More expensive bike vs everything I need

KevChallis

As the title says, I will now have around £800to850 to spend on my road cycling, I have nothing for road cycling, so is it more beneficial to buy the next model up of bike, ie allez sport/defy 3, or buy Tue allez compact/defy 4 and everything else I need?

lotus49

Don't under-estimate how much you will have to spend on other bits and pieces such as shorts, jerseys, pedals and shoes (if you are going to go clipless as most people do eventually), pump, tools, spare inner tube, helmet etc.

KevChallis

Thanks for reply, yes I am going clipless straight away, also need some lights as I will be cycling to and from the gym in the evenings too, I have no idea how much extra I will need though.

lotus49

You could easily spend £400 on a single set of kit if you were daft enough but I would say at least £200. You can buy cheap versions of most things but at least make sure you get decent shoes and bib shorts. Pedals are fairly cheap and most of the other bits can be picked up fairly cheaply. There are quite a few threads on here with advice about what kit a new rider needs so have a rummage around the forum.

Anonymous

Well I am in the buy a better bike first camp.

I feel a lot of people regret not spending more after getting their first bike.
Some will go on to buy a second bike, either selling the first or keeping it for winter (because the new bike is so nice).

For someone who really does have a tight budget I feel its even more important to get it right first time.
Kit is a big part of the budget even if you are careful and I whilst I would not want you to waste money on kit you end up replacing, its preferable to doing that with the bike ;-)

The advantage to buying a cheap bike first is that you can then get a better idea of what you want, sell the first one at minimal loss and get a good deal on a sale bike. You could cover the loss on the first one, and it end up costing no more than buying the second one at list price in the first place.

The advantage to getting a better one to start with is that you will not need to upgrade, and if you do you have a better bike to sell or keep for the winter.

It's tough love but the answer is to make sacrifices elsewhere and get a better bike. How about 0% finance?

A lot depends on your cycling ambitions but you seem to be asking all the right questions ;-)

rolf_f

lotus49 wrote:

You could easily spend £400 on a single set of kit if you were daft enough but I would say at least £200. You can buy cheap versions of most things but at least make sure you get decent shoes and bib shorts. Pedals are fairly cheap and most of the other bits can be picked up fairly cheaply. There are quite a few threads on here with advice about what kit a new rider needs so have a rummage around the forum.

Plus one - but, if you can get to an Aldi tomorrow you can get excellent SPD shoes for £20. They aren't the prettiest or lightest but they are indestructable and perfectly useable. I've got 10,000 miles plus out of mine and ridden many 100 mile rides in perfect comfort! They'll certainly do you until you can find something better.

For pedals, pay no more than £20 for a pair of M520 SPDs including cleats. If you are near an Evans they'll price match. Last pair I got were about £18. That sorts you pedals and shoes for £40.

KevChallis

Ambitions are triathlons(not competitive) and sportives, ok, 2 completely different events haha. Need to sit down and work out how much I will need for basic kit to begin with, as opposed to better bike minimal kit. Benefits and draw backs of both it would seem.

I have spd-sl pedals already, so the shoes from Aldi will be no good for my pedals.

Davdandy

As mentioned the Aldi cycle week starts tomorrow so worth a look if on a budget.

I will be looking into the shorts as my 3/4 length ones are too warm now for the Summer.Always worth popping in,even if you don't get anything.

Anonymous

I agree with lotus, £200 should be enough to get you the main bits of decent kit as long as you make good choices of where to spend the bulk of the cash, and get stuff in sales.

Its hard work to get stuff on a budget, but it can be done and there is a lot of help on this site.
My friend got a very nice bike for £650 and I have recently bought carbon shoes, pedals, bib tights and other bits for my wife at massive discounts. You can get a lot for £850.

Have a look on CRC for shoes. I am going to Aldi tomorrow to look at the £20 ones, then come home to decide if they are better value than my wife's £57 carbon ones with ratchet top strap :roll:
As you have the pedals already that would be £37 in your case ;-)

I am not knocking Aldi, there is stuff worth buying there. Am not convinced on the shoes though.

rolf_f

Carbonator wrote:

Have a look on CRC for shoes. I am going to Aldi tomorrow to look at the £20 ones, then come home to decide if they are better value than my wife's £57 carbon ones with ratchet top strap :roll:
As you have the pedals already that would be £37 in your case ;-)

I am not knocking Aldi, there is stuff worth buying there. Am not convinced on the shoes though.

£57 for carbon shoes does sound good but I've never seen a need for a ratchet top strap; velcro does the job perfectly well and I've never had to adjust my shoes once on the bike so the ratchet is really a bit of a waste of money as far as I can see. Besides, why would you not be convinced by a comfortable pair of shoes for £20 that can last 10,000 miles and still look almost like new? I bought them for commuting with the intention of getting some better SPD shoes for weekend rides but I never saw the point in the end. That doesn't mean they are the best deal ever but it does mean that they are very good value particularly if you are on a budget. In contrast, my Northwaves (road cleated) are looking a bit scruffy after a quarter of that mileage.

Anonymous

I have never needed to tighten shoes on a ride either, but I do always re tighten a little once the shoe has been on a few minutes which I find beneficial.
I feel the ratchet is to help get a good fit and perhaps a tighter more secure one.
They look the business too

Want to see the new Aldi shoes tomorrow before commenting further. The older ones seem to look nicer and I am glad you like them.

Personally I feel most of the Aldi/Lidl stuff is poor value for money, but some stuff is good, even if as a spare (or buy as main then demote to spare).

I often wonder how cr*p something needs to be before people will admit its cr*p though.

Davdandy

Yes,Adli may not be the best gear out there but for people on a budget they are invaluable.Surely it is best to buy gear from there to start with then add bits as you go along and when money is not as tight.

I am currently laid off work and need to watch the pennies,so i`ll be off to Aldi in the morning to check out the shorts.Once i get back in work i may,that's may,buy better shorts if i feel the need to buy them.I currently wear the 3/4 length shorts and they are great so no complaints form me.Plus,they only cost about £8 or so.

Anonymous

The shoes seem to look a lot better in the other colour from the picture in the brochure.
I hope a lot of people get some pedals and try clipping in because of them.

clickrumble

Worth shopping around, when I bought a bike a couple of years ago from my LBS, included in the price was £150 worth of credit in their shop for other gear, parts etc as well as free bike fit. I was able to upgrade the tyres, get a decent pump and some clothes. Made the deal far more attracive than anything I could find on the internet.

kampernaut

FWIW, I chose more on the bike and I would do the same again because it will be a long time before I will want to upgrade the bike. Another factor for me was that I started in February so I wasn't willing to buy a load of winter kit just for a few weeks riding.

The only exception for me was the shorts. I was advised to get a really good set of bibs and I'm so pleased I did. I bought a cheap pair shortly afterwards as a spare and I've only worn them once because they were so awful by comparison.

For the rest of it, I've either managed with what I had, bought cheap or improvised. At least I now have some insight into what I'm looking for as I buy more kit and I have the luxury of time to choose wisely as funds become available.

Anonymous

Clickrumble wrote:

Worth shopping around, when I bought a bike a couple of years ago from my LBS, included in the price was £150 worth of credit in their shop for other gear, parts etc as well as free bike fit. I was able to upgrade the tyres, get a decent pump and some clothes. Made the deal far more attracive than anything I could find on the internet.

Sorry, but you could not have looked very well.

How much was the bike roughly? (if you do not mind me asking) Over a grand?
If it was £1000 that means you got 15% in goods that you had to spend in that shop, probably at list price, which is a fairly standard deal.

I got 35% off a friends £1000 bike, so he had £350 (if starting with same £1000) to spend anywhere with any discount on the things he bought.

The internet is far better for a first bike if on a budget.
I am not trying to put LBS out of business (I bought mine from my LBS), but if someone is on a budget I would just rather they got a decent bike.

The OP's budget is £850 and that is not for just the bike.
If he goes the LBS route his options are pretty limited I would have thought.

cooper.michael1

To start with you NEED:

- Helmet which will cost you £20 - £100 depending on the fit and quality you require. The more expensive ones are not any safer but usually look a bit better, and have better ventilation.

- A Lock (or preferably two) will cost you at least £30. Depending on where you live you can assess the level of protection required, however if leaving your bike outside a gym in an urban area, at least a Sold Secure Silver d-lock is required (if in London a Gold). I know many a person who spent all their budget on a bike, fancy shoes, jackets etc...then spend £10 on a cable lock...they generally don't own the bike for very long, then give up cycling.

- Lights will cost you £15 - £100 depending on whether you need lights which you can see with or just ones to be seen. This depends on where you live.

Budget but quality options will cost you approx £100 before you go for specialist clothing:

Helmet - (£28) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giro-transfer-cycle-helmet/
D Lock (£31) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kryptonite-seri ... e-bracket/
Cable (£20) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-850-80cm-cable-bike-lock/
Lights (£26) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-el135 ... light-set/

Plus £20 on allen keys, pump, tyre levers etc...

If you've got a local Decathlon, you will be able to pick up similar kit for a fair bit less.

I feel the requirement for specialist kit initially is overplayed on this forum. You can enjoy many a mile wearing normal shorts and shoes. You may find that if you intend on cycling to the gym on an evening, it is actually easier to cycle there in your trainers (rather than carting both cycling shoes and trainers to the gym). Double sided pedals, therefore could be a good purchase at some point so you have the choice.

cooper.michael1

Carbonator wrote:

Clickrumble wrote:

Worth shopping around, when I bought a bike a couple of years ago from my LBS, included in the price was £150 worth of credit in their shop for other gear, parts etc as well as free bike fit. I was able to upgrade the tyres, get a decent pump and some clothes. Made the deal far more attracive than anything I could find on the internet.

Sorry, but you could not have looked very well.

How much was the bike roughly? (if you do not mind me asking) Over a grand?
If it was £1000 that means you got 15% in goods that you had to spend in that shop, probably at list price, which is a fairly standard deal.

I got 35% off a friends £1000 bike, so he had £350 (if starting with same £1000) to spend anywhere with any discount on the things he bought.

The internet is far better for a first bike if on a budget.
I am not trying to put LBS out of business (I bought mine from my LBS), but if someone is on a budget I would just rather they got a decent bike.

The OP's budget is £850 and that is not for just the bike.
If he goes the LBS route his options are pretty limited I would have thought.

You've got to be careful with the size/geometry if it is your first bike. It is much better to get a lower spec bike which fits you and your needs than one which is the wrong size/style.

KevChallis

cooper.michael1 wrote:

To start with you NEED:

- Helmet which will cost you £20 - £100 depending on the fit and quality you require. The more expensive ones are not any safer but usually look a bit better, and have better ventilation.

- A Lock (or preferably two) will cost you at least £30. Depending on where you live you can assess the level of protection required, however if leaving your bike outside a gym in an urban area, at least a Sold Secure Silver d-lock is required (if in London a Gold). I know many a person who spent all their budget on a bike, fancy shoes, jackets etc...then spend £10 on a cable lock...they generally don't own the bike for very long, then give up cycling.

- Lights will cost you £15 - £100 depending on whether you need lights which you can see with or just ones to be seen. This depends on where you live.

Budget but quality options will cost you approx £100 before you go for specialist clothing:

Helmet - (£28) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giro-transfer-cycle-helmet/
D Lock (£31) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kryptonite-seri ... e-bracket/
Cable (£20) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-850-80cm-cable-bike-lock/
Lights (£26) - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-el135 ... light-set/

Plus £20 on allen keys, pump, tyre levers etc...

If you've got a local Decathlon, you will be able to pick up similar kit for a fair bit less.

I feel the requirement for specialist kit initially is overplayed on this forum. You can enjoy many a mile wearing normal shorts and shoes. You may find that if you intend on cycling to the gym on an evening, it is actually easier to cycle there in your trainers (rather than carting both cycling shoes and trainers to the gym). Double sided pedals, therefore could be a good purchase at some point so you have the choice.

Thanks for that, I will take a look, I do have a helmet, and a decent lock, lock cost about £35, gym is in the middle of nowhere really and is through a members only gate should be fine, my local decathlon store is unfortunately about 50 miles away

Mikey41

Using the Giants to work out the cost, a Defy 3 is only about £70 more than a 4, and you gain 9 speed Sora. I think that is worth the extra cash and you can still get the other stuff within budget if you pick carefully. Going for the 3 still leaves you the best part of £200 to spend which is very doable.

Pick some decent shorts, the M520 SPD pedals and ensure you get shoes that you are happy with. Things like Jerseys needn't break the bank and you can get away with very cheap ones if you need to

simon_masterson

Get the stuff you need. Unless money is no object (in which case you presumably wouldn't be asking!), it makes no sense to prioritise bike over equipment. There is plenty of it that you'll need.

The problem is simply diminishing returns. A £900 Specialized is not £200 better than a £700 Specialized. The more expensive bike may have a slightly nicer groupset and slightly nicer wheels, but in truth the differences very often amount essentially to different flavours of the same thing: cheap aluminium frame with low-end Shimano parts, cheap factory wheels, generic finishing kit. A worthwhile upgrade of wheels will be much better than what you get on a £900 bike, changing the groupset will be a waste of money, and anything you buy intending to sell (if that is what you had in mind) will depreciate, probably substantially. A bike is a composite: A great bike has a great frame and fork, great wheels (which have great rims, hubs and spokes and are put together by a great builder), and great parts, and is put together by a great mechanic. If you haven't paid for it, you won't get it.

Don't listen to anyone who says that you 'have to upgrade'; as anyone who's ever been poor will tell you, you can do a great deal in cycling without much money; you can get a suitable bike on any budget, and the bike is never the limiting factor. (unless it's mechanically unsound!)

KevChallis

Then surely its better to test the bike at a LBS, then go find a used one instead, when on a budget, surely then you are getting the most for your money

simon_masterson

Normally I'd absolutely second that, yes. I do think it's worth pointing out that you aren't buying a bespoke product, though; to a certain extent a bike is a bike. I'd have greater concerns about the condition and history of it; if you aren't confident in assessing a second hand bike yourself, then stick to a new one. You also get assistance, advice, warranty, aftercare, the cycle to work scheme, etc, if you buy new.

KevChallis

I'm an electrician, no cycle to work for me lol, I have a chap I know from round the corner from me, who has been riding for 5-6 years, that has said if I find a used one then he will come and look at it with me, and also, I do all my own mtb maintanence, I dont know how different a road bike is. Yes a bike is a bike agreed

rolf_f

Carbonator wrote:

Personally I feel most of the Aldi/Lidl stuff is poor value for money, but some stuff is good, even if as a spare (or buy as main then demote to spare).

It's very variable - you may have been unlucky. Eg Aldi tends to be better than Lidl. I thought the shorts were very oddly shaped and sometimes the sizing is mad - I seem to recall one season the jerseys were tight at the shoulder and baggy at the waist and nobody seemed to fit them! When they get it right though, and it fits you, they can be excellent. There's little I can see to criticise the Aldi soft shells I've got - if they don't look as good as the expensive stuff their performance is little different. And it lasts - and lasts (I've still got several items unworn after a year or two because nothings worn out even after almost 30,000 miles of cycling - point is, you can spend £150 on a nice jacket and ruin it in a crash tomorrow. Or you can spend half that at Aldi and get a whole set of decent kit that gives you all sorts of layering options - which will make for a better cycling experience than, for example, one Gore Phantom that is already far too warm a garment to wear). But I'd go elsewhere for the shorts....

The Lidl socks I've got have also been excellent - rather better than the name brand ones I have. The gloves are serviceable but certainly still room for improvement - really I could do with some nicer ones but again, they do a fine job and don't break so I'll be stuck with them for years!

Buckie2k5

get the best bike you can afford. other things kit etc can be picked up cheaply along the way.

Anonymous

cooper.michael1 wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

Clickrumble wrote:

Worth shopping around, when I bought a bike a couple of years ago from my LBS, included in the price was £150 worth of credit in their shop for other gear, parts etc as well as free bike fit. I was able to upgrade the tyres, get a decent pump and some clothes. Made the deal far more attracive than anything I could find on the internet.

Sorry, but you could not have looked very well.

How much was the bike roughly? (if you do not mind me asking) Over a grand?
If it was £1000 that means you got 15% in goods that you had to spend in that shop, probably at list price, which is a fairly standard deal.

I got 35% off a friends £1000 bike, so he had £350 (if starting with same £1000) to spend anywhere with any discount on the things he bought.

The internet is far better for a first bike if on a budget.
I am not trying to put LBS out of business (I bought mine from my LBS), but if someone is on a budget I would just rather they got a decent bike.

The OP's budget is £850 and that is not for just the bike.
If he goes the LBS route his options are pretty limited I would have thought.

You've got to be careful with the size/geometry if it is your first bike. It is much better to get a lower spec bike which fits you and your needs than one which is the wrong size/style.

It is important and I agree easier to do in a shop but I was not suggesting getting one the wrong size.

As I see it as long as its not too big or drastically too small or a very aggressive geometry it will be fine and can be set up for the rider.

An LBS is not always going to be the bike fitting station that you seem to be suggesting. I have never known a LBS to do anything with set up (unless they sell or give you a free bike fit), they just sell you a bike that is roughly the right size and shake your hand.

Loads of people on here have bought a bike in a shop and then asked if it is the correct size.

Mikey41

At the risk of defending Aldi again, I've just picked up £50 worth of stuff.

1x short sleeve jersey - perfectly acceptable and it fits fine.
1x shorts - they have a drawstring waist (WTF?? lol!) but they will be fine for summer commuting.
2x socks - nice
1x compression underwear - this is good stuff.
1x light waterproof - will do the job fine, easy to take on a commute.
1x sunglasses - useless for me, but at £2.99 it's worth a go if another family member needs some.

On the whole, there's some decent gear there at a very good price. The shoes looked sturdy, but pretty heavy! I wasn't so impressed with the mitts, they didn't fit me right. The softshell jacket has removable sleeves, and it isn't fleece-lined. I'm well sorted for jerseys now.

As I said, it would be worth spending more on some good shorts, but these (and Lidl's) jerseys are really good for their price, meaning a little goes a long way.

Right. I'm off out for 41 miles. See you later 8)

mpatts

I bought a heavy £200 singlespeed, some good shorts, a jersey, pedals, and shoes. Did 1000 (very happy and enjoyable) k on it, then bought a CF bike with gears.

I think, personally, having the right gear to wear makes all the difference.

Anonymous

Popped to Aldi
I think the tops and compression stuff are pretty good to be able to just pick up in a shop without hassle of looking on internet sales.
I got daughter a few bits and 4 pairs of glasses for family cycling and holidays.

The shoes seemed very bendy and an not sure how they will feel with the pedals most will be used with.