Geoff Bell Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I,m think about buying my darling wife who is very dear to me a new bycycle as I truly think she deserves a treat. Being very much like starspirit and always ready to splash out, dip into me pockets and generally quite happy to spend lots of money, I decided that I should look around to see what was available. Having just received my new copy of CC magazine I couldn't help but notice what appeared to be quite a reasonable deal. Has anyone purchased one of these bikes and if so are they good enough for Mrs Geoff. Answers please at your earliest convenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 See you couldn't resist it Jack Lemmon .........From two grumpier old men .... having a dig at each other.......lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Bell Posted August 9, 2006 Author Share Posted August 9, 2006 Mice hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllle have you taken your Tum te Tum today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Yes ,.....................YOu 2 Need ONe ................ *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Where's Walter.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Bell Posted August 9, 2006 Author Share Posted August 9, 2006 So nobody bought the bikes then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Geoff This seems to be getting re-cycled now under it's own steam!!! to be serious, if you're going to France, have a look at Auchan, or even Lidl etc we got 2 good mountain bikes from Auchan last September at 89 euros each!!! Yes they have some plastic bits instead of steel but that just means they don't rust and aren't as heavy. I must admit I have did consider the ones in the mags before we bought the others but you really need to be able to sit on one and see how it feels as they really do differ, the first mountain bikes we bought a few years ago from Makro were terrible so we took them back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Ok serious ...........Why don't you have a look in DECATHALON ....and sit on it............ (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Bell Posted August 9, 2006 Author Share Posted August 9, 2006 Mel What was the make you bought in Auchan? maybe their available in UK, I won't be in France now until December. Mic HELL e Whats DECATHON ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 DECATALON is a Giant sport's shop all over france just like Sports soccerworld here . But they do everything to do with sport from fishing bikes horse ski everything very very cheap...........quite some good gear as well....My daughter needed a lunge line here they cost fortunes the same well better in Decathalon cost a quarter of the price .....There is a Giant Decatalon in Bologne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 That's better Geoff! I just wonder about you being married to a 'Mrs Geoff', but I suppose we all have to be non discriminatory these days and I don't doubt that you, being a man of exquisite taste, have found that he/she is a lovely person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 See Walter & Jack..................Can't miss having a pop ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicwo Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 Geoff I have just looked at CC and NO MAKES of bikes given, it just says famous. You dont say if your wife has cycled before, if not she may well be put off by a cheap heavy bike full of eastern promise. I wouldnt think it is going to be up to much at all, not for that price. I was in Halfords yesterday and saw a bike that I thought about getting my daughter. It is a Saracen on offer for £182---OK it sounds a lot I know but it may beat a sore a** and at that price a sore wallet, its a steal I think. Cycling is my main hobby and I feel you could waste your money if you get a cheapy. Off to france in two weeks with bike in tow. Vicwo B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 You can get a new saddle for a lot less than the difference between a cheap bike and an expensive bike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Bell Posted August 10, 2006 Author Share Posted August 10, 2006 I bought one today in Halfords with front and rear suspension, Aluminium frame and front disc brakes. It also had a Gel saddle. £126.00 don't know how they do it. China I suppose. At least I could see and ride it before buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsandywhite Posted August 10, 2006 Share Posted August 10, 2006 B-) This is the place to buy a cheap bike/bikes :- http://www.sterlinghouse.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rees Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 I also am thinking of buying my wife a new bike. After much searching around all the bike shops in Cardiff, we think that the new Raleigh TC100 (Town and Country), sells for £150 (but without mudguards) might be just the thing. It comes in frame sizes 15 and 18 ins, different types for men and women, has a light aluminium alloy frame and thus is light for the back of the van. But we still have to make up our minds about it. With the mudguards fitted the price will come to about £170. But it seems excellent value for the money. Hope this is of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 I keep reading the word 'cheap' in replies to postings like this. However, its the last thing I would want to hear if I was entrusting my wifes safety to a new cycle. Lets talk about quality, or at least value, for a purchase like this. Obvious questions to ask are: What is the quality like? Is the cycle made by a reputable manufacturer? Does it have steel wheel rims, which are treacherous in the wet, or alloys? Does it have solid steel fork-end drop outs or lousy pressed steel end tubing? My advice would be to ask a keen cyclist (say, a regular rider with your local Cyclist Touring Club group, look them up under CTC on the web) to recommend a local bike shop for advise. Dime to a dozen they will not mention Hallfords and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsandywhite Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 8-) :-S Quality? I bought 2 x £280 Aluminium framed Mountain Bikes from Halfords. Within a couple of months. The pedal crank on mine was badly worn/wonky. Within another month. Sandy's pedal crank was worn. Couldn't take them back to Halfords. We were in Spain at the time. We eventually had them stolen (good riddance) and bought 2 x £29.95 Mountain Bikes from Sterling House. We have had them over a year. Left them out in all the past Winter. We went to the USA last Ocober until January this year. We bought 2 x $58 bikes from Walmarts. Used them and kept them outside in ALL weathers. They are now back in the UK in the garage awaiting us wearing out our other Cheapos. ALL the expensive bikes we have had have been a waste of money. IMHO. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 johnsandywhite - What did I say about Hallfords? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Unless you're really keen, cheap, and by that I mean sub £100 bikes, would probably do you just fine. They do the basic job and if they get nicked, which sometimes does happen, you have only lost what your excess would be in most cases anyway. We've also got a pair of folding bikes, 6 speed Royals, they cost £150.00 each a few years back. We got these as we didn't want a bike rack on our van at the time as it was long enough so they went in the overcab, when we changed to our current van they went under the fixed bed. By having these and the ordinary mountain bikes we can choose which to take away with us depending on our plans. Had we spent a lot of money on buying Brompton folders or such like then we wouldn't have bought the mountain bikes as we would've felt we needed to use the more expensive bikes to justify their cost ... not necessarily the best way to choose which is most suitable for your needs at the time. We'd also probably have spent more time worrying about them getting nicked as our insurance policy only covered us up to £250.00 for bikes in total. Just out of interest - have you ever ridden a mountain bike? They are not everyone's cup of tea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Mel B A lot depends whether they are cheap or not, and the OTT tyres they often come with makes a hell of a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixters other half Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 At the Lincoln show there was a very well informed man selling among other cycles Pashleys. At 450 quid they werent cheap but........... they can be ridden for a long time without you getting tired and sore. This is something that often gets overlooked , I bought couple of cheap mountain bikes and had to push them most of the time as they were so uncomfortable to ride. The saddles were painful and you could not get the handle bars high enough to be able to sit up straight when pedalling. As a result your weight was on your arms and they then start to ache. If you look at the cycling countries Belgium and Holland and the cycles they use, you will see they tend to prefer the old style sit up and beg, because they are comfortable. Invest in a good bicycle and the Memsahib will be able to do all of the shopping on her own, allowing you to contemplate the finer points of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 I agree mostly with what Vixters other half had to say except mabe about Dutch bikes, due to their weight. There are three main reasons why people are uncomfortable on bikes: 1. They have the wrong bike for the chosen purpose. 2. The frame is the wrong size. 3. The riders position on the bike is wrong. A Mountain Bike will have a short,stiff frame,with tight frame angles and thick noisy tyres. This translates into a hard ride with twitchy but responsive steering. Great for what the bike is intended for but plain daft if your main use is road/woodland track riding where tyre drag will wear you out and the sharp handling will not let you relax. On the other hand a Touring Bike will have a longer and more supple frame with more relaxed frame angles and thinner tyres. This bike will be far more relaxing to ride and will almost steer itself with the added bonus of less tyre drag. These attributes are why experienced riders wanting to do upward of 50 miles a day,day in,day out, invariably chose this type. However, even a mountain bike should be comfortable up to about ten miles, at which point the aches and pains set in. If a bike is not comfortable up to this distance then either the frame is the wrong size or the riding position is incorrect. A quick survey will confirm that around half the number of casual riders are not in a correct riding position. The frame/position is vital if you want to be comfortable on a bike and is one of the reasons I recommended a visit to a decent bike shop in my earlier posting - they know about these things, cheapo outlets do not. Saddles - These can of course be changed if they are uncomfortable and swopped from bike to bike. Gel, and other man made saddle materials can be OK for a short distance but undoubtedly leather saddles (a Brooks B17 is ideal for all round use) are the most comfortable. However, the downside of these is that,like a new pair of leather shoes,they do need breaking in and this can take anything up to 300 miles. Once there I promise that you will not feel a thing! Oh yes, there is one more reason why one could be uncomfortable on a mountain bike - its called fashion. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.