Good 'budget' Racing Bike

[Paul Aspinall]

Hi I bought a Mountain bike a few years ago, and never got used to it. It was far too slow....

I am now looking to buy a Racing bike. However, I only want to spend £250 ish.

I have seen the Claude Butler bikes (especially the San Remo) which seems to be a decent bike. Is
there anything better than this, for the money?? (I have been quoted £270. Anywhere cheaper??)

Thanks in advance

Paul

 

[Scott Goldsmith]

"Paul Aspinall" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi I bought a Mountain bike a few years ago, and never got used to it. It was far too slow....
>
> I am now looking to buy a Racing bike. However, I only want to spend £250 ish.
>
> I have seen the Claude Butler bikes (especially the San Remo) which seems to be a decent bike. Is
> there anything better than this, for the money?? (I have been quoted £270. Anywhere cheaper??)
>
> Thanks in advance
>
>
> Paul

Peugeot PX-10, should be able to get one in very good shape for 250, if it was good enough for
Eddy.... Cycling Plus always has adverts for them it seeems.

Scott G. some where on the road to Damascus.

 

[Jay Hill]

Paul Aspinall wrote:
> Hi I bought a Mountain bike a few years ago, and never got used to it. It was far too slow....
>
> I am now looking to buy a Racing bike. However, I only want to spend £250 ish.

You're gonna have to get something used. I'll bet you can get a good deal. Just look.

 

[Mike Schatzman]

"Paul Aspinall" wrote ...
> Hi

> I am now looking to buy a Racing bike. However, I only want to spend £250 ish.
>

Is that $600? you will have to drop a few more bucks, Check out www.ibexbikes.com, he will ship to
UK, and you can't beat the prices for a real racing bike - complete bikes with 105 and Ritchey for
like $800, cool looking too.

Used bikes are good too, look for a bike from the mid 90's with Shimano 105 or Ultegra 600 STI, like
a Specialized Allez or M2. Trek made some decent entry level aluminum bikes too. Many people buy a
nice $1900 bike, figure out it hurts too much to ride, hang them in the garage next to them more
comfortable SUV, them sell them on ebay for $450 like new.

Don't let people tell you about needing to drop $2,000 to get a decent bike, many cyclists try to
make up a lack of fitness with a tricked out bike - you only need a bike like that if you are racing
seriously, and even then you could spend that money getting to races and working less to train more.

If you want a decent racing bike really cheap, go back a little further, a nice 80's steel bike,
lugged, with suntour components, 700c wheels, downtube shifters, etc, can be had for $125 on ebay
and would be fine until you decide whether or not shaving your legs, wearing spandex, and grovelling
in gutters is the hobby for you.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>, "Paul Aspinall"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi I bought a Mountain bike a few years ago, and never got used to it. It was far too slow....
>
> I am now looking to buy a Racing bike. However, I only want to spend £250 ish.
>
> I have seen the Claude Butler bikes (especially the San Remo) which seems to be a decent bike. Is
> there anything better than this, for the money?? (I have been quoted £270. Anywhere cheaper??)
>
> Thanks in advance
>
>
> Paul

There's some good advice here downthread, but quick question: do you want a "Racing" bike because
you're going to go racing, or because you want to ride fast on your own?

If the former, I would recommend getting an STI or Ergopower bike, just because the faster, easier
shifting will save you from learning the lost art of quick downtube shifts in the middle of a pack.

If you just want to ride fast, any old (and by this I mean 10-15 years even) bike will work
just fine. 6-speed decent-quality race bikes of that vintage can be had for a song, maybe 100
quid or less.

Such a bike will be just as fast on the road, but at a fraction of the price of a race bike.

OTOH, brifters are really fun, so that might sway you.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

 

[Cycling Joe]

Agreed, I have a bike from 1987 that goes just as fast as my TREK 5200.

>If you just want to ride fast, any old (and by this I mean 10-15 years even) bike will work
>just fine. 6-speed decent-quality race bikes of that vintage can be had for a song, maybe 100
>quid or less.
>
>Such a bike will be just as fast on the road, but at a fraction of the price of a race bike.