Cheap beginners bike? Recommendations please?

NameTaken

Posting here because the beginners section on the road section doesn't seem very beginnerish to me.

I used to cycle a lot around 20 years ago but have done very little recently, but I need to improve my fitness and lose weight so I'm looking to get a road bike again.

I have a MTB/hybrid a Marin something or other that never got used much as it was heavy and I found the front suspension hard work for the roads and paths around me.

It looks like you can spend as much as you can afford on a road bike, but I'd like to get started on the cheap and see how it goes - but I have no idea about brands/bits/etc.

The Btwin triban 3 seems a cheap price for a reasonable spec (£300) and I've bought Btwin bikes for my daughters in the past and been fairly happy with them compared to the stuff in the supermarkets. I've read some fairly +ve experiences of Btwin/Decathlon bikes - anyone here got one and care to comment?

I'm happy to buy an old model or 2nd hand but I'm 6'3" so will be after a large frame. So, suggestions please? I'm just near Harrogate if there are recommended shops around.

What brands/models should I look at and where can I get something cheap? by which I'm thinking £300ish
what should I be researching? what do I need to know?


yours in ignorance

Mark

supersonic

Will all your riding be purely on the road? What are your views on drop bars, or would you prefer a flatter bar? Upright or sporty geometry?

NameTaken

Thanks for the reply.

Road or good paths. Not looking to be going over rough ground at all.

I'd be happy with drop bars or flat tbh. The main justification is fitness/weight loss and the reading I've done suggests bursts of hard energy use is best - so I guess drop bars better.

geo - somewhere in the middle? I thought that if I start with a mid position I can move each way - if I start at an extreme then I'm more limited.

The problem I suppose is that until I have a bike and use it then preferences are unformed. Hence why I want to start with something cheap - I'm regarding the first purchase as a learning experience.

lockstock666

Near me there is a salvation army bicycle shop called recycle (Get it? :roll: ), they take old bikes of all kinds and fix them up and sell them on cheap. I am gonna check it out when I return from holidays. But keep your eye on old bikes on ebay or if you really want cheap/free, check out a freecycle page or your local council recycling centre.

finlayson99

Hi
I have a Triban 3 and find it fits the bill perfectly as a well made, well put together, well specced, £300 bike. For the price there really is no way to fault it. I feel it compares very favourably to other "bigger" brand £500-600 bikes.
My son has Decathlon full suss MTB that he has "thrashed" for the last couple of years has has stood upto everything he has thrown at it. Build quality of Decathlon bikes therefore looks pretty good.
I have a high end MTB myself that I have used for the last 4 years and to be honest the build quality of the Triban seems pretty much up to speed compared to that one.
If like me you wanted a good quality, for the price, road bike then I would be happy to recommend the Triban 3 I certainly love mine.

apreading

Triban gets rave reviews from loads that have bought them. Generally Decathlon bikes are well specced new bikes at the price you would pay for a similarly specced bike from a big name brand second hand!

If you dont like them for any reason, the other one that seems good value is the carrera TDF at Halfords - my vote would be for the Decathlon though.

Gizmo_

apreading wrote:

Triban gets rave reviews from loads that have bought them. Generally Decathlon bikes are well specced new bikes at the price you would pay for a similarly specced bike from a big name brand second hand!

If you dont like them for any reason, the other one that seems good value is the carrera TDF at Halfords - my vote would be for the Decathlon though.

Always LOTS of Carrera TDFs on Ebay for some reason.

Whether that's because people buy them as a fitness fad rather than because they're into cycling, or whether they're not very good, who knows.

dav1

The carrera TDF is similar to a virtuoso which I have. Not a bad bike for a beginner by any means. I still have mine years later and when I finally upgrade it will become a dedicated winter/commuter bike