Notsure

Hi,

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

I'm looking to buy a new bike and wanted some advice on which to go for. The bike will mainly be used around my area but possibly some longer distances at times. I'm 5feet7 if that helps.

Here are some of the ones I found:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/me...#photo-content

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/du...ike/1029151809

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/me...ry-item-full-1

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ap...ike/1031851030

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ap...#photo-content

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/gl...#photo-content

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/op...#photo-content

If someone could have a look a these and let me know what they think I would be very great full.

Thank you.

acidfast7

I'm Notsure.



Fit is king, so see how they feel.

lostarchitect 

Frankly, they all look like junk to me. Why don't you tell us how you plan on using the bike and how much you would like to spend? That will help a lot.

Notsure

Thanks for the reply. Upto £60. It's for general use around my local area. Nothing in particular but if I have to go to the supermarket or to a friends house or something simple. I may use it for longer journeys sometimes but nothing too hectic I suppose.

If its collection only, then preferably in Birmingham.

acidfast7

Gumtree sucks, honestly.

Go into your local bike shop that recycles and retunes older MTBs.

They'll make sure you get into something that fits and has a working drivetrain.

Honestly, I would look here as it will support the local community as well

https://www.cyclechain.org/good.html

acidfast7

at least you'll have an interesting conversation.

Notsure

Ok, thanks.

RubeRad

Yah, all of those bikes look like junk. The "Sherpa" is the only one worth perhaps a drive to see if it fits.

If you're just going to be tooling around town, avoid all those aggressive-looking full-suspension bikes.

That's good advice above to look for a local shop that sells used bikes; they likely wouldn't buy any of these because they couldn't resell it.

Look for any rigid (or at most front-suspension) mountain bike from a reputable brand like Trek, Specialized, GT, Giant, Gary Fisher, Marin, etc. If a bike shop is selling a used bike like that, they will have tuned it up and it will be very reliable. If you find something like that on craigslist or such, chances are a cheap tuneup can get the bike to be in very good shape.

Notsure

Thanks for the advice. Yeah I think it'll be a good idea to try out a local shop. Would you say go for a mountain bike over a road bike?

RubeRad

Well I only say that because every bike in the original list you posted was a mountain bike.

Whether a road bike would be better for you is very subjective; you should certainly take a road bike for a test ride if you can. If you really are going to ride "longer distances" like more than 10-20mi on a ride, then you might do well with a road bike.

But for most people who have not taken the time to get used to (and properly fit!) a road bike, the more comfortable, casual choice would be either a mountain bike, or a "hybrid", because of the more upright seating position, flat handlebars instead of drop bars, and wider, lower-pressure, cushier tires.

DiabloScott

Budget is 60 quid and doesn't know anything about bikes. Little chance this will turn out well.

lostarchitect 

I'd say don't get a bike with suspension. It's heavy and does nothing for the ride if you're riding it on the road. I'd also advise getting street tires on the bike (if you buy a mountain bike) because knobby tires on the road make the ride unpleasant and slow you down.

That said, I would recommend a hybrid or road bike over a mountain bike, unless you really plan on taking it off road.

CaptCarrot

Well firstly avoid Gumtree (or any other similar "service") unless you know exactly what you are looking for.

Secondly, £60 is not going to get you much - but you could do quite well, although it is always worth looking new too - it's amazing what you can find.

What you need to do is decide what sort of bike you want.

For commuting there are 5 types to choose from.

A road bike - 700c wheels, generally high geared, light, few options for mounting mudguards/racks etc... often have dropped handlebars. Has a very streamlined (head down) riding position.

A mountain bike - 26" wheels, generally lower geared, heavier, few options for mounting mudguards/racks etc... flat or slightly raised handlebars, has a more upright riding position.

A hybrid/trekking/touring bike - 700c/27" wheels, middle geared, generally plent of options for mounting mudguards/racks etc... can have flat, raised or dropped bars and varied riding positions.

A roadster - 700c wheels?, few, if any, gears - generally in an internal gear hub, quite heavy. Racks, fenders (and dynamos) often standard fit. Moustache handlebars and a very upright riding position.

A folding bike - Small wheels (16", 18" or 20" generally, but there are some 26" folders), few gears either rear cassette or gear hub only. Often have mudguards, racks and dynamos. Quite an upright riding position.

I really depends on what you want to do and how often you want to travel.

If you want to use public transport, then there is an extremely high chance for buses that your bike will have to fold if you want to take it with you. I can't say about the trains.

If you want to go for a mountain bike, then get a rigid - if you really must have suspension, just get it on the front - but I really don't think it is worth it. You will want to change the tyres for slicker road tyres though (extra cost).


I picked up a nice Raleigh Parkway 3 speed hub geared folding bike from a local second hand private dealer recently for £60.

If you can up your budget a bit and look at new, here are some options you might want to think about (and more to the point you can go to your nearest Halfords and try most of them in store)

Raleigh Evo 7 Folding Bike - £199.99

Trax TR.1 Rigid Mountain Bike 2013 - £79.99

Trax T700 Hybrid Bike - £99.99

Apollo Fusion Road Bike - £199.99

This one will be out of your price range, but I included it to showcase the type of bike I was talking about.
Pashley Roadster Sovereign Buckingham Mens Classic Bicycle - £695.00

gregjones

It is pure circumstantial information that has little to do with the size of bike that you need.

gregjones

In first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!------------------- it's the sternal notch measurement that counts. The length of your neck and how tall your head is doesn't have anything to do with bike fit.

acidfast7

i guess that you may also want to check out Decathlon. For new bikes, they're great bang for the buck, especially in their folding line. In their MTB line, they're really good value above 200 GBP.

Notsure

Wow that's a very detailed reply, thank you! I definitely check them out.

CaptCarrot

No problem.

Please be advised though that I am not necessarily recommending these bikes, they were just the cheapest options available on Halford's site. Doesn't mean they are crap, but doesn't mean they aren't either.

The other thing to do, is to check your local bike shops (and bike charity shops if you have them) - many will have refurbished pre-loved bikes for sale and often at much cheaper prices.

To give you an idea, we have a cycle charity locally - Hope2Cycle - check them out to see what can be had.