Bike Suggestions

StevenUniverse on 12/07/2017 - 22:34
Last edited 12/07/2017 - 22:35

Hi Guys,

I know the best advice would be to go into the shop and try some, but I would like to have some brands and possibly models in mind before I go to do so.
There's just way too many brands, models and types to sort through — especially for somebody who doesn't know anything about bikes.

I was looking at the following on Bike Exchange…
* Giant Toughroad SLR 2 2016 (too expensive for a first bike?)
* Giant Roam 1 or 2

I only looked Giant because their website made it easy for me to understand what each bike model was apparently suited for.

TLDR;

Something that would suit…
* Brand new
* $1000 absolute maximum. (Ideally would prefer spending much less. But I assume the more you spend the better quality bike you're getting. Am I wrong?)
* VIC based
* 175cm
* Average body size, weight and fitness
* Daily commute 10km each way, on flat paved surface. Unless it's raining or quite windy, then I don't think I'd bother to be honest.
* Would like to use it once, maybe twice a month on leisurely outdoor bike paths. Mostly concrete but maybe some hard dirt paths.

Questions:
* What should I be looking for when looking and testing bikes in-store?
* Best place/time to find a good deal on bikes?

Thanks in advance guys

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • altomic on 12/07/2017 - 22:49
    +2

    are you going to be carrying anything i.e. shopping or a bag. i.e. do you need a rack on the back?

    i'd suggest going for a hybrid bike. rather than a road bike or a mountain bike. thin-ish tyres, 18 or 21 speed

    as this is ozbargain then I'd suggest you get on gumtree or ebay and buy a decent second hand bike and see how you go. you can pick something pretty decent for <$200.

    you'd probably pick up a bike that some dude bought brand new for no more than $1000 because he thought he would use it for a daily commute (unless it was windy or rainy) and maybe twice a month on leisurely outdoor bike paths, but then he got over it pretty quickly and was sick of seeing the reminder of $1000 just sitting there and now wants it gone.

    and then after 6 months or so of using that bike every day and actually riding you can flog it for pretty much what you paid for it and buy something better (or just keep it because it works and is actually a decent bike)

    • StevenUniverse on 12/07/2017 - 23:01

      Probably bike with a backpack filled with a pair of pants, shirt and maybe a jumper.

      Oh were the two Giant bikes that I had found not hybrids? The website doesn't have an explicit 'Hyrbid' section and the description said on-road an off-road use so i just assumed it was a Hybrid.

      I would like to buy second hand but I'm worried I'd get burnt because I have no idea what I'm looking out for. Maybe I'll drop my budget to $4-500 brand new?

      Hahaha, man that guy sounds pretty spoilt.

      But i currently drive 25minutes to work then 3/5 mornings I do 30-40minutes of cardio at the gym there. So I'm just wanting to cut out that extra time that I could be investing in sleeping.

      • Zaenille on 12/07/2017 - 23:14
        +1

        The Roam is a hybrid bike. I don't know Toughroad, but giving it a quick check, it looks like a beginner mountain bike which is also okay for commuting.

        Also, I highly recommend racks to put pannier bags on. I would really really love to have them on my bike, but they aren't recommended for carbon bikes due to the additional weight. :( They will make your life so much easier and commutes so much more fun.

      • altomic on 12/07/2017 - 23:14
        +1

        yeah, the 2 linked bikes are hybrids (leaning toward MBs). I agree in getting something like those. though I'd go for thinner tyres.

        have a look at something like this giant on ebay for $170 - pickp from moorabin

        • StevenUniverse on 13/07/2017 - 18:57

          Thanks for that find! I'll keep that in mind while i still hunt around and narrow down my search more

  • Zaenille on 12/07/2017 - 23:05
    +1

    If $1000 is your absolute max, the Giant Roam 1/2 is a pretty good choice. Take note that you will have to buy extras. Lights, racks, helmet, and u-lock to start with.

    Make sure you try it out in-store to find your correct size. I'm 170cm and fit perfectly with a small. You might look at small or medium at 175cm height.

    Other bike to look out for is the Trek FX 2 (I think they call it the DS now?) - pretty similar to the Giant Roam series. Just go with whatever your local bike shop stocks.

    Used is a good place to look if you have the patience to find a good one for you, but if your requirement is brand new, then go with my above suggestions.

    Just to let you know though, I used to own a Giant Roam 2, but quickly sold it and bought a Giant Defy Advanced 2 - not because the Roam was bad, but because I realised that I enjoyed cycling a lot and would be willing to spend more on it.

    • StevenUniverse on 12/07/2017 - 23:10

      Thanks! Totally forgot to factor in those cost.

      Dang, do bikes at least come with reflectors still?

      • Zaenille on 12/07/2017 - 23:11

        Most basic pedals that come with the bikes have reflectors built in to them. Just get some decent lights, front and back. :) Not optional, for your safety.

        • StevenUniverse on 12/07/2017 - 23:16

          Wow thats one pretty seriously looking bike you've got now!

          Thanks agian, I'll look into getting some.

        • Zaenille on 12/07/2017 - 23:20
          +1

          @StevenUniverse:

          If you're not in a rush to get a bike, and I recommend you spend the time shopping around, here's what I suggest you do.

          1) Go to a bike shop, get fitted so you know what size you're looking at.
          2) Try out the hybrid bikes (Giant Roam, Trek DS, etc) and get a feel for them. They pretty much feel the same, but at least you get a baseline.
          3) (Optional) Try out the more expensive models so you know how much more you get for your money - you don't have to buy them.
          4) Go out and look for used bikes on gumtree that are your size. Do not even bother with the ones that are not your size - there is no bargain no matter how cheap it is if the bike is not your size. Size matters a lot with your bike.

          For reference, I got the Giant Roam 2 a year ago for around $450 used for basically a month, and it included everything. Gloves, lights, helmet, racks, bags, jackets, and pump.

          The guy had good intentions, it's just that he wasn't able to maintain riding enough to justify the purchase. Bike was basically brand new. With all the accessories added, that would have costed me $1000-1100.

        • StevenUniverse on 13/07/2017 - 19:03

          @Zaenille:

          Hey Zaenille,

          Great input. I'll put those steps to use over the weekend.

          A guy at my work is actually selling a Trek Zektor 3 for $800.
          The frame is for my size (I even called up a store and asked what they would recommend for me in this range).
          As I said below, in about a year or two my ride distance will double to 20km.

          do you think the Trek Zektor could be a good choice?

          I gave it a go and it seemed to ride fine, but ill have a better idea after the weekend when i have some actual comparisons.

        • Zaenille on 13/07/2017 - 20:40
          +1

          @StevenUniverse:

          Seems like a nice bike. You'll be able to decide better once you try on more bikes at the store. I was riding bikes new and used when I was looking for mine, and everytime I thought the bikes were alright… until I found the perfect bike that just clicked with me. So just try as many bikes as you can.

          Good luck!

  • Euphemistic on 13/07/2017 - 06:28
    +1

    You are right, there are so many to choose from. Looking on the internet is probably going to do your head in. If you are new to it go and check out some bike shops for what they have. A good shop will point you towards a bike suitable for your budget and use, a not so good one will try to upgrade you to a fancier bike or to sell you what they have on the floor.

    You sound like you already found out that there are a zillion models available, but what you might not have worked out is that the brand names tend to have very similar models available at very similar price points. That is, the Giants above probably have a very close equivalent in specialised, Merida, trek etc. there will be subtle differences, such as brakes or derailleurs, but overall they will be of similar value and build quality. Your best bet is to go and look for them.

    As for second hand, bikes are fairly easy to work on and MOST have fairly standard equipment, especially in the mid range models. They aren't hard to fix and parts are easy to get online a lot cheaper. The biggest cost in servicing a bike is the labour, which with YouTube and Google can be free. If you are reasonably handy repairing a bike is not difficult, and if you test ride and everything feels ok, it generally is. It's not like a car where things can be hidden from sight or only play up once you've been on the highway for 10min then they cost an arm and leg to fix.

    10km isn't a long commute, probably 30-40min and any bike should be able to handle it. A flat handle bar (not racing bike drop style) is often recommended as you sit up a bit more and can see traffic better. I have a 6.5km commute and have ridden it on all sorts of bikes. MTB only costs a few minutes, ie 15min on a road bike, 18min on MTB.

    Good luck finding a steed

    • StevenUniverse on 13/07/2017 - 18:55

      Hey, thanks for the detailed reply!

      Yeah I'm going to head into a few stores on the weekend but not too many, viewing and testing too many would probably leave me even more lost.

      With brands, are there any that I should watch out for?

      A guy at my work place is actually selling a Trek Zektor 3 for about $800, RRP is about $1200 but he's looking at upgrading to something newer and better from the upcoming 2018 range. Could this be suitable?

      Eventually in about a year or two, when I move into my off the plan home my commute will double to close to 20km.

  • CheapSticks on 13/07/2017 - 09:18
    +2

    buy used from gumtree. Atleast thats what I did for my first bike. When I had ascertained my interest in road biking - i bought new one !

  • PavloXYZ on 13/07/2017 - 12:19
    +1

    Hey there OP,

    Some really good advice mentioned above, let me just recommend you to GCN and GMBN on youtube so you can save a lot of $$. They’re like the equivalent of Top Gear but for bikes.

    I’m from Sydney and I too commute to work by bike and it just so happens to be 10kms as well.
    I have an entry level Giant MTB – Boulder and have that for 7 years now, love it and ride it all the time.
    I also have the ALDI road bike purchased from this time last year and ride that as a weekend bike, real solid and nothing to complain about.

    I’ve taken the Giant MTB on the MS Gong Ride twice and often ride with my cycling buddies on the ALDI and guess what, it’s the amount of watts produced from your legs that counts so don’t be tricked by all the fancy marketing jargon to persuade you to buy their higher end products. I don’t doubt for a second that it makes a difference but at what price? And unless you’re an elite, trust me, it ain’t gonna matter! Think of it like a acceleration over time graph the more you pay, the performance gains becomes much less noticeable – especially for people like us who aren’t even club cyclists let alone elites.

    That red light, those strava times, who cares? Just ride, have fun, take it safe on the road and know that you’re exercising which is good for you.

    Lastly, I don’t think anyone else has mentioned this but definitely worth factoring in;
    Is your bike going to be secured at work?

    • StevenUniverse on 13/07/2017 - 19:10

      Awesome! thanks for the resources I'll give it a watch tonight.

      Yeah I'm not sure what the difference between these 'groupsets' really are — hopefully over the weekend I'll ride a few and see whether or not I feel or notice any difference in my ride.

      Definitely, especially my route — it takes me along beach so i'm really going to enjoy that.

      Yep! my building is secured with access cards and nobody who doesnt work there has a reason to even visit the area

      • Euphemistic on 13/07/2017 - 21:33

        A groupset is a description for the running gear. The derailleurs, brakes, shifters, hubs etc come in a range of different models. Each model has a set of parts - the groupset. The group sets start at basic and work their way up to professional level. Typically the higher the level the stronger and lighter they are - at a cost. Lower level group sets tend to be built on older versions of the higher grade stuff.

        For example in shimano MTB gear there is Alivio, Altus, Deore, SLX, XT, XTR in increasing order of price/quality. Roadies have a similar range of model on names I'm not as familiar with, but include tiara, Sora, 105 ultegra (I'm sure I've missed some). SRAM (shimano's main opposition) have a similar range of group sets that do pretty much the same, and may have slight advantages/disadvantages in a particular model. If a bike you are looking at and like has SRAM don't dismiss it becuase shimano is not better, but shimano is better known becuase SRAM don't market their stuff on Kmart bikes like shimano do. Ever noticed that it's only the cheapest bikes that have big sticker on them saying 'shimano equipped'? That is marketing, the really cheap shimano stuff is pretty ordinary and won't be found on a brand name 'bike shop' bike.

        in principle the groups are the same, but lower range stuff will often have fewer gears. Eg in one year Alivio might be 9 speed, XT is 10spd while XTR is 11speed. The shifting might be a bit better, the brakes a little better. Overall though it takes an experience rider to pick the difference and the function tends to be quite good for most of it. I find the best value/quality is not unsurprisingly the mid range stuff.

      • PavloXYZ on 14/07/2017 - 11:15

        Euphemistic made a really good detailed information on what a groupset is, so have a look to see which one best suits your needs within your budget.

        Something worth mentioning is that the more number of gears may not necessarily mean the faster you go down hill or the easier you climb. Quite often it's the ratio between one gear to the next which makes it a more seamless transition to avoid a sudden jump.

        Sweet! As long as work provides employees with secured parking bays for your bike, then you don't have to worry too much about your bike getting damaged under the sun or worse, theft or vandalism.

  • garffi on 13/07/2017 - 14:21

    Giant Toughroad SLR 2 2017 is $1099 at Ivanhoe Cycles. If they have a 2016 model you could probably get it a bit cheaper. Also ask for freebies like helmets.

    • StevenUniverse on 13/07/2017 - 19:11
      +1

      I found one for about 899? or 999 on bike exchange in north melbourne somewhere i think :) Thanks for the link though

  • 2ndeffort on 13/07/2017 - 19:06
    +2

    I've bought a few bikes that cost considerably more than this and I've found that the relationship I now have with my local bike shop is worth more than the $50 I could have saved by buying from a shop on the other side of town. Every bike brand will make a bike that suits your requirements. I don't think a Giant or a Trek or a Specialised will by definition be any better than each other. The parts on the bike might be a different mix of different levels, you might get better parts on one the another.

    In general I would avoid anything with suspension forks. These might look cool but in your price range you will be getting the bottom of the range models. You don't want suspension for the type of riding you are describing as it is heavy and saps energy as it sags etc. As you don't intend to ride offroad you don't really need suspension so I would recommend buying a different brand where the cost of suspension has instead been invested in better wheels or a better saddle etc.

    It is law in most states that a bike has to ship with rear reflectors and a bell. If you buy from a bakeshop they will have these attached at setup,

    Don't be afraid to haggle in a bikeshop. The Tour de france is on at the moment and this is the time of year when most companies reveal their new models. The clearout of old years models should see some awesome bargains. 2nd hand is great if you know what you are after. Buying from a shop they should set you up with the right size and set the bike up for you. They should adjust the saddle height and make sure you have the right stem length etc. They will offer you a discount on extra bits like tyre changing stuff and a helmet. The Helmet is worth getting but by and large you can probably buy accessories cheaper from online shops like wiggle.

    Have a look for flat bar road bikes with an aluminium frame on Bikexchange to get an idea https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/s/flat-bar-road-bikes

  • ilikeradiohead on 14/07/2017 - 10:34

    Hi OP, just my 2c.
    I bought a second hand road bike about 3 years ago which was a 2008 model (I think), so it's getting on quite a bit. It has a Shimano Tiagra groupset, which is around the middle of the range for Shimano. It also has a carbon fork with aluminium frame and drop handlebars. I got it for $400 from gummy. I wanted to get a second hand road bike to see if I would use it more with a better bike (I do, but not enough for an upgrade)

    If I were you, I would go the same route. Get a half decent road bike from gumtree, if you really get into cycling you can sell it and get a whizz bang Italian dealy-o. It was chalk and cheese between the bike I bought and the hybrid bike I had (in terms of weight/feel/cycling enjoyment). I can't really see any reason to get a hybrid bike, I think you'd be better off with a road bike for your commute and if you wanted to do MTB then get a separate bike for that.

    For buying second hand, the hardest part is finding a bike that is the right size. I had to miss out on some pretty good deals on second hand bikes because they weren't the right size :'(

    • Euphemistic on 14/07/2017 - 13:47
      +1

      I wouldn't call Tiagra middle range groupset. It is a lower range in the 'proper' road bike stuff. 105 is the mid range for roadies where value/quality meet nicely. That's not to say less than 105 is junk though, it is still pretty good. Even the $399 Aldi road bike with Shimano Claris (lowest range 'proper' stuff) surprised some hard core cyclists.

      • ilikeradiohead on 14/07/2017 - 14:10

        Around the middle haha. Yeah I could't figure out an easy way to say 2/5 without getting tied in knots haha. And with the ALDI bike, I'd def have recommended that to OP if it were still available.

        • Euphemistic on 15/07/2017 - 06:58

          To be fair though, I had mixed up Tiagra and Sora before.

          it's: Claris, Sora, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, Ultegra di2, Dura Ace, Dura Ace di2.

        • 2ndeffort on 19/07/2017 - 11:29

          @Euphemistic: Agree with your hierarchy but thought, for the uninitiated, the Di2 groupsets are essentially electronic shifting rather than cable pull shifting. Itsa personal choice, some prefer the old-school feel of cable shifting but for others the instant and programmable electronic shifting is preferrable. As a result, many might question whether cable Dura-Ace is higher up the pecking order than Ultegra Di2. I for one would be going Di2 over regular Dura Ace.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2017 - 09:55

    How about the Cannondale caad8 that was posted here a couple of weeks back.

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