first road bike.

arabianjules
arabianjules Posts: 13
edited February 2012 in Road beginners
hi all, looking at getting a road bike, been using my Trek MTB with slicks for work, which is fine, until a road cyclist breezes past me like i`m stood still, anyway moving on...

i`m doing the London to Brighton charity run in June so i thought i`d get another bike to do that with and to use over the summer.

Moneys tight, as it is with all of us, so took a fancy to `Viking` bikes?...was going to go for the Viking Giro D'Italia LTD Edition Road Bike as its a great price and i love the colour.
but then i found the Roma, http://www.cheapestbikesuk.com/viking-r ... d-bike-177
a step up, slightly better kit.

so i`m all yours, what do you think of these please?
I`ll be using them for commuting to work, weekend rides out for fitness and the ocasional charity ride.

Many thanks.

John.

Comments

  • ted-on-tour
    ted-on-tour Posts: 225
    About a year ago I asked the very same question, even suggested the the same bikes....and I was told not to bother, Don't buy something new at that price "anything under about £300 and all you're getting is a brand new peice of sh1te)

    Go second hand, much much more for your money...a bike that will last longer and make your life easier, And to be honest, they were right! I got a Felt Z85 with Tiagra groupset for £250 so it can be done. Not a bad place to start!

    Second hand is the way forward I think...

    Hope that helps...best of luck with the hunt.
    Pain is a momentary lapse of character.
  • notlongnow
    notlongnow Posts: 176
    Whats your budget ?The best sub £300 bike has got to be this http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-id_8167038.html
  • arabianjules
    arabianjules Posts: 13
    notlongnow wrote:
    Whats your budget ?The best sub £300 bike has got to be this http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-id_8167038.html

    wow! thanks for that link, and thanks for the advice......was thinking that might be the case after seeing the review, ouch.

    might even save a bit more and look at a Carrera TDF, as i know Carrera are a good choice as well.
  • notlongnow
    notlongnow Posts: 176
    Both the Decathlon and Btwin get good reviews but the advantage of the Btwin has to be the carbon fork
  • Muffintop
    Muffintop Posts: 296
    hi all, looking at getting a road bike, been using my Trek MTB with slicks for work, which is fine, until a road cyclist breezes past me like i`m stood still,...



    Trust me, it's a lot worse when you're on your Road bike and a MTB breezes past you...

    I'm sure it's the same guy who passed me on the two sportives I did last year.
    FCN: Brompton: 12, Tourer: 7, Racer: 4

    http://www.60milestonod.blogspot.com
  • arabianjules
    arabianjules Posts: 13
    Muffintop wrote:
    hi all, looking at getting a road bike, been using my Trek MTB with slicks for work, which is fine, until a road cyclist breezes past me like i`m stood still,...



    Trust me, it's a lot worse when you're on your Road bike and a MTB breezes past you...

    I'm sure it's the same guy who passed me on the two sportives I did last year.

    lol.
  • velohutts
    velohutts Posts: 288
    cycling plus did a review of best bikes under £500 , would try and put a link in but would probably send you to some bizarre site.

    Have a read of that and if you go second hand if your not an expert take someone with you , good parts that are worn will start to rack up your repair bills !!

    I would get a good aluminium frame with good groupset budget permitting , lots of sites with good deals on them just takes a bit of looking and alot of shops are doing 0% on purchases.

    Ultimately you pay for what you get , but I also look at the price as to how good am I compared to what I am paying !!

    Good luck with the bike hunt Winstanleys do some good discounts and a mate of mine has a Ribble which can be built according to budget , admittedly he spent alot on his but they look great bikes.
    Enigma Esprit Di2 - Go tI ! Summer !
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    I was looking at new under £400 for ages and came to the conclusion that they were not for me.

    In the end I went second hand and got a Cannondale with ultegra/dura ace and r20 wheels for a little over £300. Okay so its a CAAD5 which is 6 years old but all components are less than 2 years old.

    So you get what would be a 4 figure sum bike for budget starter cash

    Just need to have a good shufty over it before parting with your wedge.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • Frostys
    Frostys Posts: 277
    smidsy wrote:
    I was looking at new under £400 for ages and came to the conclusion that they were not for me.

    In the end I went second hand and got a Cannondale with ultegra/dura ace and r20 wheels for a little over £300. Okay so its a CAAD5 which is 6 years old but all components are less than 2 years old.

    So you get what would be a 4 figure sum bike for budget starter cash

    Just need to have a good shufty over it before parting with your wedge.

    Nice score.... :mrgreen:

    I'd echo the buy secondhand a couple of years old... there's loads of Specialized Allez's etc on Evilbay for that money.
    Ribble Gran Fondo
    Guerciotti Lyra Cross
    Trek 6000 S/S
  • The Man Chump
    The Man Chump Posts: 81
    I got a new bike for under £300 for Christmas and it has done me fine so far (600 miles in) and I can keep up with my friend who has a much more expensive bike, and has been cycling for a good length of time.

    http://www.pythonbikes.com/race.aspx?bikeid=4

    at the level I'm starting at it works just fine and will do me for the 50 miler I'm doing in may.
    Next year? Who knows, but at worst it is a sturdy winter bike.

    Good luck
  • arabianjules
    arabianjules Posts: 13
    what about a Claud butler?

    http://www.ashcycles.com/site/bikes/roa ... 662de4a479

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