Is this any good

jimmas

Hi guys, I am a newbie to the forum and just getting into road cycling, I currently have a carrera tdf road bike coming in at around 11.9 Kg, I would like to get something a little lighter and better gear wise, I struggle like a lot of people on here as soon as I hit any Gradients, I understand this will be a fitness problem as well but just wondered if this will be a better bike to start out on, I have a budget of around £800-£900 any feed back appreciated.
Boardman Road Race Bike 2012/2013 - Large 55cm 8.9Kg

declan1

Don't fall into the trap of thinking Halfords is the only place to buy a bike. They're OK for buying a first bike or a BSO but not really for anything serious.

Take a look in a proper bike shop and explain what you want and how much money you have and they'll sort you out with a good bike - make sure you test ride a few different bikes first though to see which ones you like

cubegame

As a beginner it will be far easier and cheaper to get a kilo off your body weight than it will off the bike.

meursault

I have Boardman Team, which has stood me very well so far.

night_porter

The Boardman is a good bike and it is currently £589 via the website so a very good price too.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... e-11-45110

They are only sold via Halfords not made by them so I doubt you would get anything better in a bike shop for that money.

In answer to your question yes it is a better bike to start out on but to be fair it is probably twice the price of the TDF as well.

lc1981

Boardmans are perfectly good bikes, but don't make the mistake of thinking that getting a more expensive bike will be "better gear wise". Yes, it might be lighter, but you need to compare the gear ratios to know what difference it will make on the hills. Also, if lower gearing is all you really need then you could just swap out the cassette on your existing bike for something more hill-friendly.

simon_masterson

It's your fitness and own weight that are precluding you. Climbing hills is tough; it's as simple as that. If you're a strong climber and you're racing, opting for a light bike can save time and energy on the hills. My own main bike weighs 12.4kg currently, for reference. When you consider weight savings, think in terms of full 750ml bottles. 2 (+) of them is a decent lump of weight, as are some of the chunkier multitools out there, for example.

As for the bike, it would be something of an upgrade for you. Halfords definitely isn't the only place to buy a bike, but buy because it's comfortable. There's really nothing wrong with your existing bike to start on.