Temporary bike - new or second hand?
DanielCoffey
Posts: 142
In a few months I will be moving to rural Scotland and have three 20-mile round trips a week for groceries and dairy visits and I need a bike. I will be ordering one after we have moved but of course there is a catch...
Due to cash constraints, I can't place the order for the new "good" bike until we have moved, until our current flat is sold, the conveyancing is complete and we have actually received the cash. Once that is done, all is peachy... but the place I want to order from has a couple of months lead time from when you pay the deposit till your bike frame is ready, painted and assembled. So I need a temporary bike on day one.
I reckon I need a bike that is fit for twenty mile round trips on rural B-roads in the Summer and early Autumn, carrying rear panniers for about six months then it will never be needed again. We are talking good, medium width tyres, mudguards and a rear rack but no lights (daytime usage only).
Do I go new-but-cheap from somewhere like the Edinburgh Bike Coop or second-hand-but-overhauled-and-warrantied from somewhere like the Edinburgh Bike Station?
Budget for the temporary bike will not be hugely generous as it is only a temporary purchase that will almost certainly be donated back to somewhere like the Bike Station once the new "good" bike is delivered and bedded in. I was thinking of a finger-in-the air guestimate of £300 plus any extra if needed for rack and mudguards, £400 as the absolute top all in.
Thoughts? Am I missing anything?
I am reluctant to take out finance to get the new bike sooner (and will still have the lead time of course) but I suppose the third alternative is to take finance, order the new bike now and pay around 6 months interest on mid-four figures.
Due to cash constraints, I can't place the order for the new "good" bike until we have moved, until our current flat is sold, the conveyancing is complete and we have actually received the cash. Once that is done, all is peachy... but the place I want to order from has a couple of months lead time from when you pay the deposit till your bike frame is ready, painted and assembled. So I need a temporary bike on day one.
I reckon I need a bike that is fit for twenty mile round trips on rural B-roads in the Summer and early Autumn, carrying rear panniers for about six months then it will never be needed again. We are talking good, medium width tyres, mudguards and a rear rack but no lights (daytime usage only).
Do I go new-but-cheap from somewhere like the Edinburgh Bike Coop or second-hand-but-overhauled-and-warrantied from somewhere like the Edinburgh Bike Station?
Budget for the temporary bike will not be hugely generous as it is only a temporary purchase that will almost certainly be donated back to somewhere like the Bike Station once the new "good" bike is delivered and bedded in. I was thinking of a finger-in-the air guestimate of £300 plus any extra if needed for rack and mudguards, £400 as the absolute top all in.
Thoughts? Am I missing anything?
I am reluctant to take out finance to get the new bike sooner (and will still have the lead time of course) but I suppose the third alternative is to take finance, order the new bike now and pay around 6 months interest on mid-four figures.
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Comments
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I've had two revolution bikes, both have been good well made makes, a little heavy but for the price that's acceptable.
This said assuming your reasonably handy 2nd hand would be cheaper, but equally interest on a good bike (I assume) would be less than the cost of a temporary bike?
If it's once in a while most bikes would do, though perhaps not very fun!0 -
Bear in mind that the Bikestation in Edinburgh burned down in mysterious circumstances usually reserved for listed buildings where permission to demolish has been refused...
That was a couple of months back but they did lose their entire stock of bikes for sale and a lot of their stockpile of bikes to refurbish (and of course the tools etc) so were running a much-reduced operation.
Not suggesting that you should avoid, rather setting expectations on what they might have to offer...0 -
Yes I remember that (and the fund raiser to get them back on their feet (technically at least)).0
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The Triban bikes from decathlon would have something suitable new in that region.
If you can get Marathon Plus tyres they should be sturdy enough for their duties.
I'd still bung a light on the bike tho - you can pick them up for £3 from PX and co and might save your life on a dull rainy day up there.0 -
Good point. I'll grab a clip-on front and rear set for the dull days.
I was considering upgrading the tyres to something tougher than stock but leaving the rest of the bike as is. After all, it has to be safe and fit for purpose (on tarmac at least) if new.0 -
roger merriman wrote:I've had two revolution bikes, both have been good well made makes, a little heavy but for the price that's acceptable.
This said assuming your reasonably handy 2nd hand would be cheaper, but equally interest on a good bike (I assume) would be less than the cost of a temporary bike?
If it's once in a while most bikes would do, though perhaps not very fun!
One caveat for the Revolution bikes, the wheels are not up to much if you're a heavier rider. I was about 92kg when I bought mine and the spokes kept breaking. That's the experience I had with my second Revolution too (I guess I should have thought one bitten twice shy on that one..)0 -
Fenix wrote:The Triban bikes from decathlon would have something suitable new in that region.
If you can get Marathon Plus tyres they should be sturdy enough for their duties.
I'd still bung a light on the bike tho - you can pick them up for £3 from PX and co and might save your life on a dull rainy day up there.
They haven't got the eyelets for pannier racks if I remember correctly (thought that can be worked round).0 -
Good point, nickice - I am 80kg at the moment and trending downwards slowly.
Looking at the Bike Coop site today it looks like a toss up between the Roux Etape 150 or the Revolution Country 1 '16, both of which are on special but have limited sizes available. I am a six-footer.0 -
nickice wrote:roger merriman wrote:I've had two revolution bikes, both have been good well made makes, a little heavy but for the price that's acceptable.
This said assuming your reasonably handy 2nd hand would be cheaper, but equally interest on a good bike (I assume) would be less than the cost of a temporary bike?
If it's once in a while most bikes would do, though perhaps not very fun!
One caveat for the Revolution bikes, the wheels are not up to much if you're a heavier rider. I was about 92kg when I bought mine and the spokes kept breaking. That's the experience I had with my second Revolution too (I guess I should have thought one bitten twice shy on that one..)
i'm 92KG thus far the cross bike has coped with being used as a roadie/MTB lite and such. The track I was lighter but I used it as a commute bike so it had heavy panniers a lot of the time.0 -
roger merriman wrote:nickice wrote:roger merriman wrote:I've had two revolution bikes, both have been good well made makes, a little heavy but for the price that's acceptable.
This said assuming your reasonably handy 2nd hand would be cheaper, but equally interest on a good bike (I assume) would be less than the cost of a temporary bike?
If it's once in a while most bikes would do, though perhaps not very fun!
One caveat for the Revolution bikes, the wheels are not up to much if you're a heavier rider. I was about 92kg when I bought mine and the spokes kept breaking. That's the experience I had with my second Revolution too (I guess I should have thought one bitten twice shy on that one..)
i'm 92KG thus far the cross bike has coped with being used as a roadie/MTB lite and such. The track I was lighter but I used it as a commute bike so it had heavy panniers a lot of the time.
I may have been unlucky then. Certainly, I didn't really put my cross biike through anything more than on-road cycling. Wheels aside, I liked it.0
