Test rides (and strange bike shops)
Comments
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I think sometimes bike fits by shops can be over rated. I had a bike fitting when I bought my CX bike. When I picked the bike up the saddle was set way too high and the reach was too long. I had to change to a shorter stem. In truth, I think the frame was the wrong size and I'd have been better off with the next size down. There's nothing like actually sitting on the bike to get a feel for the size.0
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Rah 2501 - if you could let us know roughly what bit of the UK you live in then I'm sure that the collective wisdom of those on here can suggest a good bike-fit place and shop for you to go to.0
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FTFY - as robbo said, I recommend you stay clear of Cake Stop, Girls in .... threads.rah2501 wrote:Gizmodo wrote:... some words ...
I've seen your avatar picture in a few posts. I find it demeaning to women and offensive. It really detracts from this forum.Summer - Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 9.0 Team
Winter - Trek Madone 3.5 2012 with UDi2 upgrade.
For getting dirty - Moda Canon0 -
troll i sayDeath or Glory- Just another Story0
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this boy is a WUM - another hilarious "character"0
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so...you think i sound crazy... hmmDeath or Glory- Just another Story0
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So which bridge in Liverpool do you live under Mr Rah? I hope it is not one used by the brothers B-G Grough.
The older I get the faster I was0 -
Stone Glider wrote:So which bridge in Liverpool do you live under Mr Rah?
I'm not a troll. I've seen the Cake Stop now. If these dumb mother f*ckers really must behave that way, then at least they're confined to a separate area. I don't think, however, that the "Road Beginners" board is an appropriate place for such offensive pictures. That said, I appreciate that Gizmodo has removed his avatar picture, thank you.
Anyway.. back on the farm.. shops in Merseyside that do bike fittings.. anyone?0 -
rah2501 wrote:giropaul wrote:Rah 2501 - if you could let us know roughly what bit of the UK you live in then I'm sure that the collective wisdom of those on here can suggest a good bike-fit place and shop for you to go to.
I'm in Liverpool. The strange shop I went to was Quinns Bike Centre.
I would have said Pete Matthews, but I'm not sure that he's still doing bikes (he moved from the shop some time ago).
My recommendation for you would be a short trip to Hewitt's in Leyland
http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/0 -
My advice is have a little think about whether cycling is the right choice for you.0
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giropaul wrote:My recommendation for you would be a short trip to Hewitt's in Leyland
http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/
Unfortunately I don't drive which makes it a pretty long trip :-) I don't really want to buy from a shop 30 miles away. See this post for my reasoning.0 -
just what the world needs0
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suzyb wrote:I'm kinda curious as to what Gizmodo's avatar was now.
It was a pic of some nicely developed gluteals decorated with scant stockings and suspender belt type garb (plenty of in-saddle climbing for the owner, I always assumed, and so, as one with plenty of lard on board in that area, I wondered if it perhaps was intended to be inspirational?). rah appeared to assume it was a female and felt offended/it was offensive. Gizmodo deleted it immediateley - respect due to Gizmodo IMO.
I was wondering if it was a stereotypically gender biased, sexist asssumption on rah's part ... I suppose as Gizmodo withdrew it though, it was probably actually a correct guess on the gender.0 -
rah2501 wrote:like the look of
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To the OP.
This sums up your difficulty.
Most biked can be radically changed in appearance simply by :
swapping wheelsets
having an unflipped stem
co ordinated bar tape even to be simply flippant.
I bet you face changes into a sour lemon after 5 minutes inside a decent lbs.
Don't recommend you go into the one I know very well... you might get short shrift from someone straight talking.
sorry that's life in many respects.
Still good luck in your search.
Always remember that you can always off load a bike that might be a munter on Ebay for a decent price.0 -
mattshrops wrote:troll i say
Unfortunately that is looking likely! Doesn't want to buy from one of the big boys (such as Claude Butler) but other options available include that garage based bespoke bike builder Bianchi :roll:
If not a troll then I think everyone on this thread and his others have done all they can to assist. If it doesn't give him the information he wants there isn't a lot we can do!0 -
+1.0
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Pross wrote:Doesn't want to buy from one of the big boys (such as Claude Butler) but other options available include that garage based bespoke bike builder Bianchi
It's quite disrespectful not to address me directly. Ordinarily I'd ignore this comment but there's a misunderstanding and I think it's important to correct that.
My concern is not with the size of a manufacturer but their attitude towards branding.0 -
rah2501 wrote:Pross wrote:Doesn't want to buy from one of the big boys (such as Claude Butler) but other options available include that garage based bespoke bike builder Bianchi
It's quite disrespectful not to address me directly. Ordinarily I'd ignore this comment but there's a misunderstanding and I think it's important to correct that.
My concern is not with the size of a manufacturer but their attitude towards branding.
It's quite disrespectful to criticise every bit of well meaning advice you are given to. What's wrong with the attitude towards branding of the companies on your blacklist?0 -
In that case I'd say you've got Bianchi and Claud Butler on the wrong lists.
What kind of riding do you want to be doing on this bike? Racing? Fast paced solo rides? Club runs? Leisurely day rides? Laden / unladen Touring? Commuting? To a great extent, the intended use will dictate frame materials and geometry. Most bike shops would struggle to reccommend a bike if you can't give them any clues about what you want from it.
I wanted a versatile bike cos I can only justify the one, so I went for a Kinesis Racelight Tk, which is an alu framed winter trainer. Fairly light with nippy geometry, but clearance for 25mm tyres and mounts for full mudguards and a rack if required.
Luckily I drive and could get to Epic Cycles where I was fitted properly and then had a lengthy test ride0 -
Pross wrote:It's quite disrespectful to criticise every bit of well meaning advice you are given to.
I wasn't aware I'd criticised anyone's advice. What criticism are you referring to?Pross wrote:What's wrong with the attitude towards branding of the companies on your blacklist?
They are companies that seem, to me, to focus on their brand rather than their products. In a traditional manufacturing company, the goal is to produce goods that satisfy the demands of the market.
In a brand-focused company, the goal is to increase the number of people who recognise their brand; to produce increased "brand awareness". This is done by associating the brand with a particular idea. For example, Nike associates its brand with athleticism (not running but the abstract concept of atheleticism). This *idea* then becomes the core of the company; it is assimilated internally and presented impeccably externally.
This brand awareness is then used to create revenue. Revenue can come through a variety of means. For example through licensing; charging other people for the right to refer to a brand or to use its imagery. It can also come from selling goods. These goods must always be related in some way to ideas that are associated with the brand. For example, Nike sell a wide variety of products related to the abstract concept of athleticism.
The general mode of operation in transitioning to a brand-focused company is to drop all manufacturing capabilities as they become superfluous to the company's activities, which are focused instead on marketing. Any goods which the company then sells are sourced through third-party manufacturers, typically factories located in Export Processing Zones in South-East Asia.
The transition from a company which owns factories and employs local labour, to one which deals with unscrupulous companies exploiting cheap foreign labour is bad. It seems absurd to me that there are groups of people who earn a living by producing advertisments that associate a brand, a logo, with a particular idea. Rather than producing something worthwhile and useful, they instead focus on producing nothing. Literally. Factories are extremely expensive to run and carry massive liability. The company that owns no factories wins at branding.
As I mentioned in the post I linked to, I have a very strong belief that this idea is wrong and a very strong distaste for the companies that subscribe to it.
Now, I'm not entirely sure which companies in the lists I posted are brand-focused in the sense I've elaborated here. The only companies I know for certain are Giant, Specialized and Trek as I've seen that they have opened branded stores. They may still own manufacturing sites, I don't know. What I do know is that they chant the branding mantra and I don't like that. The others on the "blacklist" I'm less sure about but they seem suspicious so I'm staying clear.0 -
rah2501 - I think the sentence you are looking for is something along the lines of " Thanks everyone for taking the time to give me your advice."
It would be nice.0 -
I just get the impression comparing specs that Bianchi expect you to pay more money for the bike just cos it's a Bianchi. Not good VFM in my view. Good bikes though.
Claud Butler on the other hand has to me almost become invisible as a brand. Maybe that's cos I don't want a touring / expedition bike?0 -
Have you found a bike yet??0
