Buying a Bike

like2bike

Hi,

I'm planning to buy a bike, not used one for years and never had a good one before. Have read a few threads for advice as I have little technical knowledge, but I'm still a bit stuck. I want a bike to get to work and back, to go into town centre at weekends, to do a bit of riding on cycle tracks, in parks, along rivers etc. I guess most people would advise a road bike, but i've never used the racer type bars before and i think i would find it uncomfortable and less in control compared to flat bars. Also the really thin wheels look a little too fragile, ie up and down kerbs, across parks, etc. so im thinking of a hybrid with those semi thin wheels, which sort of leans towards a road bike.

Struggling as to go for the entry level boardmans without suspension, but these have the thin wheels. Or should I go for something like the Sport Boardman, which has slightly bigger wheels, but smaller than the big carerra subway ones. However, it has suspension, now every thread seems to say dont bother with this for commuting, but actually I did once have use a bike for a while that had suspension, just for getting from a to b, and yet i found it really comfy!, particularly when roads and paths are a bit bumpy or coming down a kerb. So is suspension really that bad an idea for getting around, cycle tracks, parks etc? Plus I thought you can switch it off if need be. Lastly i have no idea about whether or not I should even consider the hydraulic brakes or not...

Any help appreciated! Thanks.

passout

I'd go for a hybrid bike - I wouldn't worry about brake type so much. I guess you mean tyre width which is no biggie, just change to wider tyres if you want. Although I doubt it will make much difference. I'd go for the basic Boardman. Main thing is that it fits you and staff can advise on this. Pinnacle bikes at Evans would be another option.

bobmcstuff

The problem with suspension is that on a cheap bike it can be worse than having no suspension in terms of both weight and quality, for example cheap suspension forks might not have very good damping so they're sometimes like pogo sticks. You will be able to switch some of them off (known as "lockout"), but they'll generally be more expensive models so it depends what your budget is really.

It's not necessarily a bad thing to have suspension for the use you describe but if you're limited on budget there are other things I would personally prioritise more (decent gears and wheels and so forth). Just my opinion.

Any ideas on budget?

passout

Agree with above - don't bother with suspension unless you are going Mountian Biking.

Anonymous

Cyclocross bike?

cougie

How far are you riding ? A hybrid bike will have you very upright - which is fine for pootling round - but a pain if your commute is any distance.

Why are you bumping up and down kerbs ? Are you a child that rides on the pavement ?

Check out some paris roubaix videos and you can see what a decent road bike can cope with.

You dont need hydraulic brakes.

mikpem

I was a bit worried about going to a road bike 18 months ago for similar reasons but then I found out I couldn't play football anymore and heard about cyclocross as an alternative so I bit the bullet and went for it.

It was a bit strange getting used to it at first but only 2 months after getting the bike I entered my first cyclocross race and I've never looked back.

A cyclocross bike is a great go anywhere bike, you can have the skinny road tyres or wider knobbly tyres depending on where you want to ride and they even do them with decent disc brakes now although I like to stick with rim brakes. Don't worry about the frame being strong enough either, if you were to turn up to a 'cross race and see the kind of a beating some of us put them through you wouldn't be worried about taking one on all but the more extreme trails.

like2bike

Thanks for the advice everyone, still not sure which bike to go for. I am now leaning towards the Pinnacle Cobalt Two 2015 or Three 2015. Any thoughts on these?

I prefer their look to the Boardmans, although I know this is should not be a deciding factor. They have hydraulic brakes and whilst I was not looking for suspension, they both come with it. I know everyone says don't bother with it if you are not doing mountain biking, but these bikes happen to come with it as do most of the Boardmans (that I can afford), plus I can always turn it off. Also, I did previously use a bike for a while which had suspension and I much preferred it bikes without as it was a much comfier ride, and all I was using it for was getting around - was good for bumpy roads, and curbs etc. Also, I am not massively intent on riding my bike as fast as possible - a reasonable speed is good with me.

Any advice on these two bikes would be greatly appreciated. Also, if I did go for a bike without suspension, which would be a good alternative to these? When I looked at the entry level boardman without suspension (Boardman Hybrid Sport Bike 2014) it had the really thin wheels and I would prefer something a little more substantial, though not to the extent of MB tyres or carrera tires. Out of interest how does the Boardman Hybrid Sport Bike 2014 compare to the two Pinnacle Cobalts I mention?

Thanks a lot.

First.Aspect

I'd suggest trying out a couple of types of bike rather than ordering online. It might help you realise that suspension is unecessary and drop bars are comfortable, or might confirm your thoughts regarding a hydbrid.

Evans, whose bikes you are looking at, have actual shops as well as an online space, and they should offer you the same prices.

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What makes you think a thin wheel is going to be any weaker than a "thick" wheel, btw? There will probably be the same number of spokes you know.

Also, when it comes to comfort/control using drop bars; forget the curly bits and just think about where the brake/shift levers are. That's where your hands should be most of the time. I don't know about you, but when my arms are relaxed and by my sides, my palms don't face backwards, they face inwards. To my mind, then, the hand position on a road/cross bike is more natural than that on a flat bar hybrid or mtb, and much more comfortable as a consequence.

My first thought for meeting your needs was cyclocross or touring bike, I must say.

dj58

If you go for a bike with a rigid fork you will get a lighter bike, with a better spec. on the other components for your budget. Also if you fit wider tyres and run them at lower pressures when you venture off tarmac, that will give you the most basic form of suspension.

like2bike

To be honest, I was not planning on buying online but from either a Halfords or Evans shop in person. Thanks for the information and advice. My thoughts about the really thin wheels was just that I think I would prefer something of medium size as it would be a bit more robust for bumpy roads, grass etc. I will have a go on the road bikes to see how I find the handlebars. I don't really want to buy a bike and start fitting different wheels at this stage to be honest. I have a budget and also need to get a bike asap. Maybe further down the line I can customise it.

Given the suggestions of getting a bike without suspension with a better spec does anyone have any suggestions of bikes like this that would be better than the Pinnacle Cobalt Two and Three bikes? Also any thoughts on the latter two bikes? Lastly, any recommendations for a road bike as an alternative and with a sub £550 budget?

Thank you.

bmxboy10

Simple -Cannondale Bad Boy with hydraulic disc brakes, awesome bikes and they are good on all sorts or terrain and are comfy on the road. I had one, sold it and have regretted it ever since so am thinking of getting another on cycle to work....

dj58

OP, If looking in Halfords consider this http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/h ... 14-18#tab2

It has 45mm wide tyres which will be fine for your off tarmac excursions, and has a reliable standard square taper BB/chainset.

Evans, if you like the Pinnacle bikes consider this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec071280

like2bike

Thank you both for your suggestions. The bad boy looks great - where would be a good place to buy one from and which version has the hydraulic brakes?

Can anyone tell me which has the best spec out of the Cannondale Bad Boy, the Pinnacle Cobalt Two 2015 (or Three 2015) and the VooDoo Marasa Hybrid Bike 2013/2014??

dj58

Evans stock the cannodale Bad Boy so you can compare it with the pinnacle in the shop.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec071037

Spec wise, 1. Cannodale, the Pinncale and Voodoo are close apart from the forks

like2bike

DJ58 wrote:

Evans stock the cannodale Bad Boy so you can compare it with the pinnacle in the shop.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/can ... e-ec071037

Spec wise, 1. Cannodale, the Pinncale and Voodoo are close apart from the forks

Are you sure this Cannondale has hydraulic brakes?

So these three bikes are a similar price and are all similar in terms of quality, which was sort of my point that actually the pinnacle cobalt which comes with suspension does not have a lower spec on other components when compared to bikes with rigid forks with a similar price. So when weighing up whether to get suspension or not, yes, there is the argument about weight and therefore speed, but the other argument about the rest of the bike being lower spec is maybe not always the case.

MisterMuncher

You need to go up to the Bad Boy 3 to get stock hydraulics. That said, cable discs are adequate for most town riding, and you can always upgrade. It's a great frame, very comfortable at the back, good clearance for bigger tyres, takes full guards and 28mm tyres. The main issue with them is that they are thief bait.

I miss my Bad Boy greatly, although it was upgraded to a silly level by the time it was stolen.

like2bike

I guess that sort of confirms my point, that in respect of the Pinnacle Cobalts Two and Three, they are not other bikes with the same price tag, without suspension that have better quality components.

That said, I do like the look of the Bad Boy and people really seem to enjoy riding them. So I am now trying to choose between Pinnacle Cobalt Two, Pinnacle Cobalt Three, Bad Boy 3 (without H Brakes) and Bad Boy 4 (with H Brakes, but £150 more than the other bikes).

Does anyone have any thoughts on which would be best to go for out of these four bikes? I will be using the bike for a daily commute of about 6 miles, getting about in general, perhaps some cycling at weekends by rivers, cycletracks etc.

Thanks.