new bike???
thelawnet
Posts: 719
Just been down the bike shop to get a new chain guard for my 26" hybrid (Giant Sedona).
'Your chain needs replacing''
How much will that be?
'£63 with parts and labour'
'Oh and your back bearing's a bit loose, you'll need to sort that out soon.'
Hmm, I could do with some new tyres too, my 1.95"ers are a bit slow. Cheaper to buy a new bike really.
So I go to Evans and tell them that I have my bike done up with rack, child seat (plus 20kg of child) and panniers, and I want something faster, what can they suggest?
They offer a Scott Sub 30, fitted with Continental Sport Contact 700x32 tyres, and a Specialized Globe Vienna 2, with Specialized Nimbus, 700x35c tyres.
Scott Sub 30 first, first thoughts are 'ouch, my back's not used to this position', then 'damn the ride is firm', and 'ouch this seat is hard'. Didn't feel comfortable taking one hand off, was noticeably twitchier, and over bumps I had to grip hard. Nice smooth gears though, and good up the hill. Sexy looking bike, which is definitely a minus. Try pulling out my (car) GPS, it's showing 15-16mph on the flat.
Decide it's not stable enough, when my daughter decides she wants to sway side-to-side or something like that.
Tried the Specialized, more comfortable, but still a lot rougher than my usual bike - anyone that tells you cheap front suspension is useless is lying, and the Alivio gears don't feel particularly great. Shows 14-15mph on the GPS.
Then I get back on my own bike, and maybe I'm used to it, but it's much more comfortable. I pull out my GPS as I'm going home, and it's showing 18-19mph! So I don't know what to think. I guess I should have timed the same circuit on each, to be sure, and perhaps I'm more confident on it, which makes it faster.
Anyway, it does seem that cheap bikes (£300 and less), unless you service them yourself, are more-or-less disposable....
'Your chain needs replacing''
How much will that be?
'£63 with parts and labour'
'Oh and your back bearing's a bit loose, you'll need to sort that out soon.'
Hmm, I could do with some new tyres too, my 1.95"ers are a bit slow. Cheaper to buy a new bike really.
So I go to Evans and tell them that I have my bike done up with rack, child seat (plus 20kg of child) and panniers, and I want something faster, what can they suggest?
They offer a Scott Sub 30, fitted with Continental Sport Contact 700x32 tyres, and a Specialized Globe Vienna 2, with Specialized Nimbus, 700x35c tyres.
Scott Sub 30 first, first thoughts are 'ouch, my back's not used to this position', then 'damn the ride is firm', and 'ouch this seat is hard'. Didn't feel comfortable taking one hand off, was noticeably twitchier, and over bumps I had to grip hard. Nice smooth gears though, and good up the hill. Sexy looking bike, which is definitely a minus. Try pulling out my (car) GPS, it's showing 15-16mph on the flat.
Decide it's not stable enough, when my daughter decides she wants to sway side-to-side or something like that.
Tried the Specialized, more comfortable, but still a lot rougher than my usual bike - anyone that tells you cheap front suspension is useless is lying, and the Alivio gears don't feel particularly great. Shows 14-15mph on the GPS.
Then I get back on my own bike, and maybe I'm used to it, but it's much more comfortable. I pull out my GPS as I'm going home, and it's showing 18-19mph! So I don't know what to think. I guess I should have timed the same circuit on each, to be sure, and perhaps I'm more confident on it, which makes it faster.
Anyway, it does seem that cheap bikes (£300 and less), unless you service them yourself, are more-or-less disposable....
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Comments
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63 quid for a new chain?! Are you sure that wasn't with cassette too?
Cheap front sus can be useless - it can top out very harshly, develop stiction and play in know time, plus add on 2-3 pounds.
But your own bike, that you have tailored and got used to, will usually feel better.0 -
Anyway, it does seem that cheap bikes (£300 and less), unless you service them yourself, are more-or-less disposable....
So why don't you buy a good book and a few tools and learn how to maintain it, you'll save a fortune over all the jobs in the years to come :-) For now you can start with a new chain and cassette.http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!0 -
supersonic wrote:63 quid for a new chain?! Aure you sure that wasn't with cassette too?
yes that as well.Cheap front sus can be useless - it can top out very harshly, develop stiction and play in know time, plus add on 2-3 pounds.
well possibly, but that doesn't mean cheap front sus *is* useless0 -
I know some people aren't mechanically minded - and don't want to run anyone down for not being a whizz with a socket set - but honestly the tasks that you're likely to run into with a bicycle (with one or two exceptions) really are not challenging.
as pp says, get some tools and some advice - it starts getting cheap and fun (and reliable!)
Get greasy my friend 8)FCN 5 belt driven fixie for city bits
CAADX 105 beastie for bumpy bits
Litespeed L3 for Strava bits
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.0 -
SimonAH wrote:I know some people aren't mechanically minded - and don't want to run anyone down for not being a whizz with a socket set - but honestly the tasks that you're likely to run into with a bicycle (with one or two exceptions) really are not challenging.
as pp says, get some tools and some advice - it starts getting cheap and fun (and reliable!)
well unless you can do something about the cost of components, it won't be that cheap.....0
