Old steel or newer aluminium?

[ajkgordon]

My 16 year-old lad has just started an interest in road riding and is looking at bikes and clubs. Although he will no doubt get good advice from his club on what bike to buy, he needs a bike to join the club. CATCH 22!

One of the club sponsors is a local bike shop - [size=-1]Andouard Philippe, a fairly well known local ex-pro and who sells his hand-made bikes nationally (France). We spent a good couple of hours with him on Saturday and he recommended that we buy a used bike off him for 600 euros. It was a training bike for one of the club racers but was hardly ever used.

My son is already 6' 1" and still growing so we need to get him a decent size bike, which in southern France can be quite difficult. The bike weighs 10 kilos and is steel framed but with good quality components.

My question is, does this seem like a good compromise buy and something that will allow him to "get into" biking and train with his club? Or is the bike likely to be the wrong choice even a couple of months down the line?

He is also on a restricted budget and 600 euros is all he has to spend on a bike.

Any help much appreciated.[/size]

 

[gruppo]

I am amazed! You have the opportunity to build a relationship with a bike shop that has connections to a club your son wants to join. The bike shop knows this and is most likely hoping to develop a long term relationship with your son as well. But, instead you are wanting to seek the advice of total strangers around the world who know nothing more of this situation than the brief facts you supplied?

 

[ajkgordon]

Instead? Who said anything about instead? I'm asking people's opinions on this board along with the opinion of this bike shop, other bike shops in my area, friends who are riders, and other cycling boards. So I can get an overall flavour of which direction to take while helping my son decide on his first road bike.

These boards are normally filled with people who have lots of expert views and who are happy to share them. I take it you're not one of them.

 

[ajkgordon]

OK, here's more info on the bike. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

http://www.careerpush.com/private/andrew/roadbike/

 

[jhuskey]

OK, here's more info on the bike. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

http://www.careerpush.com/private/andrew/roadbike/

To me it looks like a pretty nice bike.Rear cassette looks like maybe an 11/21. Not the best for climbing. 12/23 or 12/25 might be better but I am not sure thats what it is and I didn't see the gear ratios posted. All in all pretty good components on the bike. He probably needs a 58 -60 cm frame I didn't see that posted either . Sorry if I just missed it.
The question is will it fit him and will he be happy with it. The mental emotional aspect is a large part of training. If the answer is yes then a couple of months is not going to make much difference. He can look at upgrading in the future if cycling holds his interest. My two cents worth.

 

[cd667]

It's a simple, honest bike, which looks like it will be better quality than any new bike that cost the same. Don't worry about the Sora mech. This will be an excellent platform for upgrading parts on later on, if that's what he wants.
I reckon you're onto a winner there.

 

[PeterF]

My 16 year-old lad has just started an interest in road riding and is looking at bikes and clubs. Although he will no doubt get good advice from his club on what bike to buy, he needs a bike to join the club. CATCH 22!

One of the club sponsors is a local bike shop - [size=-1]Andouard Philippe, a fairly well known local ex-pro and who sells his hand-made bikes nationally (France). We spent a good couple of hours with him on Saturday and he recommended that we buy a used bike off him for 600 euros. It was a training bike for one of the club racers but was hardly ever used.

My son is already 6' 1" and still growing so we need to get him a decent size bike, which in southern France can be quite difficult. The bike weighs 10 kilos and is steel framed but with good quality components.

My question is, does this seem like a good compromise buy and something that will allow him to "get into" biking and train with his club? Or is the bike likely to be the wrong choice even a couple of months down the line?

He is also on a restricted budget and 600 euros is all he has to spend on a bike.

Any help much appreciated.[/size]

A handmade steel bike with good components with little use that is good enough for club racing? That sounds like the direction I would go in (and hope to in a few years when my sons are older). You can save a few lbs with aluminum, but he can always upgrade in a few years if he really likes the sport.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Good looking bike, with beaucoup character. You'll end up buying another bike in time (and another, and another and another...), so the ability of this one to cater to your boy's needs indefinitely isn't critical.

I say go for it. It looks like a sweet ride, and like a good horse, may keep him out of trouble

D.A.D.