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What Bike

I am starting my first season of Tri, and need to get a bike. So far I have found a Barracuda Azzurri at Just below £200. I have also found a Giant OCR4 for £250. Does anybody know of or have an opionion about Barracuda Bikes. Should I be spending the extra for the Giant?

Comments

  • DamianDamian Posts: 11
    I'm in the same position. I've signed up to the London triathlon and have no bike yet ( ! ). If anyone has good advice on a sensible bike for a 1st timer who is looking to finish ( not to place/ die ! ) this would be much appreciated ( most of the ads for bikes in the mag are £600+ )
  • See this thread for a related subject. Barracuda or Giant? Giant Giant Giant.



    The Barracuda isn't really a race bike, although it looks a bit like one. It's heavy and is made up from low quality components. If you really, really can't afford anything else, then still don't buy it. Get a proper bike second hand from Ebay.



    OCR 4 - OK you're getting there but if you can afford the stretch to the OCR 3 then you'll be getting a bike you might want to keep rather than replace next season. See the other thread for reasons why.



    You've entered the London Tri, right? And that's cost you, what, £80? You didn't say "I can't afford the London Tri - I think I'll enter the cheapest tri I can find" did you? The same logic applies with bikes. Some bikes aren't worth having. Unfortunately, a bike worth riding is going to cost you from £300 upwards. You can find cheaper imitations but imitations are what they are.[;)]



    You'll get a lot more advice on bike choice if you ask on http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/
  • (in reply to Damian)

    Report | Post #: 3





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    HI Damian. I have found a site www.dalecycles.com They have a Giant OCR 4 for £250.
  • Hey im having this issue too! i cant spend any more than £200 on it so im a bit wary of where to go...



    i tried that link but seems to be a duff link...
  • Try www.dalecycles.co.uk that might work

  • Nope still doesnt work!



    I did have a look around and triuk have some very good beginner packages starting from £399. The £499 one looks to be very good value and includes the fabled OCR3.... Let me know what you think.



    http://triuk.com//index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=17&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1



    I suppose even if you take it up and decide it aint for you you could probably make most of it back on ebay selling it all off.
  • Sorry, mate try www.dalescycles.co.uk or www.dalescycles.com

    Forgot the 's' in Dales.

    Have looked at the £499 option. I think its a good deal, but i already have a wetsuit and helmet. but I suppose there i no harm having spare. Definatly could sell the bike and get a good price off ebay.
  • ILMAKRILMAKR Posts: 20
    Without wanting to hijack this too much; I'm in the market for a bike too - I've got a budget of around £500, I want something that I can use for getting to work (11.5 miles) aswel as tri. I've come to three that I quite fancy, and hope to test them all in the not too distant future...



    Scott S60, the Bianchi C2C via Nirone, the Cannondale R500 (but that's more than I really wanted to pay, though I believe it's by far the best of the three...?)



    So; any comments greatfully recieved.



  • Yes you're right - the Cannondale is a far better-specced bike. The Tiagra groupset is compatible with the rest of the Shimano range so you can upgrade gradually. Plus, Tiagra is just better quality than Sora. The Sora/2200 kit on the other bikes isn't compatible with the better Shimano parts. Having said that, it would only cost you a few hundred quid to do a complete upgrade to 10spd 105 at some point in the future, so compatibility need not be a problem.



    If gradual upgradeability is important to you then try and go for the Cannondale. Otherwise, just go for the one which fits the best, and the one that makes you go all lovely and gooey when you see/touch/ride it [:D]



    Others to consider in your price range: Specialized Allez, Giant OCR, or 2nd hand from Ebay.

  • Rich_CRich_C Posts: 152
    I nearly bought this bike



    http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=60958



    Which is the same cost as the Cannondale but has the 105,s and Felt are well respected also.



    You wont need to upgrade 105,s for a while unless you advance in the sport quite quick, so to speak



  • Wow - good spot Rich. I like the look of that myself [:D]
  • ILMAKRILMAKR Posts: 20
    Rich_C wrote:


    I nearly bought this bike



    http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=60958



    Which is the same cost as the Cannondale but has the 105,s and Felt are well respected also.



    You wont need to upgrade 105,s for a while unless you advance in the sport quite quick, so to speak







    sadly they've only got one left and it's going to the kingston store for someone that isn't me... damn... great colour too!

  • Just a thought. Have you considered Ribble? There's a feature on their website called "bikebuilder" where you can choose the parts you put onto one of their frames. For £500 you can get yourself a 7005 alu frame, carbon forks and tiagra group. Plus, it's fun playing about with the bikebuilder thing!



    Link here

  • ILMAKRILMAKR Posts: 20
    has anyone ever used discount cycles direct... they're cheap, but I don't know if they'll juts run off with my money.
  • Ok, I know it's special pleading on my part because I have an interest in a cycle retailer, but it's always worth calling a shop that actually knows what they are doing - so staffed by cyclists or triathletes who maybe run rides from the shop, or offer a proper fitting service and actually want a relationship with you, rather than just to sell you a bike on the cheap.



    A phone call costs almost nothing in the context of kitting out for, entering and travelling to events, and it could save you from a world of pain. Let's face it, you can usually tell if the guy on the other end of the line knows his onions or if he's just a salesman trying to snag you.



    This way, you are less likely to become one of the three or four guys (or often girls as fitting for girls is slightly more involved) that come to us for a fitting each month who have either been gypped out of their hard-earned cash for an unsuitable, heavy behemoth of a beast, or have bought / been sold a bike that's the wrong size.



    I don't want to turn this into an advert, but if anyone wants to contact me off-forum, my email is [email=220forum@multimit.com]220forum@multimit.com[/email] & I'll be pleased to try and advise.
  • Got the package from Triuk. They sent me a SCR3 rather than a OCR3. From what i can see and the reading I have done it looks like a better bike. Ordered it Mon morning, had it by Tues Morning.
  • Glad to be of help! Can't afford mine just yet but in the meantime how do you find the equipment?
  • Bike is great. Havent had a chance to ride it yet. Cannodale/Diadora shoes, Shimono SPD pedals. Two piece tri suit is ok. Top will take some getting used to. Girlfriend says it looks like a training Bra!



    Have you looked at the Try a tri package? A £100 cheaper with a one- model-below bike.



    I will keep you up to date!
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    I'll add my tppence worth: In these days of carbon fibre frames it is possible to pick up a top end aluminium frame at a very good price, check the web for pre 2005 Principia bikes (when the original company went bust). These frames are excellent -stiff, good geometry, light, responsive- and they really are going for a song. 3-4 years ago they were selling at £1000 plus now its possible to get your hands on one for under £300. I
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  • krazycalkrazycal Posts: 45
    I bought a Principia TSC from a bike auction anbd that has worked great for me and cost me £250and the frame alone used to be worth 700 so my advice would be buy 2nd hand
  • kevfkevf Posts: 9
    ribble are doing a special at the moment - alu frame, full carbon forks, campag mirage 9spd groupset and a nice array of finishing bits and bobs for £399 - a great deal. ok, so it isn't this years 10spd set up but how many people really need 20 gears to ride a race (especially as a fair few of the 20 a very similar!)



    the only thing to look out for on the cheaper bikes is if it is 7spd. you then can't upgrade to 8, 9 or 10 spd as the spacing of the rear dropouts is different. if you get an 8spd machine, spares will be hard to find.



    best bet is to ensure it's 9spd. ribble bikes are great entry level framesets - designed by Terry Dolan - supplier of the GB olympic track cyclist.



    i've riden a Dolan for years - won't go anywhere else now. and just bought the ribble for my girlfriend as she's just starting out in tri's.
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