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Original poster

What kind of bike..?

14 replies

DottyDot · 16/05/2012 16:14

Hi - before I venture into a bike shop gulp I'd love some thoughts on what kind of bike I might possibly be looking for.

I'm a fairly newbie cyclist, unfit, overweight but have lost a fair amount of weight and have started cycling into work. So I'm cycling 10 miles a day on the road + cycle paths and this is probably all I'll do - i.e. I'm not going to be going out at weekends cycling up hills... Hmm. I like going fast - I'm averaging about 9mph (I know this isn't very fast!) on my commute so far and hope to get faster..!

The bike I've got at the moment is very old and feels very 'bumpy' - but not sure whether this means I want something with better suspension? It's got 18 gears but only works in 2nd gear on the left hand side, so essentially I'm using 6 gears which is fine for me.

Any help and advice much appreciated before I go and make a fool of myself in a bike shop Grin

OP posts:
ragged · 16/05/2012 18:35

Suspension is heavy, you do not want it unless you are going along very rough off-road paths (lots of rocks on them).
Sounds like you would be over the moon if you could get a decent hybrid.
What is your budget?
Do you currently ride a mountain bike with aggressive positioning (leaning well forward) or quite a sit-up-and-bet style, or what?

Original poster
DottyDot · 16/05/2012 19:10

Hi and thanks! My budget is uncertain... I could use the cycle to work scheme, in which case it's about £350 which I know isn't much for a good bike. Or eBay if I know what I want and can buy something second hand and therefore cheaper!

I've currently got a sit up-type bike which I like - not drop handlebars but straight across ones (I'm sure there's a technical term...). I've got a basket at the front but could be talked into having a pannier..!

OP posts:
ragged · 16/05/2012 19:13

Flat bars is the techie term :).
Basket is fine, sometimes.
How tall are you?

Original poster
DottyDot · 16/05/2012 19:18

5'7"- ish. Used to be 5'8" but I think I'm shrinking...

OP posts:
Takver · 16/05/2012 20:35

Sounds daft, but was your bike good in the past? Might it just need a really good service and sort out ?

Personally I would always go for panniers over a basket, you can fit so much more in them and I don't like the way a basket changes the balance on a bike.

Original poster
DottyDot · 16/05/2012 20:40

to be honest I'm not really sure. I'm very inexperienced and my bike is actually my MIL's that she gave me a few years ago. I only know that it feels quite hard work to ride and when I borrowed a friend's Giant bike on holiday a couple of years ago I couldn't believe how much easier it was to cycle!

I was gobsmacked at the difference, but it's only in the last month that I've started to cycle to work, so am starting to think about if I'm going to cycle 10 miles a day, it's probably worth getting a better bike.

OP posts:
Takver · 16/05/2012 21:17

Hmm, it probably is worth getting a new bike then.

Though if you have a good bike shop you could perhaps take it in and get them to have a look at it, they'll be able to tell you whether it is an old bike in need of sorting out, or a rubbish bike in need of replacing!

FredFredGeorge · 16/05/2012 23:12

If the 6 middle gears of a triple 18 is good enough for you, then I'm guess you ride pretty flat area? Weight of bike doesn't make a huge difference, good tyres, well maintained drivetrain will. It could be that servicing your bike to the tune of 100 quids worth of parts will do a lot to make it go faster. The labour will be more expensive on top of that, but it's quite likely there's a free service near you that will help out with that, or at least let you know what's feasible. Where I am there's Dr Bike for example as well as Eco-op which can help you, and I believe similar things are run lots of other places.

For a lot of people, simply pumping up the tyres can make a lot of difference, it really depends where you are with your current bike. 350 quid budget does not get you a wonderful bike, it may not be better than the one you have. Does it say anything more on the bike so we might identify it?

BikeRunSki · 17/05/2012 07:54

If you want/need a new bike, then I agree that it sounds like a hybrid would suit your needs.

Firstly, go to an independent, local bike shop. This is where people who love and know cycling work. The chains (Evans, Halfords ) tend to be staffed by sales people who may be able to wield a hammer. Decathlon tend to be ok, and their own brand bikes always come out well in tests.

Then you need to try out a few bikes. Your height is a guide to frame size, but not definitive. Depends on how much of you is "leg" and how much is " back". I am the same height as you, but ride a smaller frame than would be expected. You want the smallest frame size that suits you, as it'll be lighter. Also, different manufacturers measure frame size from slightly different points.

I reckon for your budget you will be able to get some perfectly ok for your needs. You may even be able to get something from a Women's Specific range.Women generally have shorter arms and legs for their height, smaller hands and feet and lower centre of gravity than men, so some of the big bike manufacturers (Trek, Specialized, Scott...) do a range to suit this.
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But - an independent bike shop will be able to advise and adjust an off the peg bike to fit better. Don't be put off by the Lycra! Cyclists and bike shop.owners are a friendly bunch and love converting non cyclists!

Where in the country are you?

ragged · 17/05/2012 10:37

I've got the same shrinking problem!! Wink

Someone else on MN getting a bike thru Bike2Work scheme said they were constrained to having to buy on Evans site, this is the sort of thing you want. For that price you'd have enough left over to get pannier rack, cheap pannier bags (Argos) + mudguards (don't think they're included). You WILL want mudguards.

My hybrid is a Marin, quite like this one.

BikeRunSki · 17/05/2012 13:03

Bike2Work scheme not as good as it used to be, as you either get taxed on the value of the bike, or you have to treat the money as a loan or something but it used to be that you ended up getting a new boke for about 60% of the cost, and now it is nearer 90%. Better off looking for something in "last years" colours.

BikeRunSki · 17/05/2012 13:08

This is the kind of thing you want, and only £20 over budget RRP but please go to an independent shop. The service and aftercare will be so much better!

Takver · 17/05/2012 18:16

The other thing you might consider if you decide you need a new bike is second hand options. A friend bought a very nice to ride Dawes hybrid for about £150 (maybe less even, can't remember exactly) second hand from our local bike shop not so long ago.

Again a good independent shop would be the place to look.

BikeRunSki · 17/05/2012 18:21

If you are near anywhere that hires bikes, try there too. They often sell off their old fleet and the bikes are well looked after.

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