Hi everyone,
Over the weekend, I signed up for the London to Brighton Night Ride for the British Heart Foundation and got a place! Yippee!! I haven't cycled in a long time if I'm honest, but always enjoyed it and have been considering taking it up again a bit more seriously for a while, this is the kick I needed I think!
However, the bike I have at the moment is completely beat up, and has been rusting in the garden since I went to Uni (almost 4 years ago!)
So, it's time to buy a new bike. Requirements:
1.) I only want 1 bike, for now at least. A road bike would be best suited to the event itself, but I can't ride it off-road on the weekends for a bit of fun, so a jack of all trades is essential.
2.) Needs to be comfortable and enjoyable to ride.
3.) Not insanely expensive (still a student here!)
I looked in a local cycle shop, and the guy recommended a Specialized Carve Expert 29er, on the grounds that with some semi-slick road tyres it'll chew the event up no problem and give me the versatility I want for use beyond the event. They also offer 0% interest financing up to 36 months with only a 10% deposit (which I've been accepted on) and would be willing to add all the extras (tyres, lights, helmet etc) to the financing to help me spread the cost.
In total, that's the best part of £1,500. I'd like to get that down if possible, but I also want to get the best bike I can for the money. Plus, I can still get the financing on other bikes.
You guys are obviously far more experienced than me, so I thought I'd ask on here before making any decisions.
What are your thoughts on this bike, and this deal? Is a £1,300 bike really that much better than a £400 one from Halfords? Or, are there any other options I haven't considered yet?
Many thanks,
Dan
Over the weekend, I signed up for the London to Brighton Night Ride for the British Heart Foundation and got a place! Yippee!! I haven't cycled in a long time if I'm honest, but always enjoyed it and have been considering taking it up again a bit more seriously for a while, this is the kick I needed I think!
However, the bike I have at the moment is completely beat up, and has been rusting in the garden since I went to Uni (almost 4 years ago!)
So, it's time to buy a new bike. Requirements:
1.) I only want 1 bike, for now at least. A road bike would be best suited to the event itself, but I can't ride it off-road on the weekends for a bit of fun, so a jack of all trades is essential.
2.) Needs to be comfortable and enjoyable to ride.
3.) Not insanely expensive (still a student here!)
I looked in a local cycle shop, and the guy recommended a Specialized Carve Expert 29er, on the grounds that with some semi-slick road tyres it'll chew the event up no problem and give me the versatility I want for use beyond the event. They also offer 0% interest financing up to 36 months with only a 10% deposit (which I've been accepted on) and would be willing to add all the extras (tyres, lights, helmet etc) to the financing to help me spread the cost.
In total, that's the best part of £1,500. I'd like to get that down if possible, but I also want to get the best bike I can for the money. Plus, I can still get the financing on other bikes.
You guys are obviously far more experienced than me, so I thought I'd ask on here before making any decisions.
What are your thoughts on this bike, and this deal? Is a £1,300 bike really that much better than a £400 one from Halfords? Or, are there any other options I haven't considered yet?
Many thanks,
Dan