Advice from you all

mhh1981

Hi everyone, amateur biker looking to get into it. Not looking to commute but going to use cycling as a way to get fit. Most likely twice a week (or my wife will accuse me of not helping round the house!).

Went to Halfords and looked at the boardman rage. Got around £650 budget so looked at:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710 - this is £100 off instore.

So my question is, do I go straight into road-biking or get the Hybrid so I can get used to the roads etc. I dont want to be in a position where the hybrid isnt enough so I have to change after 6mths though.

Thoughts would be great.

andrewjoseph

Think about what you want to do: long rides, fast rides, away from traffic, bridleways, canal paths.

The hybrid will be better for rougher ground, bridleways,canal paths etc, and also good on roads and for long rides. But it may be a bit heavier and slower than the 'race' bike.

The 'race' bike will be faster on roads for less effort. A bit sketchy and bone jarring on rough ground.

Get the one you want now, instead of buying the wrong one and having to change in a few months.

Also think about mountain bikes if you don't fancy going on roads, even if it's just for bridleways etc.

Once you get out onto the roads and get used to the traffic, you will be fine on any bike.

mhh1981

thanks for the reply. It will be used on roads mainly and I would probably say fast rides. I think I'll just have to sit on them both and see which fits better for me.

lc1981

mhh1981 wrote:

It will be used on roads mainly and I would probably say fast rides.

If this is the case, I would avoid a hybrid. Hybrids are OK for canal towpaths and commuting on rough, potholed roads, but for faster road riding, a road bike is a far better choice.

mhh1981

lc1981 wrote:

mhh1981 wrote:

It will be used on roads mainly and I would probably say fast rides.

If this is the case, I would avoid a hybrid. Hybrids are OK for canal towpaths and commuting on rough, potholed roads, but for faster road riding, a road bike is a far better choice.

ok thanks for the advice.

CiB

I'm thinking of buying a TV. Should I buy a black & white one for now to see if I get on with it, then spend a similar amount of money again in a few months time to buy what I really wanted in the first place?

mhh1981

CiB wrote:

I'm thinking of buying a TV. Should I buy a black & white one for now to see if I get on with it, then spend a similar amount of money again in a few months time to buy what I really wanted in the first place?

thanks for your sarcastic response. Re-sale value in six months is still viable just to add. A hybrid is a 'safe' bet for me so at least i can get going - who knows if I will still be doing it in 6mths time.

Go for the 42" tv :-)

simon_masterson

If you're serious about road cycling, you will want drop bars. It's as simple as that. It's more than just an aesthetic. I speak from experience. Flat bar hybrids have their uses, but if it has to be one bike out of those two, it's the comp.

If you really need it to do rough paths and the like, get a steel road bike (my choice) with clearance for bigger tyres (28-35. Even that won't match the hybrid on the roughest stuff, but it's difficult to have both in one bike.

mhh1981

Simon Masterson wrote:

If you're serious about road cycling, you will want drop bars. It's as simple as that. It's more than just an aesthetic. I speak from experience. Flat bar hybrids have their uses, but if it has to be one bike out of those two, it's the comp.

If you really need it to do rough paths and the like, get a steel road bike (my choice) with clearance for bigger tyres (28-35. Even that won't match the hybrid on the roughest stuff, but it's difficult to have both in one bike.

ok great stuff. Thanks for the advice. Going for the road bike methinks.

CiB

mhh1981 wrote:

CiB wrote:

I'm thinking of buying a TV. Should I buy a black & white one for now to see if I get on with it, then spend a similar amount of money again in a few months time to buy what I really wanted in the first place?

thanks for your sarcastic response. Re-sale value in six months is still viable just to add. A hybrid is a 'safe' bet for me so at least i can get going - who knows if I will still be doing it in 6mths time.

Go for the 42" tv :-)

It wasn't meant to be sarcastic; maybe it came out that way. Sorry.

I was making the point point that buying something not as good just to see if you like it means you'll probably not like it as much and therefore might just fall on the "don't fancy this cycling lark much after all" side of things. I live in a permanent state of bewilderment wondering why people ask these sort of questions - I think I'd like to do A but will buy B instead and if I get on with that I'll buy A after all. Cut out the 6 months wasted on being on the wrong bike and buy what you were hankering after in the first place. Like you said, resale values are viable.

42" it is. A good suggestion.

dugliss

Get the road bike. I bought a Boardman hybrid 4 years ago and have spent the last 3 years and 9 months saving my pennies for a road bike. Nothing wrong with the Boardman at all and I really like it but the overwhelming need for curly handlebars just wouldn`t go away :oops:

knownothingbozo

Don't limit yourself to Boardman /Halfords. You need to also consider bike geometry, as not all road bikes are created equal. Some have you stretched out more, some have you sat up more. Don't make the mistake I did, got starry eyed with groupset (easily upgradeable bit by bit if necessary) didn't consider the frame.
Think about going to a local bike shop, where you will hopefully be able to take a variety of bikes out for a ride and see what suits you. You'll also want to factor into your budget things like - pedals (many road bikes come without), bottle cages, bottles, padded shorts and a wiggo commemorative yellow jersey. (not really!)
You also get a good chance of the bike being set up correctly when you get it. On a bit of a downer with Halfords at the moment, where it appears "shall we build it up for you?" only means "we'll put the wheels on".

BelgianBeerGeek

Just to add to the mix...consider a cyclo-cross bike. Just as quick on the roads, with the added possibility of off-road fun. I have a road bike, and really love it, but I bought a 'crosser for commuting and as a winter bike. This is now the one I use the most!
Sturdy build, fat tyres for mud you can run at lower pressures for more comfort on our wonderful British roads - love 'em.
Revolution bikes in Edinburgh had some nice, inexpensive ones in a while back.

mhh1981

Will have a look for cyclocross now

southdownswolf

Road bike, MTB, Cyclo, Hybrid, have you thought about a recumbant?

Before you rush into any purchase, ask yourself what the real purpose is for the bike. Will you be riding with family? Friends? Joining a club? What do those people have? Or will you be riding by yourself?

I have a MTB and a Road bike, I used to do a lot of MTB'ing, but now my friends and I tend to go out on the Road bikes more often than not....