Buying a New Bike for charity ride

Ursicles
Ursicles Posts: 7
edited June 2013 in Road beginners
Heya all,

Wonder if i can get some advice from you.

I need to get fit and thought best way was to motivate myself - so myself and some colleagues at work have signed up for the Leukemia ride in september - for 52 miles.

Im going to get a bike through cycle2work scheme and initially was going to buy a hybrid, but reading up about it, and realising ill be using the bike to ride to the gym in the mornings a road bike seems best suites to me - would you agree with this?

Bike wise - i rather like the Specialised Secteur bike as it appears to suit my 'larger' frame then others. Is this a good choice? im looking to spend a max of £650 on a bike, and want something i will actually enjoy riding leisurely - speed isnt an issue.

Many thanks!

Comments

  • owenlars
    owenlars Posts: 719
    You should go and try out a load of bikes and decide which feels best. All I will say is that for long(ish) distances drop handlebars are almost obligatory as you have so many more positions in which you can put your hands and therefore are much more comfortable and therefore less tired.
  • Ursicles
    Ursicles Posts: 7
    That does seem to be the main motivation - that sitting upright for a long period of time isnt the best.

    Think i need to just get some 'me' time and head to an LBS!
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Ursicles wrote:
    Heya all,

    Wonder if i can get some advice from you.

    I need to get fit and thought best way was to motivate myself - so myself and some colleagues at work have signed up for the Leukemia ride in september - for 52 miles.

    Im going to get a bike through cycle2work scheme and initially was going to buy a hybrid, but reading up about it, and realising ill be using the bike to ride to the gym in the mornings a road bike seems best suites to me - would you agree with this?

    Yes, a road bike is better. However why ride to the gym? Cancel your gym membership and use the time you would have spent there to do more cycling.
    Bike wise - i rather like the Specialised Secteur bike as it appears to suit my 'larger' frame then others. Is this a good choice? im looking to spend a max of £650 on a bike, and want something i will actually enjoy riding leisurely - speed isnt an issue.

    I haven't ridden one but a friend of mine has one - with 105 groupset, so would be more than £650, but he swears by it.

    Also look at Trek 1.2.
  • Ursicles
    Ursicles Posts: 7
    Gym is 5 miles away - so there and back is 10miles, plus at the gym to do weights and swim etc.

    Last time i rode a bike.. raleigh made it, and it said Striker on it!! So this is the level were currently looking at :)
  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    I have a secteur that i use for winter and commuting, it was my first proper road bike and I like it, it is comfortable and I did the L2B on it yesterday without any issues. Do however try a few bikes, there are loads out there in the price range, dont be swayed by the sales talk (Evans for example will try and sell you specific bikes as they make higher margin on them) and get what feels right, its only going to be good value if you ride the thing.
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    The right bike right now is the one that you're almost comfortable on.

    It'll take time to get used to the position .. some bikes are more upright (Secteur) and are aimed at the slightly more leisure market whilst others get you more aero and are aimed at Strava KOM baggers.

    Ref the comment about just riding rather than going to the gym - there is an element in there - if you want to ride 50 odd miles at a good pace then get riding - the more you do the better you will become, but the Gym - especially classes - can provide the structure and motivation to keep going with the excersise - you've paid for it so you want to do it - where as at home there is always another job that needs doing ... ;)
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Ursicles wrote:
    Gym is 5 miles away - so there and back is 10miles, plus at the gym to do weights and swim etc.

    10 miles is nothing. Ditch the weights and swimming ;)
    Last time i rode a bike.. raleigh made it, and it said Striker on it!! So this is the level were currently looking at :)

    Raleigh still make bikes! ;)

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