Thoughts on a cheap/ reliable bicycle

km991148

Hi all,
this is prob a subject thats repeated over and over again, but I wanted to know if anyone would be willing to point out pros and cons of a particular bicycle (http://cgi.ebay.ie/RACING-BIKE-VISP-PRO5-BICYCLE-SHIMANO-ALUMINIUM-SIZE-L_W0QQitemZ130173128856QQihZ003QQcategoryZ33503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem ) for daily commuting use for a newbie. Its a racer, and is very cheap (which is worrying), but would it be bad for the usage I want from it (ie to get to/from work as quick as possible!)
any general comments about components and usability would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Km

rubadub

Cheap so probably not great, you get what you pay for. Also it looks flash so is more likely to be robbed.

You are far better going second hand at sub €400 prices. How long is your commute?

km991148

yeah, was thinking second hand, but that was how I bought my current bike (although was at v. low end of market) and its needed a bit of maintaining!

The link I posted wasnt for a stolen bike, they seem to come from somewhere in europe and they have a complete range (http://www.visp-sports.com/), albiet all at the lower end of budget...


Where would you recomend for buying 2nd hand? are there any shops around Dublin (I see some 2nd hand bikes in penny farthing on camden st, but usually not many)

thanks

oh - and commute is only 20min cycle - so thats what leads me to cheap and cheerful..

kona

bike is a piece of ****.......and waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy too expensive tbh.
for £220 sterling youd get a very nice commuting bike, especially this time of the year, as most bikes are being sold off to make way for new models, i know cyclogical are having a bit of a clearance, as are halfords, my mate has a carrera subway1 from halfords, best bike ive seen for e250 smackers and he got accs for free with it, dunno if cyclogical would have anything that cheap??? worth askin tho.
the subway would prob be around the same weight as that racer.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_240361_langId_-1_categoryId_60956
this is the new one, my mate has the old one...its the same parts wise.

back to the one on e-bay
Gears...rubbish
wheels.....rubbish(good luck avoiding buckles too)
Frame........welds look a bit mad even for aluminium, doesnt even say if its butted??
Saddle........ouch
shifters........bike tech has moved on from the 70s
brakes.........look a bit ropey esp on painted rims, and if those rims are steel...dont go fast trust me!!

the best thing is prob the seat post, or the free stuff at the end
and you are gunna have to pay a bike shop to assemble it anyways, and sort out any possible damage in transport, prob cost you bout e300 all in by the time ya cycle it(or even get it!!)
also generally cheap bikes are a false economy...what ya save in buying will be waaaaayyyyyyy exceeded by maintenance and, getting extremly pissed off

Hungrycol

Here here. Looks cheap and nasty to be honest. As Kona said have a look at the bikes in Harfords (Boardman or Carrera) for that budget or the second hand market. You'd be lucky to get much change from €1k for a full bike in Cyclelogical.

Sorry it's not what you want to hear but we're just brutally honest and the advice is good.

Karma

I agree with the guys above.
Also. something with straight bars, would be better for commuting, better seating position to see traffic and those pesky pedestrains upto no good.

Friend got a specialized crossroads(low end model for 420) from cycleways and got lights/mudguards and a lock(not to sure about the lock thuo) try square wheel in temple bar. have got some good 2nd hand deals from southside cycles on the crumlin rd.

cyclogical will tell you to go to these places and somewhere else as well, if you went in asking for what you want.

km991148

Sorry it's not what you want to hear but we're just brutally honest and the advice is good.

-

The opposite - this is exactly what I am looking for! honest detailed advice.. even my untrained eye knew it looked a bit crappy!


So just what should I be looking for when purchasing?
All I know is that I want something reliable, with thin wheels to go a bit quicker..
but what should I be looking for them to be made from;
Also general advice about brakes would be great (or a pointer to a good resource online) - there seems to be a whole heap of different styles out there.
And frames.. i.e. all I know is that aluminium is lighter than steel!!! is there anything else in particular I should be looking at?


Thanks,
Km

Also- Ive bought other (non clycling) items from halfords before, but found them to be expensive for cheap, poor quality goods.. I assume they are not as bad for cycling? Anyone got any thoughts on them?

kona

halfords are very good for special offers...you pick things up seriously cheap in there, if ya know when to buy...they have the same deals at the same time of every year, so keep a eye out.at this time of year id imagine they would be the cheapest for high end 07 bikes(could be wrong)

here is what you should expect for that budget

7005 double butted aluminium frame.
double walled rims.
sealed bearings(at least a cartrige bottom bracket)
decent smooth hubs..
weightwise around 15kg+.
7spd cassette (14 or 21 gears).
still prob looking at grip shift.
anything below sram SX6 or below shimano Alivio.
steel cranks, not a small piece of crappy metal coated in alot of plastic(easy to spot).
all bolts should be allen key
all hubs should be quick release(alot better than bolt thru axles).
tyres...expect anytrhing really, should be able to swap to slicks.

aluminium is lighter than steel, but much softer...easier to damage, harder to weld, the two main grades are 6061 and 7005 with 6061 being the stronger(doesnt matter on a commuter).
when sizing pay attention to the length of bike as well as heigth...bikes get longer as they get higher, go for the more comfortable..NOT what the sales dude says.

km991148

hey Kona,
Thanks for the advice, I assume the carrera subways meet most of the spec you mentioned? there doesnt appear to be too much detail on the halfords website..
Also, I am really tempted by the subway 2, with the disk braking (although not sure if thats is a bit over the budget..)
and about the width of the wheels.. are the standard mtb size and do they come with 'knobbies?' I know it says low profile, but I imagine they could still be knobbies/ if so how easy is it to change to slicks (i.e. will any old slick tyre do or should I be looking at something more - on my old bike I put some slicks on, but they were the cheapest available I’m sure)

I also wanted to know if you could tell me your thoughts on the carrera crossfires? (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_240403_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_60956_crumb__parentcategoryrn_60956 whats the main differences between it and the subway? what would be main adv/ disadv with one over the other (if any).

Finally, does anyone know if the rally pioneers are any use? http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_241817_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_60956_crumb__parentcategoryrn_60956 they come with too much 'extra' for my liking (carrier etc) but that could be removed, are the bikes themselves any good?



Thanks for your help, all advice is very much appreciated (I never like to buy without knowing..)

Km

kona

the subway my mate has, came with kevar lined slick tyres 26x1.5(thin as youll get on a 26")
sub2 has better gears too...they use rapidfire. the sub1 is probably the best value tbh. you wont get the benefit of the extras on the sub2. mechanical disc brakes are only better than V-brakes in the wet...the pads last about 3 times longer(depending on your style of cycling) but are bout e30 a wheel.

from the looks of it, the crossfire is similar to subway, exept for 700c wheels(hybrid) and a front suspention, 50mm aint much tho!!! it also has 21spd gears.different cranks too but thats negligible.

raleigh pioneer is good...if you want the bits and pieces. the bike is still a bit much for the parts.

in my opinion for the money the subway1 is the best value for money.

km991148

Thanks again for the info.. you have said enough to convince me to go try and get a look at a subway 1.. (unless you actually work for Halfords or carrera!!!!)

cheers,
km

billyk

thats a mountain bike with slicks on it get a hybrid bigger wheels bigger gear ratio goes faster check something like a giant crs 4.0

kona

try that place in tallaght too, they have a good selection...........700c wheels are weaker than 26in.

km991148

ok spent the day looking for bikes, and not sure what to go for now..

I went to see the subway 1 first and thought it looked good, but struggled to find my size -
tallaght only had 18" frames, liffey had 20's but I think I would prefer 22 (I'm 6'3"..).

I then went to commuter solutions in Rathmines, and the guy was raving about the trek 7.0 (and it also looked good - but anything would compared to my old bike!), from what I can tell has a better frame than the subway, but I am not sure about the other components - the trek has shimano tourney gears (and more of them for what thats worth..) but how do they compare to the sram sx4s on the subway (or indeed to the shimano alivios mentioned earlier - are they several levels down, or should I not be worrying too much at my level?)

I also looked at a Giant crs 4.0, and it seems to be a similar bike, but with a worse frame than the trek and better rims (the giants were double walled, where as the treks weren't - but is this such a big deal?).

I guess it kinda comes down to price - the subway came in at 270,the trek at around 325, with the giant ad around 360. I could prob go to the price of the trek if its worth it, but the giant is just over my budget.

I realise Ive already (much appreciated) advice, but wouldbe greatfull to hear comments about the abouve (and answers to my jumbled questions!)

Thanks again,
km

kona

the trek is similar to the cross fire...and subway, can you not order a 22" frame in the subway??at 6'3 youd defo need the length of a 22".

tourney is second from bottom in the shimano range.
it would help having a better derailleur but, not essential, the sx4 is same quality as tourney..
the only difference btween subway and trek is the wheels, sub1 has 26 and the trek has 700c,

billyk

all trek bikes are fairly much bulletproof when looked after, giant are fairly similar, dont worry about the frames on either they will not break, as for 700c wheels they roll much faster than 26" and as long as its on road/ride in the park use they wont give much hassle either just dont belt up kerbs, both are available in 22.5" frames, the tourney dereilleurs are fine once the bike doesnt fall on it,

kona

billyk wrote: »

all trek bikes are fairly much bulletproof when looked after, giant are fairly similar, dont worry about the frames on either they will not break, as for 700c wheels they roll much faster than 26" and as long as its on road/ride in the park use they wont give much hassle either just dont belt up kerbs, both are available in 22.5" frames, the tourney dereilleurs are fine once the bike doesnt fall on it,

ye trek bikes are good, the wheels will roll for longer than 26" wheels, so are great for a long straight, e.g cycle path along sutton/raheny/clontarf.
i find wheel sizes are a personal thing, i hate 700c, and prefer 26" but people are different!!!.
with alot of potholes the smaller wheels will have less buckles.

km991148

yeah, i'm getting the feeling that its down to personal choice between hybrid and mtb with slicks, which is the prob as I dont have experience of either!

if I did go for the hybrid, are double walled rims important, I imagine they are to give more protection from potholes/ kerbs (although my route is reasonably smooth, and I dont tend to bounce off kerbs much) but do they make a real diff?

I could try and order the 22", but it may take a while as halfords are mainly concerned with kids bikes at this time of year!

also, I would prefer it sooner rather than later as the walk to work is a pain in the ass!

billyk

either will be good on a bike this price, its only really bikes under 200 euro that you need to worry about bogie parts

E@gle.

them visp yokes are popping up here (on cycling forum) a lot lately.

Better off paying around €250 extra and get a 06/07 giant SCR4

kona

km991148 wrote: »

yeah, i'm getting the feeling that its down to personal choice between hybrid and mtb with slicks, which is the prob as I dont have experience of either!

if I did go for the hybrid, are double walled rims important, I imagine they are to give more protection from potholes/ kerbs (although my route is reasonably smooth, and I dont tend to bounce off kerbs much) but do they make a real diff?

I could try and order the 22", but it may take a while as halfords are mainly concerned with kids bikes at this time of year!

also, I would prefer it sooner rather than later as the walk to work is a pain in the ass!

a sale is a sale!! kids bikes are apain in the hole tbh, id rather sell and build a subway than sell a crappy barbie bike and spend 20mins trying to make a doll carrier fit on. if thats a excuse they told you, id go elsewhere tbh!! esp a decent sale like yours!!
double walled rims are better than single, they are stiffer, also because of where the spokes sit, youre less likley for spokes to puncture the tube,(this happens even with rim tape!!)

km991148

ok, (for those that are interested..) have finally made a decision, and am going for the specialized globe http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22060 from http://www.mcconveycycles.com/(unless anyone knows of reasons not to?) it seems to be a good quality frame, with good components (I believe the Altus rear derailleur is one up from the tourney on the trek) and the rims are doubled walled (I know its been said they wont make a big difference, but may as well get some better protection for my money..); I can get it delivered for 300euro, so reckon for 30 more than the subway and a good bit less than the others in its class, it represents good value;

Thanks again to all those that have passed on invaluable advice;

km

km991148

kona wrote: »

a sale is a sale!! kids bikes are apain in the hole tbh, id rather sell and build a subway than sell a crappy barbie bike and spend 20mins trying to make a doll carrier fit on. if thats a excuse they told you, id go elsewhere tbh!! esp a decent sale like yours!!
double walled rims are better than single, they are stiffer, also because of where the spokes sit, youre less likley for spokes to puncture the tube,(this happens even with rim tape!!)

yep, wasnt too impressed with service, but wasnt expecting too much either! I suppose at least they were honest, and didnt take money on the promise of delivering the bike earlier than they actually could..
I was really only interested in the subway, which was my first propper look at a real bike (and not the ropey visp sports effort on ebay!)

Turbulent Bill

km991148 wrote: »

ok, (for those that are interested..) have finally made a decision, and am going for the specialized globe http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22060 from http://www.mcconveycycles.com/(unless anyone knows of reasons not to?) it seems to be a good quality frame, with good components (I believe the Altus rear derailleur is one up from the tourney on the trek) and the rims are doubled walled (I know its been said they wont make a big difference, but may as well get some better protection for my money..); I can get it delivered for 300euro, so reckon for 30 more than the subway and a good bit less than the others in its class, it represents good value;

Thanks again to all those that have passed on invaluable advice;

km

Congratulations on the bike, but bear in mind that shiny new bikes (especially from recognised brands like Specialized) are thief magnets - get yourself strong locks and keep it in a safe place. Personally, I wouldn't buy a bike without a test ride, but best of luck with it.

km991148

Turbulent Bill wrote: »

Congratulations on the bike, but bear in mind that shiny new bikes (especially from recognised brands like Specialized) are thief magnets - get yourself strong locks and keep it in a safe place. Personally, I wouldn't buy a bike without a test ride, but best of luck with it.

yep, was worried about that; but should be good with a bit of common sense and a good lock (I only ever really park at my work which is secure).

About the test drive; think I will need to go to belfast anyway as they cant deliver to the south due to problems with there payment processing co.
and I cant wait another week without transport..

Karma

check out chainreaction, they havea sale on. the Kona and gt nomad seem like a deal.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=508

kona

Karma wrote: »

check out chainreaction, they havea sale on. the Kona and gt nomad seem like a deal.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=508

that kona is heavy..chromo frame, my jump bike is kona chro mo...it weighs a ton, but its bombproof and terrorist proof