Newbie here. Which bike should I get?

PoopChute
PoopChute Posts: 4
edited August 2015 in Road beginners
Hi,

Totally new to road biking but i'm looking to pick up a good value road bike around £300+. So far I have narrowed it down to the B'TWIN TRIBAN 500 SE and the Merlin Performance PR7 but i'm leaning towards the Merlin due to the Shimano Claris drivetrain.

Between the two, which one should I get?

Thanks!

Comments

  • dowtcha
    dowtcha Posts: 442
    I would go for the Merlin for the same reason. The PR7 is also a compact while the btwin is a triple, unless you live in a very hilly area the compact should be enough. Both are good starter bikes just make sure you get the right size.
  • PoopChute
    PoopChute Posts: 4
    Dowtcha wrote:
    The PR7 is also a compact while the btwin is a triple
    Thanks for the reply but what do you mean by this? I still don't fully understand biking terms. :/
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19671534#p19671534]PoopChute[/url] wrote:
    Dowtcha wrote:
    The PR7 is also a compact while the btwin is a triple
    Thanks for the reply but what do you mean by this? I still don't fully understand biking terms. :/

    The number of rings on the front shifter. Triple has three and double has two! Less can be more as doubles are lighter and less prone to being finicky about shifting.
  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    Nothing wrong with a triple - I have two bikes with triples and no problems shifting. However I see that the Merlin has fairly low gears as well, so either bike should be okay.

    If you can find a retailer where you could try them for size first that would be better than buying blind online.
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    The merlin also has mavic wheels, the triban ones seem to be cheaper from what i have heard although i ran a pair as winter wheels on my commuter and they lasted.
    FCN 3/5/9
  • Sirius631
    Sirius631 Posts: 991
    Just to explain the term 'compact' further. A compact chainset has two chainrings, as previously stated, but they are smaller (50/34) compared to a standard double (53/39). They provide a smaller gear without losing too much off the top end.
    To err is human, but to make a real balls up takes a super computer.
  • PoopChute
    PoopChute Posts: 4
    Hey all, I've decided to go with the TRIBAN 500 SE purely due to price. Although the Merlin is a better overall bike, it costs £380 after delivery which is £80 more than the B'TWIN. Thanks for the help!

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