Argos bikes - any good?

[davek]

What kind of reputation do Argos bikes have? It's not a brand I'm familiar with but from what I can see on their website I rather like the look of them.

I'm mainly asking because I'm tempted by an ad in this week's Cycling Weekly for a secondhand Argos Audax at what looks like a good price - though I expect it's probably gone by now, and I'm not sure I've got the cash anyway... ho hum.

d.

 

[Burt]

"davek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What kind of reputation do Argos bikes have? It's not a
> brand I'm familiar with but from what I can see on their
> website I rather like the look of them.
>
> I'm mainly asking because I'm tempted by an ad in this
> week's Cycling Weekly for a secondhand Argos Audax at
> what looks like a good price - though I expect it's
> probably gone by now, and I'm not sure I've got the cash
> anyway... ho hum.
>
> d.
>
They have a very good reputation, as high-quality, hand-
built bikes. They are based in Bristol, and I know quite a
few people with one, and they are all complimentary. I have
got them to respray a couple of my bikes, and the service
and the painting were both excellent.

>
>
> --

 

[Ian W]

On 2004-03-26 14:43:58 +0000, davek <[email protected]> said:

> What kind of reputation do Argos bikes have? It's not a
> brand I'm familiar with but from what I can see on their
> website I rather like the look of them.
>
> I'm mainly asking because I'm tempted by an ad in this
> week's Cycling Weekly for a secondhand Argos Audax at
> what looks like a good price - though I expect it's
> probably gone by now, and I'm not sure I've got the cash
> anyway... ho hum.
>
> d.

I recently rode with someone who had an Argos Audax bike and
it was lovely. He was very happy with it.

Ian
--
Remove the nice brown paste in my signature if you
want to reply!

 

[Taywood]

"Ian W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 2004-03-26 14:43:58 +0000, davek <usenet-
> [email protected]> said:
>
> > What kind of reputation do Argos bikes have? It's not a
> > brand I'm familiar with but from what I can see on their
> > website I rather like the look of them.

> I recently rode with someone who had an Argos Audax bike
> and it was lovely. He was very happy with it.

Does this mean its not an Argos catalogue bike?

 

[Ian W]

On 2004-03-26 22:29:27 +0000, "taywood" <[email protected]> said:

>
> "Ian W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On 2004-03-26 14:43:58 +0000, davek <usenet-
>> [email protected]> said:
>>
>>> What kind of reputation do Argos bikes have? It's not a
>>> brand I'm familiar with but from what I can see on their
>>> website I rather like the look of them.
>
>> I recently rode with someone who had an Argos Audax bike
>> and it was lovely. He was very happy with it.
>
> Does this mean its not an Argos catalogue bike?

I didn't realize they did catalogue bikes - I thought they
were all bespoke. Hold on - we're not talking at cross-
purposes here are we? You're not talking about 'Argos' as
in the high-street catalogue shops are you? If so, you
should know that 'Argos' is also a Bristol-based maker of
quality hand-made bikes, and that's what we've been talking
about here!

Ian

--
www.drianwalker.com

Remove the nice brown paste in my signature if you
want to reply!

 

[Zog The Undenia]

davek wrote:
> What kind of reputation do Argos bikes have? It's not a
> brand I'm familiar with but from what I can see on their
> website I rather like the look of them.
>
> I'm mainly asking because I'm tempted by an ad in this
> week's Cycling Weekly for a secondhand Argos Audax at
> what looks like a good price - though I expect it's
> probably gone by now, and I'm not sure I've got the cash
> anyway... ho hum.

They're very expensive new - comparable to a Bob Jackson.

 

[David Kenning]

Ian W wrote:
> > Does this mean its not an Argos catalogue bike?
>
> I didn't realize they did catalogue bikes - I thought they
> were all bespoke. Hold on - we're not talking at cross-
> purposes here are we? You're not talking about 'Argos' as
> in the high-street catalogue shops are you? If so, you
> should know that 'Argos' is also a Bristol-based maker of
> quality hand-made bikes, and that's what we've been
> talking about here!

I have to confess that when I first saw the ad I was
confused as to why someone would be advertising a bike they
bought out of the Argos catalogue in Cycling Weekly, which
is why I had to investigate further.

Thanks all for the replies - I am now a wiser person, and
glad to hear that they are as splendid as they sound.

d.

 

[David Kenning]

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
> They're very expensive new - comparable to a Bob Jackson.

Is that lots-of-money-but-worth-it expensive or not-very-good-
value expensive?

I suppose it's academic if I'm looking at a second-hand one,
but then I'd have to start wondering why it was so cheap...
It might be academic anyway because I called in to the
EBNSLBS* while I was out this morning and the nice lady more
or less talked me into parting with £900 there and then for
a shiny new Orbea...

d.

*Excellent But Not So Local Bike Shop, compared to the
CBVLBS - **** But Very etc.

 

[Andy Dingley]

On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 14:43:58 GMT, davek
<[email protected]> wrote:

>What kind of reputation do Argos bikes have?

No idea - but as a workshop, they do lovely work -
especially paint.

--
Smert' spamionam

 

[Zog The Undenia]

david kenning wrote:

> Zog The Undeniable wrote:
>
>>They're very expensive new - comparable to a Bob Jackson.
>
>
> Is that lots-of-money-but-worth-it expensive or not-very-good-
> value expensive?

The trouble with custom built bikes is that the extra cost
for some builders isn't immediately apparent in quality. You
know what the tubeset is, so the frame will weigh the same
as someone else's. A mis-aligned steel frame can be coldset
later quite cheaply - if you ever notice, that is. If you
specify the geometry it will fit. A lot of builders farm out
painting to a third party, some of whom are better at
painting than the top builders, because they're specialists.

OTOH if they overheat the tubing when brazing the BB and
the chainstays crack 5 years later, maybe you'll wish you'd
paid more!

 

[Taywood]

snip>

> > Does this mean its not an Argos catalogue bike?
>
> I didn't realize they did catalogue bikes - I thought they
> were all bespoke. Hold on - we're not talking at cross-
> purposes here are we? You're not talking about 'Argos' as
> in the high-street catalogue shops are you?
Yep.

> If so, you should know that 'Argos' is also a Bristol-
> based maker of quality hand-made bikes, and that's what
> we've been talking about here!
Thanks. I can see that now!!