most of summer the only new parts required were a chain and freewheel. So keep a good look out if you lucky a bargain may not be too far away.