The Northern Ireland Thread. *Warning* May include cake

dw300

Hmmm .. should it really feel bad to say you like that bike but can get it at £xxxx elsewhere, and see if they want to match it? The old overheads argument doesn't really apply anymore surely if the shop has their own website, and the online retailler has a shop?

Regardless that they might make half as much profit on it, they should still snap your hand off, cash in till > stock, especially with luxury items moving as slowly as they are at the moment. Unless they don't care about maximising their profits. They can have another in the shop by the time you pick yours up.

I say, "Be a dick!" (so that I don't have to maybe?) :P

Or perhaps we could negotiate a deal on 2 bikes.

LiamW

You'll find most shops now will price match bikes in a similiar price range, as dw says it's money in the till. When i worked in a bike shop in Belfast all those years ago we'd check prices and match up to get the sale. Basically back in the day before mainstream internet it was just phoning up the shop in question and getting their price.

I doubt any shop will want to lose a sale for a few quid.

dw300

Anyone wana chip in and start up a bike shop? See if we can take down CRC before Christmas?

t.m.h.n.e.t

dw300 wrote:

Anyone wana chip in and start up a bike shop? See if we can take down CRC before Christmas?

Such a venture may be short-lived

LiamW

dw300 wrote:

Anyone wana chip in and start up a bike shop? See if we can take down CRC before Christmas?

I had a place lined up in Finaghy, there was a shop there before so it had the potenial. Agreed rent/rates, spoke to suppliers and was about to go live with it all until the bank wanted more than we agreed.

Also talked to Invest NI, they offered me the sum of £250 to start my business would you believe. :shock:

Nowdays i just do a bit from the house and it keeps my hand in the game so to speak. Would ideally love a big garage to kit out properly and cut my house in my main job right down.

paul_mck

you sell any singlespeeds mate? After one for a commute.

dw300

LiamW wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Anyone wana chip in and start up a bike shop? See if we can take down CRC before Christmas?

I had a place lined up in Finaghy, there was a shop there before so it had the potenial. Agreed rent/rates, spoke to suppliers and was about to go live with it all until the bank wanted more than we agreed.

Also talked to Invest NI, they offered me the sum of £250 to start my business would you believe. :shock:

Nowdays i just do a bit from the house and it keeps my hand in the game so to speak. Would ideally love a big garage to kit out properly and cut my house in my main job right down.

Sounds good. I've done the Invest NI Go For It course .. it's actually very helpful. But they only give money for training, they're not investors.

I like your idea of working from home, work cut your outgoings, and have loads of time to ride and live the cycling lifestyle.

LiamW

paul_mck wrote:

you sell any singlespeeds mate? After one for a commute.

I had 2 there recently, picked them up quite cheap and repaired them. They sold quite qucikly though, i'll keep you in mind if anything else comes up in the meantime.

dw300

Saw a bloke on an Enigma today .. first time on the road in Belfast.

grifterveteran

Alright all!

Just getting into the cycling thing - have been using a friends bike but time to get my own wheels.

What do you think of the B'twin Triban 3 - decathlon doing it for 300 quid, would probably do me for starters

I'm an ex runner who needs a bit of regular exhaustion every now and then, did a belfast-ards-donaghadee-bangor loop t'other day and loved, want to build up my mileage.

Ithe triban seems to get good reviews as a budget bike but do more experienced cyclists look down their noses/ is it completely not up to standard if i wanted to join a club sportive??

Cheers

dw300

grifterveteran wrote:

Alright all!

Just getting into the cycling thing - have been using a friends bike but time to get my own wheels.

What do you think of the B'twin Triban 3 - decathlon doing it for 300 quid, would probably do me for starters

I'm an ex runner who needs a bit of regular exhaustion every now and then, did a belfast-ards-donaghadee-bangor loop t'other day and loved, want to build up my mileage.

Ithe triban seems to get good reviews as a budget bike but do more experienced cyclists look down their noses/ is it completely not up to standard if i wanted to join a club sportive??

Cheers

Welcome to the thread!

I've only ridden my own road bike, so i'll not comment on the Triban, but as long as it's safe it'll do to begin with if it suit your budget.

I'm still on my first bike after 3 years .. looking at upgrading when I have the cash. My bike had the same Sora shifters as the Triban .. I upgraded those to Tiagra ones, which I got off eBay for £60, as I found the Sora shifters awkward when in the drops .. but that's about all I've changed.

Nobody will care what bike your on on a Sportive .. people ride all sorts on those. If you turn up to a race on it and beat people you might put a few noses out of joint. =p

t.m.h.n.e.t

Bout ye?

GavH

grifterveteran wrote:

What do you think of the B'twin Triban 3 - decathlon doing it for 300 quid, would probably do me for starters

Work colleague recently bought one of these from Decathlon in Belfast. It's quite low spec but it will do to start off with, maybe look at better tyres and saddle to aid the comfort factor (which Decathlon can do for you) initially and will allow you to spend on decent kit (ie good shorts!) what you save on the bike.

That said, he sold it 3 weeks later and bought a carbon fibre Boardman. I think he's now regretting that as he now needs a winter hack...

grifterveteran

thanks for responses - rang decathlon they are sold out of the btwin triban 3 and wont be getting them in for 1 month.
Ive turned my attention to the trek 1.1 for £505- what do you think?

Ive read others talking about needing a 'winter' bike - what exactly is this, is this just a cheaper, less fussy bike, maybe even a hybrid that your'e not so worried about taking a battering in all weathers? Do you need different tyres for the winter?

Im a complete newbie btw, been running for ages but nursing a hip injury at mo.

GavH

grifterveteran wrote:

Ive read others talking about needing a 'winter' bike - what exactly is this, is this just a cheaper, less fussy bike, maybe even a hybrid that your'e not so worried about taking a battering in all weathers? Do you need different tyres for the winter?

Typically it's an older/cheaper alu framed bike with mudguards that you don't mind getting covered in dirt and road grime as you pedal through the manky winter roads. Key to this is recognising that the salt on the roads will be kicked up around chainsets, mechs, cassettes etc and potentially eat through the components although I suspect you'll need to do some serious miles for that to actually happen, but given how precious most roadies are, you get the idea! You'll also want to consider that some performance carbon bikes haven't got sufficient clearance around the brake arches to accept mudguards (which you'll need to keep yourself dry, minimise the salty water being caked around the bike and, if you ride in a group, stop water flicking into the face of the guy behind!), hence the need for a different bike.

It's also a perfectly good reason to own more than one bike...

antlaff

dw300 wrote:

Saw a bloke on an Enigma today .. first time on the road in Belfast.

If your doing the Giants Sportive tomorrow you'll see mine

pedrojake

grifterveteran wrote:

thanks for responses - rang decathlon they are sold out of the btwin triban 3 and wont be getting them in for 1 month.
Ive turned my attention to the trek 1.1 for £505- what do you think?

Ive read others talking about needing a 'winter' bike - what exactly is this, is this just a cheaper, less fussy bike, maybe even a hybrid that your'e not so worried about taking a battering in all weathers? Do you need different tyres for the winter?

Im a complete newbie btw, been running for ages but nursing a hip injury at mo.

The Trek would be a better buy IMO, plus will do a grand job as a winter bike should you decide to upgrade to a higher level down the line.

Everyone knows that a carbon framed bike will actually melt if taken out in the winter

GavH

PedroJake wrote:

Everyone knows that a carbon framed bike will actually melt if taken out in the winter

I forgot to mention that. It's been such a long time since my carbon fibre bike got cold and wet. The last time I actually heard it cry.

dw300

Just buy a good set of shorts. After recently falling victim to cheap shorts in quite an unpleasant manner I can now highly recommend Sugoi RS shorts.

dw300

antlaff wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Saw a bloke on an Enigma today .. first time on the road in Belfast.

If your doing the Giants Sportive tomorrow you'll see mine

I'm not sadly, so good luck or well done, depending on when you see this.

dw300

grifterveteran wrote:

thanks for responses - rang decathlon they are sold out of the btwin triban 3 and wont be getting them in for 1 month.
Ive turned my attention to the trek 1.1 for £505- what do you think?

Ive read others talking about needing a 'winter' bike - what exactly is this, is this just a cheaper, less fussy bike, maybe even a hybrid that your'e not so worried about taking a battering in all weathers? Do you need different tyres for the winter?

Im a complete newbie btw, been running for ages but nursing a hip injury at mo.

Are you about 5' 7" to 5' 10"?

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/giant-tcr-54cm-road-bike-mavic-ksyrium-sl-wheels-campagnolo-veloce-groupset/110666806

The wheels are worth about half of the asking price alone .. i think (no 2nd hand market expert!)

grifterveteran

I'm a shade under 6ft - could i squeeze onto a 54 inch bike if i put the saddle right up?

shorts - aint got as far as that yet, i'm tucking old tracksuit bottoms or combat trousers into a pair of old football socks worn up to my knee!!

dw300

You'll probably be looking at a 56cm .. im 5' 10" and ride a 54cm Specialized, but if I was any taller it'd be too small.

Interesting fashion! I'd send a bit on decent shorts, it'll be worth it in the end.

antlaff

dw300 wrote:

antlaff wrote:

dw300 wrote:

Saw a bloke on an Enigma today .. first time on the road in Belfast.

If your doing the Giants Sportive tomorrow you'll see mine

I'm not sadly, so good luck or well done, depending on when you see this.

Thanks for 'well done' 119.5 miles 7500ft of climbs and 7.5hrs on the saddle. The hardest but most enjoyable thing I've ever done - tearing down the 4/5 miles into ballycastle at 35mph after Torr head was such a joy.

MisterMuncher

Congrats. Hard yards on hard tar, sir.

dw300

Anyone doing the Torr Head Challenge tomorrow?

t.m.h.n.e.t

dw300 wrote:

Anyone doing the Torr Head Challenge tomorrow?

Yes. 50mile run though

dw300

I cant find a map with the routes, just a description .. are there any?

I'm not sure i'll be able to get a lift to the start anyway. :S

t.m.h.n.e.t

Essentially that http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/87694171

The long route goes around Torr Rd into Ballyvoy

WheelieBad

ha, that starts in my little hometown! center of the universe!