Helpful bike shops (Lowestoft/Norwich/Ipswich) + advice plz

oxymoron

Hi,

Im looking at my first road bike, before I start I did read the "What Bike thread" and it has provided me with a good basis to start from.

Im basically looking for people's suggestions for a friendly local bike shop around lowestoft/norwich/ipswich or anywhere in between. I phoned up my local shop streetlifecycles and they only had the Allez 08 model in.

Can anyone recommend any good shops that can help me? I want to find a shop with a large selection of road bikes like scott, specialised, giant, trek, bianchi. As i have never even sat on a road bike since i was a nipper I want to try alot before I part with my cash.

Also after some buying advice, I have £600 to spend on the bike with an additional £200 for helmet, peddles?, shoes with the clips on.

I'm also a cuddly 17 stone so can anyone recommend a bike that will have enough strength for my big bottom?

As part of my benefits package at work I can get a Specialised Allez Triple 2009 for £493 through an online store. Is this a good bike given my preferred riding style and my weight? I understand I need to try this at a shop before i buy.

fto-si

Hi
I am from Ipswich. The two in the town I would recommend are Elmys on St.Helens Street and Thomas's Cycle Revolution on Foxhall Road.
Thomas's stock Trek, Specialized and Giant and Elmys offer a broader range Bianchi, Orbea, WIllier, Scott, Colnago, Pinarello to name a few.
The only other bike shop in the area I can recommend is Madgetts in Diss where I bought my first road bike!
Hope this helps

oxymoron

thanks very much. Thats helped alot. I work just near foxhall road. so might pop in next week!

Just read about the boardman pro comp, it seems really good value for £600. Im right in thinking that the boardman has Shimano 105 Tiagra, which is vastly superioir to the Shimano Sora?

Is it worth the extra £100? Wil need to try that too.

fto-si

I guess you should be able to see the Boardman in Halfords on London Road.
If you want to know anything about routes in the area let me know.

Zendog1

Tiagra is better than Sora but not vastly so (unless you really hate the Sora thumb shifter). Sora retails for £140, Tiagra £190.

The 105 is a bit of a con. Including the next up rear deraileur is a common (and very cheap) way of being able to claim a Tiagra / 105 mix.

oxymoron

I guess you should be able to see the Boardman in Halfords on London Road.
If you want to know anything about routes in the area let me know.

I actually live in Lowestoft and work in Ipswich so any routes around Ipswich/Lowestoft way would be much appreciated!

Tiagra is better than Sora but not vastly so (unless you really hate the Sora thumb shifter). Sora retails for £140, Tiagra £190.

The 105 is a bit of a con. Including the next up rear deraileur is a common (and very cheap) way of being able to claim a Tiagra / 105 mix.

Ok, I understand. So, at my price range don't take too much notice of the spec of the bike and actually choose the one I find the most comfy?

Zendog1

Right. The detailed spec will make damm all difference to ride quality at your price point but the fit certainly will..

yackers1

Hi - I would highly recommend Pauls Cycles in Dereham. Me and my other half have bought both our MTB's (and more recently ) racers form there and it is top notch.

The guys are very helpful and offer a great service.

If you're not bothered about having a bike that is an older model then there are great bargains to be had.

Give 'em a try.

salsarider79

There is also Pedal Revolution in Norwich. Pedal Revolution will have plenty of bikes in stock so worth a look.
I would recommend trying streetlifecycles again, telling them exactly what it is you want. They are not a big company, so don't have bikes in stock, but can access lots of companies and have regular supply of good deals and second hand bikes. They look after people very well.
I miss Norwich...

oxymoron

salsarider79 wrote:

There is also Pedal Revolution in Norwich. Pedal Revolution will have plenty of bikes in stock so worth a look.
I would recommend trying streetlifecycles again, telling them exactly what it is you want. They are not a big company, so don't have bikes in stock, but can access lots of companies and have regular supply of good deals and second hand bikes. They look after people very well.
I miss Norwich...

went into streetlifecycles in lowestoft today and the chap recognised my dad from when he went into halfords 10 years ago and bought one of my bikes lol. Thats amazing, he new my dads name as well, what memory after 10 years!!!!!!

Anyway, Sat on a 54cm Spesh Allez 2009. After sizing up it became apparent I need a 56cm frame. He didnt have one in stock but I went into a different shop and tried a 56cm Trek, but didnt like it much.

The only downside to the day is the gears on the Allez and the Trek 1.2 I tried. They felt cheap and didnt seem to change up or down well, the leavers were totally alien to me and very very very different to my MTB.

What other shifters are about? shigting the brake lever to the left or right to change is really weird to me...... maybe its because it was my first time ever on road bike.

The gear system has put abit of a downer on my road bike adventure.

What to do? Any other options regarding gears without blowing my budget of £700 max?

Infectiousuk

Tried Lifecycles down by the whopping big wind turbine?

ride_whenever

oxymoron wrote:

What to do? Any other options regarding gears without blowing my budget of £700 max?

Single speed or fixed gear

oxymoron

Infectiousuk wrote:

Tried Lifecycles down by the whopping big wind turbine?

yeh tried there, he only had the trek instock. Seemed the same as the speh to me....

Infectiousuk

I got a Giant from there, service in the shop is shady but the SCR range is worth a look.

stylish

only been back into cycling myself a few months, but i have to say Lifecycle at bildeston near stowmarket are spot on for service, had a few bits from them, and bits from madgetts in diss. great service all round.

bing14

Heh, you just coaxed me into registering for these forums - good work!

I live in Lowestoft, and (although I bought my lovely Focus off the interweb) can recommend Cedar cycles in Wrentham as worth a look, which you'll be familiar with if you drive to Ipswich often.

To find it, coming from Lowestoft, you turn left off the A12 at the main crossroads, follow the road round and its a few 100m up on the right hand side. The signs a bit tucked away in the hedge!

I've been exploring the suffolk + norfolk countryside all summer & found some nice routes starting from Lowestoft - feel free to PM if interested!

oxymoron

yeh i know where cedar cycles are! I thaught they only did cheap MTB's and wouldn't stock alot of road bikes im looking at.

I have been cycling around lowestoft alot, as far as Southwold, Hopton, Hulver, Haddiscoe, Beccles. Basically 15-30 mile loops.

More than likely past you at some point, im the "fat lad" on a Giant mountain bike in longsdale clothing scream "why did i ever let me get this unfit" every 10 mins.

bing14

aha, well I went in there last year and i'm pretty sure they had a few entry level and upwards giants and treks at least - the guys seem pretty helpful too.

And ha, will be on the lookout - not before this rain stops though! I'll be on my focus cayo, which I can't quite bring myself to get wet yet

Try Lowestoft - Somerleyton - St Olaves - Burgh st Peter - Beccles - Lowestoft as a route. About 50k, great stop in Burgh st Peter at pretty much exactly halfway.. One of my faves!

oxymoron

bing14 wrote:

aha, well I went in there last year and i'm pretty sure they had a few entry level and upwards giants and treks at least - the guys seem pretty helpful too.

And ha, will be on the lookout - not before this rain stops though! I'll be on my focus cayo, which I can't quite bring myself to get wet yet

Try Lowestoft - Somerleyton - St Olaves - Burgh st Peter - Beccles - Lowestoft as a route. About 50k, great stop in Burgh st Peter at pretty much exactly halfway.. One of my faves!

did that route a couple of weeks ago, was nice. The heat got me round Haddiscoe so had to stop for a pint at haddiscoe!

i'll check out that shop at st olves

markos1963

If you don't mind the trek, Fat Birds in Hunstanton are a great shop to deal with. Dont be put off by the plethora of flashy kit they have some reasonable priced bikes there. Give them a call before you go. I was allowed to try several bikes on a reasonable circuit and there was no problem getting things adjusted to suit me. The first free service swung it for me as well.