Adult 18" frame suspension bike £59.99 @ Halfords

GeoThermal

Sterling House Customer Service is also excellent. I ordered a bike for my son and got the measurements wrong. They were happy to pick it up and send a replacement but also made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I'm about to buy again from them.

Merlin_BikeCharity

Hi, I'm the chap who set up and run Re~Cycle, charity shipping used bikes to Africa
https://www.re-cycle.org

Some of MSE charity money supports Re~Cycle ~ THANK YOU

There's a problem with super cheap bikes, and not just in assembling them.

The components are soft metal and !!!!!!. No mudguards.

I've asked around a lot over the years and the verdict is £230-£250 is as low as you should go for a new bike (pre-sale price).

Suspension bikes are heavier and cheap suspension is not so good.

You'll get a better bike for your money if you buy 2nd hand, tho not stolen, as just encourages them...

e.g. £100 used bike cost £400 new, and will be a better ride.

If you're in a city, 2nd hand reduces chance of it getting stolen, ride something that looks shiny and it'll tend to 'walk'...

There's a perverse catch-22 in super-posh bikes, in that you pay extra for light weight, then need a heavier lock to hang onto it!

Cheers

Merlin

jamborino

With bikes you basically get what you pay for (like most things in life I suppose!).

If you're only paying £30 - £60 you'll get something that has very cheap, poor quality components. It's false economy. The likelihood is that it will last you a year or two at the most.

Better to pay a bit more for decent components and get a bike that will stand up to regular use and last a lot longer.

Cheap bikes are usually bought by non-cyclists who think they're getting a bargain, use them a few times then consign them to the garage or garden shed forever!

normanlizard

zag2me wrote:

Iv been looking for a new bike for a few days and was pretty much resigned to paying around 100 quid for a new one with suspension.

Came accross this deal at the halfords website

http://www.halfords.com/opd_product_details.asp?id=121

£59.99 inc vat

Add £10 for postage if you want it home delivered.

Seemed like a good deal to me so I ordered one.

Edit 1 : Found this awfull review of this bike here
http://www.bikemagic.com/review/reviewproduct/mps/RGN/1/RCN/57/RPN/24178/v/1/sp/

Official insert: The bike comes boxed. Putting it together costs extra.

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Well I never heard of Halfords charging to build bikes.
Think you should check it out as I work for Halfords and can say buold charge is meant to be free as well as 6 week check

N9eav

Bought 2 for birthdays this week. Great value although the next bike up at Halfords for £69 was a lot better spec with extra gears, stronger suspension and better seat etc. Forgot what it's called but it's red. If you buy it in the shop it's ready assembled and pre-serviced. Free DVD too (about bikes and maintainance)

N9eav

jamborino wrote:

With bikes you basically get what you pay for (like most things in life I suppose!).

If you're only paying £30 - £60 you'll get something that has very cheap, poor quality components. It's false economy. The likelihood is that it will last you a year or two at the most.

Better to pay a bit more for decent components and get a bike that will stand up to regular use and last a lot longer.

Cheap bikes are usually bought by non-cyclists who think they're getting a bargain, use them a few times then consign them to the garage or garden shed forever!

Agreed but for something that will be left out in the rain in 6 months time (lots of experience!!! of kids) It's a fair price to pay

jimmyjim_uk

Merlin_BikeCharity wrote:

Hi, I'm the chap who set up and run Re~Cycle, charity shipping used bikes to Africa
https://www.re-cycle.org

Some of MSE charity money supports Re~Cycle ~ THANK YOU

There's a problem with super cheap bikes, and not just in assembling them.

The components are soft metal and !!!!!!. No mudguards.

I've asked around a lot over the years and the verdict is £230-£250 is as low as you should go for a new bike (pre-sale price).

Suspension bikes are heavier and cheap suspension is not so good.

You'll get a better bike for your money if you buy 2nd hand, tho not stolen, as just encourages them...

e.g. £100 used bike cost £400 new, and will be a better ride.

If you're in a city, 2nd hand reduces chance of it getting stolen, ride something that looks shiny and it'll tend to 'walk'...

There's a perverse catch-22 in super-posh bikes, in that you pay extra for light weight, then need a heavier lock to hang onto it!

Cheers

Merlin

I bought a £80 Apollo to cycle to and from work on. Never again. There was always something going wrong with it. It spent more time in the shop then it did on the road.

Merlin has given some really good advice, I spent £280 on a GT bike and have had no major problems!!! You get what you pay for with bikes.

pippy_2

I am suprised that anyone would recommend sterling house as I bitterly regret dealing with them. I ordered a bike on 19th Feb, they sent me a defective bike (the handlebars could not be inserted into the frame as it was damaged durng manufacture).
I sent it back via parcelforce, they said they hadn't received it and I had to prove it .
They eventually refunded me the bike cost but NOT the original postage so in effect they sent me a defective bike and I pay for the priviledge!
I am still waiting for the refund for sending it back .

secreticicle

I went into halfords and asked why it was so cheap and the sales assistant went into a rant about how it was a terrible bike and I shouldn't buy it!

That told me!

Believe it or not, you can get some good deals at Toys R Us for adult bikes.

mrsmab59

normanlizard wrote:

_________________________________________________________________


Well I never heard of Halfords charging to build bikes.
Think you should check it out as I work for Halfords and can say buold charge is meant to be free as well as 6 week check

I think it's the bikes that come through the post that come in boxes for home assembling...if they're bought in the shop they come made up and with the free check up after 6 to 12 weeks.