Best bike for £500?

h4rdy

Hi everyone,

I am a Mountain Biker with a desire for a Road Bike for getting fit and using on a Trainer.

I have a budget of £500 as I will be using my Cycle 2 Work scheme that has a limit of £500.

As this is technically my second bike (my Mountain Bike is a 2008 Kona Hei Hei) I deam this sufficient, but can anyone advise on what to get.

Below is a list, does anybody have any more suggestions. the £500 limit is strict and cannot be added too.

2009 Giant FCR 3.
2009 Giant Defy 4. (Maybe not possible I have been told only XS size available)
2009 Merida 880-24.
2009 Carrera Vanquish.

Also what about sizing? I am 5'8" Tall with a 29" inside leg my Kona Hei Hei is a 17", I fully understand that a Mountain Bike has more clearance. I called Giant and they recomended a Medium which I think is a 50cm?

At present I am leaning towards the FCR 3 but I really need some help.

Thanks

zedders

If your looking for a propper road bike? That rules out the FCR3? I appreciate its still a road bike, but with the flat bars it will restrict you. If your thinking of that you might as well put skinney tyres on your mountain bike? Getting a propper road bike with drops, you will be able to move your hands more. Grab the hoods for climbing and grab the drops for flats, downhill etc? = more comfy & more fun IMO.

The Merida 880 you picked looks good, and a trek 1.2 would be within your budget. IMO pick one you like the look of. One that when you look at it, it says 'ride me.' As long as you buy from a decent manufacturer you should be fine. Once you have had a road bike for a while you'll have a better idea of what your looking for. I can't comment on any of your chooses, because I have never riden any of them,and I doubt anyone else will have riden them all. The choice really should be yours. Be bold my friend. But consider, do you want a out and out racer or more a sportive, with a more relaxed feel?

As for sizing it will vary from bike manufacturer. e.g a 54cm ginat will not be the same as a 54cm trek etc. So best to try bfore you buy, and at min get yourself measured up! Don't let your LBS say ''that will be fine,'' that when things go wrong. If your not confident on sizing then make sure you try ''before'' parting with any cash.
best of luck.

h4rdy

Thanks for your help.

The FCR3 has the same geometry as the Defy (almost) the only difference is no drop bars so it has nowhere near the same geometry as my MTB.

I really like the Trek but I don't think it will come in under the budget.

I have to buy from Halfords but can order any bike available in the UK so I will not be able to try before I buy.

I may try and persuade them to do the Trek at a lower price!!!

Anybody else have any of these models?

Thanks again.

Anonymous

I will happily sell you my bike minus wheels for £450.

It is full 2008 Ultegra, aluminium Aeron TR1 frame, carbon forks. 57.5cm frame. Mud Guard compatible too!

Different saddle and no pedals though...

h4rdy

Very nice but as in my posts I state that it has to be from Halfords as I will be using my Cycle 2 Work scheme.

Try eBay!

kell

I picked up my Trek for around £550, but my LBS also threw in £100 worth of cycling gear. Like you I had been going around on a MTB for years, it didn't take very long at all to get used to.

sportbilly1976

I got my Trek 1.2 from my LBS and when I said that it for the C2W scheme with a max of £500, they knocked the price down to that amount...