Advice re bike purchase

yobr

Hi,

I was looking for some advice regarding a bike purchase. I’m looking to spend between €300 - €600 under the Bike to Work scheme. Mainly rural roads so looking maybe at a hybrid bike. I had a look at the Halfords offering but would be interested in recommendations for a specific bike or for other retailers or online, thanks.

keane2097

In that price range I'd be going second hand personally.

boomdocker

keane2097 wrote: »

In that price range I'd be going second hand personally.

good advice

yobr

keane2097 wrote: »

In that price range I'd be going second hand personally.

Really? I thought I’d get something suitable in that price range.

boomdocker

yobr wrote: »

Really? I thought I’d get something suitable in that price range.

Point is that on the second hand market, providing you know what you are looking, for you should be able to pick up a road bike that retailed for €1k a few yrs ago, in excellent condition in the price range you mention

That would be a vastly superior bike to a new bike retailing in the price range you mention

Keep your BTW scheme in your pocket and in a year or two when you want something better and have built up the requisite knowledge then use your BTW to buy it

keane2097

boomdocker wrote: »

Point is that on the second hand market, providing you know what you are looking, for you should be able to pick up a road bike that retailed for €1k a few yrs ago, in excellent condition

That would be a vastly superior bike to a new bike retailing in the price range you mention

Keep your BTW scheme in your pocket and in a year or two when you want something better and have built up the requisite knowledge then use your BTW to buy it

This

Macy0161

boomdocker wrote: »

Keep your BTW scheme in your pocket and in a year or two when you want something better and have built up the requisite knowledge then use your BTW to buy it

Yep, definitely had buyers remorse a year or so down the line from my first btw purchase.

btw I'd consider a Cyclocross or Gravel or Adventure bike. The option to run wider tyres will help with the state of the roads (bigger tyres = more comfort) and give you the possibility of going off road. The narrow tyre clearance of my first btw is the thing that still irritates me, and is still costing me! CX season just ending - I've started seeing a few bikes pop up in WhatsApp groups - just check the tyre clearance if it's a pure CX bike.

Effects

Macy0161 wrote: »

btw I'd consider a Cyclocross or Gravel or Adventure bike.

I find it hard to convince people of the relevance of these type of bikes.
People I know who have availed of the BTW scheme usually go for a road bike, and won't be convinced otherwise. Then the bike sits unused for most of the year.

devonp

yobr wrote: »

Hi,

...I had a look at the Halfords offering but would be interested in recommendations for a specific bike or for other retailers or online, thanks.

avoid Hellfords...:(


second hand would be good

cletus

devonp wrote: »

avoid Hellfords...:(


second hand would be good

Depends what your looking for. I picked up a Voodoo Nakisi (gravel bike) in there. I love it, although the initial build didn't inspire confidence, and the knowledge of the fella working there wasn't great

Macy0161

Effects wrote: »

I find it hard to convince people of the relevance of these type of bikes.
People I know who have availed of the BTW scheme usually go for a road bike, and won't be convinced otherwise. Then the bike sits unused for most of the year.

In fairness, I'm not sure I'd have been convinced at the time. However, Gravel is very "on trend" at the moment so there may be some hope! I've pretty much had to buy a gravel bike when my original endurance btw bike would've been otherwise perfect for the job, if it had the clearance. Endurance frame, disc brakes...

devonp wrote:

avoid Hellfords...

Wouldn't be so convinced. Build quality can vary, but my carrera zelos is still going as a turbo bike, my Boardman MTB was (by common consensus) great value, and some of the boardman road, cx and adventure bikes seem good too. Club members much faster than me compete (rather than complete) on boardman CX bikes!

fat bloke

yobr wrote: »

Hi,

I was looking for some advice regarding a bike purchase. I’m looking to spend between €300 - €600 under the Bike to Work scheme. Mainly rural roads so looking maybe at a hybrid bike. I had a look at the Halfords offering but would be interested in recommendations for a specific bike or for other retailers or online, thanks.

Where are you living? (approximately!) Is there a bike shop other than Halfords in your vicinity?

Fair play to you for deciding to get a bike, hopefully the response on here hasn't turned you off but if you do a bit of digging the boards are full of people (many of us among them) who did exactly what you're doing and realised 3 months later that they could have spent their money more wisely and bought a better bike to begin with. So it's worth considering the hard-earned wisdom within these walls .

CramCycle

What distance? do you cycle already? will it be solely commuting? Are you locking up anywhere in particular ie indoor or outdoor storage at work? I would not be against using the B2W for it but go higher, you'll be spreading the cost out over 12 months which is the benefit over buying 2nd hand and paying in. Visit a bike shop and see what you like, Halfords have some OK stuff, but get someone who knows bikes to look over it before and after purchase

smacl

Effects wrote: »

I find it hard to convince people of the relevance of these type of bikes.
People I know who have availed of the BTW scheme usually go for a road bike, and won't be convinced otherwise. Then the bike sits unused for most of the year.

I moved from a road bike to a CX bike as my main bike a couple of years ago and find it a pleasure to ride and fine on long distances. I do take it off road quite a bit and explore the back roads and bohereens. If you're one crappy country roads on a regular basis either a road bike that could take 28mm tyres or a gravel or CX bike is a decent option.

LeChienMefiant

Would this be such a bad bike for commuting?
http://www.picycles.ie/product/trek-fx-2-disc/
Leaving aside that there is additional tax benefit that the OP could be availing of.

CramCycle

LeChienMefiant wrote: »

Would this be such a bad bike for commuting?
http://www.picycles.ie/product/trek-fx-2-disc/
Leaving aside that there is additional tax benefit that the OP could be availing of.

Depends on distance the OP is travelling, short distance it would be fine. Nothing fancy but it will do the job. Over longer distance, I'd prefer a road handlebar so you can move about a bit more, maybe a less upright geometry.

+1 on all the points above about a CX bike, converted mine to a commuter and it is great, super comfy, reliable, not as fast as the road bike but very little difference in the grand scheme of things.

LeChienMefiant

LeChienMefiant wrote: »

Would this be such a bad bike for commuting?
http://www.picycles.ie/product/trek-fx-2-disc/
Leaving aside that there is additional tax benefit that the OP could be availing of.

Perfectly decent bike for a short commute. My partner does about 6km each way on one when she doesn't need the car for work which is most days, rain or shine. It's not super heavy but there are definitely lighter bikes of it's kind.