Road-Biking?

IWJ

Hey all you good people,

I'm looking to buy my first road bike pretty soon- both to commute in and out of work/ college daily (7.5 km one- way to the one further out), to go to the gym 5 days a week, and also to take the odd cycling trip to scenic areas.

With so many bike shops and varieties available in Dublin, I am truly lost.

What I am looking for is the following:
Speed
Light weight so climbling hills is easy
A durable bike that will last me a number of years
And also very importantly, comfort

I'll be buying this with the bike to work scheme so €1000 is the max including helmet, lock, lights, gloves, etc. However, since this is my first road bike and I'm not sure what I'm in for, I'd rather not go all out.

Suggestions anyone?

Lumen

Look for something with drop bars (not flat) for speed, rim brakes (not discs) for lightness and clearance for 28mm tyres for comfort.

Consider whether you want to fit mudguards. Your commute is so short that it will hardly be worth changing clothes for it, which means you'll get soaked if the roads are wet (which is much more common than it actually raining).

If you want them, mudguards take some clearance so you may need to drop from 28 to 25mm tyres. They're easier to fit if you buy a bike with eyelets on the frame.

P_1

If you don't want to fit mudguards an ass-saver is a cheap alternative

magicbastarder

IWJ wrote: »

What I am looking for is the following:
Speed

i think that's something that comes with the purchaser, not the bike!

jive

IWJ wrote: »

Hey all you good people,

Suggestions anyone?

Go to a few local bike shops and try out some bikes. Realistically you will be dropping €800 or so on the bike and €200 on the gear. €800 will get you a decent entry level road bike which ticks your boxes.

Some shops will service your bike for free which will help you to keep it going strong for a number of years.

If you're commuting I'd recommend getting the following 4 essential items:
1) floor pump, 2) portable hand pump, 3) spare tube and 4) tyre levers. At least you will be able to sort yourself out in the event of a puncture.

Try a few shops and sit on a few bikes, pick one you like. The bike is 100% the most important thing, you'll pick up lights, helmets etc. for half nothing and replace them for half nothing.

Seaswimmer

jive wrote: »

Go to a few local bike shops and try out some bikes. Realistically you will be dropping €800 or so on the bike and €200 on the gear. €800 will get you a decent entry level road bike which ticks your boxes.

Some shops will service your bike for free which will help you to keep it going strong for a number of years.

If you're commuting I'd recommend getting the following 4 essential items:
1) floor pump, 2) portable hand pump, 3) spare tube and 4) tyre levers. At least you will be able to sort yourself out in the event of a puncture.

Try a few shops and sit on a few bikes, pick one you like. The bike is 100% the most important thing, you'll pick up lights, helmets etc. for half nothing and replace them for half nothing.

Alternatively if new to cycling and spending the money anyway try Tannus tyres. I put them on my sons bike a month ago and he loves them. No pumps, levers, tubes and most importantly no punctures....ever..

jive

Seaswimmer wrote: »

... and most importantly no punctures....ever..

i want to believe

IWJ

Cheers everyone for the solid advice!

I'm going to start hitting the shops tomorrow or Monday. Can anyone recommend any decent shops, not too expensive, in Dublin? Willing to travel anywhere for a decent bike, but would prefer the south as that's where I live.

Brian?

IWJ wrote: »

Cheers everyone for the solid advice!

I'm going to start hitting the shops tomorrow or Monday. Can anyone recommend any decent shops, not too expensive, in Dublin? Willing to travel anywhere for a decent bike, but would prefer the south as that's where I live.

Cyclesuperstore in Tallaght have a huge shop.

ILIKEFOOD

Don't forget to buy a good lock! Kryptonite d-lock and a wire lock for your wheels is a good combo. Or consider removing the quick release from the wheels so they can't be knicked. Bike theft is rampant so be careful about where you leave it.

Ranjo

Welcome to getting into cycling, and welcome to "keeping to a budget". The thing you have before you walk into a bike shop.

I second cycle super store - get your mouth watering here: http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/showsearchresults.asp?idCategory=35&withstock=1

Lapierre are one of their main products are some very decent ones there for <1000.

Chuchote

IWJ wrote: »

Speed
Light weight so climbling hills is easy

(Bitter laugh)

Aldi have some cycling stuff this coming Thursday; their gloves are supposed to be good, and they also have lights and a very pretty floor pump (I got a floor pump from them a year or so ago and it's good), and lots of cycling wear.

https://www.aldi.ie/specialbuys/dates/thursday-29th-september/c/2016-09-29/?q=%3Apopular&page=3

Don't fit mudguards unless you have a particular dislike of having a stream of icy, muddy water going up your arse and back and into your inner knees

+1 on a good lock, in fact two, one for the frame and the other for the wheels, and learn how to lock the bike properly:

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/en/proper-lock-up/bicycle-lock-up.html

Enjoy your spins!

Searchers

You'll almost certainly have shimano gears/brakes on the bike, and knowing their group set hierarchy before you browse is useful (Can't post links - google "shimano hierarchy" to find an article on Evans' website). The 105 groupset is excellent and should be attainable on a 1K bike.

Many shops also have good deals going now as they get ready for the 2017 bikes coming in - but be sure that you are very happy with the fit and not being sold the last model they have left, that may be a size too big or small for you.

Bike Radar is also a good source of info with reviews etc.

Enjoy!

lissard

Recommend trying to pick up a 2016 bike as they are end of line and being discounted as 2017 models are just coming in to the shops now. The key differentiator in entry level bikes is the groupset, and the Shimano ones have not been updated in a few years. As far as I can see the difference between an 2017 and 2016 bikes is the paint job. For 800 euro I would be aiming for a 10 speed Tiagra. e.g. Giant Defy 2

cython

jive wrote: »

i want to believe

To be fair, it's hard to get a puncture using a solid tyre and thus no air in it