Bicycle for Road Bumps on Tarmac - Beginner Question

[AdamOfLondon]

OK, after all the recommendations, I came up with this one:

- Low Gear
- Mud guard
- Fatter Wheels
- Looks good

Raleigh Royal 2015, 55 cm (I am 5'10").

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/raleigh-royal-2 ... 60551413uk

Thank you for all the recommendations.

[rmurphy195]

Try a hybrid or MTB - upright riding position, handlebar changers, guards and rack, smaller chainrings (a triple such as the Tourney), and slightly chubber tyres than a "road " (ie race or pseudo-race!) bike. The tyres that come with hybrids generally are smotther than the MTB tyres so are probably more free-rolling.

Just walk into you local bike shop and ask, they should have something to suit unless it specializes in competition bikes!

[bainbridge]

Cheap mountain bike for £200 is what I recommend. Ride a few around at the bikeshop and buy the most comfortable. If you keep riding you'll soon feel much more comfortable once you're conditioned, then you'll have another £200 to spend on accessories - or of course buy yourself something special

If, after a while, you decide to abandon the idea of becoming a cyclist then so be it, you haven't spent too much (hope you stick at it though).

[MikeF]

Cheap mountain bike for £200 is what I recommend. Ride a few around at the bikeshop and buy the most comfortable. If you keep riding you'll soon feel much more comfortable once you're conditioned, then you'll have another £200 to spend on accessories - or of course buy yourself something special

If, after a while, you decide to abandon the idea of becoming a cyclist then so be it, you haven't spent too much (hope you stick at it though).

That maybe OK if you find something suitable. However I think some trying out cycling use the logic that they don't want to spend too much on a first bike, so that if it doesn't suit them they haven't wasted a lot of money. Unfortunately this logic can result in a purchase of something totally unsuitable that's never going to be easy to ride. The result is another person who finds cycling too difficult and gives up - abandons cycling. Obviously money itself won't buy you the most suitable bike, but you don't want to buy something too cheap that puts you off riding.

[bainbridge]

Cheap mountain bike for £200 is what I recommend. Ride a few around at the bikeshop and buy the most comfortable. If you keep riding you'll soon feel much more comfortable once you're conditioned, then you'll have another £200 to spend on accessories - or of course buy yourself something special

If, after a while, you decide to abandon the idea of becoming a cyclist then so be it, you haven't spent too much (hope you stick at it though).

That maybe OK if you find something suitable. However I think some trying out cycling use the logic that they don't want to spend too much on a first bike, so that if it doesn't suit them they haven't wasted a lot of money. Unfortunately this logic can result in a purchase of something totally unsuitable that's never going to be easy to ride. The result is another person who finds cycling too difficult and gives up - abandons cycling. Obviously money itself won't buy you the most suitable bike, but you don't want to buy something too cheap that puts you off riding.

I agree that my suggestion wouldn't work if the op didn't find something suitable, however the budget isn't huge and I've witnessed a large number of new cyclists buy a new bike at the limit of what they can afford only for it to sit there gathering dust.

Think of my suggestion as being similar to when you first pass your driving test; you just need something cheap to get you out on the road and then you can formulate exactly what you want as your experience grows, plus if you prang it with a beginner's bump it won't break the bank.

[AlaninWales]

If you go for anything of the mountain-bike type, make sure you change the tyres to smooth ones! Get the bike shop to do this at point of sale (should credit you for the standard tyres, probably cost-neutral). Smooth tyres will be more comfortable and less energy-sapping.

[Merry_Wanderer]

Adam,if you are in London I would advise on a trip to Brixton Cycles Co-op. They have a very good reputation for being helpful and finding the right bike to suit their customers. They also do free bike maintenance classes. I would strongly advise against buying a bike online without test riding it or other alternatives

[LuckyLuke]

Hi Adam,
I've been cycle commuting in London almost daily for 10-11yrs.
I've commuted on various bike types: Fixed, single speed, flat bar, drops, derailleur gears and hub gears, hybrids, 90s MTBs, tourers and a Brompton.
I've settled on a bike with the following:
Mudguards
hub gears
hub brakes / roller brakes
fat comfy tyres (26 x 2" Schwalbe Kojaks)
a rack and panniers
Dynamo lights
a top of the range lock.

All of the above probably aren't feasible on your budget, but you could probably pick up a new bike with many of them if you shop around.
Decathlon sell bikes with some of the above features, and are good value.
Brixton Cycles are a great shop, but their range is limited, I doubt they'd have hub geared bikes for example.
You can sometimes pick up second hand dutch style bikes on gumtree in London, if you don't mind second hand (will likely need a good fettling).
If you're feeling flush and want a European style bike, Bikefix in central London are worth a browse.

Best wishes,

Luke

[LuckyLuke]

PS If you fancy the retro mountain bike route, I've a 23" Raleigh 501 frame, forks & headset you can have for £20!
Best wishes,

Luke