First cheap bike - expensive bike once I'm sure

blowbags

Hi all,

First post.

Not sure how well received these typical newbie bike model questions are received so I thought I'd take the first step of guessing at a model rather than open ended.

Quick summary of me/goals.
6'4/Male/27
I strength train (18 months so far) so have some fitness but not much cardio/endurance.
I want to tour Europe, and have a target of Dunkerque>Bruges>Amsterdam (various stops, ferry to Middelburg, though not via Antwerpen etc) I Guess majority of LF1 with a turn off for Dam.

So - my idea is, get the training in on a cheap bike (sub £200) and if I get into it properly, go for a real tourer (ebay Dawes Galaxy or something). Don't want to be one of those people who gets a hobby idea, gets £3k worth of kit, then let's it gather dust, so start sensible and upgrade to the £750+ area when I actually need it.

I have never cycled properly, so my education is nearly nil.

So, the point... as a cheap run around, for some training and maybe a few 30-60mile test runs, do you think this bike is ok. If not (or if you simply have a better value alternative), can you suggest a model to buy/dig around for a second hand one.

Raleigh Oakland (Amazon UK)

I don't mind a used bike either, and I'll likely "help" a bike store rather than amazon if new.

Cheers / Hello!

cyco2

You could look for a bike in www.Gumtree.com because It may be advertised locally you can try it. I have seen loads of bikes at boot sales and my latest MTB is now set up to tour for £35.
Your strength training will count for little when you get on your first 1:6 or long 1:10 because little women trained for cycling will blow you off easily. So, get riding and save the strength training for when you need to change a car wheel without a jack.
You are being very ambitious for the amount of cycling you've done. Getting used to the saddle is usually the first problem. Anyway, good luck to you.

Special K

Blowbags

First of all

WELCOME!

You will have a lot of fun I am sure.

I am sure you will get plenty of advice, but don't wrry about making some mistakes and evolving your ideas abut what you want to do and buy. I think your idea of getting something cheap on ebay is great though probably best to get some cycling mates to advise!

Secondly I'd agree that the distances might be ambitious. Before you head to europe only to find that your panniers don't work, or your saddle is uncomfortable or whatever, I suggest you do a weekend trip closer to home and maybe adjust your expectations that way. Anyway, see how you go, and keep coming back!

you could worse than this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dawes-Discove ... 99ab80e2b9

but buy good racks and panniers which you can transfer to your "good bike" when you know what to buy (but recognise that it will weigh more than Belgium)

or something like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dawes-Fox-Gen ... 500wt_1143

which might need some love and tlc from your local bike shop (LBS as it's known around these parts)

similarly for this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dawes-mens-ra ... 500wt_1143

...which I would go so far as to say that if you bought that, paid for a service and maybe new tape and tyres (an additional £120 maybe) that would probably be a great start

good luck

geoff_ss

Look for a hand built steel (Reynolds 531) touring bike. There must be 100s about not being used. It's not essential to have indexed gearing for example - we toured for many years with non-indexed down tube shifters for example.

The route you've chosen is quite flat so you won't need to be changing gear frequently anyway. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

cycladelic

Buying second-hand is a good idea, but check over the bike as best you can because getting new parts to replace any that are dodgy can soon add up to quite a bit of cash.

Your route should not be a problem. However, if the weather turns nasty or you feel knackered, just hop on a train or take a break for a day or two. You are only 27 years old and should be up for this without any issues... I once took my 12-year-old son touring on his little three-speed bike to France and he managed for a couple of weeks!

Hopefully your trip turns out okay - I am sure it will - and that you go on to tour more in the years to come. Bon voyage!

blowbags

Thanks for all the great replies guys - that Dawes looks bloody perfect thanks!

I understand my strength training wont make me on par with trained cyclists, especially build wise (210lbs - but relatively low body fat so it's effective weight) but the fact that I've trained in something physical gives me a number of advantages over the general public with the same cycling experience. I'll forgo a long winded list but essentially I am stronger, have a better diet, have a good mentality for training (don't miss sessions) and a sensible overview of the physiology of conditioning. Hope that doesn't come across as ego, but quite logical really, have 18 months pushing myself physically and doing the research to co-incide with it.

The Europe route will be May next year (weather dependant too, could be July by the time I'm happy with it), and yes I intend to essentially do 1-2 dummy runs locally with mileage ramping up, will help me understand what issues I will face. I will likely struggle with 20 miles initially but with consistent training, a mentality for linear progress, and an ass that can handle a seat I don't see why I won’t be able to maintain cardio level exertion over a very long distance (especially since it's a flat route, and I wont be camping). I know you aren’t implying I will fail, but wanted to assure you that I am approaching this with committed but patient training.

It's not essential to have indexed gearing for example - we toured for many years with non-indexed down tube shifters for example.

I think I have a lot of reading to do hehe, I have no idea what you are comparing. I guess that's like digital vs analogue? indexed being 1/2/3/4/5/6 and the "down tube shifters" being a scale (low/high and anything in between)

little women trained for cycling will blow you off easily

*goes to make cheap joke but resists terrible first impression* - I wont be too competitive with it hehe, I like to check what average progress is and work very hard to at least match it, but I don't have to destroy the average

Anyway thanks again - if my patience runs out I may just grab that Dawes this weekend, second hand market is great (buyers market after all) but needing a 22-24" frame is quite frustrating, the amount of times I've thought JACKPOT then see the small frame... I'll be more savvy when spending a lot, but £200 isn't something I want to spend 2 weeks reducing by £40-50 - I'd rather be out there.

bigjim

My son is a top amatuer bodybuilder. He won the Mr Great Britain [I think] something or other. I don,t follow it. However. I took him on the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride a few years ago. He thought he was going to die. He almost packed it in at Wigan! But like yourself he has a determination and crawled painfully into Blackpool. Lightweight people on lightweight bikes will leave you for dead. I get left regularly on hill climbs by a 69yr old who weighs about 11 stone and he is on a titanium bike. But I,m a big guy who also works out so I pay a price for the extra weight.
Look out for those Dawes or Raleigh Sprints or Clubmans. They usually come in big frames and if in good condition make fine lightweight touring machines. Older Peugeots are also worth seeking out.

mz__jo

Do not mistake the physical requirements for racing or riding sportives with the physical requirements for touring. Commitment to a high level of fitness, low percentage of body fat, even clean living, is a lot less important to successful touring than being comfortable on the bike, having equipment that works and having objectives that are within your limits (physical and mental). Being comfortable is a question not of thick saddles and fat tyres but rather of having a position and a ride comfort that allows you to get back on the bike day after day without abnormal pains and physical miseries.
If you want to ride every day for two or three weeks the basic requirement is that you can get back on your bike every day without suffering sore bum, knee problems, back problems or tendonitis. This isn't a matter of having an expensive bike or superb muscle preparation. It is a question of riding regularly (like short distances every day) without forcing, finding a saddle that suits you and getting you to suit it. You do not need an expensive bike to do this. You do not need an expensive bike for your touring either, if you know what your limits are (and if the objectives at the beginning of your tour are not too ambitious you can always increase them bit by bit). When you know a bit more about what you want, (bike, luggage, clothing, equipment etc) you can spend your money to get what you really want.

blowbags

Fair points - I am somewhat suprized your son struggled with Manchester to Blackpool, not in an "it should be easy" way [I have to guard my blunt language so it doesn't come across as ego ], but more like I thought the training would transfer more, so I guess that's the point you guys(/gals) want to push home with me - duly noted - I suppose when you want to see how you fair in terms of anthropometry you only need to check the elite end of the activity, and I don't look like a Tour de France competitor

You do not need an expensive bike for your touring either, if you know what your limits are (and if the objectives at the beginning of your tour are not too ambitious you can always increase them bit by bit). When you know a bit more about what you want, (bike, luggage, clothing, equipment etc) you can spend your money to get what you really want.

Yes that's pretty much my attitude and a good universal piece of advice - work first, spend later - You just have to see how realistic going the distance is, it has to be enjoyable!

I didn't take the plunge with a bike this weekend, I could have mail ordered the Dawes but everyone is strongly recomending getting to a shop having a good discussion and getting a feel/fit for them, thats the plan for this week.

andymiller

blowbags wrote:

a mentality for linear progress, and an ass that can handle a seat I don't see why I won’t be able to maintain cardio level exertion over a very long distance (especially since it's a flat route, and I wont be camping). I know you aren’t implying I will fail, but wanted to assure you that I am approaching this with committed but patient training.

A mentality for linear progress does help

No I don't think anyone is implying you'll fail: you understand the difference between strength training and cardio training, you're planning to get in some miles on the bike and you are planning to go somewhere flattish without too much stuff. all sounds pretty sensible to me.

I would suggest a shortish tour (3 days?) in the UK mainly to check all your equipment (ie the bike and stuff to carry your stuff) works OK.

blowbags

andymiller wrote:

A mentality for linear progress does help

Hehe I think I was in neurotic gym talk mode then :oops: "linear progress" is a term I throw around to tell new lifters not to just smash on all the weight they can since they end up going in, putting the same weight on every session, and going out. I guess I meant I'll be gradually adding miles on a regular basis rather than randomly going to exhaustion.

Anyway, bumped enough, I'll be back with a bike!