Bike just stolen - £500 for a new one - ideas??

El Selb
El Selb Posts: 137
edited August 2011 in Road beginners
Some kind soul (absolute ****er arhhhhh!!!) kindly relieved me of my '09 Trek 1.2 that was locked up outside Tescos on Weds night, so I'm in the market for a new one. I only had it for about 4 months and it was my first ever racer. Have been getting a bit addicted, so pretty gutted.

So I'm going to scrabble about £500 together, but as a real cycling newbie just looking for some advice please.

My requirements/usage:

- Drop bars (grew to like them after hating initially)
- cycle 3.5 miles to and from work through London (city)
- Some long distance stuff (LEJOG, 10o miles+ day rides, like to do a Euro trip).
- I'm 6ft, 12 stone if that matters

Many thanks

Comments

  • Arghyrou
    Arghyrou Posts: 155
    Hey El Selb,

    Personally I have a Specialized Allez and love it. The frame has a lifetime warranty, its well made and looks great. Mine has lasted well and I got mine for 450 new, you can get one of ebay for about 300?
    Ive upgraded to a bit of carbon and new wheels and it really is a great bike, stiff and fast, and always getting comments. Love it.
  • El Selb
    El Selb Posts: 137
    Only problem is everyone seems to have them! Guess that's for a reason though right....thanks for the advice dude.
  • mattward1979
    mattward1979 Posts: 692
    Id check out insurance options before looking for a new bike, as lets face it, theft is as certain as death and taxes.

    check that you can put your new bike on your home insurance for home and away cover.. if not, look elsewhere, so that you dont have to go through the pain and heartache of another road machine being stolen by some chav scum bags that will sell it for £50 in the nearest pub just so that they can score some more crack for their crack whore parents.

    (Yeah I had a bike stolen too.. It still hurts )
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  • night_porter
    night_porter Posts: 888
    If you are thinking about year round commuting and want something that will take a rack and mudguards, has Tiagra shifters and Shimano R500 wheels. Get to you local Halfords and see if they have any of the outgoing Carrera Vanquish's left.

    A well made bike that is unbeatable value and a great commuter that will double up as a light tourer.

    I think the price is about £500 but they are bringing out new models so the old ones will soon disappear.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,348
    i) keep a close eye on here...

    http://bikeshd.co.uk/

    ...it consolidates bike ads, including those on the designed for thieves' site gumtree, i looked too late and mine had already been sold on by the time i noticed it

    ii) insurance - m&s home contents with the away from home option will cover your bike, it's good value
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • El Selb
    El Selb Posts: 137
    that vanquish is bloody sexy! wonder if i could get it on the cycle-to-work scheme.....need to look into that one....

    A mate has a Kona Honky I quite like the look of actually (probably cos i live in east london, but anyway) - anyone know what sort of performance you lose/compromise on somethiong that looks like that compared to say the vanquish or allez?

    Matt, what do you mean when you say look elsewhere if I cant get the bike on house insurance? do you mean buy alternative house insurance? to be fair I need to get some insurance full-stop, I live in a shared/rented house.

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