The Cycling Thread

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Impressed Fizz - chapau

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Originally Posted by Jabba

Took my roadbike to LBS for it's first service/checkover today. Done about 200 miles on it and it was ready a once-over. Thought it would be a good thing before the Dragon Ride and the bike hols, too.

I advised them that the indexing on the rear gears seemed to be out. Had a call about half an hour later asking if I'd come off the bike as the rear derraileur hanger was bent

No, I hadn't come off it and nor had I given it a whack that I can remember. I'm careful about stuff like that. I can only think that the bike was supplied/delivered like that (not by the LBS, btw) as there's no way that would have happened on a bike rack.

LBS advised that they had a special tool to straighten it and had done so. They also tightened the head-bearings. I'll see the damage when I pick the bike up tomorrow.

Remember folks, always get a new bike checked over a few weeks after first taking it out.

Lucky it wasn't Halfrauds Jabba. A mate at work has a care policy with them

£12 a year and they look after your bike, he's a mechanical numpty, so pays monkeys to do his work. Does not include parts

We'll he took his bike in for them to have a look at. Sharp intake of breath by bike mechanic. You'll need new chain, cassette & BB sir, oh you want some new tyres too Sir

So some £100 lighter in the wallet my mate was well and truely stung.

I'd fitted the cassette in the summer to a new wheel for him, so no way was that worn out. Chain needed changing after the winter and I would have changed the BB to a better one.

He got some lovely unbranded Chinese rubber for £15 each, cassette was £40, new chain was £20, BB £30 I think.

I was so cross with him.'Why didn't you speak to me before you allowed them to do this work' 'Because you were on holiday' was his feeble reply.

I was only in Norfolk, not anywhere exotic. Give me strength

His bike was a Halfrauds £199 Carrera

Right then you lot, I would like some advice if possible? I am aiming to be back on a bike in about 4 weeks as I am so unfit its unreal...

I would like to ride to work a couple of days a week to start with so a road bike would be a good idea, however I am torn between that and buying a hard tail MTB and and some slicker rubber, as I live not far from some fantastic trails and out in the country side the odd field ride sounds good!

Any advice would be welcome, budget between £300 & £500 max

I am not a brand snob, I would just like a reliable sensible bike..

Many thanks

Alex

Well done Fizz - top stuff

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Jabba, is it your ride next weekend ? If so good luck mate.

Yep - Sunday morning me and eight other fatties off into the Valleys with 3500 proper cyclists

Not had a lot of luck over the weekend..... punctured on Saturday in the wet (why is it always wet?) and popped two replacement tubes trying to mend it. Ended up phoning for the domestic "broom wagon". Just 10 miles ridden.

Yesterday noticed that my rear brake was sticking on so couldn't ride. New cable fitted this morning. Now its raining

Will do light work this week - maybe 10-20 miles each evening until Friday - and have Saturday off.

My energy bars/gels/drinks and recovery bars arrived this morning..... one of the gels had leaked insode the box. As ian Holloway said, "With the luck I'm having I could fall into a barrel of boobs and come up sucking my thumb"

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Originally Posted by 454697819

Right then you lot, I would like some advice if possible? I am aiming to be back on a bike in about 4 weeks as I am so unfit its unreal...

I would like to ride to work a couple of days a week to start with so a road bike would be a good idea, however I am torn between that and buying a hard tail MTB and and some slicker rubber, as I live not far from some fantastic trails and out in the country side the odd field ride sounds good!

Any advice would be welcome, budget between £300 & £500 max

I am not a brand snob, I would just like a reliable sensible bike..

Many thanks

Alex

Halfrauds will sell you one of their Carrera MTB's models for that sort of money, you'll get a Kraken easy peassy.

Specs for their bikes will be ok

If not they'll have a GT for that sort of money too.

If you want a bike that'll do both, then buy another set of wheels and put some slick tyres for riding to work. The only problem you'll find after a while is that the mountain bike gearing will be a bit low. But if you're unfit, it'll be fine for a while

[mattSV]

Originally Posted by Jabba

Not had a lot of luck over the weekend..... punctured on Saturday in the wet (why is it always wet?) and popped two replacement tubes trying to mend it. Ended up phoning for the domestic "broom wagon". Just 10 miles ridden.

When it rains, it washes more crap off the hedges/fields (thorns etc) in to the roads. It also seems to lift all the small bits of grit/glass etc that are usually ingrained in the surface of the tarmac.

When I used to run 18mm slick tyres, they gripped even in the wet however I used to get 3 or 4 punctures each ride

[mattSV]

Originally Posted by 454697819

Right then you lot, I would like some advice if possible? I am aiming to be back on a bike in about 4 weeks as I am so unfit its unreal...

I would like to ride to work a couple of days a week to start with so a road bike would be a good idea, however I am torn between that and buying a hard tail MTB and and some slicker rubber, as I live not far from some fantastic trails and out in the country side the odd field ride sounds good!

Any advice would be welcome, budget between £300 & £500 max

I am not a brand snob, I would just like a reliable sensible bike..

Many thanks

Alex

Can you possibly squeeze an extra £50 - the Boardman Hardtail Sport from Halfwits is a hell of a lot of bike for £550:-

Clicky

I have an opportunity to go for a new bike this year under the Cycle to Work scheme so will be going for the Pro version in September.

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Originally Posted by mattSV

When it rains, it washes more crap off the hedges/fields (thorns etc) in to the roads. It also seems to lift all the small bits of grit/glass etc that are usually ingrained in the surface of the tarmac.

When I used to run 18mm slick tyres, they gripped even in the wet however I used to get 3 or 4 punctures each ride

Get some Continental Gatorskin tyres, good grip & vgood puncture resistance. Nothing is puncture proof, only solid tyres can be puncture proof

Originally Posted by mattSV

Can you possibly squeeze an extra £50 - the Boardman Hardtail Sport from Halfwits is a hell of a lot of bike for £550:-

Clicky

I have an opportunity to go for a new bike this year under the Cycle to Work scheme so will be going for the Pro version in September.

looks good,

I have found a website that does Kona & GT on 0% interest, whislt not ideal would suit me down to the ground at the moment, Plus may be able to push the boat further and go full susp.. I did like my last full susp bike

[mattSV]

Originally Posted by 454697819

looks good,

I have found a website that does Kona & GT on 0% interest, whislt not ideal would suit me down to the ground at the moment, Plus may be able to push the boat further and go full susp.. I did like my last full susp bike

Unless you are spending £1k plus, my recommendation would be to go for the best hardtail you can afford hardtail. 'Budget' FS bikes usually put price over quality/performance - i.e. they are very much built down to a budget (a bit like an Korean SV )