Bike Advice

brat

I'd spend as much as you can manage to afford, but buy wisely. Check second hand options either in your town or online. Grab a friend who knows a bit about bikes to ensure you're not buying someone else's problems.
My last commuter bike was a Ridgeback Velocity, cost me £300 in 2006 and gave me 6 years trouble free commuting until I upgraded in 2012. you could probably get a 2013 or 2014 model for <£300 if you look around.
All decent brands around that price point will be much the same quality. Evans do their own 'pinnacle' brand which may be worth looking at.
Above all, once you buy the bike, maintain it. Clean it regularly. Lubricate it lightly but regularly. Try to keep it out of the elements as much as possible.

Nebulous2

I like the top ridgeback best of these. Halfords have occasional sales where you get better pricing if you track prices. I doubt if there will be many deals now in the run up to Christmas though.

I'd go for the Carrera range from Halfords, my son had a subway and it did pretty well by him. Avoid suspension if he will be mainly on road.

I'm a fan of Edinburgh bike. This is pretty much top of your budget. If you don't know much about bikes and you aren't near one of their stores you might be better with Halfords though.

arcon5

Kendall80 wrote: »

7 miles isn't that far 30 mins or less at a decent pace.

At 15mph
I'd add 15 minutes to that

Yorkie1

johnmcga wrote: »

Couple of thoughts that might be helpful (or not!):

- Seven miles is perfectly doable as a daily commute. It might seem tiring to begin with (especially if you have any hills on the route), but your partner might be surprised how quickly they settle into it.

- Get some good lights. I have two front and two rear - a combination of Moon Gems and cheaper Cateye lights. Don't skimp here!

- If at all possible, go to a friendly local bike shop and try a few bikes before your partner makes a decision. Riding positions can vary considerably, and if they don't get a bike they're comfortable with then it could put them off cycling completely!

- If they need to carry stuff to and from work, consider some panniers rather than a backpack. I lug a whole pile of stuff with me using a cheap rack and some panniers that clip to it.

- Similarly, buy a good lock, a couple of spare inner tubes, tyre levers and a pump, and learn how to use them. (Changing a bike tyre is really easy once you know how, but you don't want to do it for the first time in the dark, at the side of the road, while it's raining!)

Good luck! Commuting by bike is a brilliant way to save a fortune and get fit. I highly recommend it.

In addition to the above points, don't forget to budget for some clothing is is of semi-decent quality, high-vis and waterproof.

Cycling with soggy socks from trouser run-off, or soggy undergarments because your waterproof trousers aren't as described, is no fun - nor is 8h work with the clothes damply drying off :eek:

fred246

Don't forget the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres. They are a bit heavy but it's worth it not to get punctures especially if you are travelling at night. I've been commuting a similar distance for 8 years now and I've only had 2 punctures - both on the way home. They last ages. I buy them from Germany about £21 each but you have to pay £6 p&p so I always put a large order through when I get stuff from Germany.

Cash-Cows

Over on the cycle chat forum Decathlon come up favourite at this sort of price point.

frisbeej

You have to be slightly cautious with second hand bikes, if the chain, gears, tyres etc. are worn you could spend a few hundred pounds getting it serviced.

fred246

The principle I work on is that parts and tools are cheap imports. UK labour rates are sky high. Teach yourself how to look after your bike with youtube vidoes, sheldon browns website etc. A KMC chain costs me about £8, a Shimano cassette about £10. Individual chain rings are about £6.

Nebulous2

fred246 wrote: »

The principle I work on is that parts and tools are cheap imports. UK labour rates are sky high. Teach yourself how to look after your bike with youtube vidoes, sheldon browns website etc. A KMC chain costs me about £8, a Shimano cassette about £10. Individual chain rings are about £6.

I agree with this, but you need to invest a bit in tools. I've done a lot of miles over the past 4 years since I started cycling, but I've also spent a fair bit of money on it. All my maintenance work has been done by myself.

Avoriaz

brat wrote: »

.... Evans do their own 'pinnacle' brand which may be worth looking at. ....

I bought a 6 month old Pinnacle Lithium 4 for £230 last summer. It retailed at about £500 new.

It is a lovely bike and would be ideal for a daily commute of 7 miles each way.