Did I get an OK deal?

danslesud

Hi there, first post from a beginner down in southern France.

I recently bought a bike from my LBS, which seemed to be at a really good price. Its got an anonymous german frame, but the rest of the setup looks promising.

It cost me €800, here's a piccy of the bike in question and the technical info... http://www2.bulls.de/main.asp?lang=de&main=2&class=95&sub=11&prod=8777


The saddle is sore, may get something with a bit of substance on it...
I wasn't particularly bothered about getting flat bars with ends on them, although I may cut the bars a little thinner cos I feel like I am driving a bus, I can't be bothered to change them over in the short term.

Getting to the point. Is this in your opinion a good starter bike?
What in the short to medium term would you upgrade on this set up?

L60N

It sounds as though you made an impulse purchase and now your not sure whether you made the right decision.

But of course, you did your research, tried a few bikes out, and checked the "what bike" thread dint ya

toasty

It's ok, low end hydraulics, LX gearing is good at that level, slightly sub standard fork. The frame is double butted so could potentially be good, impossible to say by looking at it though. Is Bulls a big brand over there?

danslesud

But of course, you did your research, tried a few bikes out, and checked the "what bike" thread dint ya

Of course I did, I'm a complete noob to biking!
Well, no. I bought the bike before discovering the wonders of Bikeradar...

I checked out the other shops in the area and it was either to be this place or Decathlon, too many of the others never had anyone actually prepared to help, but thats good old french service for you.

Father Faff

I'm sure it will do you fine - just get out and ride and enjoy it. People go on about gear and stuff but you can have as much fun on a Raleigh 3-speed as a Full-sus downhiller - well maybe not quite as much fun but nearly, you just know that you'll hit the bikes limitations sooner with the cheaper machine.

When you do start to hit the bikes limitations, and from the looks of it you should be able to do a fair bit with it, then you can think about whether you are after a fast, light short-travel hardtail or a big, tough all-mountain full-susser....if you live anywhere near the Pyrenees then it may well be the latter, if perhaps you are more rural France then perhaps the former.

davethejackal

Father Faff wrote:

I'm sure it will do you fine - just get out and ride and enjoy it. People go on about gear and stuff but you can have as much fun on a Raleigh 3-speed as a Full-sus downhiller - well maybe not quite as much fun but nearly, you just know that you'll hit the bikes limitations sooner with the cheaper machine.

When you do start to hit the bikes limitations, and from the looks of it you should be able to do a fair bit with it, then you can think about whether you are after a fast, light short-travel hardtail or a big, tough all-mountain full-susser....if you live anywhere near the Pyrenees then it may well be the latter, if perhaps you are more rural France then perhaps the former.

I agree, I've often had worse bikes than my mates, half the fun is out doing them on 'inferior' kit ;-)

danslesud

Thanks for the encouragement.

The Pyrenees aren't beckoning me just yet, but all in good time. I'm not quite ready to put in a 3 hour drive to go for a ride,still discovering my own locality you see! Half the fun is trying to find stuff and it seems that there is plenty to be had within half an hour on the bike

russ0228

glad to see you have captured what cycling "supposed" to be all about. welcome to the fold my friend, may your first crash be as half as much fun as you last

Father Faff

I was near the Lot Valley in France in the summer and there was loads of GR routes you could cycle on (no one seems to mind) with a whole range of easy to mind-bogglingly scarey to downright fun to bramble-thicket. All I had was a map and no knowledge of what lay around the next corner. Exploring new areas and trails is a major part of the fun.

russ0228

sometimes getting lost is have the fun. you know how the story goes, knee deep in either brush or swamp and you think to yourself "oh man what have i got myself into now". but you always mange to giggle aferwards.

danslesud

I'm already on it. Bought the local IGN (OS.frog) maps, there's some great stuff to be had. Going to check out a place called Salagou tomorrow morning, weird red rock everywhere and apparently, quite a few marked trails.

unocogero

I had as much fun on my first bike, a Trek 4500 (which is comparable) as I do on my expensive full suss. You can ride well on any bike and a hardtail will teach you riding skills far better than a comfy full suss.

Just look at the grin on the rigid single speeders who whip past on the trails!

el rijidio

Cogero is right. It's too easy to get sucked in by shiny stuff. It's nice to buy it...but it's all about the riding and enjoying it, and you feel fool when kids on £200 bikes are loving it, tearing round you cause you dont want to scrape your carbon gear....