cycling

[JoeBloggs]

Do we have any keen cyclists on here?

 

I am looking to start.... Ideally I would like a bike to do some off road stuff, but also suitable for on road / canal towpath. I would do roughly 50/60 miles on road I guess in a big day. But also do some mountain bike trails with a friend.

 

Would something like this be suitable?

 

Carrera Vengeance Mens Mountain Bik...

 

budget for the bike alone would be about £300.

 

Any suggestions welcome!

[jmak]

There is a fair number of regular cyclists in here, but I'll get you started.

 

Carrera bikes have improved quite a bit from their origins, but Halfords isn't where I'd start if you don't know your bikes. If you read any cycling forums, you'll quickly come across the acronym LBS, which is local bike shop. It doesn't have to be a small independent, but a specialist bike shop gives you a decent chance of being advised by someone who is a cyclist themselves.

 

My initial reaction is that you're asking a lot of a bike; 60 miles on the road will feel like a long way on a mountain bike, however much you spend. However, it is at least capable of it, whereas a road bike would limit you to.... roads.

 

In terms of spec, look for deals on last year's models. If you could find something with hydraulic disc brakes it'd be a significant upgrade on the cable discs on that bike. It's also worth trying the two main types of gear shifters (rapid fire or twist grip). Personally I wouldn't buy a bike with twist grip shifters, but plenty of people swear by them. You should also try a range of brands - most tend to have a "signature shape". Some will have you sitting very upright and others leaning forward more. A bike shop should help you to get comfortable on whatever you end up buying.

 

Also, don't forget to budget for a helmet and lock. If you're riding 50+ miles, you might want to think about padded shorts too!

[steve]

I see you're a fellow Leeds local. I got my bike from https://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ they are down Chapel Allerton. Nice and friendly shop, lots of options. You'll be able to take bikes out for a test ride, see if they fit you. Not always the cheapest though.

 

If you're going up and down the canal path like I do most weeks, have a look at a hybrid. I've had one now for nearly 2 years and its good for slight rough and can handle a good bit of road. A bit of a jack of all trades but not something you'd do a downhill race on or a TdY stage on.

 

See if your work place has the cycle to work scheme set up - you can get the bike paid from your wages monthly before tax, so it saves you a decent amount if you can get it.

[unixman_again]

My initial reaction is that you're asking a lot of a bike; 60 miles on the road will feel like a long way on a mountain bike, however much you spend. However, it is at least capable of it, whereas a road bike would limit you to.... roads.

 

You can ride a road bike on tow paths with no real problem. I take my Brommie on them regularly and while it might not be the best bike for it but it does the job. Obviously it would be better on a bike with bigger wheels - I've ridden it a lot in Edinburgh and the cobbles are a good test for your fillings! 70 miles are the most that I've done on it - a nice days ride. It's the only bike I've got.

 

Invest in a good saddle. I have a Brooks; they are uncomfortable until broken in but one it has molded to your bum, it's brilliant.

[Dos_Box]

Ideally you'd need a road/hybrid bike for road use.

If you try and commute or use a mountain bike for leisure on the road you'll find yourself pedaling twice as fast and going half as slow as a road/hybrid bike.

Of course you could always make your own if cost is an issue.

My old hybrid (15 years old) had a complete overhaul thanks to by brother last year. Everything but the frame was swapped out for modern lightweight components and it felt like a totally different bike

It cost about £200 but was far cheaper than buying a new bike of the same specs.

You can also pick up bikes from Specialized on EBay for not a lot of outlay and then these can be overhauled for a reasonable sum.

And has been said already, try and avoid Halfords.

[enjay]

To be honest, I think you'll struggle to find a bike which is good for the trails and also 60 miles on the road.

 

60 miles on a mountain or even hybrid bike would be hard work - they're heavier, geared differently and the bigger tyres have a much bigger contact on the road therefore much more resistance. I've got a hybrid and a road bike - during the snow, I took the hybrid on a route I've also done on my road bike, and Strava reckons it cost me about double the calories on the hybrid.

 

When you say "off road" do you mean just the canal towpath or properly off-road in woods and mountain bike trails? If you're going properly off-road, you might want to look at something with rear suspension too. If it is just the tow path and on-road, I would look at a road bike, as you can take them on smooth-ish tracks - stick some slightly bigger tyres on it, get slime-filled inner tubes (or go airless if you fancy it).

[enjay]

DI am looking to start.... I would do roughly 50/60 miles on road I guess in a big day.

 

Admittedly, I don't know your level of fitness and what other activities you do, but starting out at 60 miles seems optimistic - that's a good 3-4 hours in the saddle

[Dos_Box]

Admittedly, I don't know your level of fitness and what other activities you do, but starting out at 60 miles seems optimistic - that's a good 3-4 hours in the saddle

 

I was thinking that, especially as a new rider your body will have to acclimatise to the saddle.

I was very annoyed at this winter due to so many 50mph wind and rain days I couldn't get out as much as I'd have liked and simply getting back into commuting of the bike left me sore.

[Norphy]

Admittedly, I don't know your level of fitness and what other activities you do, but starting out at 60 miles seems optimistic - that's a good 3-4 hours in the saddle

 

When I started cycling, five miles was enough to make me vomit in the street. Admittedly, I was (and am again) overweight and unfit but five miles was enough to begin with.

 

That said, the distances that I went ramped up pretty quickly.

[hardtailstar]

If you only have £300 to spend then id look at getting a second hand bike or upping your budget.

 

Most sub £300 bikes will need to be repaired or replaced quite often.

 

If you want a bike to ride on road and off road make sure you get lockable suspension, going up hills with suspension wastes so much energy.

 

Make sure you get a decent helmet and set of lights. The more lumens the brighter the light will be.

[enjay]

Make sure you get a decent helmet and set of lights. The more lumens the brighter the light will be.

 

Agreed 100%. I have "daylight visible" lights which I have on all the time, front and back. A lot of my riding is on winding country lanes where motorists might only have a fraction of a second to see me and react, so I want to give them every assistance I can.

[TTG_Alice]

I see you're based in Leeds. I walk past this bike shop everyday. It's on Kirkstall Road in LS5 > Woodrup Cycles

[Sulik]

I just moved with the SO further away from work so I'm unable to bike to work any more I miss it!

[enjay]

I just moved with the SO further away from work so I'm unable to bike to work any more I miss it!

 

I like the idea of cycling home from work, but I'm less keen on cycling to work.

[Sulik]

I like the idea of cycling home from work, but I'm less keen on cycling to work.

 

Wake up, grab bag of work clothes, bike to nearby gym, shower, change, walk to work. Really wakes you up! I miss it...

[enjay]

Wake up, grab bag of work clothes, bike to nearby gym, shower, change, walk to work. Really wakes you up! I miss it...

 

We have staff showers here, so I wouldn't even need to go via a gym, although that would have the advantage of not having to be seen all sweaty and lycra-clad! I wonder if the gym next-door would give me a "shower only" membership...

[JoeBloggs]

Admittedly, I don't know your level of fitness and what other activities you do, but starting out at 60 miles seems optimistic - that's a good 3-4 hours in the saddle

 

I am fairly fit. Run half marathons fairly easy if a steady pace! And do so quite regular.

 

I did a 100km bike ride last year on the canal with no training and borrowed a bike off a mate. (it also took a lot more than 4 hours!)

 

I want to see how I get on with cycling - I think a £300 for a test bike and if I am cycling more than running next year I'll upgrade if that makes sense. Possibly go for a specific road or mountain. Hybrid seems best fit atm!

[enjay]

I want to see how I get on with cycling - I think a £300 for a test bike and if I am cycling more than running next year I'll upgrade if that makes sense. Possibly go for a specific road or mountain. Hybrid seems best fit atm!

 

£300 would buy you a nice reasonable hybrid, then "upgrade" it by getting a road bike a bit further down the line when you are back doing the 100km+ rides.

[jmak]

We have staff showers here, so I wouldn't even need to go via a gym, although that would have the advantage of not having to be seen all sweaty and lycra-clad! I wonder if the gym next-door would give me a "shower only" membership...

 

Arriving sweaty and Lycra clad reduces the chances of being accosted in the corridor with annoying IT queries....

[tg12]

Arriving sweaty and Lycra clad reduces the chances of being accosted in the corridor with annoying IT queries....

 

I’ve got an electric bike so I don’t arrive sweaty or wear Lycra, but this is the reason why I keep my helmet on until I reach my office!

[TomHD]

Keen cycle tourist here. Having tens of thousands of miles underneath me I would recommend a touring bike as the best all round option. Koga Signatures are nice

[mikeprice]

Just wondering about security

 

I seem to remember many years ago that the Police would have stalls at fairs, shows etc where they would postcode mark your bike for you and records the details

 

do these things still happen or do you need to buy something from a bike shop and do it yourself?

[jmak]

Bike Register - The National Cycle Database

 

The police regularly set up marking events to provide cycle security advice and offer security marking and registration onto BikeRegister’s online database.

 

Registering your bike helps police and retailers identify and verify the legitimate owner of bikes that have been stolen or are being resold.[/Quote]

 

https://www.bikeregister.com/events

[mikeprice]

Bike Register - The National Cycle Database

 

 

 

https://www.bikeregister.com/events

 

Thanks - but they only seem to have events in London

which seems weird

[jmak]

Thanks - but they only seem to have events in London

which seems weird

Well... Birmingham and West Midlands too, but that's still pretty limited.

 

You can register it on the same database for free using the frame number from the website and they sell the same sticker kits for £12.99 to get the deterrence element.