newbie after help

dubburke

42 yrs old from N.Ireland, and need a bit of help.
I am after my first bike, don't want to spend too much, i have been looking on ebay for used bikes, there are alot of bikes to choose from, can anyone have a nosey on ebay for me and post up links to a suitable bike
As i said i am 42, and am 5 ft 8 tall 32 inch inside leg.

skyd0g

It may be an idea if you post up a couple of bikes you think may be suitable for your intended use and budget.


...and then we'll tell you why they're not.

dubburke

Stanley222 wrote:

Go to a decent bike shop and see what takes your fancy. Let the bike shop think you are going to spend a wad of cash and get them to measure you up so you know what size bike you need (some shops will also let you have test rides).
Once you know what sort of bike and more importantly what size you need THEN start looking at eBay etc

could'nt do that :oops:

dubburke

like this one but will probably go for too much wonga
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

Weejie54

How much "wonga" are you prepared to pay?

You are looking for a frame of around 53-54cm or 21"ish- but that is a rough guide. The bike you linked to, for example, does not have a horizontal top tube so some of the measurements are void.
Another problem with eBay is that most sellers want you to pick up the bike.

It is not easy to recommend something to suit you from a remote location. For your first bike, it does help to try it out.

Ben6899

He says it's a 46cm frame and suitable for riders 5ft to 5ft8...

Not sure about that... to give you an idea, I'm 5ft11 and ride a 56cm and someone 5ft9 might go for a 54cm. Now it's not as clearcut as that (depends on inseam, arm length etc), but it gives you an idea of how far out the seller's judgment is.

The vagueness of this advertisement would put me off to be honest - I wouldn't be confident in any of the text!

dubburke

Thanks, go on someone take the plunge and point out a few genuine possibities

jim453

dubburke wrote:

Thanks, go on someone take the plunge and point out a few genuine possibities

Would you like someone to ride it for you as well?

msw

This thread should help you get down to a shortlist or at least to a type and price range:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12577960

There's a lot to consider which is why most of the answers you'll get will be variations of "it depends".

As for pretending you're going to buy something in a bike shop - don't feel you have to do that in order to get a test ride. Most shops and certainly any of the large national chains - Halfords, CycleSurgery, Evans - will be happy to let you have a no-commitment go on anything in stock.

(Alternatively if you just want someone to tell you "buy this as your first ever bike" here is my recommendation:



http://www.m5-ligfietsen.nl/site/EN/Mod ... dium_Racer)

dubburke

jim453 wrote:

dubburke wrote:

Thanks, go on someone take the plunge and point out a few genuine possibities

Would you like someone to ride it for you as well?

Thanks for your help jim NOT, i don't have a clue, but comments like that are in my opinion PATHETIC :roll:

dubburke

thanks for the link msw

evilollie

A 54 cm frame is more likely to suit you , google road bike sizing for some help

Ben6899

Thing is, jim453's post was about right. Nobody can tell you what to choose/ride. With the exception of the CAAD9 and Boardman fanbois (that's a joke lads! ), nearly everyone on here rides a different type of bike.

That's because we're all looking for something slightly different out of our hobbies, are different heights, with different torso and leg lengths and some of us have historic injuries... all this can and does affect bike choice.

All we know so far is your age (irrelevant), height and inside leg. You need to go and try a few out (as suggested upthread), but you seem reluctant to do so.

DCowling

Hi

I am also after a bike, and trying to get it via CTW scheme, however I am struggling to make my mind up as to what I want to ride ( road / hybrid / ht)
Fortunatley I have some friends who have bikes and have been very kind to let me have access to them ( not the road bike yet and I am itching to try it)
My point is, I am still struggling to make my mind up and would have little or no chance from pics on ebay, this is a peice of kit that you plan to spend £100's on and need to be right
Bit like buying a pair of shoes without trying them on

Ben6899

DCowling wrote:

Hi

I am also after a bike, and trying to get it via CTW scheme, however I am struggling to make my mind up as to what I want to ride ( road / hybrid / ht)
Fortunatley I have some friends who have bikes and have been very kind to let me have access to them ( not the road bike yet and I am itching to try it)
My point is, I am still struggling to make my mind up and would have little or no chance from pics on ebay, this is a peice of kit that you plan to spend £100's on and need to be right
Bit like buying a pair of shoes without trying them on

Which is why we all keep suggesting that anyone buying a new bike goes and tries it out in a shop.

jamlala

As a beginner I'd go for something 'bog standard' eg Specialized Allez, Trek 1.2, Giant Defy 4 etc. Yes these are all mainstream and mass produced but you won't go far wrong, and if you look at the quantities that are for sale on ebay you'll see how popular they are.

I'm 5' 11" and ride a 56cm frame Trek, so 52cm/54cm would be roughly where you are - but yes, ideally go to a bike shop and have a look around and they'll advise you on what frame size to get.

Cue the flak........

CiB

You could do what most of us have done and just take a punt at your first bike. You won't get it horribly wrong - there isn't a huge amount of difference between bikes, not to the extent that a fish differs from a Range Rover*.

Buy a bike that you like the look of and is as much as you can afford (+10% for good luck) then enjoy it. Whatever you buy in a year or so you'll want something better, but will have a much clearer idea of what to look for. Do it - dive in, take the plunge. Unless you buy something pink with 10" wheels and spangly tassles sticking out of the handlebars, you'll end up with something rideable. Upgrading and improving is part of the journey.

Enjoy.

* errr - for example.

dubburke

CiB wrote:

You could do what most of us have done and just take a punt at your first bike. You won't get it horribly wrong - there isn't a huge amount of difference between bikes, not to the extent that a fish differs from a Range Rover*.

Buy a bike that you like the look of and is as much as you can afford (+10% for good luck) then enjoy it. Whatever you buy in a year or so you'll want something better, but will have a much clearer idea of what to look for. Do it - dive in, take the plunge. Unless you buy something pink with 10" wheels and spangly tassles sticking out of the handlebars, you'll end up with something rideable. Upgrading and improving is part of the journey.

Enjoy.

* errr - for example.

Great advice, thanks....will keep you informed

blade8

was in the same position as you too, i bought a forme maybe not the most popular bike on about but i like it , has all the right stuff on and looks good with a nice finish,,

jim453

dubburke wrote:

jim453 wrote:

dubburke wrote:

Thanks, go on someone take the plunge and point out a few genuine possibities

Would you like someone to ride it for you as well?

Thanks for your help jim NOT, i don't have a clue, but comments like that are in my opinion PATHETIC :roll:

Didn't mean to upset you. Actually, I thought you were being somewhat pathetic in being too scared to go into a bike shop and try some bikes. What with you wanting to buy a bike and all. Maybe I was being too harsh. Sorry. What bike did you go for?