how to spot a good bike-newbie needs advise

JuliusCaesar

Ok, experts, I need to buy a bike for my teenager to cycle in and out of school, visit friends, get a bit of freedom etc. Dublin. Inner city. Now two problems:

1.) lack of experience/road sense. Did take them out with me when younger but the heart was put crossways in me by my warnings about car doors meant they were cycling in the middle of the road (on busy roads); tried to keep them ahead of me so I could see, meant that I could see them sailing through lights ("didn't see them") + youthful energy outsped middle age abilities. (Teenager also stopped coming out with me - "it's boring")

2.) I've no idea what makes a good bike. I've always had a cycling friend who'd look at a row of bikes and say "that one". Cycling friend has moved down the country.

What should I look for OR is any bike as good as another? I don't want to spend a lot of money as I'm pretty sure my 'lock your wheel to the frame to something immoveable" will be forgotten/ignored. Should I just close my eyes in the bike shop and point at anything? (Teenager also wants basket, which I think will be whipped in an instant.)

Lumen

Is your teenager male or female, and are they susceptible to logical persuasion and rational explanations?

If so, would you like to do a swap?

papac

Is your teenager male or female, and are they susceptible to logical persuasion and rational explanations?

If so, would you like to do a swap?

:):):):):) Nice one Lumen.

It does depend on age/size/gender/budget though I would say.

I would personally avoid mtbs for the type of cycling you describe. Good ones belong off road. Cheap ones belong in a skip.:) Teenagers can be hard to talk out of a trendy mtb though.Avoid cheap heavy ineffective suspension at all costs imo.

I think if you look around online and post questions about specific bikes you would get the info you need more easily. Lots of people on boards will help but I think your question is a bit general.

I have a Carrera subway v brake spec from Halfords as my hack bike and I think its brilliant for the money. 269 euros.Looks cool in a Mad Max kinda way but its a proper street bike and the best bike you can get for the money imo.I have been actively trying to break mine for 8 months now and its good as new. Stay away from their cheaper Apollo bikes I would say.

Halfords staff vary from Good/helpful to dangerously inept in my experience so maybe be a bit wary here. This could be the case in your lbs also however.(Maybe less likely).

Link to Bike I mentioned.http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_551203_langId_-1_categoryId_212377

As for getting them out on the road-A few spins early on a Sunday morning might be a place to start.

Cheers.
PapaC

Captain Havoc

Back when I was a teenager it was easy: Raleigh Activator, Raleigh Max, Raleigh..... Do the kids have a bike of "choice" these days?

papac

Do the kids have a bike of "choice" these days?

Unfortunately its the Dual Suspension, 500 speed, 120 euro mtb from the toy shop. These pieces of junk are imo unfit for purpose (cycling) and should be banned accordingly. They are putting a whole generation off cycling.

I do seriously think that there should be some sort of legal standard of usability for kids bikes and a public information campaign.

Its gone so bad that you can hardly buy a lightish, skinny tyre no suspension bike for a kid. (You can in Holland where everybody knows about bikes and sees through marketing bull). I had to get an Islabike from the uk for my 11 year old so she could come on spins to the beach with me. I failed to source a bike in Ireland for her.

Sorry for ranting but I really feel strongly that cyclings future is at stake.

c0rk3r

Well it depends on how much you're willing to spend and whether or not the teen in question is a male or female. From the basket question im guessing its a girl. We need to know your budget first. Some people here think nothing of buying a wheel set for €1000 and up.

Id recommend a singlespeed regardless. Stylish, trendy, easy to use, low maintenance, perfect city bike. Theres two on wiggle that catch my eye

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Felt_Brougham_2010/5360045929/

and

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Felt_Dispatch_2010/5360045931/

DirkVoodoo

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Back when I was a teenager it was easy: Raleigh Activator, Raleigh Max, Raleigh..... Do the kids have a bike of "choice" these days?

Around these parts it was the number of gears. If you had an 18 speed "SIS Shimano" bike, you always envied the guy with the numerically superior 21 speed bike.

Raam

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Around these parts it was the number of gears. If you had an 18 speed "SIS Shimano" bike, you always envied the guy with the numerically superior 21 speed bike.

Yup, the more gears you had, the faster you could go. Ratios didn't even come in to it.

papac

Id recommend a singlespeed regardless.

So long as they never plan on going anywhere hilly..:)

I think ss is great in its place but maybe not if you only have one bike.Just my tuppence.

Ratios didn't even come in to it.

or the fact that the bike weighed half a ton.;)

DirkVoodoo

The dispatch's stock gearing is 39-16, perfect for hills. Great bike by the way!

As a city commuter, they are hard to beat.

For a youngster, still growing (?), I think the Carrera with a good lock and some lights is a perfect commuting package for christmas.

c0rk3r

papac wrote: »

So long as they never plan on going anywhere hilly..:)

Not to worry. Cycling up hills on a singlespeed builds character

papac

Cycling up hills on a singlespeed builds character

And if the medical science is to be believed probably damages young knees. Hence restrictions on gearing in junior competition.

blorg

c0rk3r wrote: »

From the basket question im guessing its a girl.

Very presumptious of you

ednwireland

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Around these parts it was the number of gears. If you had an 18 speed "SIS Shimano" bike, you always envied the guy with the numerically superior 21 speed bike.

hah i got my first bike it was 5 speed, god you got stick from the 10 speed brigade

Golfanatic

Get a single speed, wiggle is a good place to go you can get cheaper ones there great selection seriously, there cool. i know im a teeneager too

blorg

Golfanatic wrote: »

Get a single speed, wiggle is a good place to go you can get cheaper ones there great selection seriously, there cool. i know im a teeneager too

Depends on the teenager though... does your teenager look like this?

Golfanatic

i dont look like that wats your problem

DirkVoodoo

Golfanatic wrote: »

i dont look like that wats your problem

Watts are indeed a problem, a singlespeed may help as you will have to put the power down going up hills. I certainly find this myself, the problem is though you end up racing everywhere and run out of energy. If I could get a powertap for my felt, I would!

blorg

Golfanatic wrote: »

i dont look like that wats your problem

Which one don't you look like?

kenmc

this one here is an excellent example:
http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=131369
of everything you should avoid.
Dual suspension to start with.
Brand unknown.
Suspension: brand unknown
Brakes : brand unknown
it's downhill all the way TBH

Lumen

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

If I could get a powertap for my felt, I would!

Bluff called.

JuliusCaesar

more like this:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/trendy%20female%20teenager/Heatherfeather6969/scene_hair--large-msg-120680440268.jpg?o=5

Don't expect the urge for a bike to last long, once discovers how rain wreaks make-up and helmets crush hair...but want to give it a try as she does want one now. My cycling expert would see a row of 2nd hand bikes for sale, cast an eye quickly over them and say "that one". I've no idea how he did it.

Don't think building character (fixies- you see, I've been paying attention!) will come into it. I've an 21 speed myself but only ever use from 2-4 to 3-7 skipping up in twos. I try to avoid hills unless they are short and I can get a run up to them. But then I'm not a serious cyclist....I just go places (within a short radius)

Thanks all for your advice! V grateful!

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

Bluff called.

Damn you to hell. So eager to know, but so afraid to spend that much....argh.

blorg

I think possibly it is most important that she get to choose the bike herself and gets something she likes, I imagine aesthetics are going to be as important as anything else to get her using it. Or at least that you are 100% sure of the "look" that she wants and are only asking us from a mechanical integrity point of view. No point getting her a bike that we think is optimal "as a bike" if it is the sort of thing she wouldn't be seen dead on. So depends what sort of bike she might want, that could be a fixie which do have a certain amount of currency certainly, but as she specifically mentioned the basket I am suspecting she wants something like a Dawes Diploma.



These are readily available in local bike shops here (some may need to order) at around €450-500 price point.

papac

100% sure of the "look" that she wants and are only asking us from a mechanical integrity point of view

Excellent point Blorg. Maybe a way forward would be to get her to pick out a selection online of what she likes the look of and then throw it open to "expert" scrutiny on here. Must be thousands of people looking for christmas bikes who would benefit from that discussion.