New to cycling

cooper_man

I have given up football in recent years and myself and my girlfriend are finding ourselves searching for ways to keep fit!

We are going to start cycling for enjoyment on the boring weekends and to help keep a regular exercise routine going.

We are looking to just get start on the BARE MINIMUM expense, we are just buying a new house and stuck for cash but really want to get out in this summer air.

Can anybody give me any advice? Plan is to head up to wicklow at the weekends maybe or trek around local countryside on summer evenings to try and get some fitness.

What kind of bike should we go for? We want the bare entry level for expense and if we find ourselves enjoying it and doing it a lot, head out and purchase some new bikes. I remember a few years ago buying a bike for about 150euro and it was great (in my eyes! lol). It was heavy and a bit bulky but it did the trick.

Any ideas where to start out???

mallet head

Halfords in liffey valley have some Mountain bikes half price at the minute.As regards their quality some of the more knowledgeable on here should be able to fill you in.

Money Shot

Halfords bikes would be A to B quality only - they should do the trick though for weekend, evening light spins. However, with lower end bikes, parts tend to wear out quicker, so depending on the mileage and terrain you get up to, you will be needing to visit your shop for spares / repairs sooner or later.

This is the CAVEAT with Halfords - absolutely do not expect any after sales care or service what so ever. I'd wager it will take some considerable time to attract someone of sufficient gumption and seniority who can even use the till. You can always use a local bike shop if there is one handy.

Personally, I have sworn never to give Halfords another red cent from my pocket due to experiences with them that I have had.
Having said that, they do have reasonably priced bikes which could suit yourselves.

pete4130

Whats your budget? I know you say bare expense but you can get mountain bikes (cheap ones) for as little as €130 i nsome places but you'd be lucky if they lasted you a year, plus for cycles around wicklow cheap mountain bikes wouldn't be very fast as they have fat, nobbly tires (increases rolling resistance) and they would be quite heavy (harder to accelerate or climb hills as easily).

It comes down to if you want flat bars or the drop racing handlebars. Alot of people are intimidated with the drop bars and skinny tires of racing bikes and think they lack grip or aren't as tough. Once you get used to them you'll realise they are pretty tough (once you don't go jumping off kerbs on them!) and are really fast too and grip isn't a problem.

For a guy the cheapest racing bike I could think of off hand that would be reasonably light and well built for a good price would probably be the giant OCR 4. I don't think they make them any more and they have been renamed the TCR series (TCR 4 being the entry level getting more expensive with TCR 3, TCR2 etc...). I think the OCR 4 was about €460 ish new.

For women, the choice is a little smaller although the bike companies are starting to do alot more womens specific bikes the last 2 years. My girlfriend used to have some heavy piece of junk mountain bike. It was terrible. She had a go on a road bike of mine and was amazed at how fast, light and easy to cycle it was. I could hardly keep up with her! I convinced her to buy a road bike for herself. At the time the mai nchoices were either a Specialized Dolce (womens specific frame, with shorter tubes for womens geometry, narrower bars for womens narrower shoulders) or the TREK womens specific frame. She went with the Specialized Dolce as there was no Treks for her to test ride here in Dublin. The entry level Specialised Docle is about €700-€750 though so it isn't the cheapest.

She got the 2006 model which doesn't have the mounting points for carriers which is the only downside to her bike (the 2007 model does have the mounting points though) as she uses the bike to commute to work from Swords to the Navan Road when the weather isn't bad (which is about 24-25 miles a day, which is about 500 miles a month no bother). It takes her about 40-45 minutes to do the trip taking it easy and probably about 35 mins if she cranks it. She loves the bike and has easily put a few thousand miles on it within the last year.

Try ebay to see if you can get anything 2nd hand too. Make sure you go nito shops and try out th ebikes to know what size you need to get. If you get a bike thats too small it will be really cramped and sore, get a bike thats to big and you'll feel stretched and unbalanced. My girlfriend is about 5'4" and she got the 51cm frame which is perfect for her. She test rode a 49cm frame and felt it was a touch too small. If your girlfriend is a bit taller, she might be able to get away with getting a smaller mans frame (which would be easier to pick up 2nd hand). I'm 5'11" and I'm riding a 56cm frame (Specialized Allez frame).

Sometimes there are some gems for sale in the buy and sell too.

If you aren't keen on drop handlebar road bikes try a hybrid bike. They are a mix between a mountain bike and road bike and are built for a mix between comfort and speed. These bikes would generally be cheaper, a little heavier than road bikes, more comfortable and probably easier to get used to if you haven't cycled in a few years.

Any Q's just PM me for more info.

Pete.

cooper_man

Wow this is an active board!

Thanks for all the information everybody. I would probably prefer a drop handles racer style bike (i rebuilt one about 5 years ago and loved it) but with everything that is going on at the moment I couldnt really afford one. I like the idea of the hybrid bike to tbh.

My girlfriend is only tiny, (5ft 1) so the smaller frame would certainly suit her.

The general consensus i am getting from all this is that bikes from your local bike store or halfords for about 200euro are weak, relatively unconfortable and wont last. However, I dont want to spend 500quid on a bike that sits in the shed. Would these cheaper style bikes be suitable enough for 6-8 months of leisurable cycling?

Peter, thanks for all the info. How do you feel about second hand bikes? The mechanical part and replacing pieces does not bother, ive rebuilt a lot of classic cars so hopefully i can overcome some of the twiddly bits on a bike! Is there big savings tobe made?

pete4130

2nd hand bikes are generally fine once they've been maintained well. If you statr getting into older style racing bikes from the 80's say, they would have different sized wheels to newer bikes (27" x 1 1/4 as opposed to 700c {28"} wheels on modern bikes) The older wheels are heavier and its hard to get good tires for them nowadays too. You can fit 700c wheels onto an older bike though but by that time you would have bought a new bike. I'd try to avoid buying a "fixer upper" bike in my opinion. It's not worth the hassle.

If your GF is 5'1" then you will be limited to what bikes might fit her cheaply. The Specialized Dolce 49cm frame would probably fit her (get a test ride from Cycleways to see how it fits). The buy and sell sometimes has childrens road bikes that would probably fit her too but you have to keep looking all the time.

There are actually some ladies racers in the buy and sell right now for between €50-€100. I'm guessing they would be the older style racers for ladeis with the low top tube. It can be worth checking them out to see if they are in good condition. Make sure they gears change smoothly without jumping or making clicking noises and the wheels aren't buckled or the rims dented from potholes/kerbs. Alot of people just want rid of these older bikes as they take up space and they aren't "cool" anymore. Sometimes there is very little wrong with them. It could be some legwork to go check them out but could be worth it.

EDIT: another thing to note is that if your GF doesn't like the look of a 2nd hand bike she may not want to ride it at all, even though it might be perfectly fine. I'm not sure how your GF would feel about the aesthetics of a bike but I'd make sure that she would be happy to be seen cycling around on it. Us guys would probably think along the lines of "It cycles fine so the looks don't matter". As silly as it sounds my GF didn't really like the graphics on the Trek bikes compared to the Specialized so that did maybe make her lean towards the Specialized. I personally thought the Specialzed had slightly better components and "as hard as it is to say) did look better with both graphics and design.

Trojan

Couple of quick thoughts...

If getting new then make sure you buy from a bike shop, not a toy shop or department store or Aldi. You can haggle on prices, and make sure you do. Get them to throw some stuff (e.g. lights, lock, helmet, gloves) in free.

There's a massive difference between a 150e bike and a 300e one. You may only take the 150e one out 2 or 3 times whereas the next up can far more pleasureable to ride. Highly recommend test riding them before purchase!

If you're getting a low-end MTB get one without front suspension (at the low end they're heavy and expensive and crap)

If you want drops you're going to buy sh!t or you'll be out of budget - there's not much point spending less than 450e (see recent threads).

Second hand you might manage it, but bring a friend who knows something about bikes or post high res photos of the bike here before purchase, we can take a look.

HTH

seamus

Trojan wrote:

If getting new then make sure you buy from a bike shop, not a toy shop or department store or Aldi. You can haggle on prices, and make sure you do. Get them to throw some stuff (e.g. lights, lock, helmet, gloves) in free.

Agreed. When I was buying a bike to get back into it, I bought in Halfords, purely because I knew what was a good buy and what wasn't, and the price was right. I gave the whole thing a going over myself when I got home, and there were a few minor items I had to correct myself. The guys in Liffey Valley seem to be into their bikes, but they are only teenagers. Local shops, run by enthusiasts, are definitely the best to go to if you don't know what you need. They're often reluctant to rip you off, and particularly if you're showing an interest in become a regular cyclist, they'll give you the best advice.

Back when I were a lad (probably ten years ago), The Cycle Inn in Tallaght was just such a shop.

blorg

I would avoid mountain bikes unless you are going off-road. A hybrid is the best bet. At your price range I'd look second-hand and try to pick up a name brand (Trek, Giant, Specialized, Dawes, etc.) entry-level hybrid. Would help if you stretched to €200-250.

Membrane

cooper_man wrote:

The general consensus i am getting from all this is that bikes from your local bike store or halfords for about 200euro are weak, relatively unconfortable and wont last.

I also didn't want to spend real money on a bike for going into the mountains until I knew that I was going to take to it. I bought a house brand hybrid bike from Halfords, a "half price offer" for E215. That was about 9 months ago and it still does the job for me. I did replace the poor quality stock seatpost, tyres and brake pads, and I'm comfortable setting up and maintaining bikes myself.

My bike is a bit heavy, the stock seatpost, cranks, fork and handle bars are steel, but the frame and wheel rims are aluminium. It doesn't stop me from taking on the steeper climbs, thanks in no small part to the MTB style low gearing that the bike has.

Drapper

seamus wrote:

Agreed. When I was buying a bike to get back into it, I bought in Halfords, purely because I knew what was a good buy and what wasn't, and the price was right. I gave the whole thing a going over myself when I got home, and there were a few minor items I had to correct myself. The guys in Liffey Valley seem to be into their bikes, but they are only teenagers. Local shops, run by enthusiasts, are definitely the best to go to if you don't know what you need. They're often reluctant to rip you off, and particularly if you're showing an interest in become a regular cyclist, they'll give you the best advice.

Back when I were a lad (probably ten years ago), The Cycle Inn in Tallaght was just such a shop.

it still is a graet shop :-) Mick is bang on the manager there and always willing to help out! can get almost anthing and also give a real deal!

kona

heres a very basic rule of thumb, the sub e300 bike market is aimed at 1-kids,because even if you give em a bike worth a grand, chances are they will wreck em anyways. and 2- People who wanna use them once, twice a week in the park.
they are rubbish for commuting and off road(lethal is probably a better term)
You probably fall into this market so, any cheap bike should do.
dont expect them to set the world on fire comfort wise, but you wont notice until you use a expensive bike anyways how uncomfortable cheap bikes are.

Halfords are fine with their after sales,(its kinda fashionable to dislike halfords, just like its fashionable to go to a recycle centre in a 2litre jeep) i find if you are a asshole to a sales person they will not bother, sure why bother to help a asshole??,they deal with lots of people everyday who are pissed off and want a fight, be nice:D , if you broke your bike , be nice and youll get the work done;)

Civilian_Target

Much of this has already been said:
- Don't get a mountain bike unless you're going properly off road for a good while, they look cooler but they're heavier and much slower. You probably really want a hybrid.
- If you're buying new, go to a bike shop. In your price range, you're better going second hand
- The important things to look for in a bike is that it does the basics right. Is it light? Is it sturdy? Is it reliable? Take a test ride and find out, try to pick it up etc., just take a sensible approach. Don't get taken in by crap features like number of gears (you'll rarely use more than 5 of them), suspensions, etc.
- Remember that accessories can add significantly to the price. A decent helmet, lock and lights can easily set you back €100. Since you're leisure cycling, you may not need them all.

tywy

I'd recommend the UCD bike shop if you're looking for a cheap bike. They try to stock *relatively* decent bikes. They stock entry level Dawes Hybrids for about €250, I think. I know my friend got a Discovery 201 there last year for €250, could have been on special, it's worth a try though. The guys in there are easy to haggle down too.

Just flicked around a couple of sites,

www.cyclesuperstore.ie have a couple of hybrids under the €300 mark. I don't know how much you're hoping to spend.

I don't know about prices in Hollingsworth but they do have a special offer on at the moment, Free Lock and Lights with every bike sold over €200, http://www.hollingsworthcycles.ie/offers.php

I've seen a lot of people cycling around Dublin on cheap commuter bikes i.e. not mountain bikes. I think Penny Farthings on Camden St sell them. I'd say they're fairly heavy but they come with mudguards, back carrier and slickish tyres, they'd be worth a look.

rubadub

A lot of people are recommending against MTBs. I would too if the OP was going to commute. But he is doing it for exercise, in which case speed & distance may not matter. Since at the same energy usage a MTB is slower then it is a safer exercise bike to use. It is also more comfortable so if you set out to expend 500kcal per hour it may be more pleasureable AND safer to use a MTB. Of course if you enjoy the adrenalin rush from speed then a racer could be the one to go for. A MTB is also more suitable for leisure "sightseeing" cycling since you do not have to keep an eye out for every single pothole & obstacle. Since it is more comfortable you may be more inclined to keep it up as a form of exercise (I would never use a road bike for exercise, simply not pleasant to ride IMO), if you had a stationary exercise bike with an uncomfortable saddle at home you would be less likely to use it than if it had a comfy saddle

I use my MTB for exercise on the road, I can go at a nice enough pace and can take in the views while not worrying about the bike. Also it will probably last longer since they are generally stronger at a given price.

Membrane

rubadub wrote:

A lot of people are recommending against MTBs. I would too if the OP was going to commute. But he is doing it for exercise, in which case speed & distance may not matter. [...] Since it is more comfortable you may be more inclined to keep it up as a form of exercise (I would never use a road bike for exercise, simply not pleasant to ride IMO)

Fair points, on the other hand what keeps me motivated to keep on cycling is knowing that I'm at a decent level and making progress fitness wise. I measure that against how well I do compared to other cyclists I encounter on my rides. Being passed by most can really demotivate me, on the other hand passing others, especially those on more fancy bikes than me is a great motivator. If you are on an energy sapping bike then you don't stand much of a chance.

pete4130

I'd agree with membrane. Having a smooth fast bike is definitly more fun. Heavy MTB's only create more work and to me would be less of an enjoyable ride. Cheaper MTB would have little or no thought into the geometry of the frame. The angles of the seatpost tube/headtube are usually not very good. Drop handlebars allow you to choose lots of different hand positions so you don't get tired being restricted to being on the flats all the time, with the option of getting into the drops for some more power on ascents or acceleration.

A gel saddle will make the world of difference to comfort as well as having a suitably sized bike, saddle height (as someone mentioned before, high enough to almost stretch the leg straight when the lower pedal is near the ground leaving a slight bend in the leg.....generally a little below your hip is a good guideline for saddle height).

I would say that I am very rarely overtaken on the roads and when I am, it usually by someone more serious about their cycling than myself. I easily zip by other commuters on their MTB's going at my own easy pace. One big thing that slows down alot of commuters on bikes is that they have there tires underinflated which increases their rolling resistance alot.

I'm sorry....I'm a die hard roadie

rubadub

Membrane wrote:

Being passed by most can really demotivate me, on the other hand passing others, especially those on more fancy bikes than me is a great motivator. If you are on an energy sapping bike then you don't stand much of a chance.

I am pretty fast now, I do guage myself the same way. I know some hill routes backwards now so can maintain momentum on apparently blind turns, but there is nothing better than flying past a group of lads in their lycra & glasses, flying up a hill past them on a MTB in a tracksuit with a big backpack!

If you get slicks and lockout forks on the MTB it can help a lot and allow light off-road too.

Having a smooth fast bike is definitly more fun. Heavy MTB's only create more work and to me would be less of an enjoyable ride. ...

I'm sorry....I'm a die hard roadie

Exactly you seem fairly into it. All I am getting at is that if somebody is not used to cycling much and is doing it strictly for exercise then a MTB can be a viable option. Some people would stick to an exercise bike at home thinking cycling is too dangerous, a MTB is just like setting the resistance up a notch to burn more calories, some might pefer the safety of the slower speed, esp people who have not cycled in years.

I do bring the hybrid out for exercise to see what speeds I can get up to, but I also enjoy being able to take new routes where I do not know the lay of the road, and so can glide over potholes not having to worry about cars behind me or wrecking my wheels.

bionic.laura

Just thought I'd give a quick reply. I have just started cycling again after a few years off and am hoping to commute to work a few days a week when I get used to cycling again. I used to have an old mountain bike but decided I'd trade it in for something a bit better. I went for a hybrid bike (Giant Cypress) which I'm very happy with. It's light and fast compared to the old mountain bike. It's good for the road but will also go down tracks. As well nowadays it's extra to add mudguards, lights and locks so remember to add that in to your costs! I think it's worth paying a bit extra so that you end up with a bike that is decent enough quality that you will actually use.

cooper_man

Thanks for all the replies people.

Normally I am one of those people who spends stupid amounts of money on things that I never use so i dont want to make this mistake again! I appreciate everybodies input on this, im gonna head to a few places tomorrow and try find something suitable. Before I buy, i will post it up on this.

TOURTHELANCE

Ebay all the way you will get quality used bikes for a great price that will last years longer than you run of the mill bikes in halfords and the likes... best of luck

lady_marmalade

I hadn't cycled in 20 years, got a MTB from MacDonald cycles in Rathgar for €179, I like the sturdiness of it and I've lost a bit of weight too so it's all good!

The fellas in MacDonald cycles are dead sound, really helpful.

tywy

You got a good deal in McDonalds, they're overpriced in general but do have good after sales service.