Finally got me a road bike...and love it!

ahstueyman

Just a post to allow some of my enthusiasm to spill over, after years of mountain biking, then a year out, then 4 months on a bodged/budget flat bar road/cyclocross style bike I finally got myself a second hand road bike, a Trek 1200 in perfect working condition from my local bike shop for £280. Took it for its first ride yesterday, and I love it! I literally couldnt beleive how much easier it is for going uphill and how it flew on downhills. I did a 17 mile ride in 1hr 10, probably a good 30 minutes faster than on my old bike.

The key now is to get out on my bike as much as possible in preperation for a sportive later in the year. Going to give a 20-30 miler a go this weekend too and see how i get on.

notlongnow

Im a recent mtb to road bike convert and like you are loving the extra speed and im knocking loads of minutes off regular routes and increased my speed average too,I still use my mtb when the weathers crap.

essjaydee

Glad your enjoying it

Hope your wallet (and other half) will be able to support your new found addiction

looe

I have a Trek 1200SL as well and it is a very good bike. Lightweight and responsive. Was looking to buy a carbon bike but the weight gain is only 1 kilo........... so I keep my old 1200

ahstueyman

Glad to here others enjoying it, I think for £280 quid a bike with such a light frame and carbon forks is a bargain. Out of curiosity though, what would be the best thing first of all to upgrade? Wheels? Groupset? At the moment i dont think i'll be changing much but i was just wondering if this bike has a good frame and fork what upgrades would be more beneficial ...

essjaydee

Just ride it and get some miles on it :!:

I wouldn't bother pouring money into it, if it all works fine as is.

Chances are, when the bug really bites, you'll be looking at buying a new bike anyway, so save your pennies for now.

gingermagician

Tyres would be the one and only thing I'd bother looking at in terms of immediate upgrades, depending on what it's running on now of course.

unixnerd

> Just ride it and get some miles on it

Agreed.

I bought my nephew a used Trek and did it up for under 100 quid all in! Converted him from his mountain bike and made him into a raving lunatic who does a 20 mile loop after work :-)

Don't spend much other than tyres. Save up for something really nice next year, spend around a grand on a used bike than cost double that new and make sure it's got nice light wheels. Then sell yours to the next victim / new cyclist!

joshr96

Its great the difference in speed you feel just after switching from a mtb to a road bike 8)

ilm_zero7

ahstueyman - congratulations, and no surprises buy your instant love,,, group riding next, then cycle mag addiction, and a continual drain on the bank account for upgrades and kit. welcome to my world

ahstueyman

aha! the magazine addiction has already began, unfortunately I work 9-6 monday to friday and play football tuesdays and saturdays and a missus, so riding is fairly limited to sunday blasts, however clocks soon to change and after this football season finishes I dont know if i'll be commiting myself for next season, as the week passes by I just look forward to the weekend to get out on my bike, nothing else!

PS. no game this saturday, saturday and sunday rides

unixnerd

> however clocks soon to change

Nice lights are what you need, cycling in the dark is fun :-) I do 20 miles after work on unlit country roads and I love it. Get youself a pair of Cree XML-T6 LED torches on ebay, they're not dear and are fantastically bright.