Newbie Bike Choice Help

Alsa

Hi All,

Newbie needing help! (Surprise, Surprise)

As a Middle aged man that was getting a bigger waste band with every year that passed and having hit 90kg I decided that I needed to do something about it and rapidly came to the conclusion that cycling was the answer to my growing waste band.

Making what seems to be a typical newbie mistake I visited Helfrauds and was surprised to actually get, what I thought at the time was, good service and left as the proud owner of a Carrerra Vendetta fro what I felt was a good price - it's turned out to be a great bike, but the fat boy tyre & rim combo is proving to be an issue and, whilst I'm definitely getting fitter and loosing some weight, I'm not seeing the distances I was hoping to (even after about 2 months), I'm sweating like a horse and pedalling like a loon!

It seems that, due to the width of the rims I can't just change the tyres to something slicker and thinner, So the advice that I am getting is change the bike or buy a second set of wheels with narrower tyres. Throw in to the mix that I have decided that I want to do a Triathlon before I turn 50 and the new bike looks the better option?

The Local Independent bike shop has suggested a Merida Ride (100 I think) at £550 or will do me a deal on a 2016 Ride Disc at £750. I would then need to spend another c.£100 on shoes, pedals etc. Which is more than I really wanted to spend to be honest.

OR

Do I look at ebay? Always seems to be a good supply of seemingly suitable bikes if you know what to look for (which I don't)

Any Thoughts about what I should be looking at?

Alsa

Thinking of shoes, pedals and cleats as well.

Seems a confusing subject and if anyone can provide any clarity it would be great.

Kwif007

Hi

Welcome to the wonderfully expensive world of cycling

I started riding this year and love it, looking at the merida, it is definately an entry level bike, so be warned if you get into biking you will most likely want to upgrade quickly. As I imagine it's not the lightest bike in the world.

Don't bother with paying more for disc brakes, rims will be fine. Shoes can wait as well, just buy some flat pedals and you will be good to go.

I would go to back to your local bike shop and ask what second hand bikea they have, or if they have any old stock they want rid of.

I paid 750 for my bike in April and now it's 500, so even this year's stock is getting huge reductions.

dj58

The complete Aluxx Defy range, including the two disc braked models are on sale on the Giant website, I think your local stockist can order them in for you. Might be worth a look at, as a first road bike.

kajjal

Thinner slick tyres will make a big difference, you don't need an extra set of wheels.

For Triathlon or faster road riding you need a road bike. For a good all weather road bike I would go for something like this :-

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/318561/pr ... -blue.aspx

It has a good range of gears to get up steep hills and go fast down the other side, and the cheapest quality disc brakes currently available which will work well in all weathers.

Or the same bike with Rim Brakes :-

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/318562/pr ... white.aspx

I am 6ft7 and weight about 100kg, I found rim brakes especially in the wet did not slow me down very well compared to disc brakes but this may not bother you.

Ascot17

I currently have 4 bikes and all have come from eBay.

Whatever your budget, you will get more for your money buying used.

Alsa

Quick Update for all that were kind enough to respond: I went the ebay route and snagged, what I believe to be, a bargain - A full carbon Orbea Onix with Shimano 105 gear and brake set, Shimano rims and Gatorskin tyres - all in great condition.

My mileage is going up, speed is getting quicker and my times are plummeting! Now around 13 mins quicker over 21k from the very start on the MTB to now on the Orbea.