Be Excellent To Each Other

Right, so mrs t and I want a couple of bikes to pootle around the cycle lanes and canal paths of MK.
Budget is £300 for the both. Why so low, I hear you ask? We don't have room in the flat to keep them, so will have to keep them locked up in the outside bike rack. Therefore they have to be disposable as theft and the elements could be an issue.

I realise I'm not going to get anything good for £150 each, but they just have to be reliable and not entirely shit. No off road shenanigans needed.

Either new or I'm happy to buy from eBay if need be, but have no idea what I'm looking at really...

sounds like you need hybrids. Second hand Giant would be my bet as they usually have fairly reasonable components as per this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Hybrid-/200797874266?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item2ec07c685a

But watch out for quick release wheel spindles and seat post adjuster if left outside.

I'll say what I say every time someone is looking for a megacheap bike: they are all much of a muchness at that price if you're looking at something new. £150 is nothing for a bicycle, sadly. Get the cheapest you can from Halfords.

Used is more interesting. I'm guessing you'd want more of a hybrid/town and trail bike than full-on racer?

Something like this would be ok.

Are hybrids no just mountainbikes with baldy tyres? You can pick slicks up cheaply enough if you go down that route btw.


Gumtree is usually worth a look anaw.

Are hybrids no just mountainbikes with baldy tyres?/quote]
Nope, they're a proper hybrid between road bikes and mountain bikes. Light thin frame, but slightly shorter and with flat handlebars.

I think the main idea is that they make you sit up nice and straight so you dont get a bad back.

Those don't look too bad.

There really is no point in us spending more cash, as the bikes will have to kept outside on a communal bike rack. Id love a nice bike, but it makes no sense at the moment, so cheap and disposable is the way forward.

£150 is really the bare minimum you should pay for a bike IMO. All entry-level bikes are pretty much the same, so just go down to your local shop and make sure you find one that's comfortable.

Either that or you could get lucky on Freecycle.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165534

Seems not entirely crap for the price?

Sure, why not. Go and sit on one first, though.

Indeed, I agree they all seem to be much for muchness as far as I can see, so unless I do some eBay hunting, I might as well just halfords it.

If you're going down the new route (I still say that going 2nd hand is better at that price), it might be worth looking at BC's Ride membership for the discounts. Especially since you'll be needing stuff like locks & lube & mibby lights etc.
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/member ... p-packages

EDIT: In fact you could go for the cheaper Bronze racing membership if you didn't want the insurance.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Bikes-/33503/ ... x=1&_sop=1

All the bikes on ebay within 25 miles of me and under £200.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150863283004
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170883409662
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280930001092

These three seem the most interesting?

That Giant is nice, but a full road bike you may struggle with. Dicey in the wet, for example. The Carrera is ok, but a Halfords own brand.

Sure, but the Carrera is £30 at the moment, if I'm going to get a halfords special then £30 is better than £150

Carrera bikes consistently score very highly in reviews. I'm half considering a Carrera road bike at present.

I have a Carrera hybrid. I like it, but needed the front wheel replacing after 500 miles as it buckled and a load of spokes detached. The bike cost me £450, so I was disappointed that it didn't last longer.

Seems like I can get an alloy bike for £110 from tesco of all places!

http://www.tesco.com/direct/vertigo-bil ... f_1018132#

If it feels 'right' then go for it. You can always change later fir something better if you wish to. More money means less weight, but feel is important.

The first line of the description sets off alarm bells:
[quote[This Vertigo Bilbao men's hybrid bike is a versatile black bike that you can use in town or on uneven surfaces. The Bilbao has a lightweight 20" aluminium frame with rigid steel forks and is equipped with 700c spoke wheels. The wheels are double walled to provides you a strong pair of wheels that gives you a reduced risk of receiving punctures on rough cycle paths. 18 speed Shimano gears with grip shift gives you a wide range of gears to select from, whether you are free wheeling down a hill or cycling uphill, you will find a suitable gear to match conditions. The Vertigo Bilbao includes front and rear V-brakes to bring you to a rapid stop if a car pulls out in front of you without spotting you. This bike is suitable for men with a 33"-35" inside leg. Minimal self-assembly is required.[/quote]

Hmmm, a black bike you say?

Also the frame is aluminium in the description, but alloy in the specs.

Also also, thanks for explaining why I might need to stop.

that's my only real problem with it, I can't actually ride one, I'd have to order it on spec.
It'll be a cheap pile of crap, but it should be lighter pile of crap than the other piles of crap for the same price

The thing is, if it a bike you don't lie you won't use it, so you have thrown away the money, you would be better off spending more on something you will use. I had a Scott bike and it was stolen, I had to go to Evans t get a replacement and they didn't stock Scott bikes, so I got a Trek bike, I don't like it anywhere near as much and tend not to use it because of that.

Yeah, but there is no point in me spending money on a better bike, as mentioned in the first post.

I think if you don't go cycling because of your bike then you basically can't be arsed with going cycling and found an excuse.

Aye, all I'm doing is pootling round cycle lanes, so any bike should suffice really, as long as it is vaguely reliable and isn't a bouncy suspension mess. My main opponent will be idleness, not bike quality.

Exactly.

First bicycle purchased.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330770718662

Bike people, look at these and comment for me please, any of them any good and at a good price?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330770740972
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251121134592
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330771789037
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120960083245
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290749753217

Fuck it, i've gone for this. I can pick it up tomorrow and use it over the weekend, If it is crap i'll ebay it.

Looks OK.

I plan on picking it up tomorrow night and building it, then taking it for a run on Saturday around the red lanes. I shall report back.

If you're taking a bicycle out for a run, I'm not convinced you've fully understood the concept.

But I bought a lead and everything.

I've been for a ride before where I've walked more than I've ridden.

My homemade and sellotape laminated map of the Milton Keynes cycle redways

Should have bought one of these.

Picked this up today, it's not too bad at all! Bit small for me but should do fine for Mrs T.

Tesco bike taken out for a 3 mile spin. I would have gone further but my handlebars fell off Should have tightened them up a bit more I expect

Not bad actually, it's pretty quick and weighs 14kg, so is lighter than other bikes in this price bracket. Easy enough to ride, needs a new saddle though as the one on it is very uncomfortable, and when I change the saddle I think i'll change the saddle quick release for a normal one, as it'll only get nicked otherwise I assume. Front wheel quick release isn't an issue as i'll aways lock it up through both wheel and frame anyway.

Pleased you like it.

Mine weighs 14kg. Heavier bikes make better getting fit machines.

I'd offer you a seat collar and bolt, but they are about £2 tops, so no need there, I suppose. Kids nick bike saddles and seatposts as they are the most efficient way of getting through a car window. I prefer the more nuanced approach of using a tea towel, screwdriver and wire hangar, but I'm all about the elegance.

Oh, and it is quite short geared, could do with another few cogs at the top end. I guess it is geared as a mountain bike rather than a road bike.