getting into cycling

event

so im looking to start cycling, i used to do a small bit as a kid, but havent properly in around 10 years

nothing serious, im not going to start entering any races but i always enjoyed it, so want to start up

only thing, is in this day and age im wondering about cost

i think a road bike/racer would be best, there will be no town/city/street riding.
would i be better to get a new one, or would a 2nd hand option be good?
how much would you be talking for a good 2nd hand model?

also, what equipment would be needed, like jerseys, helmets etc. where would be the best place to get those?

any help much appreciated

DirkVoodoo

Go to Bikeradar.com and check out some of their road bike reviews. The Focus bikes sold through wiggle are particularly good value for money. Alternatively you have planet X. However, its worth spending the little bit extra and getting sized properly for a bike at a local shop. If you buy an entry level road bike that fits you, you can then upgrade off the internet in a year or so.

For gear:

Wiggle
CRC

(More in the wiki - stickied on the main cycling page here.

event

had a look there, thinking of the BeOne Briza 1.0

it would work out at around €360, looks pretty good

opinions?

alfalad

Couple of people here have BeOne's and they do seem like very good value. And at 360 you can't go wrong.
But firstly you need to think about a couple of things like what you hope to get out of this, how often do you plan to cycle and on what sort of terrain.

As for buying online, you naturally won't get the advice you would in your bike shop and you can't take it for a spin round the block to see if you like it. So keep that in mind!

If you are thinking of getting out once a week say and maybe doing the odd sportive you may want to consider spending a couple of quid more to get a better equipped bike otherwise you could be looking to trade up in a couple of months!

And also if you are working the cycle to work scheme could help you get a lot more bang for your buck! So for your lay out of 360 you could actually get a bike worth 700!

As for the equipment and clothing etc the must have a is a good pair of bike shorts and a helmet after that it depends how often you are using the bike and for what. I would stay away from cycling shoes for the moment as unclipping will lead to some hairy moments at the start.
Lights if you are riding at night and a pump and tubes you should always have with you to change a tube!
After that the amount of money you can spend is endless!

Big Bob

I use mountain bike shoes and toe clips when starting out as recommended by the local bike shop.