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Thread: Advice on a new road bike ( push bike not motorbike!! ) Any road cyclists here?

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    Regular Member RSV_Ecosse's Avatar
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    Default Advice on a new road bike ( push bike not motorbike!! ) Any road cyclists here?

    Hi,

    Looking for advice on a new road bike.

    Our Fire & Rescue Service has just introduced the "Cycle To Work Scheme" and I'm going to take advantage of it.

    I used to cycle to my work about 10 years ago, was a round trip of about 22miles. Really enjoyed it and thought that it would grabbing a road bike under the scheme might be both useful and also a bit of a break from my usual gym training which consists of Concept II rowing and mild weights.

    So I'm looking for some advice on buying a roadbike.

    To some, for myself as a "newbie" to road bikes, the choices of bike I have been looking at may appear to be a bit "over the top" but I'm thinking that since it's through the scheme, why not push the boat out somewhat and go for something a bit more expensive?.

    Mate who is also a firefighter, has just got one of these through the scheme:-

    http://www.awcycles.co.uk/brands/Bia...903/index.aspx

    Good choice?. He's a bit of a mountain bike freak and owns a Titus, but this is his first foray into road biking. He says the Bianchi is a cracking bit of kit and loves it to bits.

    Thoughts?.

    Had a look at some of the Trek Madone stuff through a couple of catalogues that a local dealer had sent to the fire station after we enquired, but it seems a bit expensive.

    This is going to probably be a daft question, but again, as a "newbie", what is the difference between a "Performance Road" bike and a "Time Trial/Triathlon" bike?.

    I'm looking to spend ( through the Cycle to Work Scheme and the financial assistance they provide via it ) , approx £1k.

    Thanks.

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    Regular Member In a states's Avatar
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    You live in one of the best places in the world to ride a mountain bike and you want a road bike?

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    Regular Member Cymrogwyllt's Avatar
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    Living in a hilly area I bought a decent (£600 ish over 10 years ago) mountain bike to get the low gears for the hills, fitted road tyres and changed the large chainwheel for a larger chainwheel which allowed the flat road speed of a racing bike. Weighed very little, could cope with very steep hills but still had a good turn of speed on the flat.

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    Regular Member RSV_Ecosse's Avatar
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    Cheers guys, but not interested in MTB's.

    I've had a go a few times before ( with mate mentioned above ) and didn't like it.

    I'm primarily going to use this to commute to work on, so a road bike would be a better option for me.

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    Ex Vec-C Admin / Founder Duncan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RSV_Ecosse View Post
    This is going to probably be a daft question, but again, as a "newbie", what is the difference between a "Performance Road" bike and a "Time Trial/Triathlon" bike?.
    Basically the geometry of the frame will be different, wheels different and things like time-trial bars fitted.
    Quote Originally Posted by RSV_Ecosse View Post
    I'm looking to spend ( through the Cycle to Work Scheme and the financial assistance they provide via it ) , approx £1k.
    If
    Quote Originally Posted by RSV_Ecosse View Post
    I'm primarily going to use this to commute to work on, so a road bike would be a better option for me.
    If that's all your using it for is it really worth spending that much (even when it's subsidised)? You could get a bike for almost half that and still have a nice bike more than up to the task. Have a look at some of the stuff in the Trek range. I'm a bit out of touch with specific models etc. to suggest any, but I'm sure they'd have something to fit the bill. My current road bike was one custom hand-built a number of years ago, and still going strong, so I'm not to up to date with the off the shelf options.

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    have a look at the forums on bikeradar.com, loads of advice on there and they are pretty good for answering questions mate

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    Regular Member RSV_Ecosse's Avatar
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    Cheers, tekkie and Duncan.

    I've got a little spare cash sat here I had earmarked for a new roadbike and as well as that, just got paid for a website design and there was a bit extra on top of it too, which is nice.

    The good thing about the Cycle to work scheme is that payments come off at "source" so its hardly noticeable in your pay packet.

    As I said, figured that I might as well splash out a bit more than I intended, in order to get something I would be happy with for longer than a slightly less expensive ride. Think a £1k budget gives me more scope for that "WOW" factor.

    Might sound a bit "vain" but when I saw my m8's new Bianchi for the first time a few weeks ago, I was seriously impressed with the thing.

    Probably a "big boys and their toys" attitude.....but hey!!!!.....lol.

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    Regular Member Ozz's Avatar
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    Have a look at http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-GB/bikes/road/

    I have a Giant TCR2 from a few years ago. Damn fine bikes & original innnovators of the low V design.

    Can't go wrong with a Giant.

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    Regular Member Ridgerider's Avatar
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    I also have a Giant, and older aluminium framed OCR model, and am commuting 37 miles a day on it at the moment.

    You don't want anything too exotic as the first pot hole you hit will probably break the super lightweight wheels you just splashed out on. Carbon frames are supposed to soak up road vibration, but you probably won't find one of those that you can fit mudguards to...I've also just invested in some bombproof tyres as I am not interested in mending punctures on my commute.

    Depending on your local road conditions, I can see your mates Bianchi suffering rapid depreciation if it gets used as a commute bike...

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    Regular Member RSV_Ecosse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ridgerider View Post

    Depending on your local road conditions, I can see your mates Bianchi suffering rapid depreciation if it gets used as a commute bike...
    Could you clarify that a little more m8?.

    I'm new to road biking, but I don't understand that.

    I might be naive on this, but I equate spending that sort of cash on a bike to use for pleasure and commuting in the same way that I view motorcycles.

    I run a "reasonably exotic" motorbike, an Aprilia RSV Mille. It get's dusted down and unwrapped for an enjoyable run at the weekends when I have the time but mainly get's used for me commuting to work through the week.

    Another guy I know commutes on a Ducati 999R with @35k miles on it.

    My Aprilia is of well under average miles, but his Duc is seriously over annual road miles for a bike of that age.

    Is that what you are getting at?. Mile's put in and the wear and tear on a Bianchi being relative to this?.

    Ta.

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