Advice needed

yosser hughes · 05-03-2013 8:19pm #1

Hello. I am looking for advice.I need a bike but I'm on a budget. It's for city cycling. I am wondering what you folks think of any of these bikes?
http://www.sportsdirect.com/Cycling/Road-and-City-Bikes
Are they just junk and therefore a false economy or do you think they're ok for just a casual biker. I'd love to know what you think.
I hope this hasn't been asked before. I searched the forum but could only find a reference to Muddy Fox cycling shoes.
Thanks

Tonyandthewhale · 05-03-2013 9:39pm

Stay away, get something second hand if that's all you can afford.

reallyunique · 06-03-2013 12:49am

These are just toy bikes and that's reflected in the price. They will take you round the block or if you're unlucky a few miles before breaking down leaving you with a long walk home. These bikes wil be uncomfortable, unreliable and, most importantly, will leave you never wanting to cycle again. If you believed in conspiracy theories you might think that the car companies subsidise them.

But seriously, they are just good enough to annoy you, get you into trouble or put you off for good. Buy a second hand bike on adverts or donedeal. Haggle hard and if you don't like it then sell it later for nearly what you paid for it. You'll get a better bike, you'll get the opportunity to see if you like cycling without the bike getting in the way and you'll spend less in the long run.

RobFowl · 06-03-2013 12:54am

The Viking for €419 is reasonable. The rest are mostly junk. I would tend to agree with the advice to go second hand if you're on a tight budget but going too cheap is always false economy once parts start wearing out or breaking (which they will very quickly at the €100 mark).