Cheap training hack?

rustncogs
rustncogs Posts: 84
edited July 2013 in Road buying advice
I'm looking to buy a cheap training/touring/winter hack with the intention of joining a club and building up to trying some competitive stuff. And also maybe a touring trip this summer.

I'd been thinking about the Carrera TDF but in the flesh it looks very yellow. The Zelos is a much nicer looking bike.
There isn't a Decathlon anywhere near me and I'm not that impressed by the carbon fork on the Triban 3. I'm sure carbon failure hardly ever happens but I saw a picture of a broken fork and didn't like the look one bit! :shock: I just want something simple and tough for clocking up training kms.

The Zelos looks nice but is the spec a bit weird? It's a 14 speed; I don't have any experience of group riding and wondered if the unusual number of gears might make it trickier to flow along with the pack? Also it's 14-28T with a compact crankset - is that not a bit 'spinny'? I'm not really used to road bike gearing, I'm running an SS at the moment.

Has anyone had a close look at the Triban 3A? I was wondering if it was just the shifters are 'Microshift' and the rest was Shimano or they've changed the whole lot?
FCN 7

"Always carry a firearm east of Aldgate, Watson"

Comments

  • Remarkable
    Remarkable Posts: 187
    rustncogs wrote:
    I'm looking to buy a cheap training/touring/winter hack with the intention of joining a club and building up to trying some competitive stuff. And also maybe a touring trip this summer.

    I'd been thinking about the Carrera TDF but in the flesh it looks very yellow. The Zelos is a much nicer looking bike.
    There isn't a Decathlon anywhere near me and I'm not that impressed by the carbon fork on the Triban 3. I'm sure carbon failure hardly ever happens but I saw a picture of a broken fork and didn't like the look one bit! :shock: I just want something simple and tough for clocking up training kms.

    The Zelos looks nice but is the spec a bit weird? It's a 14 speed; I don't have any experience of group riding and wondered if the unusual number of gears might make it trickier to flow along with the pack? Also it's 14-28T with a compact crankset - is that not a bit 'spinny'? I'm not really used to road bike gearing, I'm running an SS at the moment.

    Has anyone had a close look at the Triban 3A? I was wondering if it was just the shifters are 'Microshift' and the rest was Shimano or they've changed the whole lot?

    A 14 tooth sprocket with a compact may leave you quite under geared on downhills or if your out with a fast chain gang etc. I think the yellow on the Carrera TDF is nice. I believe it comes with a standard chainset, so it may be difficult to ride it up steep hills depending on your fitness. My hack is my trusty '09 Carrera Virtuoso & it rides great.
  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    The carrera virtuoso would be ideal,and good discounts aswel at halfords.
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • rustncogs
    rustncogs Posts: 84
    Remarkable wrote:
    A 14 tooth sprocket with a compact may leave you quite under geared on downhills or if your out with a fast chain gang etc. I think the yellow on the Carrera TDF is nice. I believe it comes with a standard chainset, so it may be difficult to ride it up steep hills depending on your fitness. My hack is my trusty '09 Carrera Virtuoso & it rides great.

    Yeah, I thought that might be the case. Rats! The Zelos looks really nice in the matt black, whole thing looks more modern than the TDF to my eyes. I thought the yellow TDF was ok in the pics, in the flesh it just looked a bit... shiny. I don't think you can easily change the cassette either as from what I gather it might be a freewheel and not a cassette?
    Yes the TDF has a 52/39. Ironically the faster geared TDF has touring friendly pannier fittings whereas the lower geared Zelos doesn't. I don't know how to judge my fitness, I'm managing 20-22kph average over 40km rides on my SS, mostly rolling hills, 44:16 gear ratio.
    FCN 7

    "Always carry a firearm east of Aldgate, Watson"
  • Pauld100
    Pauld100 Posts: 31
    As an alternative, I have one of these:

    http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -bike.html

    I've been happy with it for the last several hundred miles and have managed over 50 miles on it comfortably enough. The only possible downside really is the standard double and limited cassette (12-25). I've just ordered a 11-28 cassette for it though which was only £20 so I can take on some slightly steeper hills.

    Paul