Hello everybody,
Over the past few years I have thought long and hard as to whether I should or should not take up cycling however after witnessing several friends purchasing new bikes, I thought I may as well investigate this unknown sport. I have been casually cycling on mountain bikes/hybrids for the past 3-4 years however aged 15 I think its time to move into the slightly more serious territory. I am currently in the market for my first road bike however with so many options it can be bewildering. Words such as "Carbon", "Aluminium" "Fork" "Frame" completely blew me however after researching different bikes and there pros and cons, I though that I may as well share them with other first time road bike enthusiasts.
Before I begin, I would like to say that I really am a novice in this field, really this is just a condensed version of other reviews I have found on the internet which I have compiled into one document in a hope to save other novices like me the time and effort of researching the many different offers available.
This article is really intended for those with a price range of £120-400. There are SO many options out there that I could not possibly list them all in one article. Any tips for a newbie would be highly appreciated!
The first bike I saw and considered was the "Vertigo Picadilly" From Tesco. (pictured below) Priced £130
When I first saw this bike, I thought... WOW! £130?! for a road bike? I am not going to lie I almost fell for this bargain. At a mere £130 (which is pennies in the road bike market) this bike seemed like an absolute steal however when I showed this to my dad his face began to frown. He said "It's going to rubbish" and like most parents usually are, he was right. Really this bike is not a serious road bike at all (from reading reviews). Although receiving a solid 4.2 out of 5 average rating on the Tesco website, this bike is really for the rare user who doesn't mind the cheaper components however if you are considering cycling seriously, you are better of choosing one of the other options listed below.
For your average first road bike you should probably be looking at a bike weighing about 10-12kg. This bike weighs 14kg which is hefty for such a sleek looking design. The gears are made by the well renowned component brand "Shimano" however basically this bike probably one to avoid unless you are on an EXTREMELY tight budget.
The second bike I saw was the Carrera TDF from Halfords
The Carrera TDF from Halfords (in my opinion) is the best looking bike out of the three listed in this article and at a very reasonable £300 it won't put a huge dent in your wallet either. Bare in mind that although on halfords.com it says that the bike has an RRP of £500 reduced to £300 realistically, it is a £300 bike. It's got Shimano gear shifters and Tektro brakes and the paint work looks brilliant (not that that matters). This bike weighs 11.7kg according to the Halford's website. Bike radar gave this bike a 3.5/5 rating only faulting it due to its slightly heavy framework. Check that review out at: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-carrera-tdf-ltd-road-bike-11-44902/ . Really this bike is for the possible commuter or casual user/ first time buyer and is a very good competitor in its category and plus... its almost always in stock unlike our next bike.
The B'twin Triban 3/ 3A (Priced £300) at www.decatalon.co.uk
This bike is by far the best in it's category. If your looking for the best first road bike then look no further. The Triban 3 boasts an impressive carbon fork (reduces weight) with Shimano 23000 drive terrain, excellent for a bike of this price range whilst also weighing the lightest out of the 3 at 10.5kg. Cycling weekly, a prestigious company gave this bike a whopping 4.5/5 stars. ( http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/bikes/129441/2/bike-test-do-you-get-what-you-pay-for.html) However, it all seems a bit too perfect. The only issue with this bike is the fact that it is only available at www.decathalon.co.uk and currently they are pretty much out of stock of this bike. For me this is the one, if it was in stock.
NB. Note that the Triban 3A is different to the Triban 3. The Triban 3A does not have a carbon fork (some people say this is the best part of the Triban 3).
Thanks for reading this brief article. As I said, I am only a novice so any constructive criticism would be helpful. As I have not bought a bike any other suggestions for me?
Cheers,
Over the past few years I have thought long and hard as to whether I should or should not take up cycling however after witnessing several friends purchasing new bikes, I thought I may as well investigate this unknown sport. I have been casually cycling on mountain bikes/hybrids for the past 3-4 years however aged 15 I think its time to move into the slightly more serious territory. I am currently in the market for my first road bike however with so many options it can be bewildering. Words such as "Carbon", "Aluminium" "Fork" "Frame" completely blew me however after researching different bikes and there pros and cons, I though that I may as well share them with other first time road bike enthusiasts.
Before I begin, I would like to say that I really am a novice in this field, really this is just a condensed version of other reviews I have found on the internet which I have compiled into one document in a hope to save other novices like me the time and effort of researching the many different offers available.
This article is really intended for those with a price range of £120-400. There are SO many options out there that I could not possibly list them all in one article. Any tips for a newbie would be highly appreciated!
The first bike I saw and considered was the "Vertigo Picadilly" From Tesco. (pictured below) Priced £130
When I first saw this bike, I thought... WOW! £130?! for a road bike? I am not going to lie I almost fell for this bargain. At a mere £130 (which is pennies in the road bike market) this bike seemed like an absolute steal however when I showed this to my dad his face began to frown. He said "It's going to rubbish" and like most parents usually are, he was right. Really this bike is not a serious road bike at all (from reading reviews). Although receiving a solid 4.2 out of 5 average rating on the Tesco website, this bike is really for the rare user who doesn't mind the cheaper components however if you are considering cycling seriously, you are better of choosing one of the other options listed below.
For your average first road bike you should probably be looking at a bike weighing about 10-12kg. This bike weighs 14kg which is hefty for such a sleek looking design. The gears are made by the well renowned component brand "Shimano" however basically this bike probably one to avoid unless you are on an EXTREMELY tight budget.
The second bike I saw was the Carrera TDF from Halfords
The Carrera TDF from Halfords (in my opinion) is the best looking bike out of the three listed in this article and at a very reasonable £300 it won't put a huge dent in your wallet either. Bare in mind that although on halfords.com it says that the bike has an RRP of £500 reduced to £300 realistically, it is a £300 bike. It's got Shimano gear shifters and Tektro brakes and the paint work looks brilliant (not that that matters). This bike weighs 11.7kg according to the Halford's website. Bike radar gave this bike a 3.5/5 rating only faulting it due to its slightly heavy framework. Check that review out at: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-carrera-tdf-ltd-road-bike-11-44902/ . Really this bike is for the possible commuter or casual user/ first time buyer and is a very good competitor in its category and plus... its almost always in stock unlike our next bike.
The B'twin Triban 3/ 3A (Priced £300) at www.decatalon.co.uk
This bike is by far the best in it's category. If your looking for the best first road bike then look no further. The Triban 3 boasts an impressive carbon fork (reduces weight) with Shimano 23000 drive terrain, excellent for a bike of this price range whilst also weighing the lightest out of the 3 at 10.5kg. Cycling weekly, a prestigious company gave this bike a whopping 4.5/5 stars. ( http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/bikes/129441/2/bike-test-do-you-get-what-you-pay-for.html) However, it all seems a bit too perfect. The only issue with this bike is the fact that it is only available at www.decathalon.co.uk and currently they are pretty much out of stock of this bike. For me this is the one, if it was in stock.
NB. Note that the Triban 3A is different to the Triban 3. The Triban 3A does not have a carbon fork (some people say this is the best part of the Triban 3).
Thanks for reading this brief article. As I said, I am only a novice so any constructive criticism would be helpful. As I have not bought a bike any other suggestions for me?
Cheers,
