Newbie looking for advice in UK

[Kahuna]

Not Cycled since I was a kid and just hit the Five Ohhh. I need to exercise,
and currently swim a lot but it's getting boring.

I'd like to get back to biking and really need some advice on the type of
bike to buy.

I want to ride roads primarily, but also have access to fire tracks and
country cycle ways so want to spend as much time off road as possible - and
don't want to have to buy another bike in a years time!

My budget is really at £400 or so - so the fancy stuff I see in the mags
don't work for me - and it seems many of the mags suggest a good £400 bike
is a really exceptional thing!

What should I be looking for in the bike and where would I need to look to
get the best deal (I am in NE UK).

Any feedback appreciated.

Cheers

--
Kahuna
------------

 

[[email protected]]

Kahuna wrote:

> Not Cycled since I was a kid and just hit the Five Ohhh. I need to exercise,
> and currently swim a lot but it's getting boring.
>
> I'd like to get back to biking and really need some advice on the type of
> bike to buy.
>
> I want to ride roads primarily, but also have access to fire tracks and
> country cycle ways so want to spend as much time off road as possible - and
> don't want to have to buy another bike in a years time!
>
> My budget is really at £400 or so - so the fancy stuff I see in the mags
> don't work for me - and it seems many of the mags suggest a good £400 bike
> is a really exceptional thing!
>
> What should I be looking for in the bike and where would I need to look to
> get the best deal (I am in NE UK).
>
> Any feedback appreciated.
>


My advice would be to try here:
http://www.bikemagic.com/forum/forumthreads.asp?urn=1&sp=&v=6

 

[JD]

[email protected] wrote:
> Kahuna wrote:
>
> > Not Cycled since I was a kid and just hit the Five Ohhh. I need to exercise,
> > and currently swim a lot but it's getting boring.
> >
> > I'd like to get back to biking and really need some advice on the type of
> > bike to buy.
> >
> > I want to ride roads primarily, but also have access to fire tracks and
> > country cycle ways so want to spend as much time off road as possible -and
> > don't want to have to buy another bike in a years time!
> >
> > My budget is really at £400 or so - so the fancy stuff I see in the mags
> > don't work for me - and it seems many of the mags suggest a good £400bike
> > is a really exceptional thing!
> >
> > What should I be looking for in the bike and where would I need to lookto
> > get the best deal (I am in NE UK).
> >
> > Any feedback appreciated.
> >
>
>
> My advice would be to try here:
> http://www.bikemagic.com/forum/forumthreads.asp?urn=1&sp=&v=6


What? No list of broken GF garbage?

JD

 

[jahwomble]

If your in the UK and If it's a mountain bike you're after, buy a Claud
Butler "Cape Wrath" Just a tad under £400, staggeringly good for the
money. At that price I would not bother to buy anything else.

Then go to www.singletrackworld.com.

 

[deadlock]

Cape Wrath is excellent advice. If you can, stretch to the disc model.
Superb bike, light enough for the ££ and can be upgraded as you grow with
it, and it is worth upgrading. Climbs like the clappers, descends
confidently, handles nicely on the flat bits. Best of all, it's ready to go
straight out of the box.

Yes, ok, I have one. I returned to MTB'ing after an enforced layoff of a few
years and the CB has proved a great choice for getting back in the saddle.
Easily as good as my old mid 90's Stumpy, and better in parts. That's no
faint praise.

 

[Tim Izod]

On 2006-10-20, Kahuna <[email protected]> wrote:
> Not Cycled since I was a kid and just hit the Five Ohhh. I need to exercise,
> and currently swim a lot but it's getting boring.
>
> I'd like to get back to biking and really need some advice on the type of
> bike to buy.
>
> I want to ride roads primarily, but also have access to fire tracks and
> country cycle ways so want to spend as much time off road as possible - and
> don't want to have to buy another bike in a years time!
>
> My budget is really at £400 or so - so the fancy stuff I see in the mags
> don't work for me - and it seems many of the mags suggest a good £400 bike
> is a really exceptional thing!
>
> What should I be looking for in the bike and where would I need to look to
> get the best deal (I am in NE UK).
>
> Any feedback appreciated.
>
> Cheers
>

Try asking in uk.rec.cycling - you'll probably get some suitable
suggestions for bikes to look at and if you give a location some
suggestions for good bike shops too as well as pointers about what to
look for.

Don't be seduced by a cheap full suspension bike. Decent full
suspension bikes start at roughly double your budget though you should
find a decent rigid or hardtail fairly easily.

If you're near Newcastle, EBC (http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/)
have a shop there and their own brand (Revolution) bikes are pretty well
specified and regarded for the money (well within your budget). End of
2006 model year sales are starting too so you may be able to find a deal
on something better with a big discount.
--
Tim.

[email protected]

 

[Kahuna]

Thanks to all for the responses

Tim - I am in Newcastle (or near by) so I'll try the EBC shop.

Cheers

--
Kahuna
------------
"Tim Izod" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 2006-10-20, Kahuna <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Not Cycled since I was a kid and just hit the Five Ohhh. I need to
>> exercise,
>> and currently swim a lot but it's getting boring.
>>
>> I'd like to get back to biking and really need some advice on the type of
>> bike to buy.
>>
>> I want to ride roads primarily, but also have access to fire tracks and
>> country cycle ways so want to spend as much time off road as possible -
>> and
>> don't want to have to buy another bike in a years time!
>>
>> My budget is really at £400 or so - so the fancy stuff I see in the mags
>> don't work for me - and it seems many of the mags suggest a good £400
>> bike
>> is a really exceptional thing!
>>
>> What should I be looking for in the bike and where would I need to look
>> to
>> get the best deal (I am in NE UK).
>>
>> Any feedback appreciated.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>
> Try asking in uk.rec.cycling - you'll probably get some suitable
> suggestions for bikes to look at and if you give a location some
> suggestions for good bike shops too as well as pointers about what to
> look for.
>
> Don't be seduced by a cheap full suspension bike. Decent full
> suspension bikes start at roughly double your budget though you should
> find a decent rigid or hardtail fairly easily.
>
> If you're near Newcastle, EBC (http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/)
> have a shop there and their own brand (Revolution) bikes are pretty well
> specified and regarded for the money (well within your budget). End of
> 2006 model year sales are starting too so you may be able to find a deal
> on something better with a big discount.
> --
> Tim.
>
> [email protected]

 

[dardruba]

Local Bike Shop every time, LBS as these guys call it.
Singletrackworld.com and their bimonthly mag should give you plenty of shops to visit and if you were'nt inspired before you will be when you see their bike pics.

A day trip to the Lakes might be in order, Keswick Bikes, Bike Treks and Staveley should be targetted, perhaps even hire a bike and ride the loop in Grizedale Forest.

My best bike ever was a Kona I bought from Weardale Bikes at Frosterley some years ago, dont know if they are still there. I live over on the west coast and drove over when they had a 'try a bike day' in and around a local quarry, watch the mags for when shops advertise these events.

Hamsterley Forest seems to attract a better class of riders, yeah I'm a snob where bikes are concerned.
Before you buy I suggest you talk to the riders there whilst they're unloading bikes from cars and doing their nervous pre ride relaxing and tweaking of bikes.
Mike