What Type of Bike Should I Buy?

Leeside

I'm planning on buying a bike for use mainly on cycle paths/country roads including presumably fairly uneven rough ground found on some cycle paths.

I had a look at the selection of bikes in my local cycle shop and to be honest I'm not sure just what I need.

I know that I want the bike to be fairly light, but what should I be looking for by way of tyres, gears etc.

Would a standard road bike with smooth tyres do or do I need to go go for a a wider rough tyre.

Price max €400.

I'd appreciate any guidance.

Leeside

blorg

I would get a hybrid with around 700x35c (or even 700x40c) size tyres, that would provide plenty of cushioning for you while still being lighter/faster than a MTB tyre. Things like the Trek 7.1 FX or Dawes Discovery 201. You don't need tread on the road (slicks are fine) but tyre width does make a major difference to comfort.

Leeside

Thanks Blorg, thats just the type of information I was looking for. Btw, whats a MTB tyre.

Are slicks ok for uneven terrain?

Also what type of saddle should I be looking for. I need a bit of comfort!. Most of the bikes I looked at had fairly narrow saddles and I'd like something wider. Generally can saddles be changed?

niceonetom

i think blorg is right, a hybrid style bike would probably do everything you need of it.

*MTB = mountain bike (doesn't really make sense, but there you go:pac::pac::pac:).

mountain bikes have 26" wheels whereas road bikes (and most hybrids) have 700mm wheels (a bit bigger, and therefore smoother - though slightly weaker, not a problem unless you go properly off road).

slicks (even pretty wide ones) perform pretty poorly when things get mucky or gravelly, but knobbly MTB* style tires sap your speed on pavement so you may want to decide what is most important to you. the bigger the tire the softer the ride - but heavy too. the is a middle ground of tires like this or this that would work.

saddles are totally interchangeable. finding a good one can be hard as each of us has a unique arse. padded shorts, whether lycra or baggy, make cycling much more enjoyable.

blorg

You will be best off with slicks if sticking to roads/cycle tracks. Even where the condition is bad and you have potholes, etc the surface is still firm, just with a hole in it! In these circumstances the width of the tyre will have a cushioning effect but a knobbly tyre will not help you.

Where knobbly tyres are needed is on soft ground, e.g. dirt tracks. The tyres can then dig in to the surface. They can't do this on tarmac no matter how bad a condition it is in.

davej

Leeside wrote: »

Thanks Blorg, thats just the type of information I was looking for. Btw, whats a MTB tyre.

Are slicks ok for uneven terrain?

Also what type of saddle should I be looking for. I need a bit of comfort!. Most of the bikes I looked at had fairly narrow saddles and I'd like something wider. Generally can saddles be changed?

I second the Trek 7.1 recommendation. You might also consider a Trek Navigator T30. Giant are another make to look at. Some of these bikes come with saddle suspension, which makes things a little more comfortable.

Don't forget to factor in the cost of a good lock(s), pump, puncture repair kit and lights !

davej

Leeside

Thanks for all the advice. Armed with the knowledge I visited my local bike shop and I could see exactly what you have been saying. I was impressed with the Trek but the only one they had was the Trek 7200 at €469 which is a bit over budget.

The Trek Navigator T30 looks like a nice model alright. Is that suitable for women as well? My wife is also looking for one.

MeWantBroadband

Another option is the Trek FX 7.0 or 7.1.

This is almost a hybrid between a hybrid and roadbike Seriously, on their site, it is under both road bikes and "Bike Path". The printed catalogue calls them "fitness bikes".

I bought a 7.1 FX recently. The main difference from the Trek 7100 is that the 7.1 FX does not have front suspension. It does have saddle post suspension.

I was considering buying a 7.3 FX up North, where they are a lot cheaper. They were going to take weeks to get one in, so I bought a 7.1 down here. The 7.3 FX is a fair bit dearer (under €600 vs. €400 for 7.1), lighter frame, thin slick tyres and no saddle post suspension.

MayoForSam

I'm in almost exactly the same position as the OP: I'm looking at taking up cycling again after 10 years (used to do a lot in my student days) and I'm afraid my old bike is just too heavy for my liking (plus it has the knobbly tyres).

I've spotted this bike (http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLqrymode.a4p?f%5FProductID=7842&f%5FFullProductVersion=1&f%5FSupersetQRY=C105&f%5FSortOrderID=1&f%5Fbct=c003155c002910) on a UK website, looks like a great deal (cheap enough shipping and the exchange rate is good at the moment), anyone care to comment?

What do the tyres / gears look like? Apparently their Revolution own-brand is good value for money.

I won't need a bike for commuting, basically just for a few spins locally in the evenings and at weekends to get reasonably fit, the rural roads aren't great around here so I would certainly expect to meet the odd pothole!

MeWantBroadband

Leeside wrote: »

The Trek Navigator T30 looks like a nice model alright. Is that suitable for women as well? My wife is also looking for one.

Looks like a granny's bike, so should be

Several of the trek bikes are available in "WSD", which is a ladies frame.

I was wondering, for women who do not cycle in skirts (due to feminism and what not), do they need to buy a ladies bike anymore? The only difference is the "step through frame", unless I am missing something.

MeWantBroadband

MayoForSam wrote: »

I won't need a bike for commuting, basically just for a few spins locally in the evenings and at weekends to get reasonably fit, the rural roads aren't great around here so I would certainly expect to meet the odd pothole!

That bike looks like a mountain bike.

Riders on every type of bike expect to meet the odd pothole. You go around it or stand up on the pedals.

In my opinion, you do not need a mountain bike unless you will actually off road with it. When you do off-road, you find out what every schoolboy knows - you almost grind to a halt on grass anyway.

Bigger tyres, smaller radius wheels, more weight and unnecessary suspension make them slower on the road. They remind me of the trend for 4X4s and the waste of energy they entail. You see this trend everywhere - nowadays you even see parents with butch looking prams with huge wheels on them...

Leeside

MeWantBroadband wrote: »

Looks like a granny's bike, so should be

Several of the trek bikes are available in "WSD", which is a ladies frame.

I was wondering, for women who do not cycle in skirts (due to feminism and what not), do they need to buy a ladies bike anymore? The only difference is the "step through frame", unless I am missing something.

I noticed that the crossbar is at a slight angle which makes it more of a unisex bike. Is that the intention or is it just designed that way for appearance only?

blorg

MeWantBroadband wrote: »

Several of the trek bikes are available in "WSD", which is a ladies frame.

I was wondering, for women who do not cycle in skirts (due to feminism and what not), do they need to buy a ladies bike anymore? The only difference is the "step through frame", unless I am missing something.

No, they don't need to buy a ladies bike, just one that fits.

WSD is really more relevant for road bikes where you are in a less upright position and getting the fit just right is important. WSD frames are no different from men's frames in terms of the sloping of the top tube (crossbar), but they have a relatively shorter top tube to account for the fact that women generally have longer legs and a shorter torso. The finishing kit will generally vary also, with narrower bars, etc. This varies of course and some women will find that a man's road bike will fit them better; men's road bikes are generally cheaper too.

I think this has filtered down to hybrids only in recent years, a WSD frame may fit better but I wouldn't worry about buying a "man's" hybrid if it fits OK.

I noticed that the crossbar is at a slight angle which makes it more of a unisex bike. Is that the intention or is it just designed that way for appearance only?

That's a "compact geometry" frame. Basically by sloping the top tube you remove standover height as a criterion in frame selection and allow a far greater range of adjustment for fit on a given frame size. From the manufacturer's point of view they now can make a smaller range of frame sizes (particularly important with carbon fibre where there is a big setup cost for each size.) From a dealer's point of view they can carry less stock, be less likely to be stuck with an odd size, and still fit everyone on an appropriate bike. From the rider's point of view there is more adjustability and the frame is very slightly lighter and stiffer. The vast majority of modern racing bikes that you would see in the Tour de France these days would be compact geometry; it has nothing to do with making a bike "unisex" or suitable for women.

sjd73

im looking to buy entry level road bike and have it narrowed down to 3 the giant defy 3.5,trek1.2 and the specialized allez, could anybody push me in the right direction .

DirkVoodoo

sjd73 wrote: »

im looking to buy entry level road bike and have it narrowed down to 3 the giant defy 3.5,trek1.2 and the specialized allez, could anybody push me in the right direction .

All very similar in terms of spec and price (sora, right?). Go with whatever you like the "feel" of, like a pair of shoes one of them will just feel better than the others.

davidmaguire

Hi, looking at buying an Orbea Aqua T105 for €1179 with shimano 105 fittings or a Boardman Team for €1124.99 with SRAM Rival fittings on the bike to work, was just wondering which one? Anyone that can help? or am I barking up the wrong tree and should I be looking at other models in that price bracket?

El Vino

davidmaguire wrote: »

Hi, looking at buying an Orbea Aqua T105 for €1179 with shimano 105 fittings or a Boardman Team for €1124.99 with SRAM Rival fittings on the bike to work, was just wondering which one? Anyone that can help? or am I barking up the wrong tree and should I be looking at other models in that price bracket?

Boardman is a great bike, don't know much about the Oreba. Check out the reviews on the boardman site.

For the guy looking at the Edinburgh cycles bikes they are excellent value, I have had the Revolution Courier and just bought the single speed Revolution Track bike for 249 GBP which is a bargain (but has no gears)