New Push Bike Help

[454697819]

Can anyone give me some guidance?


I want to start cycling again after getting on the doctors scales today and being horriffied, I loved cycling but sold my last Bike to fund the Tuono.

Any way, I Like both road riding and sodding of onto fields etc and doing some single track.

I cannot get work to sign up to the cycle to work scheme despite my best efforts, So I either need a good off road bike that if need be I can sling some road tyres on, or a road bike and forget the off road aspect?

So,

Is road riding better for fitness?
At what point should I pay the extra and get full suspension for off road? (I live quite rurally)
What's the better brands of gear these days, Shimano XT used to be the best but that was years ago?
At what point is it worth spending the extra to get a better bike? £500 £1000 £1500, I see little point in spending not enough and buying something that will break?
It has to be robust as I am a big lad and "not gentle" (I crash a lot) with them.

There is so much and so many to choose from.

I like Kona and GT but more have cropped up since then?

In a word... HELP!

[Filipe M.]

I'm partial to Trek and Cannondale, but that's purely personal reasons, nothing technical to it.

Full sus? Not unless you a) have lots of money to spend / b) love going downhill fast ;) (someone will be along shortly to contradict me ;) ).

Shimano are still at the top of their game, but lately SRAM (remember GripShift?) seem to be catching up quite nicely. XT is still the way to go if you want excellent performance / durability ratio but don't want to fork out for XTR.

And I'll let the other knowledgeable geezers around fill in some more blanks...

[fizzwheel]

Most Important Question - How much money do you want to spend

Thats alot of requirements you have. If your going on the road then you want a road bike otherwise you're going to get frustrated, but then thats not going to do the off road work you want either.

Sounds like a cross bike and two sets of wheels ( one with knobblies and one with road tyres on it ) would fit the bill.

Something like this :

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Kona_Jake_2009/5360039341/

Obviously its a bit of compromise, if you can work out what you really want to do and then get a bike suited to that I would have thought you'd be in for a happier time.

As for road riding vs MTB for fitness I dont think it matters, but you will work alot harder for the same speed on an MTB than you will on a road bike.

MTB isnt really my bag, but road is, so if you are looking at a road bike Shimano, Campagnola or SRAM all do good stuff, again it depends on your budget and what you want. I'd be inclined if you are going road and you'll be riding alot to get something thats Shimano 105 road groupset equiped, If your on a budget then go Tiagra.

[TazDaz]

I'd get a hard tail mountain bike to save spending out twice, and stick some triple compound tyres on them. I've got Nobbily Nic on mine which have great rolling speed on hard surfaces (roads) but also plenty of grip off road (not endless grip in the wet though).

Mountain biking tends to all fall down to the components in my opinion. Too many top brand manufacturers stick on an XTR rear mech then the rest is Deore or simply "shimano". Ideally I'd go for a groupset of LX or higher (I don't know SRAM gradings) as this will give you decent spec equipment.

I rate Focus bikes, also from Wiggle.co.uk. I've had one of theirs for 3years now and it hasn't missed a beat. Spec are usually very good all round, and the frames are sound!

If I were in the market for another, I'd get this one:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Focus_Black_Forest_Expert_2009/5360037560/

[454697819]

Thanks for the input, £750 is about right although i will pay more if there is a significant advantage, like a power tool there is little point skimping for the right tool.

I think I am heading more towards the off roading (nothing personal Fizzwheel) as my brother has a MTB and I fancy some company occiasionally.

Any other advice?

Oh I had a lot of problems with Tiagra systems on the last bike? might not be strong enough for me?

[Filipe M.]

Tiagra is a road bike system, so if you're going off-road you'll be looking at Shimano / SRAM. Go for Shimano XT / SRAM 7 then. In my experience, Deore (ex- LX) is also very good, XT just gives you that design edge that makes you drool all over the bike :oops:

[fizzwheel]

I think I am heading more towards the off roading (nothing personal Fizzwheel) as my brother has a MTB and I fancy some company occiasionally.

No trouble :cool: So long as you know what you want thats the first step, I've seen so many people buy MTB's and never ride them off road and then they moan its hard work and then end up shelling out for a road bike which is what they should have bought in the first place !

Like I said MTB isnt my bag, I would have thought that with your budget you'd get a better hard tail than you will full sus...

As for Tiagra, theres nothing wrong with it, I'd be quite happy to wager a shiny english pound that your problems were setup related rather than a problem with the kit itself, but if you're going MTB as the pie man says, you wont be getting anything Tiagra on it anyway