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Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please.

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MinhDinh
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PostPosted: 17:14 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

I don't have a big budget and believe sub 300 or 400 are crap. I was ridibg a GT XC3 mountain bike with road tyre, but after a week with a cheap viettese sprint (140 quid) I realise road bikes are the way to make your legs feel a lot less tired and also your commute times reduce a lot.

I looked at Halfords, but no clue.

I can't go anymore but if there's a much better bike for a bit more, I will consider it.
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MinhDinh
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PostPosted: 17:19 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh and needs to be durable. I have heard pure road bikes are delicate at times. I am naturally quite heavy handed/footed and things fall apart on me.
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JonB
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PostPosted: 17:29 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Extend your budget by £100 and get yourself a truly excellent specification for the money. If you are a bit heavy handed then aluminium is more robust than carbon, but 105 groupset, fulcrum R7 wheels for £600 is an absolute bargain IMO.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/moser-bikes-speed-105-2012/
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D O G
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PostPosted: 20:40 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fuck me that is good value. I'd say that was almost exactly the spec of my bike, apart from the fact I have campag shizzle.

I have the same wheels, weigh 86kg and have never had an issue with them.
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 21:45 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

I'm happy with my circa £300 (rrp £630, price now gone up on wiggle to £377) road-biased Charge hybrid.

On that:
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-juicer-mid-2012/ comes in under your budget and I doubt is a bad bike for your needs.
[edit]That's sold out, but this is even cheaper https://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-filter-mid-2012/ though slightly more on the 'comfort' side.[/edit]
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MinhDinh
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PostPosted: 22:49 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

G wrote:
I'm happy with my circa £300 (rrp £630, price now gone up on wiggle to £377) road-biased Charge hybrid.

On that:
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-juicer-mid-2012/ comes in under your budget and I doubt is a bad bike for your needs.
[edit]That's sold out, but this is even cheaper https://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-filter-mid-2012/ though slightly more on the 'comfort' side.[/edit]


How is the build quality? I will be riding in the rain, sun, maybe even snow as I usually do. (I may keep the GT or sell it off)

The fist link is more than 377, you save it.

Thanks for the top link. I am going to do research on tyres etc... I don't particularly understand 105 etc... so do not really know what I am looking for. Just looking at Brands because I am a novice.
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G
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PostPosted: 22:53 - 14 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

The bike I got is a Charge Scourer - which is now at £377 with limited sizing.

Not the one I linked to as mine is a hybrid as opposed to 'road bike' - though it's basically a road bike with flat bars and a wider rear cassette (which is nice as we have hills up here!), but that's another matter!

Build quality seems good so far.
Other people with them have commented the tarty paint may be a little thin - but general welding etc looks good.
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chris-red
Have you considered a TDM?



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PostPosted: 13:18 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

Wiggle are doing 10% off orders over £100

use code 10off
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G
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PostPosted: 13:26 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

chris-red wrote:
Wiggle are doing 10% off orders over £100

use code 10off

I don't think that works on bikes, or not on discounted bikes unfortunately.
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Knot600RR
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PostPosted: 21:17 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great bike for the dosh and save money!

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-id_8167038.html
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JonB
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PostPosted: 21:26 - 16 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

MinhDinh wrote:


Thanks for the top link. I am going to do research on tyres etc... I don't particularly understand 105 etc... so do not really know what I am looking for. Just looking at Brands because I am a novice.

Then go and buy a big brand and get substandard running gear. Why ask for options on a public forum?

Put it this way, bar a couple of big brands like Trek, Giant and Specialized all bikes are pretty much made in China/Taiwan. So quality is relatively similar.

105 is shimanos mid range groupset (gears etc) and is the most popular. If you consider that the running gear alone at RRP is about £600 for Shimano 105, to get a whole bike with the kit is a bargain.
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MinhDinh
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PostPosted: 01:51 - 17 Oct 2012    Post subject: Re: Looking A Road bike under 500 quid please. Reply with quote

JonB wrote:
MinhDinh wrote:


Thanks for the top link. I am going to do research on tyres etc... I don't particularly understand 105 etc... so do not really know what I am looking for. Just looking at Brands because I am a novice.

Then go and buy a big brand and get substandard running gear. Why ask for options on a public forum?

Put it this way, bar a couple of big brands like Trek, Giant and Specialized all bikes are pretty much made in China/Taiwan. So quality is relatively similar.

105 is shimanos mid range groupset (gears etc) and is the most popular. If you consider that the running gear alone at RRP is about £600 for Shimano 105, to get a whole bike with the kit is a bargain.


I am looking at brands as in researching. I asked on here because some people have more knowledge and this is part of the research. Been asking around bike shops as well.
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furry-ninja
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PostPosted: 17:12 - 20 Oct 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Knot600RR wrote:
Great bike for the dosh and save money!

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-id_8167038.html


+1

Carbon fork too, really worth a look if there's a shop near you.
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Mondeo Man
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PostPosted: 12:10 - 18 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Halcyon bikes are good, eg Camino.

That's the bike I have. awesome

Only £170 ish, though, so like most cyclists you won't be happy unless you are able to waste another 200-300 pounds on a name.
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J4mes
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PostPosted: 13:40 - 18 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just to change the question/ jack the thread a bit, what is the best sub £500 used buy?

OP, one of my guys at work bought a used Merida for £600 from a local bike shop, had 50KM and was originally £800. Merida own Specialized, I'd never heard of them but the guy in the shop explained that because Merida aren't very well known they can afford to spec up the bikes a bit higher than the equivalently priced Specialized.

Not sure if BS or not. Sounded good though. Tis a nice bike too.
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JonB
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PostPosted: 14:31 - 18 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a word on used bikes. I personally wouldn't touch a used carbon frame bike with a barge pole.
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smegballs
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PostPosted: 23:27 - 18 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

When it comes to road bikes, how relative is "good"? My brother started out on an 80's puegeot with steel frame, 6 speed freewheel, etc etc and still got to the level of doing 100+ mile days around cornwall and dartmoor.

I want a "road bike" by which I mean: "something with drop bars and 700c tyres". Will something old but quality be better than new and cheap? My dad got some ancient specialized mountain bike at a car boot. Old and battered yet you can tell just by looking at it, that the build quality is fucking good.
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AndyB1989
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PostPosted: 06:11 - 27 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

sub £500 road bike for a novice

£499 giant defy 5 Yes there are bikes out there that look like a better spec then the giant for the same money from people like viking (fucking heavy and shit) from boardman (poor frame quality) and from countless others but having seen lots of cheap roadbikes through the door of the bike shop i work in there are some truly horifyingly shit bikes on the market. we have seen stuff with a split handlebar only held together by the stem and that scares me.


tbh you cant go wrong with giant Absolutely fantastic warranty department and good value for money i have a couple of warranty stories for you
customer with an older giant road bike about 6 year old think it was a tcr had done over 15,000 miles on it came in for a service and we noticed a hairline crack at the seat tube top tube joint emailed a picture to giant warranty and the next day we had a brand new 2012 equivalent complete bike FOC.

and just yesterday we rang up because a customer had taken away his new defy on saturday and managed to get a flat and carry on riding and trash his rim so we rang up to buy a new wheel from the warranty department as it was clearly his fault and they sent us a wheel again FOC

you cannot go wrong with the service like that that comes with probably the biggest bike manufacturer on the planet.
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JonB
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PostPosted: 07:56 - 27 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poor advice from someone who has been sucked in by the marketing department. I would never buy a cheap giant on the basis that for the money you would get piss poor componentry.

Boardman frames are actually really decent. The fact they are sold in Halfords is irrelevant. I don't think an ex pro like Chris Boardman would put his name to a bike that was going to be of poor build quality.
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AndyB1989
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PostPosted: 09:56 - 27 Nov 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

ok tell me your basis for saying boardman frames are really decent ? best thing you can do with a boardman is buy it and throw the frame away put the bits on a decent frame their road bikes especially flex like a bastard actually have enough flex side to side at the bb to change gear on the back when climbing hills when i test rode one about a month ago. (admittedly im 6"2 23 stone and leg press over 500kg so theres a fair bit of force going through.

and if you read the post the guy looking for an entry level road bike is cearly a novice and for a novice rider who is unlikely to notice the difference between componentry having a big company you can go back to if you do get a problem is invaluable .

as for being sucked in by the marketing department ... hardly however reading your comment " I don't think an ex pro like Chris Boardman would put his name to a bike that was going to be of poor build quality." you clearly are someone who is sucked in by advertising.

i have personal experience and have customer experience of the poor quality of boardman frames and you look at them and say oooohhhh it might have somethin vaugely to do with an ex pro it must be fucking excelent.
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JonB
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PostPosted: 09:08 - 01 Dec 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Guess what? You work in a bike shop. Expect to see broken bikes.

I don't own a Boardman bike and have no loyalty to their brand whatsoever, but many of my club mates own one and there has been no question over build quality on any of them.

My next purchase could well be a Giant TCR Advanced, but i'm not going to wax lyrical about them at the £500 price point. You can not get away from the fact that at £500 Giant do not offer good value for money. Yes, their frames could arguably be of better quality (but I still don't know any people who have had a frame spontaneously combust - unless they have had an accident before), but the componentry at that price point is absolutely abysmal. Meaning anyone who then decides to take cycling seriously will be wanting to open their wallets again in 6 months time to upgrade components.

Let's be honest 90% of all modern frames are made in the Far East, with a minority still made in the USA and Europe. I am alarmed at the amount of Titanium Van Nicholas frames I see cracking at the chainstays and they are meant to be good quality!

I have done 5,000 miles on my Focus Cayo Carbon with no problems whatsoever and it is not considered a top brand. But for £800 I got a full carbon frame, with Shimano 105. An equivalent Giant you are looking at, at least £1500.
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AndyB1989
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PostPosted: 20:12 - 01 Dec 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

well all i could put it down to was frame flex as the gears were properly set up and was a new bike .....
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CDM_Murphy
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PostPosted: 23:17 - 08 Dec 2012    Post subject: SuperGalaxy Reply with quote

i have a late 90's Dawes Super Galaxy which i bought for £300 several years ago. it has quite a lot of rust round the frame where the cranks go through. i know i should post pictures and stuff, but can anyone give me a rough estimate on how much it could be worth?
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MinhDinh
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PostPosted: 00:02 - 11 Dec 2012    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, well I am still looking. Been looking at Hybrid's atm, and waiting for some sales in January. I am on a little Teeman ATM which is a hybrid and I prefer the speed with the way I sit on it. However it is crap quality.

400 is my budget so I can't go over that.

So far the Specialize Sirrus seems OK. What do you guys think?

https://www.cyclesurgery.com/specialized-sirrus-sport-2012/hybrid/bikes-components-bikewear/fcp-product/40780
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