Quote from Crashgate3 :

That one looks *really* cheap and nasty. Get a decent hardtail instead - you only really need front suspension. Use your legs for suspension if you insist on going over potholes instead of around them.

This, is always makes me laugh when people get full suspension when it is made for downhill and nothing more, it is a waste of money and makes your bike more stealable to scallies.

I'm not really the biggest fan of front springs because all your power gets absorbed by them, although it does make off-roading a little easier, for road use stick to solid frame. Hell if you only off-road on the weekend you might as well get a solid frame MTB.

The important thing is the weight of the frame as that'll make life a lot easier.

You won't really need suspension unless the potholes are bomb craters, just makes the bike extra sluggish.

My dad has this: http://www.kilgrewscycles.ie/graphics/road/SCR%203%2007.jpg, but I got this: http://www.lasvegascyclery.com ... _bikes/colnago_active.jpg
and this: http://www.bicycleservice.com/1000_blacksilver_large.jpg

They do good, although I would suggest the Trek or Giant, maybe the Colnago is a bit more racelike and expensive...

Giant and Trek have room for mudgaurds and bottlecages, both can fit an speedometer and I can get a bag underneath both saddles easily. Also, if you get a bit more serious, you can fit panniers to them and go long touring rides. Plus they both make good enough bikes to get you along in competition.

Dunno. Up to you really.

Hope it helps a bit, bikes seem to be serious stuff now...

EDIT: Noticed we have a hybrid kicking about, will post more details about it tomorrow night, can't get out to the garage tonight. It's got hub gears I think (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hub_gear) to stop the rear mech getting dirty and jamming. Quite useful. Unfortunatly for most of you, I will be posting more Bike Geek later so watch out!

it 'looks' really cheap, nasty, you don't need full suspension, yadda yadda yadda.

great arguments.

i need full suspension, i had a hardtail and it was a HELL to ride in town.
it might look cheap and nasty but i don't care if it 'looks' that way. it's well built. last ideal i had lasted more than 15 years and it was stolen this month.

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

The important thing is the weight of the frame as that'll make life a lot easier.

unless you are aiming for racing performance i really doubt even 5kg more would be of any significance, since i weight 75 and 5kg more or less won't mean much.
i am very willing to trade a bit of weight for full suspension if it means even a bit more relaxed riding. and yes riding in the streets here can very well be considered "downhill". if you want i can grab pics of the roads here but if any greeks could post here they would certainly agree with my view of things.

I have a 2004 Norco Mountianeer bike. Its gone 5200km, one tire (rear only), and about 5 sets of brake pads (front/rear x2). After the minor factory defects (faulty shifter, replanced under the 3 year? warrenty). I ride it pretty hard though . bike does 0-30kmh in 5 secs(after a large lunch), and stops from 20kmh in 3 1m wide sidewalk squares . It will cruise at 35kmh all day!

Work out some torque curves for it

Quote from george_tsiros :

unless you are aiming for racing performance i really doubt even 5kg more would be of any significance, since i weight 75 and 5kg more or less won't mean much.
i am very willing to trade a bit of weight for full suspension if it means even a bit more relaxed riding. and yes riding in the streets here can very well be considered "downhill". if you want i can grab pics of the roads here but if any greeks could post here they would certainly agree with my view of things.

I am not just talking 5kg extra, though when throwing your bike over your shoulder you do notice that extra 5kg.

Cheap bikes are still pretty heavy, by avoiding full suspension you can put that cash into a lighter frame and you never need full suspension for road use. When I started riding it was before suspension bikes made it onto the commercial market (cheaply anyway), so I've done full bore downhill in a solid frame bike, sure it was uncomfortable, but you learn to take the impacts with your arms and legs.

Admittedly the UK is considered to have some of the best condition roads in the world (so I am told, take that with a pinch of salt) and if Greece is anything like I saw in Mallorca I get that the roads are hardly surfaced with a mirror finish, but I still wouldn't use full suspension for that, if anything I might get front suspension just to take some of the impact out of my arms, but part of the fun is avoiding potholes and jumping them if you can't.

But each to their own, you want FS buy FS, I know plenty of people who have and are happy with them (cheap through to stupidly expensive), personally I think it just screams "please steal me" and "my owner can't ride for shit"

I dunno know but looking some of the repplies one might think that we are looking for a bike worth of 100000€.

What's really so hard when you're buying a bike? Go to a store to check them out. I'm guessing they will give the bike for you for a test ride for some hours, at least I was given that option when I bought my last bike. Try to find a bike that has comfortable seat and adjustable front bar height so you don't need to ride in too low situation if you don't want to. When you take the bike for a test ride (if you choose to do so) have it set up or set the bike up yourself so you can tell if the bike works for you or not.

I dunno, you're not buying a bike for the olympics so just go into shop and buy one. The clerk will build the kind of package you want. Take few offers from few shops and choose the best

@psycho:
i don't care if people look at the bike and think it is worth stealing. already my bike got stolen, if you cared to read, and it was a 15 year old ideal safari, with everything on it changed, except for one wheel i think and the frame. so i don't care if it looks tempting to thieves or not, it doesn't matter.

i don't "want" fs, i need it. seems you still don't believe me that with the roads here you need it.

i can't ride for shit... oh, that's so friendly. but if i reply with something equaly abusive, i will be branded an idiot or something, right? is that how it works?

hmmm i am rethinking maybe it is not so absolute necessary to get front and rear suspension. :/

Your legs provide better suspension than a spring ever could. The only time you only really 'need' it is if you're riding off road for so long that you can't stand up on the pedals for the whole time. In which case you'd need *proper* rear suspension as you'd just wreck cheap ones using it like that for so long.

Not true so much of your arms where front suspension does help stop you jarring your wrists.

I'm saving for this :headbang:

oooh... How much?


I absolutely love the pretty ingenious mechanisms of levers and pivots that are appearing on the rear suspensions of bikes to try and solve the problems of getting the largest travel and where to put the spring whilst still maintaining the integrity of the frame.

Quote from 510N3D :

I was facing a simular situation last year. I was looking for a nice looking bike that would just bring me from point A to B, basically. I did some test rides and decided to get a Scott YZ3 2007 bike for about 400 €. Since its a mountain bike im able to do some offroad/ downhill stuff every now and then and still its perfect for "normal day conditions".

So obviously and as already suggested, get to know what you want to do with the bike mostly and consider routes on which you want to go every now and then. Every feature (such as suspension and disc brakes) are going to cost a bit of extra money and specialized bikes are going to be expensive as well. I'd say front suspension is quite comfortable and was quite helpful every now and then but i dont think that rear suspension and disc brakes are of any needs, at least if you're not a "hardcore offroad topspeed seeking geek"

/good luck

Edit: thats my bike

http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?p=919028#post919028

Not so sure about that for what the OP is going to use it for (the new ones are even more DJ oriented).

OP, avoid suspension of any kind and disc brakes. In the price range you are looking at susp. forks are going to be no better than rigid forks, but they will weigh more.

Quote from Becky Rose :

First off congratulations on making a decisive decision to improve your life! I made the same decision recently.

I dont know if £200 will go far on the high street. By the time I bought helmet, gloves, d-lock and got him to throw the lights in free i'd still spent over £300 and had to get pump and puncture repair kit later (not that i've got a man handy to tell him to use these other things for me grr).

First thing is, it doesnt matter what type of bike you get as long as it's cool, black is always cool - mine has orange flashes. Score 10 for style, and 1 for everything else... ! This is important, you're travelling slower so might get seen!

Shimano gears: Or some equivellent, the kind you just press a lever and they do it all for you. This is essential, it's impossible to change gear and hold your phone with the other hand without a good gear selection thingamy. No seriously, you change gears often on a bike so good gears is important and saves a load of hassle.

Frame size: Get one that fits your height, you should be tiptoed if you are just sat on the saddle.

D-Lock: Get the best lock you can, don't skimp. Stealing bikes is soooo easy. If you can't afford a good D-Lock then dont buy the bike, go and nick one from somebody who made the same mistake. This is more important than drinks bottle/bag inside the frame.

Lights: LED ones are wicked bright and the batteries last yonks (well I think they do, i've never had to change them yet)

Sleeveless Denim Top with Pockets: Seriously, slip it over whatever you are wearing and always goes well, and gives you a pocket for both your smokes and your phone, handbags dont work on a bike!

Rucksack Thingy: Modern backpack rucksacky type things are dead light, waterproof, and carrying on your back rather than your bike means it's not permanently on there so you only take it when you need it, and you dont have to flaff around loading the bike up from short-lived carrier bags when you leave the shop in the pouring rain.

Racing Drivers Wet Weather Suit: Goes over whatever you are wearing and keeps all but your feet bone dry. Still working on a solution for the feet...

Sun Glasses/Glasses/Reactorlights: Essential, if you bike looks cooler than you do then you loose all style points (as I did earlier going to the shops looking a right mess). Also keeps bugs out of eyes.

Cycle Helmet: It's not uncool to wear a helmet.

Gloves, Cyling Fingerless Ones: Best. Purchase. Ever. And looks cool with other outfits too!

You are forgetting lycra shorts. . . http://i278.photobucket.com/al ... 108/ca7erham/100_1826.jpg (on the right)

I find it funny when I ride to work, the amount of people who get dressed up in the sponsor-covered lycra, with these stretched-out streamlined helmets.

You're riding to work, you're not in the Tour-de-France. It's like someone getting a fire extinguisher and racing helmet for their 1.2 Micra for the work run.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

oooh... How much?

Dont' know yet. It's a 2009 model and can't be ordered until November. Canyon offers a pretty wide range of different versions for each model. I am guessing the one on the photo is top of the range and will cost up to 2,5k €I'm probably going to get a lower spec model for ~1,7k € (dampers and frame should remain the same).

I always want to express surprise at people spending that much on a bike, but then I remember I'll quite happily spend that much on a PC

My 2p (mostly echoing what others have said):
* Front suspension is really useful for the comfort of your arms/wrists
* Rear suspension is to be avoided at your budget
* Test ride the bike and make sure it has good brakes. Disc or v-brake isn't really important IMO (at least when it comes to dry stopping power), as I've tried cheap versions of either and they're crap, likewise decent versions of either will throw you over the handlebars with ease. My Specialized with V-brakes stopped with less effort than my current Giant with discs (despite being £200 cheaper).
* You really do pay for what you get for, just worth bearing in mind.
* Buy the best lock possible if you're planning on keeping your bike (cheap D-locks fall apart with a single hit from a hammer, cheap cable can be cut/sawn through with surprising ease).
* If you're planning on mainly on road use and buy a mountain bike, refit it with road tyres (that fit the rims, of course). Buys you grip, less rolling resistance and means you can lean deep into corners safely. Also means you can throw the knobbly tyres back on in 5 mins and go off roading at the weekend should you want (that's the way I work things).

Quote from amp88 :

I'm looking to buy a bicycle to use to lose a couple of stone and generally get fitter. I know next to nothing about bikes and I'm not too bothered about the spec. I will require a drinks bottle holder and one of those little bags that fits inside the frame (to carry mobile phone/mp3 player) and a speedometer/odometer but they can be bought as accessories if need be. I don't want to spend too much on it, looking at in the region of £200 for the bike, the above mentioned gear and a helmet. Can anyone point me towards some good online / high street shops and give me some ideas on names/features to look out for?

Thanks in advance

Going right back to the OP, don't spend more than £200 this time around. Consider 2nd-hand, just make sure the cogs aren't hooked etc.

Weight isn't an issue since the mission is to get fit, so I'm assuming the action is going to be based around your spare time.. the more heavy the bike, the less distance you'll cover initially.. but since distance and speed aren't primary considerations, and your health and fitness are, you are right not to worry about specs at this point.

Buy cheap and be prepared to sell cheaper. If, towards your target weight, you're hooked on biking (a distinct possibility), consider trading up at that point. You might equally find that cycling is a pants pastime because Winter is miserable and cold, and you'd rather buy a treadmill. That could happen just as easily.. the less initial investment you make, the less risk to you financially.

[/insert another 2p to continue]

i got this for 350 euros.


in silver/white.

these slightly-thinner-than-mtb tyres are making me anxious though

if i find the **** who stole my older bike i will ****ing kill him :mad:

the front tyre has a 'tit'. dunno how they are called. i will take it to the shop to change it. :grumpy: i hope that he will change it for free, since i bought it 3 hours ago. :Handshake

Quote from Crashgate3 :

I find it funny when I ride to work, the amount of people who get dressed up in the sponsor-covered lycra, with these stretched-out streamlined helmets.

You're riding to work, you're not in the Tour-de-France. It's like someone getting a fire extinguisher and racing helmet for their 1.2 Micra for the work run.

Dont be haten' until you have tried it. It is really nice (and I dont wear lycra for streamlining, I wear it because it isnt baggy therefor cant get caught on the seat which always sucks). And for the record I dont have any sponsors on any of my jerseys or shorts (other than the little performance bike logo)

Quote from Bob Smith :

My 2p (mostly echoing what others have said):
* Front suspension is really useful for the comfort of your arms/wrists
* Test ride the bike and make sure it has good brakes. Disc or v-brake isn't really important IMO (at least when it comes to dry stopping power), as I've tried cheap versions of either and they're crap, likewise decent versions of either will throw you over the handlebars with ease. My Specialized with V-brakes stopped with less effort than my current Giant with discs (despite being £200 cheaper).

To the front suspension part: the crappy suspension forks that come on a bike in the price range he is looking at will be no better than a NON-DISC compatible rigid fork except for on very hard hits which you dont get on the road. I say non-disk because the disc compatible forks are much stiffer.

To the disc VS. V-brake: This has been a hugely debated topic on MTB forums. The general conclusion has been a set of V-brakes with good pads are better than a crappy set of disc brakes (With a few exceptions, any mechanical disc brakes other than Avid BB7s are going to be worse than V-brakes). Stock brake pads almost always suck, so I'd say go with V-brakes and replace the pads with Cool Stops, but be careful; you are likely to go over the bars.

you need disc brakes if you ride in the mud. that's all there is to it, really.

Quote from george_tsiros :

you need disc brakes if you ride in the mud. that's all there is to it, really.

Correction: you need hydro disc brakes if you ride in the mud (even mechs get screwed up after a while, just they take longer to, but you are right; V-brakes + mud = super fail). But then again the IMBA doesnt want you riding on muddy trails (yeah right though. . .)