Best place to buy a value bike of decent quality?

wonderboysam

Hey I'm looking to buy a hybrid for around €180-280, the last bike I bought was a mountain bike for around €250(the cheapest in store) in some random bike shop in town, I found it a chore to cycle and then had regular problems with the brakes.

The best place I've seen so far has been halfords eyeing up the Raleigh Altare Hybrid and the Carrera Subway, they both get great onsite reviews but so does every other bike! I'd love if you guys had experience with either of these bikes and/or could recommend a better bike/vendor.

Thanks!
Sam


p.s. I'm wary that threads like this probably crop up a lot but couldnt find a suitable forum or thread in the faq, apologies if this is against forum rules

steamengine

wonderboysam wrote: »

Hey I'm looking to buy a hybrid for around €180-280, the last bike I bought was a mountain bike for around €250(the cheapest in store) in some random bike shop in town, I found it a chore to cycle and then had regular problems with the brakes.

The best place I've seen so far has been halfords eyeing up the Raleigh Altare Hybrid and the Carrera Subway, they both get great onsite reviews but so does every other bike! I'd love if you guys had experience with either of these bikes and/or could recommend a better bike/vendor.

Thanks!
Sam


p.s. I'm wary that threads like this probably crop up a lot but couldnt find a suitable forum or thread in the faq, apologies if this is against forum rules

In that price bracket I've found the Portuguese manufactured Orbita to be very easy to cycle and a robust bike, better than anything I used before. There are two in the family, both bought from Little Sport in Fairview. They are mountain bikes though, and the older models with the standard man's frame. Whatever you're interested in, take it for a good spin before you buy.

wonderboysam

ah yeah I'm looking for something that'll go pretty fast too! on my last one I'd be pedaling full throttle on max gear and other cyclists would simply breeze past me (I think it was a combination of it being a mountain bike and a shitty bike, although I'm no expert)

Lemag

If you know of anyone with an AXA insurance policy you can use it to get a 15% discount in Halfords. This used to be the case anyhow.

wonderboysam

Looking at this one now! a lot of friends on fbook have been warning me off halfords, a few recommended using donedeal

€399

Vetto
Frame size: 53 56 59
Lightweight alloy frame
Forks: Steel
Gear levers: Shimano Sti Shifters 14 Speed
Rear derailleur: Shimano 2300
Cranks:Shimano
Freewheel: Shimano 7 speed
Wheels: Alloy double wall deep v section rims
Tyres:700 x 23c Kenda tyres
Alloy A Head stem
Brakes: duel pivot brakes
Saddle racing saddle

the bike looks shiny! is it value for money though?

C3PO

I'd take my chances with Halfords long before some guy flogging stuff on Done Deal - doesn't even look particularly cheap! Carrera seem to get good reports as solid reliable bikes!

No Pants

C3PO wrote: »

I'd take my chances with Halfords long before some guy flogging stuff on Done Deal - doesn't even look particularly cheap! Carrera seem to get good reports as solid reliable bikes!

Agreed. I'd get this Carrera TDF or this Carrera Virtuoso before I'd go to Done Deal.

If you want to spend, more this Boardman and the Carrera Vanquish look nice.

Personally I'd support your local bike shop before Halfords.

kenmc

wonderboysam wrote: »

Hey I'm looking to buy a hybrid for around €180-280, the last bike I bought was a mountain bike for around €250(the cheapest in store) in some random bike shop in town, I found it a chore to cycle and then had regular problems with the brakes.

So you bought a cheap bike, found out that it was crap, and yet still want to buy another equally cheap (or cheaper!) bike thinking that it will somehow be better?:eek:
You tend to get what you pay for. In that price range, second hand is the only way to go.

Eamonnator

Lemag wrote: »

If you know of anyone with an AXA insurance policy you can use it to get a 15% discount in Halfords. This used to be the case anyhow.

I was in Halfords last week. Bought a few bits, produced my AXA card.
I was told, discount is now 10percent.

Tonyandthewhale

The carrera subway is grand as a cheap short-distance commuter that you can lock up in town and not worry about too much and it will serve you well for quite a while if you maintain it properly. It's not fast or lightweight though. It's essentially a mountain bike platform with a rigid fork (which helps) and slick tyres (which also helps).
The raleigh altare is for someone looking to buy the cheapest hybrid in store. It's better than a 99euro full suspension mountain bike but it's not built for quality, stay away from anything that says raleigh on the side (they used to make some quality stuff but now they're owned by a Chinese company aiming at the lowest denominator end of the market).

For 280e I'd go for the carrera or something second hand.

If you go second hand be aware that there are many genuine people selling nice bikes for fair prices (the adverts forum on here is a good place to start for that sort of stuff but it's mostly parts rather than full bikes) but there are a lot of chancers (especially on donedeal) who buy a ****ty bike off ebay for 149.99euro when it's on special offer and then try to pass it off as a 'professional racing bike' or other such nonsense and insist they're giving you a bargain selling it for 400e or 500e. So do your homework and don't buy anything unless you have some idea what it's actually worth. I can't see the ad you posted because I'm outside the country and donedeal is blocked here but the specs don't look very impressive so I wouldn't be tempted unless it was VERY cheap.