Bike for newbie - recommendations?



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T

The Oracle

Guest
Hello again,

I have been doing about 150 miles a week on my knackered "mountain" bike (a Raleigh Genesis). I am
now thinking of buying something more suitable.

I want to do road racing and get up to speed with this. I am very aerobically fit and am muscularly
strong and I reckon with the right bike I can be very fast.

Can someone offer me some advice please? I know its difficult over the net but some
general pointers?

Who do I go and see? Where can I get measured up? Any old bike shop? A model I have seen is the
Specialised Allez Sport which costs about £800. Some dude who overtaken (everyone does) me
recommended this one and fuunny enough I saw it recommended in Men's Health. I don't mind spending
this much. Would this be a good choice for a 6 feet 1 guy at 15 stone? Could I get more bang for the
buck with an older model perhaps? I don't mind getting a second hand one. What frame would I be at
my height? What sort of money do you guys spend on a bike? Money isn't really a problem though like
with anything else if I can get a brilliant one for a couple of hundred then so much the better.

Tips or pointers guys?

Thanks a lot !!

Steve
 
The Oracle <[email protected]> wrote:

: I want to do road racing and get up to speed with this. I am very

Good luck. Be prepared for a lot of pain and some depressing experinces for the first few times.
Stick at it and it becomes better.

: Who do I go and see? Where can I get measured up? Any old bike shop? A

800 squids is not a bad amount of money to spend. You'll get a race worthy bike for that money.

If you go second hand you'll get a lot more, but only go this route if you know someone who can go
with you can check that the bike you want to buy a) is not shagged b) fits c) fits and d) fits.

If you go to a bike shop choose one that will take the time to make sure that the bike you buy a)
fits, b)fits c)fits and d) fits.

Get that right and the rest will follow.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester
 
Guys, This is the URL for the bike recommended to me:
http://www.leisurewheels.co.uk/products.php?mcat=1&brand=3&scat=6&prodid=303 Any good you reckon or
something else you could recommend? Steve

"The Oracle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello again,
>
> I have been doing about 150 miles a week on my knackered "mountain" bike
(a
> Raleigh Genesis). I am now thinking of buying something more suitable.
>
> I want to do road racing and get up to speed with this. I am very aerobically fit and am
> muscularly strong and I reckon with the right bike
I
> can be very fast.
>
> Can someone offer me some advice please? I know its difficult over the
net
> but some general pointers?
>
> Who do I go and see? Where can I get measured up? Any old bike shop? A model I have seen is the
> Specialised Allez Sport which costs about £800. Some dude who overtaken (everyone does) me
> recommended this one and fuunny enough I saw it recommended in Men's Health. I don't mind spending
> this much. Would this be a good choice for a 6 feet 1 guy at 15 stone? Could I get more bang for
> the buck with an older model perhaps? I don't mind getting a second hand one. What frame would I
> be at my height? What sort of money do you guys spend on a bike? Money isn't really a problem
> though like with anything else if I can get a brilliant one for a couple of
hundred
> then so much the better.
>
> Tips or pointers guys?
>
> Thanks a lot !!
>
> Steve
 
Thanks for the help. Steve By the way, nice Aus pictures

"Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> The Oracle <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> : I want to do road racing and get up to speed with this. I am very
>
> Good luck. Be prepared for a lot of pain and some depressing experinces for the first few times.
> Stick at it and it becomes better.
>
> : Who do I go and see? Where can I get measured up? Any old bike shop?
A
>
> 800 squids is not a bad amount of money to spend. You'll get a race worthy bike for that money.
>
> If you go second hand you'll get a lot more, but only go this route if you know someone who can go
> with you can check that the bike you want to buy a) is not shagged b) fits c) fits and d) fits.
>
> If you go to a bike shop choose one that will take the time to make sure that the bike you buy a)
> fits, b)fits c)fits and d) fits.
>
> Get that right and the rest will follow.
>
> Arthur
>
> --
> Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
> Lord Lester
 
"The Oracle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Who do I go and see? Where can I get measured up? Any old bike shop? A model I have seen is the
> Specialised Allez Sport which costs about £800.

Not a bad choice. If I were to go for something off the shelf like that I'd probably get a giant OCR
(cheaper!)

However, with that sort of money, I'd get something made to measure. Whereabouts are you? People
could give an idea of what specialist shops you have in your area.
 
X-No-Archive: yes

W K wrote:

>
>>Who do I go and see? Where can I get measured up? Any old bike shop? A model I have seen is the
>>Specialised Allez Sport which costs about £800.
>
>
> Not a bad choice. If I were to go for something off the shelf like that I'd probably get a giant
> OCR (cheaper!)
>
> However, with that sort of money, I'd get something made to measure. Whereabouts are you? People
> could give an idea of what specialist shops you have in your area.
>
>

From the IP adress in his post nottingham.

Peter
 
On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 13:33:50 +0100, "The Oracle" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hello again,
>
>I have been doing about 150 miles a week on my knackered "mountain" bike (a Raleigh Genesis). I am
>now thinking of buying something more suitable.
>
>I want to do road racing and get up to speed with this. I am very aerobically fit and am muscularly
>strong and I reckon with the right bike I can be very fast.
>
>Can someone offer me some advice please? I know its difficult over the net but some general
>pointers?
>
>Who do I go and see? Where can I get measured up? Any old bike shop? A model I have seen is the
>Specialised Allez Sport which costs about £800. Some dude who overtaken (everyone does) me
>recommended this one and fuunny enough I saw it recommended in Men's Health. I don't mind spending
>this much. Would this be a good choice for a 6 feet 1 guy at 15 stone? Could I get more bang for
>the buck with an older model perhaps? I don't mind getting a second hand one. What frame would I
>be at my height? What sort of money do you guys spend on a bike? Money isn't really a problem
>though like with anything else if I can get a brilliant one for a couple of hundred then so much
>the better.
>
>Tips or pointers guys?
>
>Thanks a lot !!
>
>Steve
>
IMO the Specialised you quote would be okay as a training bike and to see if you are serious about
road racing. If you take up road racing seriously you will soon want a lighter framed bike with
higher equipment spec. Shimano 105 is the next groupset up from the one on the bike you are viewing
and tends to be the spec where serious racers begin.

In the website you were looking at there is a 2002 model Specialised reduced from £1,200 to £1,000
with 105 groupset and decent frame composition. If you're getting a new bike it's always worth
looking for the previous years model.

In this case they only have a 54cm left and that would be too small for you. I take a 50cm, so I'll
leave someone nearer your height to recommend the correct size for you, though as previously stated
the best way to check is to try.

My last new racing bike was 8 years (and 3 stone!) ago, so I'm not as up on prices etc as I should
be, but I had a quick go on Ribble's "Bikebuilder" facility at

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuilder.php

and spent around £1,100 on what I would regard to be a reasonable frame and equipment - though it's
always easy to get carried away when it's someone else's money.

Regards! Stephen
 
"Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

>
> If you go second hand you'll get a lot more, but only go this route if you know someone who can go
> with you can check that the bike you want to buy a) is not shagged b) fits c) fits and d) fits.
>
> If you go to a bike shop choose one that will take the time to make sure that the bike you buy a)
> fits, b)fits c)fits and d) fits.
>

And what would you say is the single most important criteria in choosing a bike then, Arthur ;-)

Rich
 
I think the closest custom builder to Nottingham is Mercians in Derby, a bit old fashioned but excelent service.
To distinguish between a good and bad bike shop;
A good one will ask what kind of rideing you want to do
A bad one will ask what kind of bike you want
 
"Steve McGinty" <stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> My last new racing bike was 8 years (and 3 stone!) ago, so I'm not as up on prices etc as I should
> be, but I had a quick go on Ribble's "Bikebuilder" facility at
>
> http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/bikebuilder.php
>
> and spent around £1,100 on what I would regard to be a reasonable frame and equipment - though
> it's always easy to get carried away when it's someone else's money.

Ooh that was fun. I got up to about the same figure. Actually I thought it was pretty good spec for
the price, and almost tempts me to do it for real!

Rich
 
On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 22:30:43 +0100, Richard Goodman <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>
>> If you go second hand you'll get a lot more, but only go this route if you know someone who
>> can go with you can check that the bike you want to buy a) is not shagged b) fits c) fits and
>> d) fits.
>>
>> If you go to a bike shop choose one that will take the time to make sure that the bike you buy a)
>> fits, b)fits c)fits and d) fits.
>>
>
> And what would you say is the single most important criteria in choosing a bike then, Arthur ;-)
>
Making sure it's the right colour?

;-)

Tim.

--
God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t," and there was light.

http://tjw.hn.org/ http://www.locofungus.btinternet.co.uk/
 
"Dennis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> This MUST be the right one. You did say 800 squids? LOL Den

I bought a Giant in April, I got it home and realised the sus forks didn't work. Took it back (lbs)
and collected it just last week :) Giant sent a new sus fork, cept it was wrong colour and not sus.
They sent another, sus fork ok but thread missing. I sent an email which suggested I might be just a
little ****** off. They said ok, to clear this problem we'll send a complete new bike. So they did,
the wrong f'ing bike. They eventually got it right and gave me a few squidsworth of 'bits'. So, to
sum up, Giant have no clue what the hell they are doing ;) It's just lucky that I don't need the
bike for a while, I go in for a heart bypass on Sunday, wish me luck folks, and if I don't leave the
slab alive, it's first come first served (for the bike) Den
 
W K <[email protected]> wrote:

: However, with that sort of money, I'd get something made to measure. Whereabouts are you? People
: could give an idea of what specialist shops you have in your area.

For 800 quid you're not going to get a made-to-measure frame + all the bits. At least, not getting
good enough bits to race on.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester
 
Good luck on your op Den. Steve "Dennis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Dennis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > This MUST be the right one. You did say 800 squids? LOL Den
>
> I bought a Giant in April, I got it home and realised the sus forks didn't work. Took it back
> (lbs) and collected it just last week :) Giant sent a new sus fork, cept it was wrong colour and
> not sus. They sent another, sus fork ok but thread missing. I sent an email which suggested I
> might be just a little ****** off. They said ok, to clear this problem
we'll
> send a complete new bike. So they did, the wrong f'ing bike. They
eventually
> got it right and gave me a few squidsworth of 'bits'. So, to sum up, Giant have no clue what the
> hell they are doing ;) It's just lucky that I don't need the bike for a while, I go in for a
heart
> bypass on Sunday, wish me luck folks, and if I don't leave the slab alive, it's first come first
> served (for the bike) Den
 
"Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> W K <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> : However, with that sort of money, I'd get something made to measure. Whereabouts are you? People
> : could give an idea of what specialist shops
you
> : have in your area.
>
> For 800 quid you're not going to get a made-to-measure frame + all the bits. At least, not getting
> good enough bits to race on.

OK I'll admit, I really had in mind stock of frames + assembled to measure. C+ mentioned a hewitt as
a 800 quid just about raceable bike.

I'll also admit I'm unlikely to ever spend money on good enough bits to race on, as nature has not
provided me with good enough bits to race on.
 
W K wrote:
>
> "Peter Simons" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> > From the IP adress in his post nottingham.
>
> Ah, well, I don't know of anyone making bikes in nottingham.

How about Mercian Cycles in Derby? My Dad has had several custom built frames from them over the
last 20 odd years. Each one has been superbly built. They've even done such work as replacing a
dented top tube when one got damaged in flight. You couldn't tell it had been replaced afterwards.

Their website is:

http://www.btinternet.com/~merciancycleslimited/
--
******** replace 'spam' with 'ben' to reply *********
 
"Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> The Oracle <[email protected]> wrote:
> : By the way, nice Aus pictures
>
> Ta. I'd forgotten they were on my homepage :)

Not just Oz pictures, but actually Tassie pictures, my home state! You've done the overland track
eh, magic isn't it. Provided the weather holds.

Have you cycled in Tasmania? The hills are a bit much in places! It was only after moving to flat
London that I took up riding more seriously.

cheers, James
 
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