£600 for a commuting bike through Helfrauds, suggestions pl

drewcole81

Hi,

I am going to get a 'Hi-bread' bike for the ride to work through the 'Ride to work' scheme at err.... Work....

Only have £600 to spend and as i have never really lopoked into these bikes before i would like to hear what people suggest please.

I have been looking at the Boardman on as it seems good for the money.

Thanks

Drew.

Eat My Dust

This is quite a 'Hi Bread', although it's probably a lot cheaper than £600!!!!

drewcole81

spot on.. just need to choose some bacon now... time for a new thread..

Anonymouslemming

If you're on the Cycle to Work scheme, Halfords can source and supply almost any bike available in the UK, even if they don't normally sell them, so you're not limited to their regular bikes.

drewcole81

Yeah i know that, this will be the second bike i've got through the scheme.

I just haven't had this type of bike beofre so was after some advice on 'which bike'

RufusA

A lot depends on what type of riding you want to do on it.

Assuming you do intend to use it as a commuter and are looking for a fastish, flat-barred bike that can take mudguards and other commuting flotsam then IMHO you can't go far wrong with:

Specialized Sirrus
Giant FCR
Ridgeback Genesis Day
etc.

Each one has it's own foibles and the best way to tell them apart is to sit on them and ride them.

I've got a Speccy Sirrus Elite which I am very happy with as a commuter, but YMMV!

HTH - Rufus.

Keiron Curtis

The truth is your spoilt for choice, we all are, of course the more expensive you go the more spec and hopefully quality you get. £600 should see you alright for both a decent bike and the necessary accessories required, some bike specific clothing, lights etc.. I've mentioned it before that their is an element of bike snobbery, not only out there, but also on this forum. I've got a Carrera Subway 8, that I bought from Halfords, on the Cyle2work scheme, for £267 reduced from £399, because it was a 2006 model. It was totally dissed by others on this forum, but almost a year later, I'm part commuting to and from work, about 17 miles a day, and enjoying the experience, immensely. Other cyclists I see commuting, who have all the gear, tights, and what appear to be expensive bikes totally ignore my hellos etc., What is their problem?

Getting back to which bike, I think the best thing to do, and I have to admit I didn't do this, is take your time, go to one of the big Halfords, and try several bikes, also good bike shops to look at other lines, not on display at Halfords, I think it's already been said, that Halfords can get you virtually any bike you want under this scheme.

So good luck and hope you're out there soon, enjoying the experience of riding a bike of your choice, i.e., not pandering to the latest style, or one-up-manship in this growing cycling fraternity.

Eat My Dust

Keiron Curtis wrote:

I've got a Carrera Subway 8, that I bought from Halfords, on the Cyle2work scheme, for £267 reduced from £399, because it was a 2006 model. It was totally dissed by others on this forum

I think you'll find that the Carrera range isn't "dissed" on the forum. I think the range is pretty much regarded as good value for the money. I think it's more the people that set up and sell the bikes that people have gat a problem with.

drewcole81

Carreras are good bikes, and your right its the d1cks who can bolt them together properly in the shop that sells them...

I went to the Bikehut in Chelmsford just after Christmas and watched the guy building a bike that had a steep rise stem on it.... although he had bolted it on upside so that the top crown on the forks was above the stem, not only that but he had his foot on the front wheel renching the stem cap bolt round as tight as he could get it....

And these peole are meant to be bike experts..

So no, the bikes they sell are ok, if put together by someone who knows his own name, otherwise dont trust anything from them.