Re: New (sort of) here - is there a faq ??

Rob Morley said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Donnie
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Im sure there must be but after downloading several hundred old messages
can't find the link to one :-(

Used to be on here about a decade ago on and off, but since spraining my
ankle, fathering a few kids, leaving a [censored] job, now working for myself
etc ad nauseum, im getting a hankering for a bike again to get fit
before im 40 and to encourage the kids (10 and 8) out on their bikes.

So:
1. Is there a FAQ somewhere I can read anyway?
2. Does it cover some recommendations for bikes?
3. Should i just start a new thread i wonder looking for recommendations?

I think contributing to each "which bike should I get?" thread is
probably easier than compiling an FAQ - there are so many factors
involved in choosing the right type of bike, and the price and
availability of models varies.

So, what sort of cycling are you going to do, how much are you willing
to spend?

cheers guys for the response.

Well, im really after something about the £200 £250 mark.
Not planning to go off road as such, just some light public cycle trails
in the summer, the rest will realistically be road cycling.

It'll be a case of using it on a regular basis to help me get fit, also
to get the kids out locally too.

I dont want a pure road going bike, i think to cover my bases a
comfortable, fairly sit up and beg, hybrid would be my bag?

Donnie.

Donnie said:

I dont want a pure road going bike, i think to cover my bases a
comfortable, fairly sit up and beg, hybrid would be my bag?

There are some very good prices just now on 2007 Claude Butler bikes,
like the Classic or the Odyssey (I have an older model of the Odyssey
and am happy to recommend it for the kind of uses you describe).

Find a bike shop which sells bikes like these and ask to test ride the
one you like the look of. Make sure you get the right size for you; the
bike shop staff should be able to advise.

--
Brian G
www.wetwo.co.uk

Quoted message said:

Well, im really after something about the £200 £250 mark.
Not planning to go off road as such, just some light public cycle
trails in the summer, the rest will realistically be road cycling.

It'll be a case of using it on a regular basis to help me get fit,
also to get the kids out locally too.

I dont want a pure road going bike, i think to cover my bases a
comfortable, fairly sit up and beg, hybrid would be my bag?

In an earlier post I mentioned a Specialized Sirrus Sport. What I meant
was the Globe Sport.

It's a well made bike, fairly light with decent components. Room for
mudguards, has fittings for a rear rack, tyres perfect for combined
road/light trail use. The suspension seatpost gives a little bit of
comfort without the disadvantages of 'proper' suspension[1]

What is wheely good about it is the adjustable stem - the bike does both
sit-up-and-beg for slow rides with the kids and a lower, more
aggressive/sporty for your faster fitness rides.

Searching out a 2007 bike should bring it in budget. The cheapest is the
one to go for - the more expensive ones had carbon forks etc, but lost
useful things like the suspension seatpost, adjustable stem whilst still
not being light enough to give that gorgeous, responsive feeling of a true
light road bike.

[1] <rant> At this price point, 'proper' suspension is too heavy, lacks the
means to adjust it to suit your weight, has [censored] damping and [censored] sealing.
It destroys the ride of the bike instead of adding to it. It never quite
works well when new and seizes up after a year. Oh, and servicing it costs
more than replacing it.</rant>

Donnie said:

Not planning to go off road as such, just some light public cycle trails
in the summer, the rest will realistically be road cycling.

It'll be a case of using it on a regular basis to help me get fit, also
to get the kids out locally too.

I dont want a pure road going bike, i think to cover my bases a
comfortable, fairly sit up and beg, hybrid would be my bag?

Ah, but the benefit of drop bars is that you can cover your bases...
Ride on the tops or the hoods for a sit-up and look round, or switch
to the drops when pressing on.

The trick is to avoid a race (or time-trial) orientated bike with a
committed head-down position. A "touring" (or maybe "audax"😉 type bike
should give you choice of comfortable positions, sturdy wheels with
capacity for tyres that will cope comfortably with the odd path,
mudguards etc.
IMHO, this gives you a better bike for road use than a sit-up-and-beg
hybrid... Your mileage, as they say, may vary... :-)

Cheers,
W.

Quoted message said:

IMHO, this gives you a better bike for road use than a sit-up-and-beg
hybrid... Your mileage, as they say, may vary... :-)

And indeed what bars are good will vary with mileage too. if you're not
doing serious outings (by which I'd say day rides of over 30 miles or so
or maximising speed) then there's not actually that much to gain from
drop bars unless you've already developed a preference for them. They
allow you to select a good compromise point between aerodynamic
efficiency and comfort, but unless you're covering the miles then most
people will want comfort: note how the Dutch are known for using bikes
for transport but tend to use roadsters with a bolt-upright seating
position.

And on the downside, drops take a bit of getting used to (the forward
crouch makes one handed riding much more awkward than an upright
position because you push on one side by the simple act of taking one
hand off) where an upright posture gives a better view of where you're
going and doesn't place any unfamiliar loads on the steering.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Quoted message said:

IMHO, this gives you a better bike for road use than a sit-up-and-beg
hybrid... Your mileage, as they say, may vary... :-)

And indeed what bars are good will vary with mileage too.  if you're not
doing serious outings (by which I'd say day rides of over 30 miles or so
or maximising speed) then there's not actually that much to gain from
drop bars unless you've already developed a preference for them.

? Any time there's a headwind, or your speed gets much over about
12mph there's benefit to be had from drops, if you choose to use them.

Quoted message said:

... They
allow you to select a good compromise point between aerodynamic
efficiency and comfort, but unless you're covering the miles then most
people will want comfort: note how the Dutch are known for using bikes
for transport but tend to use roadsters with a bolt-upright seating
position.

There's no reason why drop bars shouldn't be comfortable... Set up
for a relatively upright position on the tops, rather than for a full-
on racing tuck on the drops they arn't much different from flat bars,
but still give you the option of tucking down a bit if you want to do
so. A bolt upright position puts all your weight onto the saddle, all
the bumps up your spine and all the wind in your chest!

Quoted message said:

And on the downside, drops take a bit of getting used to (the forward
crouch makes one handed riding much more awkward than an upright
position because you push on one side by the simple act of taking one
hand off) where an upright posture gives a better view of where you're
going and doesn't place any unfamiliar loads on the steering.

Again- you can adopt an upright position (albeit not bolt upright!)
on the tops (or even the hoods) of drops and largely alleviate this
issue.

For road use, drops are rightly popular (again, IMHO... if the
original poster doesn't fancy them that's fair enough... it seems to
me that they limit your options without any clear benefit).

Cheers,

Donnie said:

Well, im really after something about the £200 £250 mark.
Not planning to go off road as such, just some light public cycle trails
in the summer, the rest will realistically be road cycling.

It'll be a case of using it on a regular basis to help me get fit, also
to get the kids out locally too.

I dont want a pure road going bike, i think to cover my bases a
comfortable, fairly sit up and beg, hybrid would be my bag?

My wife has been more than happy with her Revolution Courier Nexus (from
Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative). It cost 350 GBP but can be bought for
250 with derailleur gears (Kate's has a hub gear).

Cheers,
Luke
--
Red Rose Ramblings, the diary of an Essex boy in
exile in Lancashire <http://www.shrimper.org.uk>

Ekul Namsob said:

Donnie said:

Well, im really after something about the £200 £250 mark.
Not planning to go off road as such, just some light public cycle trails
in the summer, the rest will realistically be road cycling.

It'll be a case of using it on a regular basis to help me get fit, also
to get the kids out locally too.

I dont want a pure road going bike, i think to cover my bases a
comfortable, fairly sit up and beg, hybrid would be my bag?

My wife has been more than happy with her Revolution Courier Nexus (from
Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative). It cost 350 GBP but can be bought for
250 with derailleur gears (Kate's has a hub gear).

Cheers again all for the replies.
just to pick up on a few things, one of the main reasons ill be looking
at a "sit up and beg" sort of position is basically down to my lack of
speed. Seems odd i know but i dont intend to do any great speed at all
as a lot of the time im planning on being out with my 10 and 8 year old.

Additionally, when i did have a road bike, which i loved, the position
left me with a lot of ache in my wrists, that was 10 years ago and
before i broke my wrist 4 years ago and i dont want to put undue
pressure on it.

Honestly, if i get to a point where i get into my cycling where im doing
30 odd mile rides (doubtful) I'll happily look into a much better bike.

For now though £200 - £250 should see me right with a nice and
comfortable bike with not too much outlay for what i want at first, i
can always move up later.

Donnie.

Donnie writtificated

Quoted message said:

Additionally, when i did have a road bike, which i loved, the position
left me with a lot of ache in my wrists, that was 10 years ago and
before i broke my wrist 4 years ago and i dont want to put undue
pressure on it.

Sounds like it didn't fit, but if you're not going to go fast a road bike
is going to be the Wrong Thing anyway.

Quoted message said:

Honestly, if i get to a point where i get into my cycling where im doing
30 odd mile rides (doubtful) I'll happily look into a much better bike.

Heh, if you end up cycling regularly you'll be spending too much on
clothing, lights etc to have enough left over for a better bike 😉

In article <[email hidden]>, Brian G
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Make sure you get the right size for you; the
bike shop staff should be able to advise.

Depends very much on the quality of the shop - some don't have much of a
clue, and some will try to shift whatever they have in stock.