Cycle to work - no idea what to get
Gazme
Posts: 5
Hi all 
I've not ridden since I used to bomb it round on my rockhopper ten years back but I'm really up for getting a new bike now Ive moved back to the Midlands. I have no idea what is what any more so I was hoping someone might be able to do me a solid and give me a bit of advice with what to do.
1, I can get on the cycle to work scheme at work and apparently save on NIC and tax to pay for it, which is pretty sweet. The work intranet sends me to the cyclesolutions website and I can see on there that my local bike shop (racecouk) is on their map, it says the 12% discount will not apply if I dont buy direct from them though. Does anyone know how good value the shop is in the first place or whether its a good idea to go with them at all?
2, Round my way there's basically nothing but cross country tracks other than the odd trip to cannock chase were planning every few weeks so i figure Ill get another hard tail. I'm willing to spend up to about £600 given that im 10 years older and a hell of a lot fatter than when I used to ride and I dont really want to waste too much if I cant get out that often now. Back in my day...you got 26" wheels, Ive been completely away from the scene but now its 27.5, 29 and 650lb? Am I right in thinking twisty single tracks over the hills like Im planning i'd benefit from the smaller 27.5" tyre more and that 29" are harder work to get going but more stable at speed. I am catastrophically unfit so figure 27.5 is the one for me.
3, Are Cube good? I know they sell a lot at my local and they look badass and seem to be reasonably priced. I like the look of the Cube Aim SL 27.5 2019 for £579 on cyclesolutions...I know with all my weight behind it I'm really going to want hydraulic discs and thats the cheapest one with them. Suntour suspension I remember not being brilliant but "follow the dog" at Cannock is about as hardcore as Im planning to go and Im guessing half of the people on here would manage it on a penny farthing so Ill cope with the suntours im sure. How would Cube cope with a 20stone rider? I figure Ill get through a lot of bottom brackets but so long as I aint snapping frames I can live with that
4, Any other amazing developments in bikes in the last decade I should know about? and what happened to bikemagic?
Thanks for reading,
-Gaz
I've not ridden since I used to bomb it round on my rockhopper ten years back but I'm really up for getting a new bike now Ive moved back to the Midlands. I have no idea what is what any more so I was hoping someone might be able to do me a solid and give me a bit of advice with what to do.
1, I can get on the cycle to work scheme at work and apparently save on NIC and tax to pay for it, which is pretty sweet. The work intranet sends me to the cyclesolutions website and I can see on there that my local bike shop (racecouk) is on their map, it says the 12% discount will not apply if I dont buy direct from them though. Does anyone know how good value the shop is in the first place or whether its a good idea to go with them at all?
2, Round my way there's basically nothing but cross country tracks other than the odd trip to cannock chase were planning every few weeks so i figure Ill get another hard tail. I'm willing to spend up to about £600 given that im 10 years older and a hell of a lot fatter than when I used to ride and I dont really want to waste too much if I cant get out that often now. Back in my day...you got 26" wheels, Ive been completely away from the scene but now its 27.5, 29 and 650lb? Am I right in thinking twisty single tracks over the hills like Im planning i'd benefit from the smaller 27.5" tyre more and that 29" are harder work to get going but more stable at speed. I am catastrophically unfit so figure 27.5 is the one for me.
3, Are Cube good? I know they sell a lot at my local and they look badass and seem to be reasonably priced. I like the look of the Cube Aim SL 27.5 2019 for £579 on cyclesolutions...I know with all my weight behind it I'm really going to want hydraulic discs and thats the cheapest one with them. Suntour suspension I remember not being brilliant but "follow the dog" at Cannock is about as hardcore as Im planning to go and Im guessing half of the people on here would manage it on a penny farthing so Ill cope with the suntours im sure. How would Cube cope with a 20stone rider? I figure Ill get through a lot of bottom brackets but so long as I aint snapping frames I can live with that
4, Any other amazing developments in bikes in the last decade I should know about? and what happened to bikemagic?
Thanks for reading,
-Gaz
0
Comments
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For around £600 the usual suggestion is a Voodoo Bizango from Halfords / Cycle Republic. It’s a 29er but always gets good reviews. The 650b option (27.5 and 650b are the same size wheels) I‘ve seen that gets good reviews is the Calibre Line 10 from Go Outdoors which is £750 I think. For the riding you mention either would be ok. I think the 29er would carry more speed through bumps but the Line 10 is more playful. The line 10 also has a dropper post which is a useful addition and higher spec hydraulic brakes.
It also may have better rims - the bizango has unbranded ones.
https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/ ... gJU7_D_BwE
https://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/calibre-line ... ke-p4141120 -
thanks dude, my friend had a halfords thing through the post saying he can get the line10 for £650 on his discount card so I reckon Ill go for that.
Any idea if I'd be able to get it through on my voucher but his discount card? 0 -
Line10 is gooutdoors rather than Halfords fyi.
I’m not sure if you can use them on your b2w scheme - you’d need to check if they are on the list.
The review I saw of the line 10 said it was great fun - and you have a brand with more available parts than the Suntour on the Bizango. Although in terms of level of fork I’d think the raidon on the Bizango is at a similar level to a recon on the line 10. Just check either can have high enough air pressure for your weight.0
