Buying bike, is this one suitable?

BillJ

Hey guys,

Looking for some advice. I'm entering the Geal Force adventure challenge in august and i'm looking at buying a race bike. I don't have a bike already and i don't know much about them unfortunately!

I'm looking at this bike http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/gentsbicycles/2203486 and just wondering is it suitable, not looking for a very competitive time in gael force, just there to compete!:)
Also i'm 5'7", i think this bike may be too big? Or is it? I dunno!
The bike seems like good value to me, what do you think?

Thanks for any help, much appreciated!:)

Joeyde

Its way too big for you for sure. Go to a bike shop and try out some bikes for size. They wont charge you.

langdang

Those bikes are were half that price on amazon, complete rip off at 250.
Gripshift gears on a road bike...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-Road-Ace-Mens-Bike/dp/B001OI2VHM

petethedrummer

57 is too big. You'd probably want a 53 or 54, depending on a few factors.

That bike is crap too. Cheapest decent new bike is probably a Carrera TDF from halfords. There are details in another thread on this page. I think you can buy that particular bike on amazon for the same or not much more money than its adverstised there. Its a BSO (bicycle shaped object), not a bike.

langdang

Another flavour of the same crapper

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vittesse-Sprint-21-speed-Alloy-Racing/dp/B003DZ15CQ/ref=pd_cp_sg_0

petethedrummer

LOL that first review: "Recommendation: I recommend for non-professional bikers. If you are professional, then it is expected to pay more."

BillJ

Thanks for the quick replies! I was thinking it was too big alright, was going to go look at it tommorrow but i'll give that i miss now. I suppose i better go try out a few to get the right size.

Is there any hope of getting a good road bike for about €300? working on a tight enough budget, it doesn't have to be new, just has to be good enough to not cripple me after a couple of km's!:P

BillJ

langdang wrote: »

Gripshift gears on a road bike...

What kind of gears should i be looking at?

Notch000

that bikes fine, i bought one a few months ago& so far all got for the money, only cost me 150E, the prices has risen since,
It would be too big for you tho, i find it a stretch at 5'10,
I could find nothing available for anywhere near that money at the time i was looking,

grips shifts are gangster yooo!

petethedrummer

This is the best you'll do at €374.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056306626

langdang

BillJ wrote: »

What kind of gears should i be looking at?

Those gripshift or revoshift gears on a road bike are just a bit wrong, that's all. I would take them as a sign of general poor quality.


Most bikes from 500 up would have the gears integrated into the brake levers
Have a look at this http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_786805_langId_-1_categoryId_212536

If you (or someone you know maybe???) has AXA insurance, you should get another 15% off this - BARGIN! ( as they say on donedeal... )


There are still some bikes under the 400 ish mark that have the gears mounted on the frame, old school style. Dawes, maybe raleigh(?) still do a very cheap road bike that has these.

BillJ

15% off brings that carrera very close to my price range!!think my sister just got insured with them, how do you avail of that offer??

Saw one on adverts there for 250e but it was 58cm frame:mad:

Would a hybrid be any good or should I stick to the road bike, road bike is what is recommended mostly.

Joeyde

BillJ wrote: »

Would a hybrid be any good or should I stick to the road bike, road bike is what is recommended mostly.

That gael force cycle is hellish no matter what bike your on. If you check the A/R/T threads they go through it. You are faster for the most part on the road bike, especially the hills on the road section, but its not worth much on the bog road leading up to the reek and you will have to carry it for a section just after. The hyrid is slower but you can use it for the whole race, albeit a lot slower on the road.

I would recommend getting which ever bike you will make the most use of afterwards, its a *&$£ of a cycle either way and you might as well spend the money on something you will use after those 4/5/6 hours..

petethedrummer

Hybrids are fine, but if you want a bike for events, challenges, training or long distance leisure cycles a road bike is better.

You could do it on a hybrid. But it will be slower. Loads of us have started on hybrids only to move on to roadbikes when got the bug and started going on weekend spins and entering sportives. If you were only using this bike for getting round a hybrid would be fine, but for events a roadie is better.

BillJ

Road bike it is then, I can see myself doing more road racing than off road in the future. Getting puncture proof tyres would be a good idea too i assume?
Went to a bike shop a couple of weeks ago and he's was saying they would be 90e each, seems expensive?

petethedrummer

You can get continental gatorskinds for much less. Around €30 each. Good compromise between puncture resistance and rolling resistance.

You'll still get punctures. So you have to care for them. Pick out glass at regular intervals, avoid potholes and keep the pressure correct.

langdang

BillJ wrote: »

15% off brings that carrera very close to my price range!!think my sister just got insured with them, how do you avail of that offer??.

Well, when I was insured with them, they sent out a plastic card with your name on it that you could produce in Halfords. I think now that they may require a valid current policy number as well.

The 15% applied on top of any other discounts originally, maybe that has also changed?

http://www.axaplus.ie/halfords_index.htm

Not applicable to Satnaves or Ipods apparently...

EDIT - 90e each for tyres sounds mad for casual/non-pro cycling - he must have meant 90 for two?

BillJ

90 does seem a bit mad, maybe I misheard but i'm sure that's what he said!

If I can get that deal with the axa discount I will definitely get that bike. Thanks for all the help guys, i'd be going around on a heavy useless bike that was too big for me without it:o