Thoughts on a new bike?

Cabaal

Been looking to get myself a new bike (hybrid) to replace my mountain bike for the last few months, came across the Trek 7.1 FX (http://www.trekbike.co.uk/2007/bikes.php?sec=overview&MainCatID=3&SubCatID=9&RangeID=15&ID=259) in a local cycle shop for 425e...curious does anyone have any thoughts on it?

Johnny Jukebox

Its entry level, but will be fine for short, flat commutes. Anything else, and the strain will start to show...

wahlrab

i have one and for the past few months its been running perfectly, i've been mainly using it for commutes as mentioned above but my commute is uphill and its a good bike also sometimes for fitness i'll go around howth and its good on hills flats etc. i do see it as my first bike to more if ya know what i mean, ie i want to get better ones in the future.

its a fast bike though and good in the city centre

what were you going to use it for?

Drapper

Hybrid v Cruiser ! which is the best for fitness and maybe duathlon?

I'm in the same boat as you Cabaal, have a Kona MB and its fantastic but a bit sluggish around town

Cabaal

wahlrab wrote:

what were you going to use it for?

Commutes mainly to be honest, I'd like to be able to pick up more speed and the mountain bike I have at present...while it can manage hotholes very well its not much good for picking up speeds

Though I've recently started doing long trips 25km+ from time to time for the exercise and I think the hybrid would be better suited for this also

wahlrab

ive had no problems with potholes and it can handle the bumps of dublins crappy roads very well

daymobrew

Drapper wrote:

Hybrid v Cruiser ! which is the best for fitness and maybe duathlon?

I'm in the same boat as you Cabaal, have a Kona MB and its fantastic but a bit sluggish around town

If you haven't already, change your tyres to narrow slicks and you'll go a lot faster. I did a few of the Phoenix Park duathlons on my mtn bike (and did okay) before investing in a road bike.

Drapper

daymobrew wrote:

If you haven't already, change your tyres to narrow slicks and you'll go a lot faster. I did a few of the Phoenix Park duathlons on my mtn bike (and did okay) before investing in a road bike.

thanks for that bud! btw must talk to you about mtb in the Park some deadly trails down by the furry glen!

milod

daymobrew wrote:

If you haven't already, change your tyres to narrow slicks and you'll go a lot faster. I did a few of the Phoenix Park duathlons on my mtn bike (and did okay) before investing in a road bike.

Yeah, skinnier tyres at higher pressure are the cheapest and easiest way to increase the speed. I have a Ridgeback Speed as my backup bike - the tyres are Specialized Armadillo Nimbus available in 26/700 32/38c, treaded for road use, and when they're pumped up to 80psi, you can really pick up decent speeds...

galway008

Can you tell me what shop is selling this Trek ? Thanks

Cabaal

galway008 wrote:

Can you tell me what shop is selling this Trek ? Thanks

Cyclesuperstore have it (http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=32&idproduct=8635) but I'm going to buy it in Altitude on Ballybricken in Waterford for 5e more then cyclesuperstore

Morgan

If you tell them you saw it for a fiver cheaper they might do you a special deal...;)

daymobrew

Cabaal wrote:

Cyclesuperstore have it (http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=32&idproduct=8635) but I'm going to buy it in Altitude on Ballybricken in Waterford for 5e more then cyclesuperstore

You'd get it for e399 from Cycle SuperStore if you sign up for their free loyalty card.

Cabaal

daymobrew wrote:

You'd get it for e399 from Cycle SuperStore if you sign up for their free loyalty card.

This is true, however if I buy it in Waterford its generally easier to get a deal (free stuff along with it etc) and if there's any issues its much easier bring it back

Plus it saves me the hassle of building it myself

Drapper

Morgan wrote:

If you tell them you saw it for a fiver cheaper they might do you a special deal...;)

yup the lads are sound! and always will to give a good discount!

ruprect

Drapper wrote:

yup the lads are sound! and always will to give a good discount!

They can afford to!, them and most other irish bike shops I checked seem to be at least 10% over the UK RRP. Maybe its exchange rates at the moment or something, but I ordered my bike from the UK and reckoned I saved about €180 even taking into about delivery (bike cost €475 including delivery). My mate saved €700 on a high end frame.

Sure, a local shop will be better if something goes wrong (in the first year), but I can use the €180 to buy some decent accessories, rather than the €15 bundle a shop will throw in. Remember the accessories in the shops here are disgracefully overpriced so the €60 of stuff you got cost the shop €10

blorg

That certainly looks like a decent bike; I had a Trek 7200 and 7300 for many years and was very fond of them. Consider second-hand however as you could get a much better bike for the money (seem to remember someone selling a Trek 7500FX for around that price.)

Irish bike shops are indeed substantially more expensive than the UK and it has nothing to do with currency fluctuations. Irish RRP is more, often by up to 20%.

DadaKopf

I know nothing about bikes but want to get one to get around dublin.

I could get one new, max spend 300ish. Or get an amazing second hand bike for the same or less, but I haven't a bog about them. But I think I want a fast city bike - like, a mountain bike for cities or something. What's a hybrid?

Eh, help!

blorg

A hybrid is exactly what is sounds like, a sort of cross between a mountain bike and a road bike. They range from "flat bar road bikes" such as the Specialized Sirrus which are mostly road bike components/gearing to ones closer to mountain bikes which will have predominantly MTB components and gearing and may include abominations such as front shocks. These will also tend to have thicker tyres, although not as knobbly as an MTB.

They will tend to be faster than a mountain bike on road but still have the comfortable upright riding position and generally a somewhat smoother ride than a road bike.

All have flat bars (MTB) and 700c wheels (road bike.)

From your description it certainly sounds like a hybrid would be perfect for you, DadaKopf. Personally I have the same opinions of mountain bikes on the road as SUVs on the road; they are slow and impractical. Of course if you actually do off-road riding as well and only want one bike you can improve a MTB for reasonable road use, particularly hardtails.

DadaKopf

Nah, I just want it for city use. Had a mountain bike from years ago, but with city tyres (weird). Now it's all rusted. Well, the frame exists but I'd need all new components, and the frame's sort of heavy.

I also notice that people are using smaller frames than I remember but with saddles really high up. Sounds good to me.

But price-wise, I haven't a clue what or where to buy so advice before I go into a shop or answer a second-hand ad would be great.

What about buying second-hand?

blorg

Drapper wrote:

Hybrid v Cruiser ! which is the best for fitness and maybe duathlon?

I'm in the same boat as you Cabaal, have a Kona MB and its fantastic but a bit sluggish around town

Hybrid, unquestionably, flat-bar road bike would be best. Cruisers are built for comfort over speed and have a very upright riding position, fatter tyres, lower gearing, etc.

blorg

DadaKopf wrote:

Nah, I just want it for city use. Had a mountain bike from years ago, but with city tyres (weird). Now it's all rusted. Well, the frame exists but I'd need all new components, and the frame's sort of heavy.

I also notice that people are using smaller frames than I remember but with saddles really high up. Sounds good to me.

But price-wise, I haven't a clue what or where to buy so advice before I go into a shop or answer a second-hand ad would be great.

What about buying second-hand?

You would probably spend more fixing it up that it is worth allright, probably cheaper just to get a new/second hand one. The smaller frame/high saddle thing are probably compact geometry frames which are recently increasingly popular (sloped rather than straight top tube.) For second hand, look on Buy and Sell and adverts.ie. Feel free to post with questions on any bike you might be interested in.

DadaKopf

I like this one at the moment, but am still way open to suggestions. The Trek 7.1 FX. Checked it out and got good personal opinions from friends.

Morgan

Wow, deja vu . That bike would be ideal for commuting. You'd just need to add full-length mudguards (not those plastic clip-on ones) and a good carrier.

blorg

As I mentioned on that other thread, I had a Trek 7200 FX and 7300 FX for several years and they were great bikes, perfect for commuting. Contrary to Morgan, though, I have plastic clip-ons on both my current bikes (had full length unremovable ones before) and I find them absolutely fine, no mud gets up onto me or the rack. The ones I have are close to the wheel though, not those ones that are some distance.

Other additions I would suggest on that bike would be a rack (far more comfortable than carrying stuff on your back) and bar-ends, although they are slightly annoying if you have an adjustable stem.

Cabaal

Morgan wrote:

Wow, deja vu . That bike would be ideal for commuting. You'd just need to add full-length mudguards (not those plastic clip-on ones) and a good carrier.

hehe indeed, from looking at the bike in the shop it looks ideal

DadaKopf

I also had a look at a Giant CRS 3



I was given a price of €309 or something. I'm still interested in the Trek 7.1 FX, and the shop dude said he'd give it to me for €390 (down from €420) and take half price off mud-guards. I couldn't whittle him down further. Maybe I can get him to go half-price on a lock and replacing the quick-release.

He said the Giant is much better value-for-money, but after trying them out, I wasn't fond of the length of the Giant handlebars, and apparently, it's well-built, but not quite so good as the Trek.

Thoughts anyone. May by buying the Trek tomorrow.

Trojan

If you're looking at hybrids, check out Ridgeback, have a look for "Ridgeback Velocity", I have bought a couple for friends recently, great bikes.

blorg

Giant _are_ good value and they are good bikes. Trek are also good bikes (I have owned five, both hybrids and road) but I do think they are overpriced for what you get (I currently have a Specialized and a Dawes.)

I would be leaning towards the Giant if I were you, it's the better spec bike even if it wasn't €80 cheaper (24 vs 21 speed and faster cassette, other than that most of the components are very similar.) What do you mean by you don't like the length of the handlebars - too wide/narrow, or too far away/close?

Of course most important you need to get something that fits you and that you are comfortable riding. You will know best by taking them out yourself, so feel free to disregard my opinion (and I haven't personally ridden a Giant, I am just going on what I have heard and the spec.)

DadaKopf

Any other two cents lying out there? Thanks for the comments, blorg.

Also, any recommendations on a lock? I have an Oxford lock, a flexible, metal-encased one, but I lost the keys

Trojan

Get 2 locks, 1 u-lock and 1 either chain or (decent) cable. Spend at least 15% of the price of your bike on your locks.

I like motorbike locks

Cabaal

Trojan wrote:

I like motorbike locks

While their good and all, they'd properly weigh more then the bike

enda1

I's look into getting a dawes. They are great bikes and I think you get more for your money. I got a discovery 501 in the summer of 2003. Cycled in adn out of college every day in first year. Realised i was lazy and bussed it the next two years but now i have been using it to get to work every day. I have never had a problem with it other than the odd puncture. No buckled wheels or any of that I used to get with my mountain bike before it.

Whatever ye do. Make sure you dont get a steel bike.Get an aluminium alloy. They wont rust on you and they weigh considerably less.

The Dawes i have is a Discovery 501. The read black and white one. I fairly zipps along. Deadly bike!!

Ghost Rider

I recommend bar ends. They provide useful leverage when you're starting up from a stop position (i.e. every two minutes).

I also use a bell. It's a little one you flick with your thumb so it's not very loud, but it does serve to shift wayward pedestrians (in most cases).

Always use two locks on your bike. I don't believe there is a lock that is unbreakable, but having two seems to be a real deterrent. Put it this way: if you're a thief and you're looking at two bikes, you're a lot more likely to go for the one with only a single lock (especially if you're strung out and desperately need to score within the next five minutes).

I use a Kryptonite u-lock (not one of the ones with the tubular keys as they can be picked just by looking at them) and a fairly thick Kryptonite cable lock.

As for mudguards, they're essential if you want to avoid a wet arse in Winter. The problem is that most of the models for sale separately can be removed from your bike in about a second. I use one of those stubby mountain biking mud-flaps that attach onto your seat post and sit high in the air over your rear wheel. It's not long enough to work properly, though, so I cut a bit out of a 1.5L 7-UP bottle and stuck it to the end with duct tape. It looks truly **** but it works well.

daymobrew

Ghost Rider wrote:

As for mudguards, they're essential if you want to avoid a wet arse in Winter.
...
It's not long enough to work properly, though, so I cut a bit out of a 1.5L 7-UP bottle and stuck it to the end with duct tape. It looks truly **** but it works well.

I can 'beat' those mudguards - I bought a front door mat and cut it up and bolted it to my not-quite-long-enough mudguards. My rear mudguard droops quite a bit under the weight. I really like your idea.

Cabaal

I see you have a quick release on your front wheel, surely thats a bad idea if you lock your bike outside?

daymobrew

Cabaal wrote:

I see you have a quick release on your front wheel, surely thats a bad idea if you lock your bike outside?

The photo was taken at home this morning (shed door in background). At work I use a u-lock to secure back wheel and frame to bike rack. A thick Oxford Revolver cable lock for front wheel to frame.
I feel comfortable parking in the shelter at East Point Business Park. At other locations I keep my time away from the bike extremely short.