Advice needed please......do I jump and if so how high?
kasandrich
Posts: 20
I have lost 8.5 stone since february. I bought a cheap s/h bike (about £40) a month or so ago, I have really enjoyed getting out in the fresh air with the dog and the wife, but would like more opportunities to get out.
An opportunity has come up to buy a bike through my employer and cycle scheme, I am sure you are familiar with the scheme saving tax and NI on the value of bikes. I have a 2 week window to buy.
I am considering taking advantage of this scheme and getting a better bike, but I do not know what I want/need.
My use will be off the road, but on tracks and things, we have an old railway line near here which is tarmac or gravel along most of its length for recreational use. This I would anticipate as my typical usage.
I thought to go for a Hybrid such as the Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc which retails at £500, with its 700c wheels, and 45mm wide tyres, with low rolling resistance but some knobbles on the edges for the looser terrain would be ideal. but my neighbour says that Suntour forks as fitted to this bike are not very strong and are likely to bend if I did take the bike off tarmac. He feels I would be better off with a Mountain bike and change the tyres to more road oriented tyres if I felt I needed to.
He has recommended a Kona Cinder Cone XC which wee have seen at £600
What does the panel think, should I go Hybrid or MTB and do I really need to spend £600?
..................should I just stick with the old £40 bike I have for now? ......at least if it gets stolen or damaged it won't break my heart
An opportunity has come up to buy a bike through my employer and cycle scheme, I am sure you are familiar with the scheme saving tax and NI on the value of bikes. I have a 2 week window to buy.
I am considering taking advantage of this scheme and getting a better bike, but I do not know what I want/need.
My use will be off the road, but on tracks and things, we have an old railway line near here which is tarmac or gravel along most of its length for recreational use. This I would anticipate as my typical usage.
I thought to go for a Hybrid such as the Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc which retails at £500, with its 700c wheels, and 45mm wide tyres, with low rolling resistance but some knobbles on the edges for the looser terrain would be ideal. but my neighbour says that Suntour forks as fitted to this bike are not very strong and are likely to bend if I did take the bike off tarmac. He feels I would be better off with a Mountain bike and change the tyres to more road oriented tyres if I felt I needed to.
He has recommended a Kona Cinder Cone XC which wee have seen at £600
What does the panel think, should I go Hybrid or MTB and do I really need to spend £600?
..................should I just stick with the old £40 bike I have for now? ......at least if it gets stolen or damaged it won't break my heart
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Comments
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Please note that even having lost 8.5 stone I still weigh 19 stone, so I am a heavy weight for a bike.0
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Mountain bikes are better than hybrids.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
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Parktools0 -
My £40 crap heap has bad suspension front and rearbails87 wrote:The forks are unlikely to bend, but they are likely to be rubbish. No suspension is better than bad suspension. 0 -
Stick with an MTB as it will give you more options in the future, e.g. taking it to different places.0
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mountain bike all the way, tyres can be changed to suit your needs and you can get these in with the deal on ride to work scheme :-)0
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I would get a mountain bike, and look out for forks with 32mm stanchions. They will flex less if it is your concern.
Also, you should use your old bike as a commuter option, where you can leave it locked somewhere and not worry much about it. I wouldn't leave my MTB anywhere. It will not stand a chance, locked or not.A much loved, Giant Trance X3 20100 -
Well, I have today bought a Marin B17, I pick it up in the morning, hope I have done the right thing,
It was reduced in my LBS over £200 off, still a bit high for my budget but its a lot of bike for what I have paid, its LBS with knowledgable staff, get a free 4 week check and 3 free services 8 months, 16 months and 24 months.0 -
btw went into Halfords and was appauled at the sevice, the guy did not know how the bike worked and when I asked him to go and find somebody who did, he went off and came back saying they were all too busy to deal with me........bye bye Halfords, if you cannot work out why you are not selling bikes then you do not deserve my trade.....shame 'cos the bike they had looked nice, it was a VOODOO0
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Happy trails then
A much loved, Giant Trance X3 20100 -
I started riding at 24 stone (now 18.5) and the only weight related issue I've had is having to tighten the seat clamp with an allen bolt instead of being able to use the quick release. In two years of abuse the wheels haven't even had to be trued. I'd have suggested having decent MTB tyres instead of slimmer hybrid ones helps with this, as well as the front suspension fork.0
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Picked up my new Marin B17 just a few minutes ago, just having a coffee, then I am going to take it for its first outing!0
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WOW! what a difference0
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Glad you got something you're happy with.
Keep on, keeping on. The more you ride, the fitter you get, the more you want to ride.
For once, an addiction that's good for you (if not your pocket!)0 -
It just seems to roll easier than my old crap heap, I am much faster. Gears are super-slick and nice wide comfy bars.0
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I didn't buy it for off road ruff stuff, .........but there was a mud bank drop-away from the track I was on yesterday it dropped off about 20 feet......it was tempting 0
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kasandrich wrote:I didn't buy it for off road ruff stuff, .........but there was a mud bank drop-away from the track I was on yesterday it dropped off about 20 feet......it was tempting
Good lad!
next time get down it...0
