Advice - newbie buying first racer!

Bog Butter

Hi. I know nothing about bikes. I want to buy a my first racer though. So I am looking for advice on what bike to buy. I am considering buying second hand through DoneDeal/boards.ie (or elsewhere).

Or am I better off brand new? (I can avail of the btw scheme.)

• I am fairly fit and do a bit of running.

• I would be hoping to join a cycling club and do some long distance cycles.

• I would also be looking to push myself at times as well.

• And I am going to cycle the Ring of Kerry!

• Budget: 600 euro for second hand bike. 1000 euro for a new bike on btw scheme.

Any advice is most appreciated.

macnab

My advice would be buy a cheap bike to start out with then if you don't use it you haven't spent much. If on the other hand you get heavily into cycling you could keep the first bike as a hack and buy a good bike without having to worry about trade ins etc.
For instance I bought a Carrera TDF recently for e200, I will use it as my winter trainer, my commuter, spins with the kids etc. I have a Trek Madone for spins with the club, sportives etc.
I of course did it the expensive way i.e. I started with a mid level Aluminium bike followed by a mid level Carbon bike followed by the bling bling expensive carbon bike, all in less than 2 years and wasting nearly €1000.
I am not saying I didn't enjoy every bike, and I don't regret it but if money is a high priority then consider your options. Best of luck with the purchase.

merc230ce

Yep, agree with all of that. I bought a 4 year old Trek 1.2 for €325 which is absolutely fine, fulfills all of my needs. But it doesn't stop me lusting after all of the blingy carbon beauties out there! So I'm glad I didn't spend €1000 on a new 1.2 (plus a few accessories that I've no doubt they'd foist on me to bring the value up). I'll happily spend that money maybe next year when I have 'earned' it by putting in a few thousand km's in the saddle.

See you at the ROK - I'll be the guy on the Trek ;-)

Bog Butter

Thanks for the advice. I like it! Do frame sizes vary? I'm 5' 10''.

Seaneh

Bog Butter wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I like it! Do frame sizes vary? I'm 5' 10''.

Yeah, they vary from company to company too, different companies use different geometry, there are usually "sizing guides" on the companies websites.

But your height is only half the story, if you have short legs and a long torso (like me) you would need a smaller bike than someone with longer legs and a shorter torso. if that makes sense.

Bog Butter

It does indeed. Thanks.

macnab

Bog Butter wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I like it! Do frame sizes vary? I'm 5' 10''.

Your probably looking for a 56cm frame, but try a few before buying. As a rule of thumb you multiply your inside leg measurement (in cm) by .667, so if your measurement is 80cm x .667 = 53.36. So in this case a 53cm frame is indicated, this relates to the horizontal measurement from the seat post to the centre of the steerer tube, known as the effective top tube measurement.

Bog Butter

I found a APOLLO TDF 02.

6 yrs old

Light and strong 7004 Aluminium frame.

Shimano SORA Flight deck controls.

14 speed.

58cm frame.

New Sunrace drive chain.

New Shimano rear cassette.

Sealed bottom bracket fitted 1 year ago.

What do people think?

macnab

Bog Butter wrote: »

I found a APOLLO TDF 02.
6 yrs old
58cm frame.
What do people think?

I would say a 58cm would be too big for you, unless you have disproportionately long legs. Another rule of thumb is if in doubt buy a smaller frame.
You can change stems etc to make a smaller bike fit but if its too big there is not much you can do.
As for the Carrera TDF in general, they are a good starter bike but try to get a later model with 8 speed (16 gears) and don't spend over €350 unless the tags are still on the bike. 2-250 is more realistic for a well used bike.

petethedrummer

macnab wrote: »

As for the Carrera TDF in general,.

That's an Apollo TDF, not a Carrera TDF. I wouldn't go near an Apollo bike from what I have seen of them.

Seaneh

Bog Butter wrote: »

I found a APOLLO TDF 02.

6 yrs old

Light and strong 7004 Aluminium frame.

Shimano SORA Flight deck controls.

14 speed.

58cm frame.

New Sunrace drive chain.

New Shimano rear cassette.

Sealed bottom bracket fitted 1 year ago.

What do people think?

won't take it unless it was free to be honest...

It's also likely to be about 2 sizes too big for you.

Bog Butter

Thanks, i'll leave that one.

What about a 1 yr old DeVinci for 380 euros?

petethedrummer

Bog Butter wrote: »

Thanks, i'll leave that one.

What about a 1 yr old DeVinci for 380 euros?

Devinci are good. Da Vinci are not. Which one is it?

Bog Butter

petethedrummer wrote: »

Devinci are good. Da Vinci are not. Which one is it?

It's a Da Vinci actually.

Bog Butter

Are Viking bikes any good?

macnab

Bog Butter wrote: »

Are Viking bikes any good?

Modern Viking bikes are sold from supermarket type outlets in the UK and given that they retail for about £200 new I would steer clear. I think the usual reviews say good frame, every other component is rubbish.

petethedrummer

Bog Butter wrote: »

Are Viking bikes any good?

NO! An old steel vking from the 80s might be ok. The current ones are awful and probably a different company.

Basically you should be able to easily google the company's website and some reviews of their bikes. The one's you are looking at are bargain bucket stuff and not much information exists on them.

Try Giant, Trek, Specialized, Felt, Boardman, Carrera, Fuji, etc.... there are loads more good brands but you have picked out 3 of the worst ones!!! It iss hard to tell though when you don't spend all day everyday looking at bicycles, like some of us do.

Go on to Evanscycles.com, wiggle.co.uk, chainreactioncycles.com or into a LBS to get a feel for the good brands.

macnab

Have a look in Adverts.ie, there are a few well priced bikes there. DoneDeal bikes are usually over priced.
There is a Carrera Virtuoso for sale asking €300, they are currently €475 new in Halfords.
I would stay away from 7 speed bikes (14 gears) aim for 8 speed at least.

Seaneh

What's your budget op?

If you put a wanted ad in the cycling adverts sub forum stating what you want and what your budget is, you might get something to suit you fairly quickly.

iopener

i'm like bog butter, thinking of doing a charity cycle dublin to wexford town, don't want to spend too much money on a bike, so i measured my inside leg like someone suggested and muliplied by .667 x 77 = 51.4 cm. is this actuall bike size i'm a bit of a short arse btw.

Felloffmebike

If you can get to Decathlon then buy one of these. Btwin Triban 3. Great reviews. Usually say can't believe you could get this much bike for the money.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-road-bike-id_8167038.html

Bog Butter

Thanks for all that great advice and info.

What about a Raleigh Pursuit? Was trying to find a euro price for them when buying new. Are they at the lower end too?

macnab

Bog Butter wrote: »

Thanks for all that great advice and info.

What about a Raleigh Pursuit? Was trying to find a euro price for them when buying new. Are they at the lower end too?

That Raleigh Pursuit is very heavy and over geared, you would want serious muscle to get it up anything that looks steep.

The T-Twin posted above is the only decent discount bike that I know of.

merc230ce

*considers unleashing B'twin fanboy speech yet again, but thinks better of it*

Roger Hassenforder

Bog Butter wrote: »

It's a Da Vinci actually.

Not the worst, €380 might be a bit optimistic though

Bog Butter

I rang around a few of the bike shops and have sourced a 52cm second hand bike. Would that be too small for me? I'm 5' 10''.

petethedrummer

Bog Butter wrote: »

I rang around a few of the bike shops and have sourced a 52cm second hand bike. Would that be too small for me? I'm 5' 10''.

It's probably too small, with old bikes it used to be easy to size. At 5'10 you would fit a 55 or 56 in traditional sizing and most modern sizing. But some modern brands have odd sizing (without getting into it to deeply).

I'm about the same height and ride a 56 Felt, a 56 Beone and a 50 Giant.

Do you know the name of the bike?

Lumen

Bog Butter wrote: »

I rang around a few of the bike shops and have sourced a 52cm second hand bike. Would that be too small for me? I'm 5' 10''.

Probably.

Bog Butter

petethedrummer wrote: »

It's probably too small, with old bikes it used to be easy to size. At 5'10 you would fit a 55 or 56 in traditional sizing and most modern sizing. But some modern brands have odd sizing (without getting into it to deeply).

I'm about the same height and ride a 56 Felt, a 56 Beone and a 50 Giant.

Do you know the name of the bike?

Yep. A Giant Defy 3

edit: costing 300 euros

Seaneh

The Defy comes in either 50 (medium) or 53.5 (meldim/large).

I'd say you're better off just asking on adverts if anyone has a bike in your price range and size?

Tobyglen

5ft 10 is certainly not a 52 inch frame-that's too small for you. Minimum should be 54 inch and I would say 56 inch would be a good fit.
Keep looking on done deal, advert.ie. Stay away from the bikes you mentioned above, buy a racer for 400 quid (Trek, Giant, Specialised, Fuji, Focus_ and you'll be grand.

Bog Butter

Cheers. Yes I am keeping an eye on those sites. I'm also gonna keep in touch with some bike shops to see what comes in there.

petethedrummer

Bog Butter wrote: »

Cheers. Yes I am keeping an eye on those sites. I'm also gonna keep in touch with some bike shops to see what comes in there.

That Giant might be fine as they size differently from normal. Try it out. An M or M/L should be the right size for you. It's written on a sticker down near the pedals on the seat tube.

Seaneh

If you're wolling to spend €500, buy a Btwin Triban 5 from Decathalon, phone their store in belfast and they will arrange delivery, the triban 5 is an alu frame, carbon fork full tiagra groupset sub 10kg bike just like the defy and a lot cheaper, but just as good component wise and is muche better value for money, and it's new, and comes with a 1 year warranty on parts and a 5 year frame warranty!

Seaneh

Seaneh wrote: »

If you're wolling to spend €500, buy a Btwin Triban 5 from Decathalon, phone their store in belfast and they will arrange delivery, the triban 5 is an alu frame, carbon fork full tiagra groupset sub 10kg bike just like the defy and a lot cheaper, but just as good component wise and is muche better value for money, and it's new, and comes with a 1 year warranty on parts and a 5 year frame warranty!

Got excited myself when I saw this, but it's actually Sora groupset, I think....is this the link?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-road-bike-black-id_8239801.html#avantages

Seaneh

slookie wrote: »

Got excited myself when I saw this, but it's actually Sora groupset, I think....is this the link?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-5-road-bike-black-id_8239801.html#avantages

Yeah, I meant to say sora in my post.

Its the most bike for the money you could get new to be honest.
the new sora groupsets are really nice by the way, they are basically just a 9speed tiagra now.

petethedrummer

Seaneh wrote: »

the new sora groupsets are really nice by the way, they are basically just a 9speed tiagra now.

+1.

I have the older 9-speed Tiagra. Solid stuff and spares are cheap. I would advise against the old 8-speed Sora (for ergonomic reasons, not quality) but the new 9-speed should be dependable.