During my current gardening leave, I've been walking the dog more and trying to get a little fitter through exercise. I fancy buying a used cycle/bike for use on the road, but not an out and out racing bike as I'd like to cycle as comfortably as possible (the Ducati has put me off anything which strains yer wrists - ahem). Plus, there are lots of steep hills here in West Yorks. I don't want the Tesco Chinese cheapie nor do I want the "ultimate Stan Boardman" full of carbon, and my budget is probably slightly more that ten packets of Wotsits . - There is always the chance that I'll use it once, then dump it in the shed with the first wife, so I've got to be reasonable. What do you think?
Get a mountain bike with full suspension - a lot of the energy is wasted in the bouncy suspension and fatter tyres so it will get you fitter mile for mile - and it will be comfy too!
Or e-bay. Cheap bikes are a waste of money, but you you don't have to spend a fortune to get a good one. For comfort get a flat bar model with bar ends and a triple chainset for those hills. Do not get suspension unless you want to go series off road.
I disagree, suspension on the road just makes for wobbly handling unless you spend a fortune. Cheap suspension bikes are crap. If you want to get fit pedal harder for longer (it is a bit more scientific than that though).
If you fancy a day out and the opportunity to test several types can I suggest a trip to the bike shop at Rutland Water. They and their other branch at Grafham Water hire out bikes to take around the reservoirs so a 9 mile or 25 mile trial. They usually have a good selection of hybrids, mountain bikes and 29ers etc to test and plenty of road bikes but you only get a short test round the car park on those. At this time of year they may well be clearing some 2014 models to make way for next years new improved (different colour) models so you could get a bargain too. Maybe a bit of a trek from Yorkshire but take a picnic and have a good day out.
you really have to give us your budget mate,, a good second hand road or mtb will run you aprox 700£, but if you know your bikes, or have a friend who does , you could be lucky for 300 / 500... trek, specialized , giant, gary fisher, kona, scott are all good road brands,, as are tops Santa Cruz , turner, scott , mtb s,, some make both,, do not buy cheap Carrera, Boardman etc halfrauds for same price, also do not get cable discs , nor hydrids, nor blind on ebay.. ps,, I have , garry fisher sugar 3,, kona coilair, santa cruz nomad...
What did he just say? They are all Push Rods, or as my Czech wife used to call them - Push Fish, I know not why! :Happy:
Ebay for a vintage kona, (93-97) aa, kilauea, mini mula, etc, light and built right. Specialised Stumpjumpers are a great bike too. Forget full bouncers, hardtails are the way forward, £200-300 is all you need to spend to get a quality bike
Pinkbike is a good site, cuts out a few of the dodgy sales on eBay. Hardtail or cyclocross will see you right. If you're never going further off road than a towpath then you don't need suspenders at all. Size matters. Too small, saddle too low - it won't be much fun at all. EVERYTHING you ever needed to know about bikes has been conveniently written down here: Sheldon Brown-Bicycle Technical Information
Don't listen to all the 'semi professional' know it all cyclists with their funny lycra and their head up their arse and this bikes better than that, you need to listen to someone who did what your going to do. I bought my full suspension mountain bike years ago, used it 10 times then put it in the shed. Got it out again this year and used it 3 times. It's fab, a bit bouncy, but as I said before, the wider tyres and energy going into the suspension will use more energy on the road, that's why they are shit as road bikes (this is something called science) - also it will be a comfy ride. Cyclists, twats - don't become one and don't listen to them, follow my advice and enjoy the occasional ride, twats... (no offense lycra chums, only playing) :smile: Oh shit my fingers over the post reply button :Wideyed: stop it...
bikcycles are like most things,, buy a good one , enjoy it and you will continue to use and learn,, buy a rubbish one and you will not enjoy and end up not using it
Cheers for all the advice (I'm a novice with a capital "N"). My budget was hopefully 2-3 hundred quid for a used serviceable machine but maybe I've underbudgetted.
better off getting one of these if your going for the fitness side RECUMBENT MAGNETIC EXERCISE BIKE CYCLE - SEATED CARDIO FITNESS WORKOUT MACHINE | eBay extra advantage is you wont get mown down by a bus,you can cycle plus have a coffee in one hand and a bacon sandwich in tother while watching telly. loads of other advantages as well,wont get wet,dont have to wear the gay lycra n silly hat,nobody gets to laugh at the sweaty fat bastard stuck having a coronary halfway up that hill. spect others can come up with a few..:Hilarious: i got one,works a treat and at my age main advantage for me is i dont get lost..:Bag:
