First Road bike on a low budget - help required

blue07794

Hi i have been interested in bikes for a while but due to knee operations over the last few years i have had to put it to one side. Now that i am all sorted (to a certain degree any how) i have been using an old mountain bike that i have put road tyres on for the last year.
I now know my knee is up to speed after this last year and i now want to buy a road bike.
My budget is restricted to £300-£350.
I know this is poor but at this time and it being my first bike this is all i have to play with, so can anyone recommend a bike.
I have looked at the usual Halford's Carrera range in this price bracket but just wondered if there were any others that i could use as a starting point

thanks
Mark

EarlyGo

Hi Mark,

If you must have a new bike on that budget then you could get a bottom of the range Dawes Giro 200 or probably better value is the B'Twin range from decathlon.co.uk. I've no experience of either but others on here might have.

Have you considered secondhand? Have a look at the classifieds on here, cycling mags and gumtree etc

Good luck!

Regards, EarlyGo

t.m.h.n.e.t

Google: Elswick Equipe

blue07794

Yes i have no problem with second hand if it buys me a better bike for the money.

blue07794

Yes i have no problem with second hand if it buys me a better bike for the money.

night_porter

There are a few lower priced bike manufacturers around Claud Butler, Raleigh, Viking, etc and you could look at those but to be perfectly honest apart from having the colour you like best none of them will beat the Carreras for value for money.

Halfords get a bad rep on here but the bikes are made by Merida and their quality is exceptional for the money. A similarly specced "named" bike would cost you £150 more.

Any bike with Shimano 2200/2300 gearing should be okay, you might even find a last years bike with Sora on but it doesn't function any different to the 2200 stuff.

Alternatively, if you know a little about bikes from your mtb days then going 2nd hand should get you a bargain. Try the classified forum on here (you could even post in the wanted section) and see what is around for your money.

You could try looking on ebay but I would limit your choice to within 25 miles and go and try any bike before you buy it, most sellers would be happy for you to do that.

Good luck with the search.

blue07794

Thanks for that Night Porter.

The Carrera's seem to get hammered everywhere, i think its because of the Halfords stigmar and not buying the bike from a professional specialized shop.

My local bike shop has recommended this bike, have you heard of it and does anyone know of how it compares to say the Carrera's

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/ventura- ... 61909.html

nochekmate

Specialized Allez are available at your price point - some 9 months ago I bought a 2008 Alllez Elite for a friend of mine for £300 - excellent condition and Shimano Tiagra throughout with carbon forks and stays. Bargain at that price. For another friend, I managed to buy a CARBON Isaac Pascal with Shimano 105, again all ex. condition for £400!!

Just bought an immaculate Kinesis Racelight for myself as a commuter - Campag Veloce & Fulcrum 5 wheelset all for £460. Bike was virtually brand new. Delighted with it.

All above off eBay in a 12 month period - there are some bargains out there but you have to be quick when they crop up (I usually look for what I consider to be good Buy It Now rather than bidding - although I won the Kinesis on a bid process). Kinesis are fine bikes but seem to be unfashionable (although many knowledgeable cyclists have them as their winter steed)

night_porter

I have never heard nor seen that Ventura but it doesn't look a bad buy. I actually think it looks quite pretty for a £300 bike.

If you live near to JE James it might be worth going along and checking out the bike.

Although I have bought bikes online it is usually only after I have seen one in the flesh and know what I am getting with respect to quality.

Bear in mind though that this is a bike that has been built down to a price so it won't be that same as a £1,000-£2,000 bike. It still should be rideable and fun though.

Lillywhite

For a low budget, second hand is the best option and you should be able to pick up a decent bike that once retailed in excess of £1000.

aReN

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12772882

optimisticbiker

blue07794 wrote:

Thanks for that Night Porter.

The Carrera's seem to get hammered everywhere, i think its because of the Halfords stigmar and not buying the bike from a professional specialized shop.

My local bike shop has recommended this bike, have you heard of it and does anyone know of how it compares to say the Carrera's

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/ventura- ... 61909.html

Apart from the colour scheme and the non-aero forks that bike is remarkably similar to the 2008-model Jamis Ventura Sport and I suspect its manufactured in the same factory specifically for JeJames. If it is as I suspect, Jamis are a well respected US manufacturer hardly known over here; recently Evans started importing them.

stronginthesun

you could get a hardly used trek 1.5 for that money off ebay ? top bike !

ShutUpLegs

There is nothing wrong with Carrera bikes if thats your budget and they hold plenty of stock, keep an eye out for 10% off offers or similar at Halfords though.

You can spend so much time thinking about what to buy especially if bidding on ebay that it can drag on for days or weeks.

Set a budget and stick to it.

blue07794

stronginthesun wrote:

you could get a hardly used trek 1.5 for that money off ebay ? top bike !

I would love a 1.5 but i some how dont think i would be finding one for my budget

optimisticbiker

blue07794 wrote:

stronginthesun wrote:

you could get a hardly used trek 1.5 for that money off ebay ? top bike !

I would love a 1.5 but i some how dont think i would be finding one for my budget

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trek-1-2-Triple-2 ... 20b88181a2

1hr to go, £340....


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trek-1-7-Road-Bik ... 3cb74bcf0c

1 day to go...£385

But you never know with ebay, you can get lucky...

blue07794

OptimisticBiker wrote:

blue07794 wrote:

stronginthesun wrote:

you could get a hardly used trek 1.5 for that money off ebay ? top bike !

I would love a 1.5 but i some how dont think i would be finding one for my budget

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trek-1-2-Triple-2 ... 20b88181a2

1hr to go, £340....


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trek-1-7-Road-Bik ... 3cb74bcf0c

1 day to go...£385

But you never know with ebay, you can get lucky...

watching it now - cheers.

Am i correct in assuming i require a 52" frame, as i am about 5' 8"

night_porter

That is the problem with buying a bike over the internet if you do not know what size you require and you haven't tried it out.

I think you probably mean a 52cm not 52" unless you are the jolly green giant?

I am 1" taller than you and I have a 17", 19"(x2), 54cm & 56cm size bikes and they all fit me it really depends on the manufacturer and whether or not the bike is a compact or normal frame.

A bargain is only a bargain if it fits and you ride it, my advice would be to stick to the bike shops in your area and get their help on sizing (Ventura or Carrera). Once you are confident on sizing and fit/comfort then buying over the web becomes more viable.

T-Rekster

Had a Halfords Carrera Gryphon V spec New last year, wonderful bike, rode well and built well and TBH Halfords can't be beat for spec at that price range, sold it a year later to a guy on here who I sure will attest it was still like showroom condition at a year old.

Moved up to a Trek full road bike once I had cut my teeth and reached the limits of what the flat bar Carrera could offer, otherwise I'd still be riding it.

Consider that buying new and you get a warranty and buying second hand could leave you with a headache, in your situation I would reconsider the Carrera, just don't let Halfords build it or service it...


.

cyberknight

night_porter wrote:

There are a few lower priced bike manufacturers around Claud Butler, Raleigh, Viking, etc and you could look at those but to be perfectly honest apart from having the colour you like best none of them will beat the Carreras for value for money.

Halfords get a bad rep on here but the bikes are made by Merida and their quality is exceptional for the money. A similarly specced "named" bike would cost you £150 more.


Good luck with the search.

I have 2 carreras , a 2nd hand TDf which i use for commuting and a new virtuosso , both very good bikes for the price , certainly no slower than similary specced bikes from other manufacturers and have the same groupsets .
If i had the money for a 3rd bike i would seriously consider another carrera at this price point but the new btwin3 with a triple, same shifters and reportedly a carbon fork for less than £300 is going to take some beating .

blue07794

I have 2 carreras , a 2nd hand TDf which i use for commuting and a new virtuosso , both very good bikes for the price , certainly no slower than similary specced bikes from other manufacturers and have the same groupsets .
If i had the money for a 3rd bike i would seriously consider another carrera at this price point but the new btwin3 with a triple, same shifters and reportedly a carbon fork for less than £300 is going to take some beating .[/quote]


I am torn between the Ventura (mentioned and link above) and the Virtusso. The thing that puts me off the Virtusso is that Halford's mechanic's will build it and if i have any problems will have to take it back there.
This may sound silly but do Halfords allow you to buy the bike in the box and then i can take it to my local reputable bike shop (providing they will also do this) and let them build and look after it. I expect there will be a cost but at least it will be set up correct from day 1

cyberknight

Yes you can buy it in a box.

I do not see why a LBS will not put it together for a few quid, but they are fairly straightforward to put together if you have a few tools like an adjustable spanner , some screwdrivers and a set of allen keys .

Plenty of videos on the net, this is a very good site ..

www.bicycletutor.com

blue07794

cyberknight wrote:

Yes you can buy it in a box.

I do not see why a LBS will not put it together for a few quid, but they are fairly straightforward to put together if you have a few tools like an adjustable spanner , some screwdrivers and a set of allen keys .

Plenty of videos on the net, this is a very good site ..

www.bicycletutor.com

If its that easy why do Halfords get it wrong on so many levels then

optimisticbiker

blue07794 wrote:

If its that easy why do Halfords get it wrong on so many levels then

a) time = money
b) no incentive for doing it right - its the SEP* issue

sadly an indictment of the typical british shop assistant these days (puts flame proof jacket on in anticipation...)








* SEP = someone else's problem!

blue07794

OptimisticBiker wrote:

blue07794 wrote:

If its that easy why do Halfords get it wrong on so many levels then

a) time = money
b) no incentive for doing it right - its the SEP* issue

sadly an indictment of the typical british shop assistant these days (puts flame proof jacket on in anticipation...)



- So So True!!!!!! SEP - fantastic!




* SEP = someone else's problem!

cyberknight

* SEP = someone else's problem!


One of best bits from the hitch hiker guide to the galaxy , the SEP field

Along with the SS bistromath .....

dmont

I can vouch for the Virtuoso, I've had it now for 2 months. Very nice bike, goes fast, very reliable, easy to get along with and half decent components on it... For the price you can't go wrong.. Highly recommended..

Your best bet is to sit on your chosen bikes and see which fits the best...

PS if you do go for a carerra, keep an eye on the website as prices change the whole time.....

blue07794

I have done as you suggested dmont and called into Halford's and my local bike shop yesterday and sat on both the Virtuoso and the Ventura (which is £60 cheaper than the Carrera) and the things that struck me were the Carrera's handlebars seemed to be really "pipe cleanerish" and thin compared to the more rugged solid thickness of the Ventura bars.
I expect i get the tape on the bars changed to a thicker padded type.....Can't I?

The Carrera was lighter better looking (just my opinion - i'm partial to blue ) but the wheels on the Ventura seemed to be of better quality and stronger. The Ventura had a better quality saddle (think in was a Sam Malone) and more comfortable.

So there you have it after that exercise i am more confused than ever.

What i did see that i really fell in love with was a Trek 1.1 priced at £550.......do i wait and save the extra £180 and get this little lady? or do buy the Carrera and hope i dont pine for a better quality bike 2 months after buying it?

I never thought buying a bike would be so bloody stressful

dmont

Hey there Blue, glad to hear you're even more confused, welcome to the bike world ;o)

Hmm I'd say if you've fallen for the Trek then YES save the extra cash and get that one - after all the Trek is a very nice bike... If you do go for another bike, be it the Carerra or other then you'll just wish you got the Trek instead... it's best to go for the one you like...

Time to SAVE SAVE SAVE ..

Good luck

Dmont

Super Domestique

Or time to look for a trek 1.1 from last year on sale

Sharkyssurfers

I brought the Carrera TDF last year and very impressed with it, it is actually quite quick to ride on and for the price couldnt grumble, i would have a look at that as well