Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
14-08-2007, 13:37
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#1
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Cable Forum Team
Join Date: Mar 2004
Age: 25
Posts: 16,847
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Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
I am looking to buy a bike, I am pretty sure I want a standard mountain Bike. I.E hardtail/rigid. I do not want suspension or anything like that. Unless you think its worthwhile?
Other than that I have no idea what makes a good bike and what I should be on the look out for? Does anyone have any advice on looking for bikes?
Cheers
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14-08-2007, 13:40
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#2
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cf.mega poser
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 14,716
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Get a cheap one, or it'll get nicked. Sorry to be so negative, but it's the truth.
Oh, and invest in a decent lock.
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14-08-2007, 13:43
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#3
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Free to good home
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Middlesbrough
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Damien
I am looking to buy a bike, I am pretty sure I want a standard mountain Bike. I.E hardtail/rigid. I do not want suspension or anything like that. Unless you think its worthwhile?
Other than that I have no idea what makes a good bike and what I should be on the look out for? Does anyone have any advice on looking for bikes?
Cheers 
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Depends on
a) Budget
b) What type of riding are you looking at doing ? gravel/occasional off road use , light cross country or heavy cross country ?
Full suspension bikes are rubbsih until you get to the thousand pound or so mark. (also very tiring to ride on tarmac/gravel unless you can lock off the rear suspension)
Front suspension is well worth having if you are going for say light XC usage.
Pay more attention to the quality of the components.
Disc brakes are an absoloute waste of money on anything under £500
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14-08-2007, 13:45
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#4
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cf.mega poser
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees
Disc brakes are an absoloute waste of money on anything under £500
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Why? I love the disc brakes on my £300 bike...
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14-08-2007, 13:48
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#5
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Free to good home
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by danielf
Why? I love the disc brakes on my £300 bike...
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Because for the money you are spending on disc brakes, you can get decent v brakes and have much better components on the bike
(only my opinion of course)
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14-08-2007, 13:48
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#6
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Keep smiling! ♥
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by danielf
Why? I love the disc brakes on my £300 bike...
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Gonna say the same about my old £200 bike, but it's just the quality of them i guess.
As for the comment about buying a cheap one, it'll get nicked otherwise is definitely speaking the truth, either that or take 2 decent chains with you and secure both wheels to an inanimate object as well as the bikes frame.
Halfords do cheap bikes, like the Carrera Vulcan for example, decent sturdy bike, hardtail last time i checked, medium quality components.
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14-08-2007, 13:52
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#7
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cf.mega poser
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 14,716
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees
Because for the money you are spending on disc brakes, you can get decent v brakes and have much better components on the bike
(only my opinion of course)
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My bike was £250 with v-brakes and £300 with disc brakes. Not that big a difference in price imo, and the discs are deffo worth it (particularly when it's raining).
---------- Post added at 13:52 ---------- Previous post was at 13:51 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Druchii
As for the comment about buying a cheap one, it'll get nicked otherwise is definitely speaking the truth, either that or take 2 decent chains with you and secure both wheels to an inanimate object as well as the bikes frame.
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Good point about the wheels. Most decent bikes have 'quick release wheels'. If you don't lock your wheels you may find them missing after 3 minutes inside Tesco's.
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14-08-2007, 13:54
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#8
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Free to good home
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by danielf
My bike was £250 with v-brakes and £300 with disc brakes. Not that big a difference in price imo, and the discs are deffo worth it (particularly when it's raining).
---------- Post added at 13:52 ---------- Previous post was at 13:51 ----------
Good point about the wheels. Most decent bikes have 'quick release wheels'. If you don't lock your wheels you may find them missing after 3 minutes inside Tesco's.
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Are they Hydraulic disc brakes ? just out of interest ?
Extra fifty quid ?? Thats another XBOX 360 game !!!!!
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14-08-2007, 13:56
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#9
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Cable Forum Team
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
It will town/city riding along with some mild grass/mud riding. It will be used to get around town and also to go back and forth to Uni. My University is atop a big hill so it will be climbing and descending a lot.
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14-08-2007, 13:57
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#10
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Keep smiling! ♥
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Damien
It will town/city riding along with some mild grass/mud riding. It will be used to get around town and also to go back and forth to Uni. My University is atop a big hill so it will be climbing and descending a lot.
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Definitely go hardtail with front suspension then. Make sure it has decent brakes though
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14-08-2007, 13:59
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#11
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cf.mega poser
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 14,716
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees
Are they Hydraulic disc brakes ? just out of interest ?
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Nope, cabled.
Quote:
Extra fifty quid ?? Thats another XBOX 360 game !!!!!
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Now there's a waste of money  Honestly, it was £50 well spent imo.
Damien: What's you budget? Also, have a look at http://www.cycleguard.com.
www.evanscycles.com is a good place for bikes/bits.
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14-08-2007, 14:09
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#12
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The Terminator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Warrington ntl:81304 Altitude: 12m (and falling)
Posts: 4,495
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Mrs A has some Avid cable-operated disc brakes on her Orbit expedition tourer. I am most impressed with them. Superb stopping power with just a little effort. However, getting the wheels back on can be troublesome. The disc doesn't always want to go back between the little shims inside the caliper.
I have hub brakes on my tourer. Nothing like the stopping power but, come rain or shine, they always work the same.
Having brakes NOT on the rim is definately an advantage when it comes to fixing a puncture. Rims brakes will always grind up the aluminium rim into a thin black paste that gets over everything.
Sadly, Orbit have finished. They made some very well built bikes - in the UK!
http://www.orbit-cycles.co.uk/
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14-08-2007, 14:49
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#13
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Cable Forum Team
Join Date: Mar 2004
Age: 25
Posts: 16,847
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by danielf
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I am unsure on the budget, I would say £200 but am willing to go above it if I find good cause.
---------- Post added at 14:49 ---------- Previous post was at 14:43 ----------
So decent brakes I should look at for, will a cycle shop know about different types and install them for me? or do they come with certain types of bike? What are the 'good' brakes called? I always had a problem with brakes, but I used to have cheap bikes so thats that.
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14-08-2007, 14:50
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#14
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cf.mega poser
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Damien
I am unsure on the budget, I would say £200 but am willing to go above it if I find good cause.
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Bear in mind that you will need accessoriers as well. You will need lights, mudguards, a lock plus chain/coil, and probably a helmet as well. These alone can easily set you back £100.
Disc brakes are good, but pricy. Particularly on a £200 bike.
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14-08-2007, 15:00
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#15
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Free to good home
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Re: Buying a Bike, Suggestions?
There is a decent Muddy Fox at www.motor-world.co.uk for two hundred notes
There is also a one with front and rear pro-max disc brakes as well (not muddy fox)
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