Advice on buying road bike.

paulanthony

Hi all,
I am looking to buy a racing bike to train for a charity Dublin - Galway cycle in the New Year.
I have cycled a good bit in the past but only with a mountain bike and have been told this would be too much hardship for a long cycle.

Is something like this any good?

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Mercurio-RA5-62cm-12-Speed-Gts-Aluminium-Race-Bike_W0QQitemZ140171018124QQihZ004QQcategoryZ33503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.ie/NEW-SECURA-SEQUEL-ROAD-RACING-BIKE-ALLOY-FRAME_W0QQitemZ280164057976QQihZ018QQcategoryZ33503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Is there anywhere in Ireland where there are good second hand bikes for sale?

Also does anyone have any training tips. I have a resonable fitness level but this is mostly from running rather than cycling.

Any help would be appreciated.

Membrane

Vaguely decent entry level road bikes start at E700, compare that to the price of these yokes and draw your own conclusion.

Buying second hand can be difficult as decent entry level road bikes are sought after (due I imagine in no smal part to the popularity of Thriatlons). Plus you have to make sure any bike is the right size for you, and you have to know about bikes to be able to distinguish the turds from a decent bike.

Running uses different muscles than cycling, and you need to train your behind to sit on a saddle for hours before considering a Dublin - Galway cycle. You really need a decent bike for that, it will set you back more than those heaps you linked to, and you've got to get out on THAT bike a fair few times before you should consider taking that ride on.

ba

its common sense. you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

and as for long spins like dub - galway. the more hours you spend on a bike training the better. at least 1 long weekly spin. slowly working up to the galway distance, if you are to enjoy it rather than struggle.

Mr. Skeffington

I would agree those e-bay bikes that you provided links to dont look great at all. I would reccomend that you spend at least 300 euros on a good second hand race bike.

The first thing that you need to be sure of is that the wheels are good quality, you should pay close attention to the hubs the bottom bracket drivetrain and the headset. If you intend training for a charity cycle you will need good pedals and shoes and you need to make sure that you get the correct size frame.

In Dublin I can reccomend Hollingsworth Cycles in Templeogue for good second hand road bikes, see Joe. They usually have a few in stock.

On the training, you should try and get out for an hour twice during the week with a longer spin over the weekend 2-3 hours, try building up the intensity and distance as you go on, there is some good advice on this web site:

http://www.irishcycling.com/2000/ask-cass/index.html

Best of luck!

vitus123

you dont have to spend big money to get a bike that will do Dublin-Galway Spin,Good Bikes Will Start From €539.00 Giant SCR4 ,Comes With 16 speed STI Gears, Alloy Frame, It A Good Bike for What YOU Need, After All Its not a Stage In the TOUR DE FRANCE you doing,there a Good bike shops in Galway aswell Mountain Trail Bike Shop ?

franglan

Any one got an opinion on this as a starter bike,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140176118098

bazman

Good starter bikes IMO:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14991

trinewbie

franglan wrote: »

Any one got an opinion on this as a starter bike,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140176118098

Brutal...sorry.

OP is right - The BeOne bikes on chain reaction are good value starters IMO...as is the Cube Attempt thats there aswell