Abit of a cycleing debate....

blueneedles
blueneedles Posts: 74
edited May 2013 in Road beginners
The main question im getting at before waffleing on or getting ito a rant is..

Has cycle manufactures and local bike shops forgoten about the budget biker!!!!

It seems that cycling on a budget is thing of the past as people including myself are struggleing to fully enjoy everything cycling has to give, Mainly the mark up on bikes/accesories/components/clothing.

I am fully aware that cycling is what you make of it and there is a large second hand market but the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything you need but still be safe,warm,dry.

Im sure many people feel the pinch and feel the same frustration as myself.

ive spent alot of time researching for resonable priced set ups and struggle to get fully kitted with a bike purchase for under £300-£500. All i can see thats avilable for under that price is massively heavy or tat that lasts 2 mins.

Now i feel posting this i will be unidated with you get what you pay for etc etc but i wanted to see if anyone faces the same frustrations?
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Comments

  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Decathlon Btwin Triban 3/3A or Halfords Carerra + change to buy dhb pro shorts + jersey [100] and another 100 for half decent shoes and clipless pedals.

    Done.

    You could even do it cheaper.. of course you may want to get a helmet in that too..
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    So the triban 3 being £300 spare tubes £5 jersey £20 pedels £15 shoes £20-£25 gloves £5 patch kit £2 helmet £15 wets£20+

    with bjust these items mentioned = £400

    how is that simple!!!!!!!!!!

    I dont mean this to sound like im trying to but heads but most people seem to struggle with what BUDGET actually means! when i say budget i mean that my/your budget is from 0 not £300
  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    cant see your problem.You could buy second hand or go lidl/aldi for good gear.Any sport/hobby that involves equipment is going to cost and I think from £300 triban to a 10k mega bike there is a budget for every one.
    Just how it is im afraid,pays your money and all that.
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    I dont get the point of your rant - sounds like you really expect a full set of quality kit for pretty much next to nothing - up to £300 for everything............bike, full clothing inc helmet and shoes etc.... and all brand new??

    You dont need cycling shorts, shoes, jersey etc etc to get out on a bike on a sunny day - you should come and look down the promenade near my home on a Sunday morning - dozens of cyclists enjoying themselves and very few in full gear.
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    elderone wrote:
    cant see your problem.You could buy second hand or go lidl/aldi for good gear.Any sport/hobby that involves equipment is going to cost and I think from £300 triban to a 10k mega bike there is a budget for every one.
    Just how it is im afraid,pays your money and all that.

    The main problem is that your forced to buy second hand so there maybe limited use and no garentee etc
    Im looking for new parts myself and looking at what i need on my budget will take me nearly a year to save up for...

    I think were to relaxed in the sence of "well im just gunna have to pay it then"

    Like a said im not makeing this a rant more of a people seem to mention BUDGETS being the biggest issue!!!! while looking at a good majority of threads on here and freinds/family you always see/here "im looking for XXXX but im on a tight budget"

    coincidence i think not :cry:
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    So the triban 3 being £300 spare tubes £5 jersey £20 pedels £15 shoes £20-£25 gloves £5 patch kit £2 helmet £15 wets£20+

    with bjust these items mentioned = £400

    how is that simple!!!!!!!!!!

    I dont mean this to sound like im trying to but heads but most people seem to struggle with what BUDGET actually means! when i say budget i mean that my/your budget is from 0 not £300

    In your first post you said £300-£500 so a simple option was given, it is simple, £300 is the lowest priced bike, I have seen cheaper, but maybe not as good as the triban, maybe need a helmet, and a puncher repair kit, tube and pump, if on a budget, you can get all that apart from the tube at Aldi for less than £30

    Plus a tight budget to me could be a completely different tight budget to some one else
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    I think cycling merely reflects the general economic climate; everything else is expensive as well, or so say the receipts from my food shopping and my utility bills. Granted, places like Aldi are offering dirt cheap cyclewear and accessories (though I have ethical concerns about the place of manufacture and workers producing the products), but in general I'm not terribly surprised about what it costs to buy new stuff. Another possible factor is the reduction of manufacturing in this country over the last few decades. Your bike and its accessories (probably) no longer come from a factory in the Midlands or Yorkshire.

    Undoubtedly there are possible factors that contribute to the cost of some entry level bikes - eg. the demand for carbon forks, brifters, etc - but even then I've seen bikes with downtube shifting and steel forks and they aren't that much cheaper... How much do you expect a new bike to cost: £70? £100? Halfords (amongst others) offer basic road bikes that are pretty cheap. Unfortunately the modern West has become conditioned into demanding cheap goods. The only reason you can have cheap clothes (and food, electricals and other manufactured or handmade commodities) is due to the excesses of capitalism: environmental destruction, appalling treatment of livestock and workers, and irresponsible investment.

    For me personally I know what cycling 'on a budget' is like only too well. Unfortunately it just means I buy less. My cyclewear is tatty, and my bikes could use various upgrades. Though being old, they are cheap(ish) to run. ;)
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    I dont get the point of your rant - sounds like you really expect a full set of quality kit for pretty much next to nothing - up to £300 for everything............bike, full clothing inc helmet and shoes etc.... and all brand new??

    You dont need cycling shorts, shoes, jersey etc etc to get out on a bike on a sunny day - you should come and look down the promenade near my home on a Sunday morning - dozens of cyclists enjoying themselves and very few in full gear.

    ITS NOT A RANT! :x see thread header??? Being in britain and trying to save the pennies not useing the car etc buy a bike to save money so daily use! not to used once a week then a coat hanger for the rest.

    Im trying to keep my cool here by trying to see both sides of the spectrum, NOT your asking alot from a £300 budget jeeeeeesssshhhh!

    just tally up a bike plus essential spares and rideing kit even with aldi stuff you will most definatly struggle to spend less than £450-£500
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    For clarity, can I ask what it is you want to have within that budget?
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    ITS NOT A RANT! :x see thread header??? Being in britain and trying to save the pennies not useing the car etc buy a bike to save money so daily use! not to used once a week then a coat hanger for the rest.

    Im trying to keep my cool here by trying to see both sides of the spectrum, NOT your asking alot from a £300 budget jeeeeeesssshhhh!

    just tally up a bike plus essential spares and rideing kit even with aldi stuff you will most definatly struggle to spend less than £450-£500

    Try reading your posts - you're losing your rag because you cant have a full set of brand new gear (with guarantee) for £300 it seems - including all your CAPS isnt helping prove a point that its not a rant. Taking into account inflation over the years - i'd say cycling has probably never been cheaper to get into with bikes and kit that are better than kids toy level.
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    I'm not sure where they've got the stats from, but this site claims that bikes have gotten significantly cheaper in real terms over time:
    Today it takes less than an average week's wage to buy a good quality bicycle. Fifty years ago it took nearly a month. And the bike you'd buy today would be a far superior, more comfortable and responsive ride than its counterpart of yesteryear.
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    I think cycling merely reflects the general economic climate; everything else is expensive as well, or so say the receipts from my food shopping and my utility bills. Granted, places like Aldi are offering dirt cheap cyclewear and accessories (though I have ethical concerns about the place of manufacture and workers producing the products), but in general I'm not terribly surprised about what it costs to buy new stuff. Another possible factor is the reduction of manufacturing in this country over the last few decades. Your bike and its accessories (probably) no longer come from a factory in the Midlands or Yorkshire.

    Undoubtedly there are possible factors that contribute to the cost of some entry level bikes - eg. the demand for carbon forks, brifters, etc - but even then I've seen bikes with downtube shifting and steel forks and they aren't that much cheaper... How much do you expect a new bike to cost: £70? £100? Halfords (amongst others) offer basic road bikes that are pretty cheap. Unfortunately the modern West has become conditioned into demanding cheap goods. The only reason you can have cheap clothes (and food, electricals and other manufactured or handmade commodities) is due to the excesses of capitalism: environmental destruction, appalling treatment of livestock and workers, and irresponsible investment.

    For me personally I know what cycling 'on a budget' is like only too well. Unfortunately it just means I buy less. My cyclewear is tatty, and my bikes could use various upgrades. Though being old, they are cheap(ish) to run. ;)


    Fantastic responce!!!! For a decent bike that is fairly lighweight should start from £150 as it seems resonable?
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Fantastic responce!!!! For a decent bike that is fairly lighweight should start from £150 as it seems resonable?

    Maybe you can get a really cheap bike for £150 - but i very much doubt it would be both decent and lightweight. Have you looked online for any £150 road bikes at all to see what you would get?

    http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110514154142AAnuBif
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    ITS NOT A RANT! :x see thread header??? Being in britain and trying to save the pennies not useing the car etc buy a bike to save money so daily use! not to used once a week then a coat hanger for the rest.

    Im trying to keep my cool here by trying to see both sides of the spectrum, NOT your asking alot from a £300 budget jeeeeeesssshhhh!

    just tally up a bike plus essential spares and rideing kit even with aldi stuff you will most definatly struggle to spend less than £450-£500

    Try reading your posts - you're losing your rag because you cant have a full set of brand new gear (with guarantee) for £300 it seems - including all your CAPS isnt helping prove a point that its not a rant. Taking into account inflation over the years - i'd say cycling has probably never been cheaper to get into with bikes and kit that are better than kids toy level.

    As i say im trying to keep calm and keep it to debate status but people always seem to just jump in not thinking! i used caps to highlight key points not to be angry.

    If you read closely to my first post

    "struggle to get fully kitted with a bike purchase for under £300-£500."
    "the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything you need but still be safe,warm,dry."

    Now id like to stay on topic and not nit pick but the above 2 quotes were in my post and i ended with the typical respoce i would get! weird eh!

    "Now i feel posting this i will be unidated with you get what you pay for etc etc but i wanted to see if anyone faces the same frustrations?"

    I didnt at any point say i want a bike all all the gear for nothing! just saying that you have to short change yourself and get massive credit to enjoy a small amount of quality! does anyone share the same frustrations?
  • Nancy Luger
    Nancy Luger Posts: 95

    I dont mean this to sound like im trying to but heads but most people seem to struggle with what BUDGET actually means! when i say budget i mean that my/your budget is from 0 not £300

    That's a bit optimistic to say the least. 0 is not a budget, it's 0. And for 0 you can get the sum total of F0ck all.
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    edited May 2013

    As i say im trying to keep calm and keep it to debate status but people always seem to just jump in not thinking! i used caps to highlight key points not to be angry.

    If you read closely to my first post

    "struggle to get fully kitted with a bike purchase for under £300-£500."
    "the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything you need but still be safe,warm,dry."

    Can you tell us WHY the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything for what is nigh on a weeks wage for even those on minimum wage?? As has been linked to by lc1981 - cycling now is cheaper than it's ever been. I dont get why you think people have a right to what is a pretty complex bit of kit for so little money (ie a lightweight bike for £150). Think of how that price is broken down and the sums just dont work. Taking off VAT and you're straight back to £125 for starters.
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    ITS NOT A RANT! :x see thread header??? Being in britain and trying to save the pennies not useing the car etc buy a bike to save money so daily use! not to used once a week then a coat hanger for the rest.

    Im trying to keep my cool here by trying to see both sides of the spectrum, NOT your asking alot from a £300 budget jeeeeeesssshhhh!

    just tally up a bike plus essential spares and rideing kit even with aldi stuff you will most definatly struggle to spend less than £450-£500

    Try reading your posts - you're losing your rag because you cant have a full set of brand new gear (with guarantee) for £300 it seems - including all your CAPS isnt helping prove a point that its not a rant. Taking into account inflation over the years - i'd say cycling has probably never been cheaper to get into with bikes and kit that are better than kids toy level.

    As i say im trying to keep calm and keep it to debate status but people always seem to just jump in not thinking! i used caps to highlight key points not to be angry.

    If you read closely to my first post

    "struggle to get fully kitted with a bike purchase for under £300-£500."
    "the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything you need but still be safe,warm,dry."

    Now id like to stay on topic and not nit pick but the above 2 quotes were in my post and i ended with the typical respoce i would get! weird eh!

    "Now i feel posting this i will be unidated with you get what you pay for etc etc but i wanted to see if anyone faces the same frustrations?"

    I didnt at any point say i want a bike all all the gear for nothing! just saying that you have to short change yourself and get massive credit to enjoy a small amount of quality! does anyone share the same frustrations?

    £300-£500 again, £500 is easy and my bike cost me less than 2 weeks wages, nowhere near a month, again, easy enough to do on £500 that was your upper limit
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    Fantastic responce!!!! For a decent bike that is fairly lighweight should start from £150 as it seems resonable?

    Maybe you can get a really cheap bike for £150 - but i very much doubt it would be both decent and lightweight. Have you looked online for any £150 road bikes at all to see what you would get?

    http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110514154142AAnuBif

    Ive been rideing this and have spoken to a few owners of the vittesse sprint road bike and they sware by it as a decent bike. Yes its not carbon but it would deffinately fall into a budget bracket for just alittle over £150

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vittesse-Sprint ... sse+sprint
  • Not sure what OP is after for the money - i got back on a road bike after 20 yrs 3 yrs ago, i had an MTB/hybrid for 15 in between. 3yrs ago i got a Claud Butler Crit with Shimano shoes and pedals for 399, Canyon helmet for 20 and built up the cyclewear from Aldi and the 'net as i went. Last year i bought and have significantly updated a 20yr old Raleigh Pursuit - it's a beaut and all for around 200. Only now am i starting to look at spec-ing up from the Crit to a bike in the 700 - 800 range - Triban 7A looks to fit the bill. If all of this doesn't show the reasonableness in relation to the available options i don't know what does. I do of course look at bikes for a grand and wish they were 400 cheaper but heyho...
  • crikey
    crikey Posts: 362
    Sounds like someone needs to save up a bit to buy the things that they want...

    Y'know, like normal people have to..
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Ive been rideing this and have spoken to a few owners of the vittesse sprint road bike and they sware by it as a decent bike. Yes its not carbon but it would deffinately fall into a budget bracket for just alittle over £150

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vittesse-Sprint ... sse+sprint

    So that leaves you £140 for some cycling gear. Thats enough to get you going including a helmet and shoes if you know where to look (Lidl for starters)
  • Nancy Luger
    Nancy Luger Posts: 95
    According to the OP's sig he's riding a Spesh FSR Comp. Way out of my budget for sure, so what's he getting his knickers in a twist about?
  • Even for those who can't do C2W there's plenty of 0% finance options around - get a decent bike for 50 quid a month over 10 months - many spend more than that on beer in a weekend.. Cut your cloth as they say.
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    KevChallis wrote:
    ITS NOT A RANT! :x see thread header??? Being in britain and trying to save the pennies not useing the car etc buy a bike to save money so daily use! not to used once a week then a coat hanger for the rest.

    Im trying to keep my cool here by trying to see both sides of the spectrum, NOT your asking alot from a £300 budget jeeeeeesssshhhh!

    just tally up a bike plus essential spares and rideing kit even with aldi stuff you will most definatly struggle to spend less than £450-£500

    Try reading your posts - you're losing your rag because you cant have a full set of brand new gear (with guarantee) for £300 it seems - including all your CAPS isnt helping prove a point that its not a rant. Taking into account inflation over the years - i'd say cycling has probably never been cheaper to get into with bikes and kit that are better than kids toy level.

    As i say im trying to keep calm and keep it to debate status but people always seem to just jump in not thinking! i used caps to highlight key points not to be angry.

    If you read closely to my first post

    "struggle to get fully kitted with a bike purchase for under £300-£500."
    "the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything you need but still be safe,warm,dry."

    Now id like to stay on topic and not nit pick but the above 2 quotes were in my post and i ended with the typical respoce i would get! weird eh!

    "Now i feel posting this i will be unidated with you get what you pay for etc etc but i wanted to see if anyone faces the same frustrations?"

    I didnt at any point say i want a bike all all the gear for nothing! just saying that you have to short change yourself and get massive credit to enjoy a small amount of quality! does anyone share the same frustrations?

    £300-£500 again, £500 is easy and my bike cost me less than 2 weeks wages, nowhere near a month, again, easy enough to do on £500 that was your upper limit


    again i dont want to point out the obvious but all you read is £300-500 how about reading the word before it! il make it plain for people to see under £300-500 the upper limit is as far as you can go so why even go straight there thus the lower amount before?

    Let me ask you this. your after a specific item in a shop you have say £20 "your budet" its all the rage is to have an item that does exactly the same for £200! yes it would be nice to have the £200 pound item but idely your going to look for smething £20 or cheaper for example!?

    you must have a good gob as i am on min wage £198 a week which must also cover bills,mortgage,car etc! after the weekly shop i have £12-£15 spare to myself unless something breaks or essential maintanence on my house,car,bike is needed.

    so this is why i and many others will start there budget from 0 and i dont mean i want summat for nowt!
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    According to the OP's sig he's riding a Spesh FSR Comp. Way out of my budget for sure, so what's he getting his knickers in a twist about?


    Again someone else jumping to something off topic but as you brought this up it took me 4 years to save up for a double suspension bike that was second hand! so i appologise for that!
  • There are many things beyond our budgets, this'll go around in circles and cause endless fallout. :(
  • Ber Nard
    Ber Nard Posts: 827
    "struggle to get fully kitted with a bike purchase for under £300-£500."
    "the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything you need but still be safe,warm,dry."

    Can you tell us WHY the little guy on a tight budget should be able to afford everything for what is nigh on a weeks wage for even those on minimum wage?? As has been linked to by lc1981 - cycling now is cheaper than it's ever been. I dont get why you think people have a right to what is a pretty complex bit of kit for so little money (ie a lightweight bike for £150). Think of how that price is broken down and the sums just dont work. Taking off VAT and you're straight back to £125 for starters.

    I think this is the crux of the matter. You're not talking about health care, education or housing but buying a bike. It's not something you have a right to and if you can't afford it you have to do without. Maybe it's frustrating but you have to accept it as fact.

    The prices of goods are largely dictated by market forces and if enough people are willing to spend £500 on an entry level bike (and they are) that's what it will cost. There is no obligation for the manufacturer of what is a luxury item to supply it any cheaper.

    Rob
  • chrisaonabike
    chrisaonabike Posts: 1,914
    so this is why i and many others will start there budget from 0 and i dont mean i want summat for nowt!
    I don't understand what your point is either.

    If the spec of that Vittesse is adequate for what you want, and the price suits, then problem solved, surely? Don't be surprised if it wears out quickly, needs lots of servicing, and ends up costing a lot more over time, but as with all things, you pays your money and you takes your choice.

    If you're really suggesting that the quality bikes should be a lot cheaper, then you're just being unrealistic.
    Is the gorilla tired yet?
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Let me ask you this. your after a specific item in a shop you have say £20 "your budet" its all the rage is to have an item that does exactly the same for £200! yes it would be nice to have the £200 pound item but idely your going to look for smething £20 or cheaper for example!?

    Then you either buy the £20 item and accept thats your budget, or save up for the £200 for potentially a long time. You dont complain that the £200 item is not £20 because its out of your budget.
    you must have a good gob as i am on min wage £198 a week which must also cover bills,mortgage,car etc! after the weekly shop i have £12-£15 spare to myself unless something breaks or essential maintanence on my house,car,bike is needed.

    so this is why i and many others will start there budget from 0 and i dont mean i want summat for nowt!

    Well you just have to accept that at the moment, you dont have much money to spare for the "toys". I'd love a Ferrari but right now i cant afford one. Doesnt mean things cant change in the future - if you want it to and really try and make it happen.
  • blueneedles
    blueneedles Posts: 74
    jeeeeeeesh just forget it! the post was aimed at people on a budget thus the reason why i posted on the beginners section.

    Im not asking for a bike or i should get parts bikes for nothing! but people seemed to jump to that!

    I tried to start a simple debate that turned into people going off topic. simply asking people if they has simular frustrations with how much things cost! but i can imagine if my thread was look at my 4 grand bike you would be all over it, being my point of the little guy is over looked?

    this is the very reason i post very little to ask advise or even just try to start a convo as your reponce is always to be negative or very far from the point in hand or quick to judge