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Beginners Training Bike Recommendations

Hi everyone - first time post here (so be gentle with me).

I'm an ultramarathon runner and have decided to expand into duathlons and maybe triathlons too (although I'm still not convinced about the cold water ).

I don't want to blow a huge amount of money on a bike at this stage in my development (or should I say my wife doesn't) and plan to build up to a race early next year. I'd really appreciate any advice on what to buy. I want to get the riding technique correct.

Budget of around a grand give or take.

Thanks in advance

Richard

Comments

  • 101SUSY101SUSY Posts: 53
    Hi Richard, everyone on here is really nice so don't worry.

    I posted a similar thread 'slow cycle' which has got loads of really helpful contributions on it about improving bike technique and how to set up the bike to go faster, if you want to have a look.

    I don't know anything about what type of bike to buy, I suspect it might be down to what feels most comfortable for you (and er, which is the coolest looking one in the shop, we are all guilty of that a little !!!!).

    However, if you don't want to splash out loads of cash I can recommend the 'Cycle To Work' scheme if your employer offers it - loads of them do so check it out before you go and spend loads of your hard earned. The maximum spend on Cycle to Work is £1000 so it's right within your budget too...

    Good luck, triathlon is amazingly addictive, you'll love it !
  • PennberlyPennberly Posts: 2
    Richard,
    Welcome to the lovely sport of Triathlon. I'm also fairly new to the sport and have just purchased a fantastic bike from Planet X. SL PRO CARBON ULTEGRA....£999.00. Really good specification bike, very high end for the price, and although it was ordered on line, had to phone them once ans managed to order the wrong size and tghey sorted it straight away. They build the bike for you and then despatch it by courier, I think it is the best value bike around and thought i would of had to pay double for it, so very pleased, and it rides like a dream.

    Pennberly
  • hussler.hussler. Posts: 390
    First of all welcome to the wild world of Triathlon....

    Everyone will say to you buy this bike buy that bike..... oooo Treks are good, hang on wait a min actually buy a Specialized.....no wait giant are the best YAWN....

    It is all very individual on what bike is best.....what one person says is good is bad with another person....

    Now I could recommend Specialized, which I would do, but then I have a Tarmac SL2 S-Works......and with the budget you have I could of bought 5 bikes instead of the Tarmac......

    Best thing to do is go to an independant dealer...Bridgetown Cycles in Cannock for instance....(not one for name dropping!) and have a look around.....If you see one you like the look of and its close to or in your budget then get sized up and take one for a quick spin. Try things like cornering fast-ish, putting power down whilst seated and putting power down whilst stood up....and just the general 'feel' of the bike.

    If you like it buy it.....if you dont like it then dont buy it.....look for another one.

    Do not overlook the 'initial look' of the bike.....If you dont like the colour scheme etc then after 6 months or so you will wish you spent that extra £100 quid lets say on one that you preferred the colour scheme!!

    As an example my first road bike was a Trek Madone back in 2008, fantastic bike etc but I always wanted a Specialized Tarmac S-Works.....The Trek served me very well but I was always wishing I was riding an S-works.....this eventually led to me not wanting to go out for my bike training....until I bit the bullet and splashed out on my Tarmac I sold the Trek to a mate and he loves it...

    Most important part of buying the bike is getting one that fits you correctly. You could go spend £5000 on a bike and it not fit you correctly and it would be a complete waste of cash. or you could buy a £200 basic as they get bike but it fit you perfectly and I will 100% Guarantee you would ride faster and be more happy on the £200 bike!

    Hope this is of some help!
  • largeadelargeade Posts: 166
    A grand should get you a decent aluminium bike with Shimano 105 (or equivalent) throughout. I've done 3000k+ on mine and its fine (although I've recently changed cassette and chain).

    Now you know the spec you need to pop in a shop to sit on a few to see what fits/floats your boat.

    Keep budget for helmet, clip-on pedals (plus the shoes - 120+ quid) as they are mandatory and probably wont come as standard. From that point its tri-bars etc, etc
  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    I would say be clear in what your budget is firstly cause this is going to dictate what you get for your cash. Bare this in mind, that if you are patient enough and want to wave a nice cool £1k+ in front of an LBS then you will be surprised what you can get for your cash.

    Hussler is right, a bike is quite a personal thing and when you start to look at bike's you will get a flavour for what you want. However, back to my first point regarding budget and this touches on what Hussler says, once you start looking at bike's and you are set on what you want, if there is something you want to change on the bike then do it because you will regret it. For example, I have an Argon 18, with shimano 105. There is nowt wrong with 105 but I wish I had shelled out a bit more and put Ultegra on it.

    So when I went for the new bike, and I paid more for better aerobars cause I knew hand on heart I would regret it if I didn't, so in essence be prepared to stretch the budget a bit.

    Valid point on the bike fitting as well.....
  • largeadelargeade Posts: 166
    Hopefully this is staying on topic - just a query, as I'm mulling getting a race bike for next year... apart from weight what does Ultegra give over 105?
  • hussler.hussler. Posts: 390
    105 has had some niggly faults and isnt quite as smooth as Ultegra.

    Ultegra is bullet proof, I ran Ultegra for a couple of years and never had a problem....over several 1000's of miles....

    I now have Sram Red on the Tarmac and Dura Ace on the TT..... but only because im a bike snob....lol
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    I would also add two things:
    1. Don't forget that apart from the bike you then need to buy other things such as pedals, shoes, helmet etc. all those bits and pieces that are essential but do add up so much sure you have budgeted for them. In fact it might be an idea to tot up those bits first to see where that leaves you for your bike purchase.
    2. If you see a good bike that seems to tick all the boxes at £750 don't discount it because you have more money to spend. My first bike cost £500 but my LBS suggested a bike at £350 and in retrospect I should have gone with that but I had £500 to spend and I was going to buy a £500 bike come what may.

    You may want to look here to start for ideas:
    http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/gear-news/ ... /4803.html

    Oh yes and a third point, welcome and good luck.
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