First road bike advice

Douglasjames

Hi folks,

I'm keen to get a used road bike as my first bike since I was a teenager (34 now). I don't have much of a budget (£250?) and I don't know enough to be confident finding genuine value from gumtree etc. A hire place near me is selling off a 2015 Dawes Giro 400 for £230, which seems to be a good fit at 58cm (I'm 6'2" and lanky).

Anybody have recent experience of Dawes Giros? And is it a good idea to buy an ex-hire bike? I'd hope they would have looked after it properly given as it's their business, but does the abuse from daytrippers really take its toll?

I'm not looking to commute on it, more to get some fitness and have fun. Oh and I live on a great big hill, so that's a factor...

This is the model and spec I think (not from the same place):
http://www.damianharriscycles.co.uk/prod/rac_0032_da/dawes-giro-400-2015-road-bike

Thanks for any and all advice!

andcp

Douglasjames wrote:

And is it a good idea to buy an ex-hire bike? I'd hope they would have looked after it properly given as it's their business, but does the abuse from daytrippers really take its toll?

The local council run hire centre near me services their bikes every 7 times it's been out. The bloke who does the servicing said this happens whether they need it or not - apparently it's quite obvious that sometimes they have only been ridden for a few miles as people can't be ars*d to ride them after they have hired them!? Sure, it might be a bit bruised and battered, but as long as the mechanicals are OK it should be fine. If you know someone who knows a bit about bike mechanics take them along for a second opinion.

I know nothing about this model but it looks like a good buy to start with. The (mainly) Shimano groupset will be fairly robust, can't comment on the wheels or brakes are they appear to be either 'no name' or 'Dawes' items. For a couple of hundred quid it looks fine to me, but I'm only a bloke on the internet don't forget.