New Road Bike.....for me Dad...

WarlKicken

HulloThere my fellow cycling enthusiasts!!

Bit of a different request. I've come home for a long weekend and bunch of Sportives back home in Kent this weekend (Brands Hatch for two hours this evening then Penhurst 100 on Sunday, all good fun!). After seeing my new pride and joy two months ago, my Dad (an ex-leisure cyclists) has decided he would like to get back losing some weight, smelling the fresh air and on the bike. He currently has a mountain bike that he hates because it's, and I quote "...just too heavy son, too heavy. I need something more nimble and a little lighter". I pointed out that my Dad is no spring chicken himself, weighing in at quite a hefty 17stone? (he's only 5"8!), and that I "feel for the bike myself"...

I said I'd help him out get something cheaper but more relaxed as he moves into the second half of his innings on this planet . I've explained that, despite him having the money...a Pinarello ROKH - Ultegra such as mine, with Campag Ultra Bullet wheels...is not what he needs, even though it looks, and I quote again "..fucking wicked son".

We need something nice a sportive based, relaxed but ultimately something he can enjoy. I don't want him to spend much more than 500 because I have a horrible feeling that it'll be seeing the inside of a garage all too often Unless I come down from London to take him out.

Suggestions welcome, appreciated and taken into consideration.

Stay Cool
WK

stabilised

For £500 you have two choices, really. First is to try and take advantage of the current end of season sales and see if you can pick up a Specialized Allez / Giant Defy 4 / one of the other major name entry level road bikes: Boardman, Merida, Trek etc. They are all, it seems, pretty similar in terms of spec. and so on. Indeed, several of them are probably made in the same factory by the same people out of the same stuff with different paint sprayed on and decals applied. £500 should be possible. especially if your dad is looking for a smaller frame that they might be having trouble shifting (5' 8", so may be, especially if he has short legs!)

Option 2 is second hand. You'll get something nicer for the same money and would probably be the route I'd go, although the one big caveat - which I doubt you need to be told - is that no matter how good a bargain it looks if it doesn't fit it isn't worth it.

A little bit more money and you could look at something like Ribble's 7005 audax/winter trainer. Bombproof frame and wheels that will take your dad's weight (whilst he loses it, of course) and the benefits of mudguards to add a dash of practicality, especially as the winter approaches and cycling whilst being steadily sprayed with cold, dirty water might reinforce the tendency to leave it in the garage. I've ridden one of these for the last 8 years and it has been pretty much faultless - I'm now starting to replace bits (head set, freehub, bottom bracket, handlebars have all gone in the last year or so, right shifter looks likely to be next) beyond the things that are normally consumables (brake pads, tyres ...), but I've no complaints.

simonhead

stabilised wrote:

For £500 you have two choices, really. First is to try and take advantage of the current end of season sales and see if you can pick up a Specialized Allez / Giant Defy 4 / one of the other major name entry level road bikes: Boardman, Merida, Trek etc. They are all, it seems, pretty similar in terms of spec. and so on. Indeed, several of them are probably made in the same factory by the same people out of the same stuff with different paint sprayed on and decals applied. £500 should be possible. especially if your dad is looking for a smaller frame that they might be having trouble shifting (5' 8", so may be, especially if he has short legs!)

Option 2 is second hand. You'll get something nicer for the same money and would probably be the route I'd go, although the one big caveat - which I doubt you need to be told - is that no matter how good a bargain it looks if it doesn't fit it isn't worth it.

A little bit more money and you could look at something like Ribble's 7005 audax/winter trainer. Bombproof frame and wheels that will take your dad's weight (whilst he loses it, of course) and the benefits of mudguards to add a dash of practicality, especially as the winter approaches and cycling whilst being steadily sprayed with cold, dirty water might reinforce the tendency to leave it in the garage. I've ridden one of these for the last 8 years and it has been pretty much faultless - I'm now starting to replace bits (head set, freehub, bottom bracket, handlebars have all gone in the last year or so, right shifter looks likely to be next) beyond the things that are normally consumables (brake pads, tyres ...), but I've no complaints.

That be good advice

crankycrank

Also consider that if your dad has what he considers a "..******* wicked" bike then he may be more likely to ride it. If he doesn't get too excited about something in the 500 quid range it may be worth it to spend more. We all know of course that he doesn't really need something better but sometimes that's what it takes to get some people motivated.

arran77

crankycrank wrote:

Also consider that if your dad has what he considers a "..******* wicked" bike then he may be more likely to ride it. If he doesn't get too excited about something in the 500 quid range it may be worth it to spend more. We all know of course that he doesn't really need something better but sometimes that's what it takes to get some people motivated.

We don't speak like that over here dear boy, we talkz proppa innit :P