Bike for a returnee?

Richard53

I'm not exactly new to bikes, so I am well aware of the risk of paying too little and not enjoying the bike. I was sort-of tempted by some of the Halfords range. They have some nice-looking bikes between £200 and £400 and the reviews are generally good, but in the end I went with what I knew. None of the Halfords bikes had wide-ratio gears (what I think of as proper touring ratios) - or at least, the website doesn't tell you and the sales staff don't know what you are talking about, which pretty much ruled them out for me.


I am lucky that I live in a rural area with safe parking at both ends, so theft of the bike isn't a big concern, although I carry a lock anyway. The bike will be used as intended, in all weathers and on some rough roads, but will be well cared-for in between. If the commute was short, say 3-4 miles, I would do it on my almost worthless MTB, but I've bought the Galaxy because it is capable of more, and I will use it as such.


Thanks for your kind thoughts, folks!