Bikes

[Eddie Hitler]

When it comes to normal bikes (push-bikes) im pretty useless.. i was thinking of just going to Halfords to buy a bike, but after some things ive heard im wondering if thats a good idea?

Basicly ill be using the bike 8 miles a day (work and back), on single country lanes.. like i said im useless.. is a front suspension bike the best type to go for?

[Marcg868]

Whats your budget?

Something like a Specialised Hardrock is a good bike for travelling to work and also for a bit of singletrack dirt riding. Look for Cross Country type bikes. Which are just basically hardtail framed with decent front forks for road riding and light off road riding.

Dont go for full suspension ones as their pointless on the road.

Also avoid dirt jumping type bikes as these have very low frames.

https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/13685/groupID/7/categoryID/75/v/f1db18d9-8ca0-40c5-90a6-636994deb592

something like this is ideal although depends on your budget
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JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[UnknownStuntm...]

Carrera (Halfrauds own brand) make some surprisingly good hardtails. Try not to get to worked up about the name on the top tube, ride a few around and you'll find something that steers right and feels just lively enough to buy. I think the Vulcan has always been a good, underrated bike.

[Dischord]

I work in Bikehut (Halfrauds bike dept) and someone in your shoes I would just recommend and Apollo XC26, if you wanted to upgrade go for the XC26 S which has better front forks and a disc brake. Good enough to get you to work and back and as long as you look after it should go for ages! You'd also get free service etc if it did go wrong.

89.99 cant go wrong
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2012 KTM EXC 250

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[Eddie Hitler]

Cheers guys

[Ste]

[Walloper]

'Taking Up' things:
Rule No. 1) Never go into it half baked.
Rule No1 2) Either spend a fortune on the kit or buy cheap and regret either later. When you get into it the shit kit will put you off. When you give it up the money you wasted on kit will depress you.

I would go with the Specialised. It's a lot of bike for the money and they take more shit than you can shovel into a wheelbarrow.
I took one out to the jungles of Ghana and I broke before the bike.

But nowt wrong with Halfrauds if on a budget. And the mechanic guys in the stores are not too bad. (if you count out Discord that is )
Buy the proper shoes. Hard soles make such a magical difference to a few miles of pumping everyday. Use toe clips if fitted they sort-of half the work you have to do as you can pull the pedal round on the up stroke.
Pedal biking is more to do with energy conservation than anything.


I hope we don't lose you to www.pedalbikechatforums.com They are well Ghay (I heard )
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[owdamer]

I had an apollo and to be honest it was a pile of shite. If you wanted to stop in a hurry your best bet would be to jump off the thing. I took the bike bike as I considered the brakes to be dangerous. The halfords guys adjusted the brakes and they still wern't capable of locking the front wheel while walking the bike in the shop, never mind with me riding it. I said it wasn't fit for purpose and the halfords guy said he couldn't disagree so I swapped it for a raleigh.
Obviously not in the same league as the higher end stuff but it does me. I only use it for short trips up & down the canal towpath.

[UnknownStuntm...]

Agreed. Apollo bikes are normally made in a large chinese or vietnamese factory where they don't have words for 'tighten' or 'safe' so I wouldn't recommend one for anyone going near a road or off-road.

[RealNinja]

Avoid the Apollo shite!

The Carrera stuff is o.k, cos although it's Halfrauds own stuff they had help from Giant when they designed them.

The Carrera Kraken, for instance, is a perfectly capable singletracker.

Remember these things.....

1. You get what you pay for, you may not be able to see what you are paying for, but a set of disc brakes on a £300 bike means horrible cheap components where it counts (chain set, crank etc)

2. Go to a proper bike shop, and be absolutly honest about what you are buying the bike for, they will help you (at least the local ones round here will!)

3. Don't be drawn into having this years model.....MTB's are like cars, if you are happy to go for last years model, you may well get a blinding bargain, just cos it's last years colours/components.

4. If you are looking into doing this with any sort of venom, spend the most you can afford, in the long run it'll pay off when you bike isn't creaking and making funny noises in 3 months time!

5. Light is good! You would be amazed how light MTB's are with the right parts and frame, and the effort involved in trying to pedal a heavy bike up a hill may be the difference between getting on the bike every morning and thinking 'f*ck it, i'll take the car/bike'

6. Cable operated disc brakes are SH*TE!, go for a decent set of V brakes, or spend the proper money
on a wet brake system!

If you are only really honestly going to use it for work and back....I would go for the Hardrock - decent components, light enough and adequate for your porpoises

Something to think about.....
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You will become my force of retribution. Where you tread, doom will follow. Go now and claim your destiny

[Eddie Hitler]

Thanks ninja Ive been hearing Hardrock alot now so i think thats what ill be going for. Ones popped up on eBay - it says the specs are:

Deore LX shifters. Included also is a Hope M4 front brake with 203 front disk The rear brake is Magura hs33 hydraulic rim brake which provides excellent stopping power Hardly used Marzocchi MZ III front forks Alex DM24 rims nearly new And brand new WTB werewolf front tyre Also dmr v8 pedals and included are some TIME spd's Not to be missed Upgrade forces sale


Any good?

[RealNinja]

[Eddie Hitler]

What would you say a reasonable price for it is?

[RealNinja]

Damn, I knew you were going to ask that!

Give me a minute to check the components.....
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You will become my force of retribution. Where you tread, doom will follow. Go now and claim your destiny

[Marcg868]

I forgot to mention about the V8's they are excellent, but do be careful as them pins will gouge your shins if you slip with them. But a good set of grippy trainers like Vans are good with them.

Id pay £120 -£150 for that Hardrock on ebay. Alot of bike for the money
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JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[Eddie Hitler]

Thanks guys, wish me luck

[RealNinja]

Components new are about £500 squids, excluding the frame, which would have cost about £300 ish new, so off ebay....

I would pay about £300 quid for it and then look at spending another £100 squidlings on having it stripped down and serviced....

I would be looking at doing some 'proper' MTBing on it though, for the money, cos that's what it's been specc'd for.
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You will become my force of retribution. Where you tread, doom will follow. Go now and claim your destiny

[Eddie Hitler]

I live in the sticks..

I used to ride to school everyday (same distance) and often take the walkways, but my bike was shit for that. So it will more than likely be used off-road. And 0_o!! Lets hope i get a good deal

[Walloper]

You wont need to worry about de-laminating your shins-calves on the pedalerimos if you go to the bother of fitting toe clips.
They keep your plates of meat on the pedal.
I almost needed a fuckin bone graft once when I was pushed off my bike by a big jaggy bush.
Nothing better then pushing the stoopid fukcing heap of shite home with a sock full of blood and guts.

They can be a cnut to install but well worth the effort.

(You learn real fast how to get your feet out before stopping too. )
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[Eddie Hitler]

Hes asking £200 for it. Worth it?

[pwntifex]

Yea. See if you can get him into the 100s though.
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the warped one: This is a follow up from the thread 'my willy hurts'

[Marcg868]

[cagiva gezzer]

Maguras are old hat. £200 is a good price though, as long as it's not too bashed .
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[Marcg868]

[thx1138]

I have a road bicycle, it has drum brakes, and a 8 speed sturmy archer type gearing, great for commuting, and the brakes are much better than those blocks that clamp the wheel rims.