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Best road bike for beginner

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  • 02-12-2016 11:09pm
    #1
    john mayo 10
    Registered Users Posts: 958 ✭✭✭


    Interested in starting cycling. Will qualify through work for the bike to work scheme. Any suggestions


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    #2
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 29,520 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    whats your budget?


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    #3
    john mayo 10
    Registered Users Posts: 958 ✭✭✭john mayo 10


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    whats your budget?

    Probably 1000 on bike so with bike to work it will cost me no more than 500 including accessories


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    #4
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 29,520 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    john mayo 10 wrote: »
    Probably 1000 on bike so with bike to work it will cost me no more than 500 including accessories

    im actually not a road cyclists so im sure folks will be onto you soon with advice but i would recommend getting your leg over as many bikes as you can. theres tons of great brands out there now, but all see bike design slightly differently hence checking out as many bikes as possible. you ll have a fairly good idea what suits you best after a while. id also recommend checking out your local bike shops, some are just fantastic for advice, some unfortunately not so great. a good shop should give you the opportunity to have a wee spin on the bike, the right bike will feel comfortable to you. report back with what you discover, and members will be able to advise you from there. theres really no need to spend the full grand but you wont go far wrong in that range. its where brands really start pulling out the stops and produce really good quality bikes. nothing wrong with bikes slightly cheaper though. dont forget, accessories can be purchased at a later date and theres nothing wrong with budget accessories from the likes of lidl, aldi and from well known online retailers. if you re gonna spend the grand, i think id rather spend it on the bike. i wish you the best with whatever you chose, its a great sport and very enjoyable.


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    #5
    JK.BMC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 724 ✭✭✭JK.BMC


    There are absolutely endless possibilities.
    Bring somebody who knows about bikes to the shop with you.
    3 things matter- frame, components (fiddly bits on the bike) and wheels. Wheels can be changed in time but if you have a dodgy frame or cheap components then you will feel cheated perhaps. This is where a friend/some research is needed. There is no end to what you can choose.

    But I have come to the belief that 'aesthetics' matter where picking a frame ie if you like the colour/shape then go for it. I prefer Shimano components so if you see '105' components on a nice frame, or better still 'ultegra' then pay attention as they are most likely a better option.

    After that, it's a minefield but one thing to remember is that long standing bike shops and typically the smaller racing-related outlets are where you get the best expertise- that has been my experience anyway. The day you buy a bike is the day you start thinking about how much more you will have to spend in future so get the best bike available first time.

    I started about 10 years ago with an over-priced bog standard 'Specialized Allez' that I traded in for an excellent Giant TCR 6 months later; after that I just kept upgrading wheels and components over time till I bought my BMC sl01- it is a superb bike and a 'keeper' if you know what I mean. I will never sell it as we have been through a lot together.

    So wherever you start, be sure to go for something you really like. If it sounds too good, it probably is.


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    #6
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 29,520 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    be careful to as its the end of the 2016 season, and shops should be flogging 2016 models for cheaper but some dont. or a positive spin would be that you might just find yourself a bargain of a 2016 model. theres very little difference between models from back to back years, generally just colour change and slight hardware upgrades.


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    #7
    Buzwaldo
    Registered Users Posts: 733 ✭✭✭Buzwaldo


    john mayo 10 wrote: »
    Interested in starting cycling. Will qualify through work for the bike to work scheme. Any suggestions

    Ok, you have given us your gemmeral budget, but a bit more info willl make it easier to advise.
    What kind of cycling do you see yourself doing - road or mountain biking?
    What level of fitness / sge are you?, do you see yourself competing or just general fitness, or pootling to the shop?
    Will you be using it to commute?, urban cycling?
    If folk know where you are coming from, they can help you get where you are going.


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    #8
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    And remember to buy an excellent lock, which will cost at least €50, and should be capable of locking the frame and wheels. (For instance a combination of Kryptonite New York and its loopy companion that goes through the wheels.)


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    #9
    john mayo 10
    Registered Users Posts: 958 ✭✭✭john mayo 10


    Buzwaldo wrote: »
    Ok, you have given us your gemmeral budget, but a bit more info willl make it easier to advise.
    What kind of cycling do you see yourself doing - road or mountain biking?
    What level of fitness / sge are you?, do you see yourself competing or just general fitness, or pootling to the shop?
    Will you be using it to commute?, urban cycling?
    If folk know where you are coming from, they can help you get where you are going.
    Its a road bike im after. Live in the country so probably hoping to get out a few times a week with a few lads. Fitness wise i run distances up to 10k so probably looking at a few duatalons next year hopefully. Im told to go either for avtrek or a giant. What ye think


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    #10
    JK.BMC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 724 ✭✭✭JK.BMC


    john mayo 10 wrote: »
    Its a road bike im after. Live in the country so probably hoping to get out a few times a week with a few lads. Fitness wise i run distances up to 10k so probably looking at a few duatalons next year hopefully. Im told to go either for avtrek or a giant. What ye think

    'Trek or Giant' is like saying shop in Tesco or Dunnes. They are the leading brands alright and there are millions of them out there. Giant Defy with 105 components would be a good starting point.

    You definitely sound like a competitive type so don't waste money on panniers hi-viz jackets locks and all that type of stuff. Spend the full 1000 on the bike.


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    #11
    mirrormatrix
    Registered Users Posts: 616 ✭✭✭mirrormatrix


    john mayo 10 wrote: »
    Its a road bike im after. Live in the country so probably hoping to get out a few times a week with a few lads. Fitness wise i run distances up to 10k so probably looking at a few duatalons next year hopefully. Im told to go either for avtrek or a giant. What ye think

    For a grand you should be aiming to get a road bike with Sora components or better and a carbon fibre fork. Trek are, generally speaking, very expensive (though there are deals out there). I'd be looking at smaller brand names like Scott, Lapierre, Cube etc. I'm sure there's a thread on here if you do a search with a spreadsheet of the best bikes you can get for under a grand with all the components listed.

    However, far more important than any of this is the fit of the bike. Different frames have different geometries and, while this can be compensated for to a certain extent with bike setup, it's best to try as many bikes as possible and find the fit that suits you.

    Good cycling gear (rain jacket, lights, helmet lock, jersey, bib tights etc) is essential if you're thinking of doing a decent bit of cycling. If you're not comfortable on the bike, you won't bother going out riding it. Also think about whether you want clip in pedals or will just stick with the flat pedals supplied with the bike for the moment.

    Make sure any shop you buy from allows you to test ride the bike (i'd be looking for at least 20-30 minutes on it, running through the gears, getting a feel for the bike) and that they will do a quick setup for you on the bike at the point of sale.


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    #12
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    Can anyone advise OP John Mayo of the best bike shop for him to get advice in Mayo?


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    #13
    BailMeOut
    Registered Users Posts: 2,986 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    My advise is find a Giant dealer and get yourself a Giant. From what I see they always are the most bike for your buck and they are very decent bikes at all price points. Where in Mayo are you or which larger Mayo town are you nearest?


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    #14
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 29,520 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    BailMeOut wrote:
    My advise is find a Giant dealer and get yourself a Giant. From what I see they always are the most bike for your buck and they are very decent bikes at all price points. Where in Mayo are you or which larger Mayo town are you nearest?


    Giant certainly make fantastic bikes but check out other brands as others have explained


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    #15
    john mayo 10
    Registered Users Posts: 958 ✭✭✭john mayo 10


    BailMeOut wrote: »
    My advise is find a Giant dealer and get yourself a Giant. From what I see they always are the most bike for your buck and they are very decent bikes at all price points. Where in Mayo are you or which larger Mayo town are you nearest?
    live near ballina. The company i work for allow us to deal with a local cycle shopnin ballina. Marrey cycles in ballinrobe and garys cycles in sligo. Seen a trek 1 series.v1.2 advertised in sligo shop for 680. Mate has one and i took for a spin. Nice bike.


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    #16
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 29,520 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    john mayo 10 wrote:
    live near ballina. The company i work for allow us to deal with a local cycle shopnin ballina. Marrey cycles in ballinrobe and garys cycles in sligo. Seen a trek 1 series.v1.2 advertised in sligo shop for 680. Mate has one and i took for a spin. Nice bike.


    I'm sure your mates bike is a nice bike, but spend the full grand on the bike, you won't regret it. Well worth checking out a trek in that range. Great brand


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    #17
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    john mayo 10 wrote: »
    live near ballina. The company i work for allow us to deal with a local cycle shopnin ballina. Marrey cycles in ballinrobe and garys cycles in sligo. Seen a trek 1 series.v1.2 advertised in sligo shop for 680. Mate has one and i took for a spin. Nice bike.

    What about Kearney's in Galway? I've found them straight and knowledgable.


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    #18
    BailMeOut
    Registered Users Posts: 2,986 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    OP - consider minimum specifications regardless of the bike brand. For me I would not buy a bike that did not have at least a Shimano 105 groupset and carbon forks. That would be my starting point / filter when narrowing down your local options.


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    #19
    sin_26
    Registered Users Posts: 475 ✭✭sin_26


    Buy bike with best frame money can buy and ****test gear. Once you upgrade components to ultegra you wont regret that and this should match the frame qualitywise. Ive seen other day Giant TCR on Sora for grand in Gary's. Best buy in my opinion. For now you need decide what type of frameset you after. Race fit or endurance fit.


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    #20
    Roger Hassenforder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,555 ✭✭✭Roger Hassenforder


    john mayo 10 wrote: »
    live near ballina. The company i work for allow us to deal with a local cycle shopnin ballina. Marrey cycles in ballinrobe and garys cycles in sligo. Seen a trek 1 series.v1.2 advertised in sligo shop for 680. Mate has one and i took for a spin. Nice bike.

    nice enough bike, but if you end up with the bug you'd regret not buying something a bit better spec'd, rather than cursing your choice.
    https://garyscycles.com/product/1-2/

    Any chance you can add a few bob of your own to the the 1K BTW?

    this has 11sp 105, and wheel not too 'meh' for the price. colour might not to be everyones taste though.
    http://www.marreybikes.com/men-s-race-bikes-500-1499/6701-orro-terra-via-105-road-bike-2016.html

    or this with Tiagra for 1125
    http://www.marreybikes.com/men-s-race-bikes-500-1499/5671-lapierre-audacio-300-compact-road-bike-2016.html


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    #21
    New2bike
    Registered Users Posts: 82 ✭✭New2bike


    Just throwing it out there was in Halfords today looking at a bike for my son but to my surprise came across Pinarello road bikes on Sale a really nice entry level aluminium running Sora for €650 and a rather savage looking higher spec bike running 105 even though the label has it specked with Campag for €1400. This however was a beautiful bike straight away had me think how much I'd get for trading in my Cube running ultegra


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    #22
    _Puma_
    Registered Users Posts: 976 ✭✭✭_Puma_


    john mayo 10 wrote: »
    live near ballina. The company i work for allow us to deal with a local cycle shopnin ballina. Marrey cycles in ballinrobe and garys cycles in sligo. Seen a trek 1 series.v1.2 advertised in sligo shop for 680. Mate has one and i took for a spin. Nice bike.

    Just after getting my first road bike 2 months ago through the b2w. Advice I got from a friend was similar to what people are saying here. Go for the best spec you can stretch to. Light frame carbon forks and a good group set. Ended up buying an ORRO(fairly new to the Irish market) from Marrey Cycles in Ballinrobe and couldn't recommend them enough.

    Have been out every weekend since i got it and don't regret a thing. Planning on doing some big rides already like the tour de corrib next year.


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    #23
    Trekker09
    Registered Users Posts: 1,615 ✭✭✭Trekker09


    I'd check some of the online reviews as well. Cannondale frequently score well and their CAAD12 was bike of the year in one magazine. I also think that you can get Canyon on the BTW scheme. Unbeatable value and again, great reviews etc.

    Once you get the bug (and you will), you can upgrade components, wheels, finishing kit etc, my advice would be get as good a frame as possible.


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