What bike would you recommend for a beginner

bouli73

I would be appreciate any advice.

Hoping to use the bike to cycle to work a few days a well, approx 20 mile round trip. would also hope at some stage to do a Ring of Kerry type event. Other than that it would be for general enjoyment, cycling with the children and just having the craic. I would be buying it through the bike to work scheme.

Any advice would be great

thanks in advance

Lumen

€600-800 is what you pay for a decent hybrid bike. Giant Escape or equivalent. Avoid suspension forks.

Go to a shop and see what they have.

mrcheez

Agree, a hybrid bike is perfect for a beginner... and as other poster mentions avoid any suspension (except maybe in the saddle).

Specialized Sirrus would be my recommendation.

Bigus

Depends on a number of thing inc , age,male or female, type of roads and your rough location. 20 mile commute is a lot for beginner.

More than likely a road bike( racer) is the most suitable , are you going to spend the full 1000 euro ?

jinkypolly

The Giant Defy road bike range is great for starting out.
Ranges in price from €625 to €1449 depending on the spec you're looking for.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.defy.5/14977/66549/

sonandheir

Giant Defy 3. Bought last year on btw. I was quite a fair weather cyclist before with an old hybrid. next month will have put up 5000 kms on the Defy. Love it wouldn't have done as much cycling/commuting on my old heavy hybrid.

bouli73

Hi
sorry, should have clarified, i am a male aged 40. Cycle to work is 20 miles round trip. thanks for the replies and advice so far

mrcheez

32km (16km each way) is still one hell of a cycle for a beginner every morning/evening. How are the roads on your route, all bike paths?

Have you considered an electric bike?

bouli73

I could easily be naive as i have only cycled for fun previously. I do a bit a running and thought "if i can run 10k in 48mins i could surely cycle the 10 miles to work in the same time or less." Like i said, perhaps i am being a bit optimistic. I had hope to cycle to work perhaps twice a week and increase it if i enjoyed it and got fitter
The roads are good, no cycle paths but a wide hard shoulder.

quozl

I don't think you'll have trouble getting to where you can cycle to and back from work twice a week. A month or so maybe of evening cycles and you should be grand for that. There is a few weeks of your legs strengthening up which takes weight off your arse and will stop the saddle killing you. So expect a sore arse for the first few weeks.

I'd get a road-bike - one with drop-bars not straight ones. If you really think you might do something like the ring of kerry on it then the extra hand positions make it much more comfortable for longer rides. Some people do the ROK on straight bar bikes, I can't do more than 30k on a straight bar bike without pain as you can't change position.

Drop-bars look intimidating at first but they really aren't. I moved from flat-bars to drops within 3 months of learning to ride a bike, so if you can already balance on a bike, you'd be fine with them very quickly. For a 16km cycle to work, I'd find a drop-bar bike more comfortable and they also let you get down lower to get out of a headwind.

I'd advise getting a bike that can take a pannier-rack (much nicer than using a backpack to carry stuff to/from work) and get mud-guards.

mrcheez

quozl wrote: »

I'd advise getting a bike that can take a pannier-rack (much nicer than using a backpack to carry stuff to/from work) and get mud-guards.

Or (if you can) leave your clothes in work, bring in fresh clothes on the days you are not cycling.

cormacjones

Don't get a hybrid. You'll only regret it, switch to a road bike in a few months, and you'll be out a few hundred quid.

That was my experience anyway!

bmwguy

Another vote her for the defy range. I have a defy 4 that I am now cycling every day to and from work (10km each way). I did this approx 2 days a week for a while, but now I am fit enough to do it every day without even thinking about it. Doing ring of Kerry in 2 weeks time (although we are doing it over 3 days - more of a beer session than anything else). Wouldn't have dreamed of doing this before, progress comes quickly I have found.

Terri26

Probably a stupid question but I'm thinking of getting a bike too. Haven't cycled in over 15 yrs (wow that even shocked me), very unfit so I'm very much a beginner and female early 30s.
would the same advice said previous also apply to me? I barely understand some of it. What is suspension and why should I avoid it? Are bikes measured to your height?
I will just be using it for simple cycling no fancy terrain with the intention to build up fitness.
thanks and sorry if I sound like an annoying fool!

mrcheez

cormacjones wrote: »

Don't get a hybrid. You'll only regret it, switch to a road bike in a few months, and you'll be out a few hundred quid.

That was my experience anyway!

Probably depends on the hybrid, the lower end ones can be a bit clunky and heavy but ones around the €900 - €1,000 mark are very light and fast and more comfortable to cycle in the stop/start/stop environment of inner city cycling. I also find the more upright riding position easier on my neck and back.

Be sure to get handlebar grips so you can lean forward for additional comfort/speed.

I regularly overtake high-spec road bikes on my hybrid, but that's probably as much to do with the cyclist as much as the bike.

So to the OP try out all bikes and see which form you feel most comfortable with.

quozl

Suspension is like car suspension. It's a spring (or equivalent) in the front-fork and possibly back of the frame.
They're designed to keep the wheels in contact with the ground on very bumpy terrain. IE off-road, not the typical pot-hole filled irish road.

They're heavy, absorb some of your effort and need maintenance, particularly if cheap. Best avoided unless you're using it as an off-road bike.

If you'll be pottering around town then a straight-bar hybrid without suspension is perfect.
If you've any intention of doing longer leisure style cycles then you're probably better off with a drop-bar road bike. You sound like you do have those intentions.

Terri26

Thanks for the speedy reply Quozl! I can't be bothered faffying around with maintenance and definitely wouldn't be able to, so need something that is low maintenance and leisure cycles. It will be tough to start off with but hopefully I'll power through bit by bit! Surely the seats ate better now so my ass won't be as sore lol!

eeeee

Terri26 wrote: »

Probably a stupid question but I'm thinking of getting a bike too. Haven't cycled in over 15 yrs (wow that even shocked me), very unfit so I'm very much a beginner and female early 30s.
would the same advice said previous also apply to me? I barely understand some of it. What is suspension and why should I avoid it? Are bikes measured to your height?
I will just be using it for simple cycling no fancy terrain with the intention to build up fitness.
thanks and sorry if I sound like an annoying fool!

I would suggest borrowing a bike for a couple of weeks (or picking up a second hand cheapie), seeing if you like it, if you want to get into it, then get a road (drop bar) bike if you love it. There are a million ways to size a bike to you, measuring your inside leg is a reliable (but not infalible) one then look up charts online to see what size you should be on. However, being a lady also, this puts me as needing a 60cm bike, but I'm only 5'9'! Have a try of bikes, go to your local bike shop and see what fits you.
Head out of an evening or morning, whatever suits and build it up each time and you'll be flying in no time.
Also this cycling business gets really addictive once you get into it...you have been warned!

cormacjones

mrcheez wrote: »

Probably depends on the hybrid, the lower end ones can be a bit clunky and heavy but ones around the €900 - €1,000 mark are very light and fast and more comfortable to cycle in the stop/start/stop environment of inner city cycling. I also find the more upright riding position easier on my neck and back.

Be sure to get handlebar grips so you can lean forward for additional comfort/speed.

I regularly overtake high-spec road bikes on my hybrid, but that's probably as much to do with the cyclist as much as the bike.

So to the OP try out all bikes and see which form you feel most comfortable with.

OP said he hoped to do a ROK type of event at some stage. So I presume he'll be using it for longer spins. If that's the case he should definitely go for a road bike.

I also think it's a myth that road bikes are harder to navigate through traffic. I've used both and there's no real difference.

I had a high(ish) end Giant hybrid too (FCR1).