Sssshhh, it's the new guy!

flimflam_machine

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Just lose on of the Ps.

...and add an "e" ("one"). McKean's Law: Any correction of the speech or writing of others will contain at least one grammatical, spelling, or typographical error.

To the OP, a road bike will be plenty tough enough. I'd just reiterate my warning not to be driven towards getting something too racey if you're not actually going to be caning it to and from work. Bike shop staff can be even worse than this lot in insisting that you absolutely need some crabon fibre and knife-thin tyres (don't worry about a skinny saddle though, they are in some ways more comfy than an over-padded one). Since your return commute is one long hill you may well want to opt for a triple (a bike with 3 chainrings up front rather than 2) since this will give you a range of lower gears. Having to grind 4 miles uphill in a overly-long gear after a hard day at work probably wouldn't help you feel the joy of cycling.

walkingbootweather

EKE_38BPM wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

How the hell do you pronounce To peak because I've been saying Top Peak for about 5years now.

Just lose on of the Ps.

If it helps I can take the P .......

...... it wouldn't be the first time

OP - lots of generalisations come up but....

Road bikes are much tougher than many people think. My commute on an old tourer includes several miles on very rough part made farm tracks and several miles along railway and river paths - I'd be surprised if your route was tougher.
Aluminium bikes in your price range might be lighter and stiffer than steel frames, but steel can offer a more comfortable and compliant ride.
If your route really is rough then you want strong wheels which tend to have more spokes and are heavier than race wheels.
Picking the right tyres can make a big difference so for commuting on mixed surfaces you might be better off with wider profile and puncture resistance.
Mudguards make a huge difference in keeping you dry and comfortable, especially this time of year.
If you are carrying lots of stuff the the ability to fit a rack is a must.

You could do a lot worse that seeking out an old skool tourer or CX.

gerroffandmilkit

After much advice I decided that a road bike was the best option for my requirements.

I've been having a scout round for my first road bike and found something which looks quite a decent buy for the money. Any advice or recommendations? Is it a good starting bike? Please be honest!!!

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_810691_categoryId_165710_langId_-1?cm_sp=Intelligent_Offer-_-Product_Details_

SimonAH

A fine bike that should do nicely. There is a lot of snobbery over Halfrauds bikes, but my first road bike was a Carerra and it was a perfectly good bit of kit.

My only addendum to that would be that if I were in your boots I would be spending that much cash on a second hand machine. At that price you could pick up something very nice.

As a parallel consider that the price of a new Fiat Punto will get you a FSH Porsche Boxter.

EKE_38BPM

Yeah, its an OK bike. More than good enough for a four mile commute and it should be good enough to keep you interested for longer weekend rides. I think you'll probably want to change the saddle though, I know someone with the SE Pro version and the saddle was a horrible big fat over-padded thing, from the picture that one doesn't look too bad though.
The pedals were pants too. I would suggest some Shimano M324s to replace them.
Before you pull the trigger though, I would wait to see other suggestions from the hive mind.

gerroffandmilkit

Another alternative is the Virtuoso. Different paint job but what is the difference between that and the TDF?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_810601_langId_-1_categoryId_165710

Torvid

gerroffandmilkit wrote:

Another alternative is the Virtuoso. Different paint job but what is the difference between that and the TDF?

The main difference is the first one has a standard chainset and the second has a compact.

I had also the exact same bike as the first one as my first bike the spec's okay and it will get you started but as has been said wait to see what the hive mind can find as they seem to stumble across some great bargains.

Mikey41

Things get better the more budget you can manage when you are looking brand new. Most worth going for are £500+

Below £500
Triban 3
Carrera TDF
Carrera Virtuoso

£500 and above
Triban 5
Giant Defy 5
Trek 1.1

Just to pick a few suggestions. At this time of year though, look for 2012 bikes being sold at a discount to clear, not unusual to get 20%-25% off as shops are wanting rid of them to get the new models in. Usually there's hardly any difference anyway except a change of paint job.

Or look at secondhand, a well maintained bike will have nothing wrong with it, maybe the odd scratch, just look for crash damage. That could net you a bargain.

UndercoverElephant

If you can push to £500, this is a real bargain.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mobi ... elID=59250

DonDaddyD

Bombast and silly comments aside, if it were me I'd place importance on the bike having a carbon fork. Carbon, IMO, takes a lot of road vibrations out of the ride (it absorbs it) giving a different kind of ride. A carbon fork - amongst other things - should reduce vibrations at the front of the bike (I.e. handle bars) there by giving a smoother ride - this all depends on the quality of the road. Its not a major issue but one of those comfort things at this level.

OP, law of diminishing returns apply hugely in the bike market. You would get a lot more bike for £500 Than £350. Beyond that, for the type of commuting and weekend riding you will do the improvement to you would be negligible.

That said, looking at the spec, the Virtuoso is a better bike than the TDF and is on discount. But I would consider the brain based on its carbon fork - that doesn't mean its a better bike.

There is also this: http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/raleigh- ... 64270.html

If you want to buy from a shop, go to Evans try it and then purchase online.

DonDaddyD

What did you decide?