Help needed with road bike decision.

c0rn

Hi people,

I have all my life loved biking and have done all sorts of biking (mostly bmx). I have found my self commuting to work on my Specilized P2 dirt jump bike the last year and have been taking it nice and slow and it normaly takes me about 35-40min to get to work.

The last couple of weeks I have started to ride a lot faster to work because I really need to get fit (sitting infront of a computer all day does that to you). I now get to work around 22-25min but I am half dead by that time hehe.

I have also been thinking of joining some bike club or something like that and maybe later on join in on some races (this is my goal).

So I now understand that I wouldn't really get anywhere on the bike I have now, so its time for one more bike to be parked in the garden.

I have no clue at all about road bikes and would really need some help here. I have been looking at wiggle.co.uk and they have many really nice looking bikes (the focus models and Kiron Scandium 2009) but I don't really know what to look for. I do know that my love for bikes will not let me buy something cheap, so I have been saving for a bike and have a budget of up to 1400€ so I can get something that will last me a good while and will give me as much speed as I can get for that money

Im about 177cm tall, have long legs and arms but short body so I am not sure what size frame I should have.

Any tips or ideas would be really nice. And if there is any bike clubs around Ongar, not far from Blanchardstown.

Thanks
/Kenneth

Lumen

The Focus bikes are looking less brilliant value now that the 2008 sales are over, and they've dropped the Cayo from Ultegra to 105. They don't scream "buy me" in the way that they did pre-Christmas.

I'd be inclined to get the Kiron Scandium and bank the rest for upgrades.

Alternative plan: focus on training, and buy a BeOne Storm, a Garmin 705 and a Powertap wheel.

blorg

You will get something nice for €1,400. Maybe consider the Planet X, it is a very nice bike.

Ghost Rider

Only problem with the Kiron is most of the medium/large sizes are sold out, and Wiggle are not going to be re-stocking them any time soon.

Lumen wrote: »

I'd be inclined to get the Kiron Scandium and bank the rest for upgrades.

Alternative plan: focus on training, and buy a BeOne Storm, a Garmin 705 and a Powertap wheel.

c0rn

Thanks all for your answers.

Anybody know what size I should be looking for? I am not sure at all here.

I did like the idea Lumen had about focusing on training and I think that is a good way to go. Though I think that I would still go for a better bike, or is that maybe just silly of me?

Regards
/Kenneth

Funkyzeit

If you are spending 1400 on a bike you'd want to get fitted for your frame size - even if you get fitted locally and then you'll know your size and can buy on the web.

Wiggle/Chainreactions/Evans are great starting places - esp with the euro still around 90p sterling.

Lumen

c0rn wrote: »

I think [focusing on training] is a good way to go. Though I think that I would still go for a better bike, or is that maybe just silly of me?

Obviously you'd be best off doubling your budget and buying the whole lot. There is no problem that can't be solved by throwing money at it. :pac:

But if you really want the answer to that, buy a decent used bike (I'm sure Blorg has a few kicking around, the Cayo maybe) and rent a powertap.

You'll lose nothing on depreciation, and won't have committed massive sums on the training tech.

After a couple of months, decide what your priorities are.

FWIW, since you're riding a dirt bike, just about anything will be faster on the road.

c0rn

Lumen... hehe isn't that the truth... money can solve a lot

I have been looking at some secondhand bikes but just hmm "scared" to get a pile of **** that looks good, just because I don't really know what to look for. Well the normal bike stuff is easy to check, like if the wheels are straight and so on but more then that and Im lost again

Like this one from adverts, I have opened this ad many times so far. Looks like there is a lot of good stuff in the packet and the bike has ultegra parts on it, witch from what I have been reading.. is really good components.

Any tips on this?

And Lumen, thanks for the link for renting that powertap seems like a good idea. And you are sooooo right about nearly anything going faster. Going down new onger road in the mornings I always try and keep up with other bikers.. normaly do that easy .. for about 500m and then I fall of my bike half dead hehe.

Not sure how long this is going to take me to get back into shape hehe, smoking for over a decade and hitting mid 30's... doesn't make things any easier.

Thanks people for all info (so far, I am far from done hehe).
/Kenneth

scottreynolds

c0rn wrote: »

Any tips on this?

I think this is a rip. I know the bike was this price etc etc and now its this....... but a €1000 euros today would buy you a great bike.

I'd buy new and try to use the cycle to work scheme. It seems like you already
are commuting anyway. You can get any bike for €1000 new and get your company to pay for it etc etc. There is a thread discussing it.

If you don't want to use the cycle to work scheme there are some bargains around at the moment. As your mot sure which size etc to get I'd go to a local bike store (LBS) and get measured up. I know it tempting to buy from the UK but if you look around there are some good deals about at the moment. Try wheelworxbikes in Clondakin. I find there prices good and their customer Service great.

Lumen

I wouldn't buy a used bike from someone who didn't know what size it was. It's like selling a car without knowing the engine size.

Adverts.ie is always full of crap, and it doesn't help that bikes are under "sport and fitness equipment" FFS. There is oftem good stuff buried there though.

I'd like to see a Irish bikes/kit for sale site, with proper search functions, high-res picture support, ad moderation etc. I keep meaning to build one, but never get around to it.

In the meantime, there's the For Sale thread here. Maybe we need a "wanted" thread too.

c0rn

Well Lumen I would agree, it would be really nice with a "real" bikes for sale site.

If you need any help, just drop me a line. I work all day with PHP, ASP, SQL and all that stuff. And as a biker I have many times wanted a place to sell some of my stuff (to people that actualy knows what it is) and buy stuff that is good and people can answer "real" questions about the stuff.

scottreynolds thanks for you input on that ad, nice that I can ask here

The more I think about it the more sens it does make to go and get measured up somewhere, as I really want to do this. I think that I will take a look at wheelworxbikes in Clondakin. At least take a ride over on my bike to see what they have.

Wish I could go for the cycle to work scheme but my employer is not going for it, I work as a contractor for manpower at IBM, and manpower has their own version of this and it makes no sens at all and I would end up paying the same as if I went and got it for my self and they want us only to get bikes from Hallfords.... screwed there.

So its of to wheelworxbikes in Clondakin next weekend then. This means that I am getting closer to killing my self hehe with all the training that I want to do

Thanks people.
/Kenneth

scottreynolds

cyclesuperstore also around that way have a big selection. I'm not 100% of their price competitiveness though.

Ghost Rider

Stagg Cycles in Lucan are also worth checking out for second hand road bikes. Their website is not usually up to date, though, so you'd need to go out there or else call them and see what they have in stock. The guys who work there are really helpful and will make sure the bike fits you properly.

ROK ON

Hi - if you could head outside Dublin at all to buy a bike I would highly recommend Worldwide Cycles in Clonmel.

They are matching all UK sterling prices and will fully assemble you bike and deliver it to you.
Just a thought. You could get good value and keep the business in ireland.

http://www.worldwidecycles.com/news.aspx?showarticle=27

Sorry for the shameless promotion. But if folks can recommend Wiggle etc, I have no problem recommending a store in Ireland. I bought a bike from them last year, and they are a pleasure to deal with.

Ghost Rider

There's a lot to be said for developing a relationship with a local bike shop.

ROK ON wrote: »

Hi - if you could head outside Dublin at all to buy a bike I would highly recommend Worldwide Cycles in Clonmel.

They are matching all UK sterling prices and will fully assemble you bike and deliver it to you.
Just a thought. You could get good value and keep the business in ireland.

http://www.worldwidecycles.com/news.aspx?showarticle=27

Sorry for the shameless promotion. But if folks can recommend Wiggle etc, I have no problem recommending a store in Ireland. I bought a bike from them last year, and they are a pleasure to deal with.

c0rn

I would agree that it is nice to keep it within Ireland if we can.

And ROK ON I have no problems at all with you "promoting" a shop, that is just what I want.... makes a lot more sens going somewhere local.

Im just not from Ireland (from Sweden & N.I) so I don't really know where to look, but I am starting to know now

From one thing to a other, is there good MTB trails around D15? I still want to ride a road bike for training and commuting but riding a MTB on nice trails is such a hmmm "kick" when it is going really fast and things are on the border of control hehe

Thanks
/Kenneth

Caroline_ie

c0rn wrote: »

From one thing to a other, is there good MTB trails around D15? I still want to ride a road bike for training and commuting but riding a MTB on nice trails is such a hmmm "kick" when it is going really fast and things are on the border of control hehe

A lot of MTB'ers seems to do like most roadies do, go to the Phoenix park, on diferent terrains obviously.