New cyclist

Orion

Hiya,
I'm taking up cycling in the new year mainly for fitness reasons. I'm going to get a starter hybrid to get me going until my job brings in the cycle to work scheme in March at which time I'll get a good long-term bike.

I was looking at this one in Halfords just to get me started - budget doesn't allow for much more tbh - I'll have to get mudguards, helmet, lights etc on top of that. There is a steel frame model for 105 but I figure the aluminium one is worth the extra €55.

Would that do me for 2 or 3 months do you think? I'm quitting smoking on 1st Jan and my fitness is very poor atm. I'll be mainly road cycling around Maynooth/Carton and hopefully cycling to work once a week - maybe twice if my fitness allows it. (26km according to google maps).

Any suggestions or alternatives in that price range?

Deisetrek

Macros42 wrote: »

Hiya,
I'm taking up cycling in the new year mainly for fitness reasons. I'm going to get a starter hybrid to get me going until my job brings in the cycle to work scheme in March at which time I'll get a good long-term bike.

I was looking at this one in Halfords just to get me started - budget doesn't allow for much more tbh - I'll have to get mudguards, helmet, lights etc on top of that. There is a steel frame model for 105 but I figure the aluminium one is worth the extra €55.

Would that do me for 2 or 3 months do you think? I'm quitting smoking on 1st Jan and my fitness is very poor atm. I'll be mainly road cycling around Maynooth/Carton and hopefully cycling to work once a week - maybe twice if my fitness allows it. (26km according to google maps).

Any suggestions or alternatives in that price range?

I wouldn't bother spending the best part of 250 or so euro on a bike that I would only intend to use for 3 months . What's the plan ? Throw it into the garage when you get your new one ? Why not buy a 2nd hand racing bike that you can then use for a "winter bike" when you get your new one , seems an awful waste of money to just buy a bike for 3 months . There's a good few 2nd hand bikes around as a result of the cycle to work scheme , up to yourself but I think you'd be nuts to flog your money on such a short term solution .

jwshooter

250 euro is a small gamble for your future health. if you decide its not for you, what harm keep it for the odd spin.

i have done what your doing as have most on hear. i bought a trek 7.1 hybrid first but as i started to get fitter i wanted to go faster and further.

so ended up with a ridley,excalibur. i use the hybrid now for nite spins and forest tracks.


set yourself a goal ,like one of the sportives in your area.

best of luck.

Golfanatic

that bike might put you off cycling as it oviously isn't very good quality and it wont be set up right i would highly reccomend you wait if you want to get in to cycling properly.

papac

Those Apollos are really crap and you may as well burn your money I reckon.
Find another hundred quid and you can get one of these.
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_551203_langId_-1_categoryId_212377

I have one for hacking around and its a proper bike and great value. You could sell it s/h in a few months and get some money back on it. Your Apollo will probably be junk by then and you will hate cycling.

If you found you liked cycling you could always buy a nice road bike on the BTW scheme and keep the Carrera for a bit of light offroad (I hammer the sh1t out of mine in the woods and it refuses to break)or if you have to lock it up in town anywhere risky.

Bottom line is-You cannot buy a new bike for 150 euros-they are BSOs (Bicycle shaped objects)
http://www.southcoastbikes.co.uk/articles.asp?article=NO_BSO
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/Bike_Shaped_Object

Orion

Deisetrek wrote: »

I wouldn't bother spending the best part of 250 or so euro on a bike that I would only intend to use for 3 months . What's the plan ? Throw it into the garage when you get your new one ?

Pretty much. Or just keep it for hacking about.

jwshooter wrote: »

250 euro is a small gamble for your future health. if you decide its not for you, what harm keep it for the odd spin.

i have done what your doing as have most on hear. i bought a trek 7.1 hybrid first but as i started to get fitter i wanted to go faster and further.

so ended up with a ridley,excalibur. i use the hybrid now for nite spins and forest tracks.

set yourself a goal ,like one of the sportives in your area.

best of luck.

That's pretty much my logic too. I want to get started on fitness straight away. I'm not expecting this bike to be amazing. Just enough to get me started. If I even get 6 months out of it it will be money well spent imo. Then when work brings in the cycle2work scheme I can get a good bike.

As for a goal - I've signed up for the Connemara Adventure Challenge in May - my goal is to actually finish it. And to do that I need to get started now - not in March.

Golfanatic wrote: »

that bike might put you off cycling as it oviously isn't very good quality and it wont be set up right i would highly reccomend you wait if you want to get in to cycling properly.

I don't think it will put me off. I used to cycle and enjoyed it - it was a long time ago tho. I fully accept that this bike will not be a light-speed machine with all bells and whistles. But as I said above if it gets me from a to b on-road for a few months I'll be happy. That said I'm going to go to Halfords tomorrow and look at the bike. If it's obviously a pos that will crumple under me when I sit on it then I won't buy it.

Orion

papac wrote: »

Those Apollos are really crap and you may as well burn your money I reckon.
Find another hundred quid and you can get one of these.
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_551203_langId_-1_categoryId_212377

I have one for hacking around and its a proper bike and great value. You could sell it s/h in a few months and get some money back on it. Your Apollo will probably be junk by then and you will hate cycling.

If you found you liked cycling you could always buy a nice road bike on the BTW scheme and keep the Carrera for a bit of light offroad (I hammer the sh1t out of mine in the woods and it refuses to break)or if you have to lock it up in town anywhere risky.

Bottom line is-You cannot buy a new bike for 150 euros-they are BSOs (Bicycle shaped objects)
http://www.southcoastbikes.co.uk/articles.asp?article=NO_BSO
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/Bike_Shaped_Object

Nice articles. I did look at the Carrera but that extra 100 just isn't there after all my xmas expenses. I have to factor in mudguards and helmet just to get started. Other accessories can wait until January payday. Luckily tonight my brother gave me lights and a lock that he had in his garage so I've saved that at least

tudlytops

Macros42 wrote: »

Nice articles. I did look at the Carrera but that extra 100 just isn't there after all my xmas expenses. I have to factor in mudguards and helmet just to get started. Other accessories can wait until January payday. Luckily tonight my brother gave me lights and a lock that he had in his garage so I've saved that at least

My daughter loves cycling, she started a couple of years ago with a bike that cost around €150 now she has a bike worth over €3,000.

I think is great you wanting to get fitter and we all have to start somewhere.

Go for it

papac

There is a steel frame model for 105 but I figure the aluminium one is worth the extra €55.

Fair enough if you can't go the Carrera.I'd go for the steel one if you have to. Cheap plain guage ally frames are not much lighter (can actually be heavier) and are really harsh. If the components are much the same I'd keep my 50 yoyos in me pocket.Best of luck with it.Keep the receipt.;)

Halfords were giving an extra 10% off everything reserved online on xmas day they may do it again over the hols. Worth a look out.

vektarman

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055777749

This starts and ends in Naas with a choice of distances if you fancy a warm-up before your Connemara challenge, plus it's fairly local for you. If it's any help to you I was in the same position as you this time last year and managed to complete six sportives and also the Ring of Kerry charity cycle, good luck with the cycling.

ColSheehan

papac wrote: »

Those Apollos are really crap and you may as well burn your money I reckon.

I purchased an Apollo XC 26 last year for mainly cycling to and from school. I bought it from Halfords for 190 euro I think. (I see its reduced to 150 now). That was when I became interested in cycling. I definitely would recommend the bike if someone was going to buy one as it helped me stay fit from cycling everywhere and also it wasn't that bad of a bike . I'm not sure why you're saying the apollo is crap, It's a great starter bike and well I had about 3 punctures since I bought it in October 2008 :P

Orion

papac wrote: »

Fair enough if you can't go the Carrera.I'd go for the steel one if you have to. Cheap plain guage ally frames are not much lighter (can actually be heavier) and are really harsh. If the components are much the same I'd keep my 50 yoyos in me pocket.Best of luck with it.Keep the receipt.;)

Halfords were giving an extra 10% off everything reserved online on xmas day they may do it again over the hols. Worth a look out.

Their sale started on the 26th - can't see extra discounts while the sale is one but if I see it great

Interesting view on the steel vs the alu frame. I did notice that they don't specify the weight on the steel one but they do on the alu and I plan to pick up both when I go in to see how much heavier the steel one is. Maybe that's why. That 50 yoyos would pay for mudguards, drink cage and two spare tubes. I'll have a look at both. I had picked the alu one because I assumed it would be lighter and therefore easier. But maybe not.

vektarman wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055777749

This starts and ends in Naas with a choice of distances if you fancy a warm-up before your Connemara challenge, plus it's fairly local for you. If it's any help to you I was in the same position as you this time last year and managed to complete six sportives and also the Ring of Kerry charity cycle, good luck with the cycling.

Wow - that scared the crap out of me - I just read 100km or 50km and went WTF! Then I saw the 20km one - I can see myself doing that

ColSheehan wrote: »

I purchased an Apollo XC 26 last year for mainly cycling to and from school. I bought it from Halfords for 190 euro I think. (I see its reduced to 150 now). That was when I became interested in cycling. I definitely would recommend the bike if someone was going to buy one as it helped me stay fit from cycling everywhere and also it wasn't that bad of a bike . I'm not sure why you're saying the apollo is crap, It's a great starter bike and well I had about 3 punctures since I bought it in October 2008 :P

From the research I've done - which consisted mainly of speaking to a workmate who's into cycling - a hybrid is better for what I'm after than a mountain bike. At the moment anyway. I've read reviews of the Apollos - while they vary they do land on the side of it being a reasonable starter bike. The Carrera has the advantage of coming with Kevlar lined tyres to reduce punctures but I'll take the hit for now.


[edit]I've thanked everyone who's posted. I appreciate the advice/warnings/encouragement. If I do buy the apollo some of you may throw your eyes to heaven but you can't please everyone. It may be a mistake or it may work out. If it's a mistake I'll learn from it. But my main goal is fitness and if I do buy a bike tomorrow I may quit smoking the same day. That's a goal in itself. I would make back the €150 in just 8 days off cigarettes so hopefully the bike will pay for itself even if it is only a bike shaped object

papac

and if I do buy a bike tomorrow I may quit smoking the same day. That's a goal in itself. I would make back the €150 in just 8 days off cigarettes so hopefully the bike will pay for itself even if it is only a bike shaped object

Any bike has to be better than 150 euros worth of cigarettes.That really is burning your money.:)You could sign up here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055762905&highlight=smoking+2010
Safety in numbers etc.I am going for it later today.

A good track pump with a gauge is a great investment for any cyclist imo.Under-inflated tyres really slow you down and you get more punctures. Tyres too soft is probably the most common noobie mistake.I have one of these and its great. (Was reduced to 20 euros when I got it.)
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_700388_langId_-1_categoryId_212494
One for the January pay cheque maybe.

Orion

Went in on Monday and picked up the bike today. They were out of the steel version in my size so I got the Apollo CX-10S. Today wasn't exactly conducive to cycling so I just rode it from the door of Halfords around the car park to my car and stuck it in the boot. Fitted lights, pump and cycle computer to it at home so it's ready to go. Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is "dry with sunny spells developing". Hopefully I can take it out for a spin and see how it rides.

Question for experts regarding the computer (it's a basic 8 function wired one - all I want is the distance cycled - don't care about cadence or speed atm). I wasn't sure which caibration to use. The options are 700C Tubular, 700x20c, 700x25c, 700x35c, 700x38c. I've no idea what the others mean so I just picked 700C Tubular. Am I right?

While I was in Liffey Valley I popped into JJB. They are doing Raleigh helmets with dial fit for €22 and pumps with pressure guage for €11. Might suit other newcomers like myself.

Thanks for the advice so far - I'm sure I'll be looking for a lot more as I get into the sport. And apologies to you purists for buying a BSO I promise I'll buy a real bike when work brings in the scheme

blorg

Macros42 wrote: »

Question for experts regarding the computer (it's a basic 8 function wired one - all I want is the distance cycled - don't care about cadence or speed atm). I wasn't sure which caibration to use. The options are 700C Tubular, 700x20c, 700x25c, 700x35c, 700x38c. I've no idea what the others mean so I just picked 700C Tubular. Am I right?

I think from the spec the tyres are 700x38c, so you should choose that. 700C Tubs would be a lot narrower (all on race tyres) and a bit inaccurate.

Orion

OK - I'll reset it tomorrow. Thanks.

petethedrummer

It should say somewhere on the tyre what size they are.

Orion

It does say on the wheel - 700x40C. Not on the leaflet that came with it but I found the right setting online. Thanks.