Bike Purchase

jim8888

I'm thinking of buying a bike but am a bit stumped by all the options. Basically what I want is a quality build for occasional trips of about forty to eighty miles. I'd like it to be for touring, not racing, and I'd rather have reliability than spiffing gadgets and technology like disc brakes (unless they're better than the old style ones!) For me, the most important bit of kit is the saddle. My budget would be up to a grand, but if I had to spend a tenth of that for a good saddle to attach on, that'd be fair enough.
Any ideas/advice gratefully appreciated (on both bike and saddle!)

Mr_Singleton

Bike prices have been shooting up recently i.e Specialized went up 12% ? last week. Think Brexit Tax.

No idea what you should buy but do it quickly.

elverson

Dawes, Genesis and Spa bikes are all popular among the Audax crowd (who like you are more into touring than racing).

Nasqueron

If your firm does cycle to work and you don't live something daft like 50 miles away you could have a look at that for a nice saving given your budget.

Disc brakes are hit and miss, the cable ones aren't really that much better except in the wet vs say hydraulic ones. Generally speaking on a road bike you will get rim brakes though some do come with disc now and pricing is similar.

Saddle wise, stock ones on road bikes vary, it's worth doing a saddle fit or at least get your seat bones measured so you can get a nicer fitting saddle, the specialised avatar comp gel I have on my commuter is comfy enough though I have a wider specialised toupe on my main road bike as a 155mm saddle was the result of the saddle fitting.

Many firms do bikes for endurance alongside racing e.g. Cannondale's Synapse range is a more relaxed setup than say the SuperSix which is a racing model.

Ask in a bike shop for stuff around your price range that is suitable for endurance. You should be able to get a Shimano 105 setup (their 3rd best range) or equivalent SRAM for that price.

See what 2016 models are around, the 2018 range won't be out until after July/August when the 2017 prices come down

macman

Any decent bike shop (and no I don't mean Halfords) will allow you to change the saddle for one of your choice if you are buying a new bike.

Mr_Singleton

macman wrote: »

Any decent bike shop (and no I don't mean Halfords) will allow you to change the saddle for one of your choice if you are buying a new bike.

Oddly on a recent substantial bike purchase the ONLY company that would allow me to change anything was Halfords via Cycle Republic.

Johnmcl7

Genesis and Dawes were the first bike brands that came to mind as well when reading the thread, they both make steel tourers made for comfort on long rides and mechanical reliability.

As you're unsure what you're wanting to go for I'd see if there's a decent bike shop you can go to and try the fit on some bike, the prices may not be great but it's important to get a bike that fits well and you like the feel of.

John

Mr_Singleton

Dawes is an expensive PITA.... Rolls Royce prices lidl quality as a friend found out a few years ago.

Head_The_Ball

Have you considered buying second hand? If you are careful you can get a lot more bike for your money. Lots of people buy bikes full of good intentions and never use them much before selling them.

A few years ago I bought a £500 bike (Boardman Comp) on eBay for £330. It had not been ridden once since purchase so it was effectively brand new. The first owner made an impulse purchase thinking he would start cycling to work but never did.

I also bought another £450 bike (Pinnacle Lithium 4) on Gumtree for £220 that had been used but was still in close to new condition.

I ride both bikes regularly and neither have let me down.

marvinandroid

Suggest that before you narrow it down to brands you ask yourself what do you want to use the bike for. Do you want to carry luggage? Are you comfortable with drop handlebars? Do you want to take in the odd bridleway or unpaved tracks? Do you want to easily fit mudguards? How fit you are will also influence the gears. Saddles are always a personal choice which is why manufacturers tend to fit cheapo versions - ditto pedals (do you want to ride clipless?)

System

Planet X have their London Road Flat Bar (or drop bar ) with Sram Rival 11 speed which appears to be ideal for your usage. From £800 or check Ebay for something half this price. I ve seen the London Rd flat bar going through at a bargain price last year.
I got a virtually new all carbon Planet X racer at only £600 last year which had only done 60 miles. People do buy bikes then find out they don t like the bumpy busy roads and give up.