City & country bike

jkforde

Hi lads
Am dumping my tank of a bike & going to get my ass on to something decent for both getting around town (Galway) and for going to 5-6hr leisure rides around Connemara or wherever. So am looking at Vitus and Trek and Giant but the bleedin' choice and specs are making my head swim (not technically up with bike specs tbh). So just looking for something light-ish, durable gear, wont break the bank for maintenance or spares. Have been looking at http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=70339 or http://www.kearneycycles.com/galway-bicycles-details.php?act=viewProd&productId=549
Thanks a million for any advice.
Go n'eirí na bóithre libh!

Tonyandthewhale

I like the vitus, it's similar enough spec to the trek from a quality perspective but it's cheaper. It also has 26inch wheels which means it'll be slower on the road but arguably better able to handle forest tracks and the like (and there are quite a few of them worth exploring in Connemara).
I'd also be tempted by the Vitus over the Trek because trek FX's are so damn common, it seems like every second person in Galway has one.

If you're planning on sticking to the roads though and want to do 5-6 hour spins you might be better off with a road bike or something like a touring bike or cyclocross bike even (basically anything with drop handlebars).

jkforde

thanks for the advice. i probably wont be going near off-road tracks much but some of the minor roads have off-track surfaces! so i might look at the cyclocross or road bikes but have no interest in drop bars but presume that's just a cosmetic swap for a straight handlebar. cheers

Tonyandthewhale

jkforde wrote: »

thanks for the advice. i probably wont be going near off-road tracks much but some of the minor roads have off-track surfaces! so i might look at the cyclocross or road bikes but have no interest in drop bars but presume that's just a cosmetic swap for a straight handlebar. cheers

Well there's no such thing as a cyclocross bike with flatbars and technically a road bike with a flat-bar is just a hybrid. It's not really a cosmetic swap over either, like if you bought a drop-bar bike and then wanted to change it to flatbar (or vice versa) you'd have to change the brake levers and shifters, and possibly the brakes themselves and you might want to change the stem too and then you might end up with a less than ideal riding position.

I'd say pick which one you want from the start and go with that. I wouldn't discount drop-bars straight away though (unless you've already tried them and know you don't like them), they offer major advantages in terms of comfort and ergonomics not to mention aerodynamics and speed. These won't make a massive difference if you're just pootling around town (although I'd still prefer dropbars in this instance) but would be very noticeable after 5 hours on wind-blown Connemara roads.

jkforde

doh, thanks for the advice and the lesson in bike specs! definitely not a cyclocross then, just looking for something that can handle city drains, country potholes and the odd bit of rough ground. the straight narrow handlebars just appeal to me for getting around town, the narrow gauge wheels for reasonable speed, decent quality to withstand Galway's incessant rain & damp and something that looks and feels right that it makes me want to ride! that Vitus looks like what I'm angling at so might go with it, can always flog it later if it doesn't suit me.... ta for the help.

BailMeOut

jkforde wrote: »

Hi lads
Am dumping my tank of a bike & going to get my ass on to something decent for both getting around town (Galway) and for going to 5-6hr leisure rides around Connemara or wherever. So am looking at Vitus and Trek and Giant but the bleedin' choice and specs are making my head swim (not technically up with bike specs tbh). So just looking for something light-ish, durable gear, wont break the bank for maintenance or spares. Have been looking at http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=70339 or http://www.kearneycycles.com/galway-bicycles-details.php?act=viewProd&productId=549
Thanks a million for any advice.
Go n'eirí na bóithre libh!

I have this Trek 7.2FX and cannot fault it. I use it for casual and long cycles (including the ROK). I have it for 5/6 years and put a lot of km's on it but it still looks and rides like new. The tyres that come with it are really tough and heavy and will slow you down so would recommend changing for something thinner for your longer excursions. I put 28mm Continental Ultra Sports and they make a huge difference. I also added handle bar extenders which again are really good for longer trips so stop your hands getting pins and needles). It also has an adjustable suspension in the saddle which make bike very comfortable. Great value bullet proof bike at about 500 euro.

As for maintenance the only outgoings since I bought it are V-break pads and I have gotten through a lot of them!

jkforde

good stuff, thanks for that. I was looking at that one alright on http://www.kearneycycles.com/galway-bicycles-details.php?act=viewCat&catId=191, looks like a decent bike, in around my price range and with your happy experience with one that might clinch it for me (...I'll just compare it to the Vitus and Giant 'equivalents' first!). thanks a lot.

feck sake lads

take a look at Terry Dolan bikes.
but if you want all day comfort then go for a steel bike , dont be afraid of buying second hand you can pick up a gem if your willing to take your time, check out ebay/ done deal/adverts on this forum.
or hit othere forums like CTC and cyclechat, also Thorn bikes are amazing i have a Thorn sherpa touring bike excellent bike just cant be faulted.
best of luck on your hunt but do not rush into it and dont but cheep rubbish waste of money.;)

jkforde

thanks for the info fsl, will check out adverts.ie and the forums and the rest.... to be honest it's the kind of purchase that I'm probably better off handling in person, eg get up on the bike, see how it feels under me, get a proper fitting by the shop staff etc., but no harm learning what's out there (never heard of the two makes that you mentioned... noob!)... mind you. you'd wonder about the value-for-money end of things in the shops here in Galway! anyways, thanks for the help.

feck sake lads

no worries just spend wisely remember all that glitters aint gold;)