UKC

Hello, I think this is my first post in the cycling forum.

I have been pootling around (mostly a too-infrequent short 5.5 mile work commute) on a rather retro thing for about 2 years, a Raleigh Reynolds 502 frame with suicide shifters. It's seen better days. The rear mech has just knacked itself so I am thinking of cutting my losses and buying something new. We have a "cycle to work" scheme thing at, er, work. It's well set up so that I can get any new bike (and accessories) anywhere so I am not restricted to official "participating outlets".
My needs are basic.

I thought the red B-Twin Triban 3 at Decathlon was a total no-brainer especially as they have another £50 off at the moment, making them £250, but I just learned that they only have really small frames left (these are the last of the carbon-fork ones.
This means I am now looking at the white Triban 3A at £300, which not only has the heavier front fork (not a deal breaker) but also possibly shoddier gears (Microshift instead of Shimano 3200). I am only regurgitating Internet reviews though.

The red one was, as I say, a no-brainer. Now the game has changed slightly. I was all set to go and just buy a red one but now it's "research time".

Options are:
white Triban 3a;
extend budget to Triban 5 (reluctant to do so even though I still get a good deal....I was really just after something cheap and sturdy, where cheap = <£300);
take a recommendation from you good folk;
spend the money on fixing up the Reynolds thing (thus not benefitting from cycle-to-work scheme). This would be Local Bike Shop fixing it up, not me. I have no skills in bike fettling. Yet.

I imagine the sensible thing is to get the Triban 3a and try to get over the fact that I am paying £50 more for a lesser bike than the one I've been excited about. I am sure it is not a rubbish bike nor will I, as a noob, be bothered about the Microshift gears...unless someone hear screams "NO DON'T DO IT"

Thanks


edit - I have seen the red Triban 3 on Gumtree, £180 in Glossop, but it would be too big for me I guess, as I am about 5'9" or maybe 5'10" and that guy is 6'3", it is a 63 frame and I am told that 54 or 57 would be my size. I don't even know what these numbers mean yet!

In reply to Blue Straggler:

#here, not hear...

In reply to Blue Straggler:

First thing is are you certain you want a drop bar road bike? If so, the Decathlon ones look about as good value as you can get.

My Boardman CX bike came with a microshift front mech and despite loads of fiddling (+ have a vague idea of what I'm doing) I was never very happy with it and never got it working smoothly. In the end I coughed up about 15 quid to get a shimano sora replacement which is better (the back mech was sora from the start). But I don't know about the Shimano stuff below Sora, and I don't know how much of a range Microshift do in their gears.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

A bit more than you might want to pay but have a look here http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-sora-wiggle-exclusive/

Size 54 would fit.
Sora all round, great bike for the money as it's discounted. Worth looking around to see what you can get for your money around the £400 mark at the moment.

Have a look at chain reaction, Merlin, Westbrook, etc. you may find a nice bargain.

In reply to TobyA:


It is a good question and one that I was pondering tonight. I'm not going to join a bike club, I'm not going racing or time trialling anywhere, I will almost definitely put a rear pannier rack on (I have done so on the old thing)....so maybe a light tourer is the way forward. I just got hung up on the Triban 3 because it got such rave reviews but all of that is now irrelevant as you can't get them.

So, yes, the question is really:
What should I buy between £300-£450 for everyday short commuting on country roads but with the versatility to have a bit of a play at being "roadie Straggler" around the Peak every once in a blue moon?

Thanks for your comments

In reply to sleavesley:

Thanks, that looks pretty sweet. As per the previous post, I have accepted a price bump to £450 max as I was thinking "Triban 5" which would work out as £24 per month for me on the "cycle to work" scheme.

The £50 off the red Triban 3 ends this weekend which is why I was kind of in a rush but as that's irrelevant now, I have time to procrastinate and read too many reviews and get all confused

In reply to Blue Straggler:
Some kind of hybrid might be an alternative. If you're not trying to go desperately fast they have some advantages. I rode a great Felt hybrid as my commuter for years - strong enough for some off road, plenty of room on the handle bars for a couple of lights in winter plus all the normal junk you have (computer, bell - very needed around here) etc. You are more upright in traffic so perhaps have slightly better visibility.

Going to a drop bar bike (a cyclocross but I put slick tyres on it for 'urban'), my average speed on my commute was 2-3 kmph higher for the same effort so the body position does make a difference but your commute is short sounding anyway so it won't be that different. You can also go bikepacking easily on it at the weekend!

OK, this is more than you want to spend - it has jolly good kit on it - but gives you some idea of the possibilities http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXKAFF2FBTIA/planet-x-kaffenback-2-shimano-t...

In reply to Blue Straggler:
my bike was bought for those sorts of duties

it's a merida speeder. I forget which t number but I think they do one around your budget. Not sure it's red though

Our lbs normally has a few in stock if you wanted to try for size.

In reply to ebygomm and TobyA:

I am definitely being won over toward the hybrid / tourer style. Given that on the old boneshaker with drop handlebars, I often sit upright with my hands on the "flat" (surmising that at my old fat punter speeds braking won't be an issue ) and I have a pannier rack on it and I really don't 21 - 24 speeds, I guess it's the sensible choice. And then I can justify reviving the boneshaker so I'll have a commuter, an MTB AND a road bike.

Oh dear...is this how it starts?

In reply to Blue Straggler:

I have one of these http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-courier-race-14 (but the 2005 version!) for this kind of duty. It is my commuter bike (or was, in the days when it didn't take me longer to carry my bike down to the pavement than it does to walk to work...). It's been brilliant - the only downside has been the single chain-ring, but that has probably helped with fitness...

This also did reasonable duty for occasional playing at being a roadie for a long time, although I now have a drop-bar roadie for that

In reply to Blue Straggler:



Yes, have fun!

In reply to Blue Straggler:

I bought a Forme Longcliffe 5.0 from Rutland Cycling for £329 in their recent sale - I've written a review of it here http://fortywheels.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/review-forme-longcliffe-50.html

They don't have any more of these in stock, but a quick glance reveals they do have a few other options for around that price.

I'd also look at Edinburgh Coop Bikes - http://bit.ly/1pgTwbB - they have 15% off everything this weekend and I've read some great reviews about them

In reply to Blue Straggler:

I think its already started.
As ebygomm say, come up and visit us, and pop into the bike shop just around the corner.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

I love my red Triban 3 I do At 6' 1" with a 60cm frame I wouldn't want to go any bigger in frame size.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Another vote for Edinburgh Cycle Co-operative here. Personally I found the variety of positions available on drop bars to be a benefit. Not all road bikes will take mudguards and/or pannier racks, so that's something to check. Cyclo-cross bikes will generally accept both, and that's what I've got.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Hello old chap, hope you're well.


I'm afraid so, next thing you know you'll have a garage full of bikes, several boxes full of parts, and will be deciding whether to spend 1000quid on some new wheels.....!

(BTW go for the tourer/hybrid. Road bikes are best for long, fast road rides, not for commuting/pootling. I very rarely use my road bike for commuting).

In reply to Alun:

ha! Buenas dias. I deliberately bought a house with no garage ir sheds or indeed any outside space, just so I would not end up with a clutter of unused expensive bikes

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Triban bikes are excellent value for money but the wheels are made of cheese, unfortunately.

*cough* I'm selling a carbon fibre 2006 Specialized Roubaix on Ebay right now, brand new wheels, tyres, brakes, saddle, but the buyer will need to have faith. Check Ebay for "2006 Specialized Roubaix" to see why.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

ive been doing 20 mile (return) commute on my btwin. i replaced the pedals and got some decent lights. the gears drive me insane but i spose i could get them adjusted. i tried but i made it worse. also the brakes are total pap. overall im happy with it, some times i even enjoy it!

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Have you found something yet? If not then where are you based?

I ask as I'm trying to get rid of my road bike as I want to buy an off-road one I've seen.

It's a 54 frame, raleigh airlite 300 - but with carbon front fork. It's pretty much as new other than some grubby marks on the handle bar tape and some very minor splash marks to the underside.

If you're local you're more than welcome to come try it out as I would only be looking for your original price range for it.

I really just want rid so I can grab the off-road instead.

In reply to Mike7:

yhm

Thanks all. Bike now bought

In reply to Blue Straggler:


That's "a bike", not "Mike's bike"!

In reply to Blue Straggler:



Incidentally this would not have cost much. Estimate £20-25 for cheap rear mech, replacement chain (it got fully twisted in two locations!) and labour.

But I had "new shiny gear" on the brain

In reply to Blue Straggler:

No worries, glad you found something that suits.

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Well? Don't leave us all hanging, man! What did you get?!

In reply to Alun:

He got one of these http://images.gizmag.com/hero/6502_23110641650.jpg

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Wot you doing with the old one?

In reply to Grim:

Not sure yet. A few options. Strip it to the bare frame and eBay it as a classic, maybe for someone who wants to build a single-speed or fixie. Turn it into a single speed for myself. Get a cheapo rear mech and keep it as an occasional roadie and/or cheap/disposable urban runabout (just for popping to the shops, so I'm not alway worrying about my shiny new bike being vulnerable out there) or store it at my parents' house for the occasional runaround when visiting. You interested in a 501 Reynolds frame?