Total Newbie looking for Road Bike for long rides

TheMightyBrick

Hi all!

I've naively signed myself up for a charity ride towards the end of this year from London to Belgium. We're looking to cycle around 300 miles or so in total, around 60 miles a day for 5 days straight.

I've done quite a bit on the exercise bike but it's now time to head out onto the road - the problem is I have no idea what I'm looking for!?

My gut and the research I've done tells me I should be looking at a road bike, but given the mileage and the fact we're riding so many days in a row, should I be looking for something a little more comfortable like a hybrid or touring bike?

My budget is £500 or so, but it'd be great to have some change for other gear out of that. If it helps I'm 5ft8 and weigh about 13 stone, so I'm not the lightest rider on the road.

Anyone have any suggestions!? Thanks in advance and of course hello to everyone by the way

dj58

Hello, good evening and welcome,

What is your cycling history, apart from the exercise bike? How flexible are you in the torso? For that type of ride I would have thought that you would be better with a endurance road bike rather than a flat handle bar hybrid.

Have you read this: viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12577960

Will give you a good starting point. Do you want to fit mudguards or not?

cycleclinic

£500 does not buy much you will be looking at the cheaper brands or a halfords bike but all these lower end road bike suffer in the wheel department. I have pulled £500 bikes out of a box to find wheels 2mm out of true, out of dish e.t.c and not even stress relieved. That is a wheels if left unattended that will result in a what I call a bommerang i.e a customer that comes back in short order and not entirely happy.

I would always look at at good second hand with a branded wheelset set at that price. Shame you are not tall enough as I would be selling my Traitor Exile soon or maybe I won't. Can't decide as normal.

Camcycle1974

TheMightyBrick wrote:

Hi all!

I've naively signed myself up for a charity ride towards the end of this year from London to Belgium. We're looking to cycle around 300 miles or so in total, around 60 miles a day for 5 days straight.

I've done quite a bit on the exercise bike but it's now time to head out onto the road - the problem is I have no idea what I'm looking for!?

My gut and the research I've done tells me I should be looking at a road bike, but given the mileage and the fact we're riding so many days in a row, should I be looking for something a little more comfortable like a hybrid or touring bike?

My budget is £500 or so, but it'd be great to have some change for other gear out of that. If it helps I'm 5ft8 and weigh about 13 stone, so I'm not the lightest rider on the road.

Anyone have any suggestions!? Thanks in advance and of course hello to everyone by the way

For £600 you could get a Planet X RT-58 Aluminium with Tiagra components. A friend has just bought one, very nice it is too. Much more upright position than my Ribble 872, just the ticket for leisure rides and sportives. A medium size one would be spot on.

daddy0

I'd recommend spending a bit more and getting something with Shimano 105 gears. But in your budget I'd probably go for this:

http://www.wiggle.com/felt-f95-special-edition-2013-1/

A road bike should be more comfortable than a hybrid as the riding position is more natural and you have several hand positions to alternate between. I do about the distance that you're going to be doing for my commute, I much prefer riding the road bike over the hybrid.

Don't forget you'll need to also buy:

Saddle bag Spare tubes Patches Tyre levers CO2 valve and canisters Spare chain link Multitool 2 water bottle cages and water bottles (Camelbak are best) Pedals - you'll probably want to go for these:

http://www.wiggle.com/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/
Shoes to match the pedals: http://www.wiggle.com/?s=spd+shoes&o=2
Helmet
Glasses
Couple of padded shorts, probably bibshorts (DHB are the best bang for buck IME)
Couple of jerseys
Lights
Lock
Maybe a spare folding tyre

I'd expect to spend £400-500 on that lot, if you go with the bare minimum (pedals, shoes, 1 jersey, 1 set of shorts, helmet, water bottles, saddle bag, CO2, tubes, patches, levers) then you're still looking at over £200 in accessories.