Dropped a boo boo!!!

thediceman85

Hi guys i'm new to road riding and decided (against the advice of some of my friends) that it would be a good idea to buy a cheap starter bike from one of the big catalogue stores. First month or so was ok but now things have started to go wrong, cheap wheels keep going out of true, problems with breaks and gear shifters.
Iv tried making a adjustments gears and break from tutorials on various websites but breaking and shifting problems just resurface after a few days riding.

Any suggestions??

New groupset maybe or save up for new bike in the summer??

Anonymous

Ebay the clunker and get a new bike.

Flasheart

dmclite wrote:

Ebay the clunker and get a new bike.

+1 Otherwise it's like putting lipstick on a pig

Seriously though, it all depends on your finances. If you can afford another bike, get one from a LBS as your friends advised or you may be constantly paying out ££ to sort out the BSO you bought. This bike would be better to upgrade components on as you can afford.
Some of us (including me) have found out over the years that bikes from Halfords (Apollo range) and major supermarkets are not worth the hassle due to their low grade components.

amaferanga

If you've got £200-£250 even you could pick up a decent second hand bike that'll be miles better than your BSO.

iain_j

I agree with all so far, cut your losses and get something from the LBS or 2nd hand. You can replace stuff on the cheap bike, but for everything you replace, something else will break pretty soon afterwards. I learned the hard/expensive way - rode the cheap drivetrain to destruction, paid out to replace it, then the back wheel collapsed. Fixed that and the handlebar stem broke. The brakes didn't look like they had much life in them either. The new drivetrain got about 10 miles use.

shane515

+1 for the 2nd hand route, if you cant afford a 'new' bike get yourself round your LBS's and explain what you are after and ask if they know of anyone selling something........you'll be suprised what you can get 2nd hand

Best of luck
Shane

juankerr

Get rid.

CiB

Post your original statement on an A5 sheet in 96 point font on every supermarket / cheap bike outlet as a warning to others. Buy cheap, buy twice is my view.

Chip \'oyler

Never has the old adage 'You get what you pay for' been so true

Smokin Joe

The bike is not fit for the purpose. Contact the store and demand a refund, if they are awkward tell them you are going to trading standards about it.

It doesn't matter how cheap it was, it should work for a reasonable lenght of time without falling apart.

lae

^ Yep.

Everything you buy has a year's guarantee on it. You can get a refund for something like that quite easily. If you take something back and it's actually broken/breaking then you're legally entitled to a cash refund, not store credit, too. I used to work in a place that sold bargain-basement bikes, so I know your rights on things like this, as well as knowing how absolutely awful £150 bikes are

thediceman85

thanks guys ill phone them tomorrow and see what they say

only thing im worried about is i dont have the box it came in, do you think this will cause a problem???

mat*46*

I've only started riding this year but at first used a £120 appollo mtb bought new from halfords. Absolute bangor, gears were a joke and brakes even worse.

Have since moved onto a better bike but bought a £50 old Dawes racer bike to use during the winter. It's certainly not comparible to new bikes but it's so much better than then bangor I bought new for more than twice the price!! It may be heavy (ish) but everything works.

desweller

thediceman85 wrote:

only thing im worried about is i dont have the box it came in, do you think this will cause a problem???

Nope. It's not like it fell apart cos you threw the box away.

markos1963

thediceman85 wrote:

thanks guys ill phone them tomorrow and see what they say

only thing im worried about is i dont have the box it came in, do you think this will cause a problem???

Box is irrelevant, all you need is a proof of purchase(it doesn't have to be a receipt, a credit/debit card statement is fine) Take it back, its not of merchantable quality and therefore not fit for purpose. I got started by buying an old Raleigh from Ebay for £33 and going on from there. £100-200 should buy you a very reasonable second hand fairly modern bike. Just make sure you know what size you should be looking for and take a mate along with you(even if he doesn't know much about bikes) and be prepared to walk away from something if its not suitable, there's plenty out there.

tlw1

Get it replaced if poss and then sell it and get a decent 2nd hand bike

Smokin Joe

matthew h wrote:

Get it replaced if poss and then sell it and get a decent 2nd hand bike

Getting it replaced AND selling it might prove to be a problem :?

tlw1

Smokin Joe wrote:

matthew h wrote:

Get it replaced if poss and then sell it and get a decent 2nd hand bike

Getting it replaced AND selling it might prove to be a problem :?

confidence, the bike gods will look after you!