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
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