Best Budget Light Road Bike

Matthewfalle

if you're after just as good - same rims, spokes and hubs but without the trendy tat in the box - Carbonzone or Farsport or Planet X or Selcof at a far cheaper price.

#ohdearohdearohdear

sobeitjedi

Thanks for all the replies. I was looking for a tyre that had some puncture resistance, as the roads I ride on are pretty bad. I looked at the Gator Hardshells and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-gat ... road-tyre/), so I went for them - why are they so badly thought of on this forum?

What Michelin Pro Race is recommended? Link please? There seems to be different varieties.

Links to new wheelsets too, if you are recommending I throw some money at this bike (reluctantly), to improve it.

Something else I forgot to mention in my original post. The bike can change gear on it's own when I go over some more of the bumpy roads I travel on. That can't be right, can it?

Matthewfalle

here are the pro race 4

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYMICP4R/ ... lding-tyre

other similar tyres from other manufacturers are available. the 4s are a couple of yearsold so there may be newer version

shop around as lots of deals available

something like mavic kyserium elites are light, stiff, last well and not too expensive.

as per post above, something like Hunt are fairly average and overpriced

the tyres you have are heavy and fat and ugly and stupid like donald trump's fat turnip head.

#naomihopesthathelps

joe_totale-2

Gatorskins are a very old fashioned tyre designed when the only way to make tyres puncture resistant was to make them out of hosepipe, tyre technology has moved a long way since then.

They have horrible rolling resistance, no grip in wet conditions, are a pain in the backside to get on and off wheels and the claims of added puncture resistance are dubious.

If you must have high puncture resistant tyres then the best ones IMO are Michelin Pro 4 Endurances. This website is a good place to look for tyre advice:

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... ke-reviews

The reality is though that a GP4000 or a Corsa G are perfectly adequate at this time of year in terms of puncture resistance and they're high performing tyres.

Matthewfalle

the bicycle should not change gear by itself - this is down to mech adjustment and cable stretch - pop back to thelbs to get it sorted for free or have a look on you tube for a video - its a simple 5 minute job and like everything on a bike is verysimple

#admonishthe weak

Matthewfalle

Joe Totale wrote:

Gatorskins are a very old fashioned tyre designed when the only way to make tyres puncture resistant was to make them out of hosepipe, tyre technology has moved a long way since then.

They have horrible rolling resistance, no grip in wet conditions, are a pain in the backside to get on and off wheels and the claims of added puncture resistance are dubious.

If you must have high puncture resistant tyres then the best ones IMO are Michelin Pro 4 Endurances. This website is a good place to look for tyre advice:

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... ke-reviews

The reality is though that a GP4000 or a Corsa G are perfectly adequate at this time of year in terms of puncture resistance and they're high performing tyres.

nah - sack off the endurance and go for the race.

a life lived in fear is a life half lived

#speedisall

sobeitjedi

What about a bottom bracket upgrade? Suggestions? The current one creaks so much.

I've never swapped out a bottom bracket before - any advice?

craigus89

Are you sure its the bottom bracket? It probably isn't.

Matthewfalle

has it had its first service at the bicycle shop you bought it ftom?

have a quick look on the squeaks sticky in workshop

#lubrication

poptart242

Sobeitjedi wrote:

What about a bottom bracket upgrade? Suggestions? The current one creaks so much.

I've never swapped out a bottom bracket before - any advice?

Stop this madness. Stop it. Stop.

You bought an endurance bike, which happens to be heavy, and then put heavy wheels and concrete rubber on it.

Your indexing appears to be out.

Things to do:
- Sort the indexing (LBS or YouTube)
- Sort the position (YouTube or trial and error)
- Sort the rubber out
- Sort the wheels out
- Take it on a ride further than 8 miles

sobeitjedi

Sorry. Indexing? LBS? I don't know what this is.

Should I give up on this bike or improve with upgrades?

joe_totale-2

Sobeitjedi wrote:

Sorry. Indexing? LBS? I don't know what this is.

Should I give up on this bike or improve with upgrades?

LBS = Local Bike Shop

Take it to them and they'll sort out your gears issue in 5-10 mins. If you ask nicely they'll show you how to index your gears so you can do it yourself in the future.

As we've all posted above, don't give up on the bike, a lot of the "issues" you're complaining about can be easily sorted.

sobeitjedi

Ok, I'll stick with it. Got it on a cycle to work scheme, so I think I pay around £680 for it, so not too bad. Wish I could afford new lighter wheelset, but at around £400 it's not going to be possible, as much as I'd like to try some new wheels out.

I'll try the Michelin Endurance tyres, even though I feel I've just wasted £60 on the Gators based on the feedback on here.
I'm currently looking at seatposts (https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/rose-rc-170 ... e=27%2C2mm has caught me eye)
I'll call into a bike shop to sort out my gear / noisy bracket or chain issues.

Thinking of going to the cycle show at the NEC in a few weeks - am I likely to get any bargains there?

joe_totale-2

If the Gatorskins haven't done too many miles and are in good nick then you can probably eBay them for half the price you paid for them, there's plenty of chumps out there who still think they're good tyres.

I'm not sure a seatpost would make much difference, I'd rather save that money for the wheelset upgrade. Even these wheels are an upgrade:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/prim ... prod156950

£162 with BC discount.

supermurph09

This has to be trolling right?

sobeitjedi

Joe Totale wrote:

If the Gatorskins haven't done too many miles and are in good nick then you can probably eBay them for half the price you paid for them, there's plenty of chumps out there who still think they're good tyres.

I'm not sure a seatpost would make much difference, I'd rather save that money for the wheelset upgrade. Even these wheels are an upgrade:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/prim ... prod156950

£162 with BC discount.

Thanks for the advice - maybe I'll try the wheelset, but they look out of stock at the moment. Concerned by the reviews a bit mind.

What's BC discount?

joe_totale-2

British Cycling

sobeitjedi

Joe Totale wrote:

British Cycling

Thanks - I'll look into it

shoddy

If you got the bike on cycle to work scheme then you can't sell it as it doesn't belong to you yet.

cookeeemonster

I had a relatively high end carbon domane until recently...vision metron 40mm wheels....looked the nuts.

Rode like a tank.

The person I sold it to loved it. I get your pain OP. You're doing the right thing, I did you wont regret it.

Try and stick with a racier geo if possible

sobeitjedi

CookeeeMonster wrote:

I had a relatively high end carbon domane until recently...vision metron 40mm wheels....looked the nuts.

Rode like a tank.

The person I sold it to loved it. I get your pain OP. You're doing the right thing, I did you wont regret it.

Try and stick with a racier geo if possible

Thanks mate - glad you understand!

I'm doing the right thing, by doing what? I'm still undecided!

cookeeemonster

Sobeitjedi wrote:

CookeeeMonster wrote:

I had a relatively high end carbon domane until recently...vision metron 40mm wheels....looked the nuts.

Rode like a tank.

The person I sold it to loved it. I get your pain OP. You're doing the right thing, I did you wont regret it.

Try and stick with a racier geo if possible

Thanks mate - glad you understand!

I'm doing the right thing, by doing what? I'm still undecided!

Admittedly I only read the first page and thought you'd decided to sell it

I slammed the stem, fitted a -17 degree stem plus 25mm gp4000 tyres...still wasn't happy with it so I sold mine. You may be able to adapt yours to make it worthwhile but you'll probably need to spend a bit finding out...after tyres wheels will make the biggest difference

Mad_Malx

Joe Totale wrote:

If the Gatorskins haven't done too many miles and are in good nick then you can probably eBay them for half the price you paid for them, there's plenty of chumps out there who still think they're good tyres.

I'm not sure a seatpost would make much difference, I'd rather save that money for the wheelset upgrade. Even these wheels are an upgrade:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/prim ... prod156950

£162 with BC discount.

Save maybe 200g but not much of an uprgrade from Aksium

joe_totale-2

400g according to this:

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Mavic-Aksium-D ... _98201.htm

The Prime's certainly aren't the greatest upgrade, you get what you pay for. They do have the same hubs that HUNT use.

Matthewfalle

Joe Totale wrote:

400g according to this:

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Mavic-Aksium-D ... _98201.htm

The Prime's certainly aren't the greatest upgrade, you get what you pay for. They do have the same hubs that HUNT use.

carbonzone, Farsport both have the same hubs that hunt use and aren't massively overpriced like hunts are

#listentosmithy

Matthewfalle

don't go Endurance - you do 8 miles a day.

Endurancd anything will ride like a pig

#shedthelard

apreading

Dont replace the bike with another until you have worked out what you dont like about it. Otherwise you might just buy another bike you dont like either.

Tyres are relatively cheap and what 99% here reckon is the biggest cause of your dislike, plus they will be re-usable on the replacement bike if you still decide to change, so money on tyres is not wasted either way - so try it and see what difference it makes. When someone describes a bike as like cycling through treacle, tyres is always my first thought.

Dont look at changing anything else until you have tried the tyres. That might fix it and nothing else needed. If not, before spending bigger money on other things, try and make sure that those are the things causing your dislike. You could spend a load of money on seatpost, still not like it and find you have bought an expensive seatpost that doesnt fit or isnt needed on the replacement bike if you still end up doing that.

Wheels is probably the next place to look but dont do this until you have tried the tyres first.

And get the gears and creaking bottom bracked sorted properly by the shop that sold you the bike.

sobeitjedi

Thanks for the advice, have ordered the Michelin Pro 4 Endurance tyres and will try them out, but in the meantime, have also put the bike up for sale.

ayjaycee

Firstly, I'm not sure which of the MFs made the comment a couple up but, sorry mate, you're talking ballocks.

Back to the original post. There would be absolutely nothing wrong with that bike if it fits you and is set up properly (as, indeed, it should be if it's a new bike straight out of the shop - if it's not take it back and keep taking it back until it's OK. Also, if the shop gives you any problems, maybe it's time to name names in the forum). I've never ridden that BTwin or any of the others that you had before and that seem to be your benchmark but I have ridden an awful lot of other bikes in my time and the Synapse (non-disc) which I currently own is right up there with the best of them in terms of comfort and speed over any distance. Wheel snobs might disagree but I would also argue that there is not much fundamentally wrong with these Aksium wheels so long as the hubs are OK and there is no friction when they rotate - indeed, I have a pair on my Allez (again, non-disc) and they are just fine.

An 8 mile commute? You could probably do it on a Raleight Chopper and still be comfortable which takes me back to saying either that bike is not set up properly for you (ie. poor fit) or other has some major mechanical faults.

lakesluddite

Sobeitjedi wrote:

Thanks for the advice, have ordered the Michelin Pro 4 Endurance tyres and will try them out, but in the meantime, have also put the bike up for sale.

You are determined to get rid aren't you?

As Shoddy said a few posts back, if it's on CTW scheme then you may not be 'allowed' to sell it. Check with the small print in your agreement before you bang it on ebay.