J
Jo Stoller
Guest
After not having a bike for many many years, I am about to buy a new
one. It is for general riding in London, commuting and some long rides
e.g. in the Cotswolds. Almost all on road but perhaps some off road on
reasonable tracks. I am not bothered about suspension but would like
to have SPD type pedals with an option for normal shoes.
For £599 I was offered a Trek 7500 FX with non-suspension forks and
wheels that have more spokes than the website version (to suit city
roads), plus dual use pedals (suitable for spd and normal shoes) and a
rear luggage rack. The bike is shown on the manufacturer web page:
http://www.trekbike.co.uk/bikes/2004/city/fx/7500.php
A friend that has been bugging me to get a bike said he has that frame
and that it was good. He said I should take a look at the equivalent
Marin. I suppose he must mean the San Anselmo £595
http://www.marin.co.uk/marin-2004/bikedetail.php?ModNo=2456
or the Lucas Valley £599
http://www.marin.co.uk/marin-2004/bikedetail.php?ModNo=2460
I was an enthusiastic cyclist in my younger days and even entered a
couple of races. I have done a fair amount of cycling in recent times
(including African mountains and deserts) but only on borrowed or
hired bikes. Now that I have to make a purchase decision, I am now
astonished about how technology and the market has changed.
The bike shops are now dominated by bikes from American companies. In
addition to the Trek, I was also offered Cannondale and Specialized
but they were even worse from my point of view because they had big
markings boasting about the fact that they were American and/or made
there. I would like to be able to consider a non-US bike if possible
without compromising value for money.
I know that specification is not everything, so I will try riding the
options before buying. I am fairly comfortable with the idea of going
to a 'proper bike shop' to get good after sales tweaking but I want to
get the basic decision close to ideal.
What do you guys think of what I have been offered? Are they really
the best value, or is there another make (model suggestion would help
too) from another country that I should consider? Surely America
cannot have the entire market sewn up. If anyone has a good second
hand one I might consider it too.
Many thanks
one. It is for general riding in London, commuting and some long rides
e.g. in the Cotswolds. Almost all on road but perhaps some off road on
reasonable tracks. I am not bothered about suspension but would like
to have SPD type pedals with an option for normal shoes.
For £599 I was offered a Trek 7500 FX with non-suspension forks and
wheels that have more spokes than the website version (to suit city
roads), plus dual use pedals (suitable for spd and normal shoes) and a
rear luggage rack. The bike is shown on the manufacturer web page:
http://www.trekbike.co.uk/bikes/2004/city/fx/7500.php
A friend that has been bugging me to get a bike said he has that frame
and that it was good. He said I should take a look at the equivalent
Marin. I suppose he must mean the San Anselmo £595
http://www.marin.co.uk/marin-2004/bikedetail.php?ModNo=2456
or the Lucas Valley £599
http://www.marin.co.uk/marin-2004/bikedetail.php?ModNo=2460
I was an enthusiastic cyclist in my younger days and even entered a
couple of races. I have done a fair amount of cycling in recent times
(including African mountains and deserts) but only on borrowed or
hired bikes. Now that I have to make a purchase decision, I am now
astonished about how technology and the market has changed.
The bike shops are now dominated by bikes from American companies. In
addition to the Trek, I was also offered Cannondale and Specialized
but they were even worse from my point of view because they had big
markings boasting about the fact that they were American and/or made
there. I would like to be able to consider a non-US bike if possible
without compromising value for money.
I know that specification is not everything, so I will try riding the
options before buying. I am fairly comfortable with the idea of going
to a 'proper bike shop' to get good after sales tweaking but I want to
get the basic decision close to ideal.
What do you guys think of what I have been offered? Are they really
the best value, or is there another make (model suggestion would help
too) from another country that I should consider? Surely America
cannot have the entire market sewn up. If anyone has a good second
hand one I might consider it too.
Many thanks