Doing lots of cycling on and off road but using a heavy Halfords bike that’s past it’s best and looking to upgrade, where’s the  best deals for bikes and what should I be looking for to replace it?  

Edited April 7, 20206 yr by Mounts Kipper

Got my lad's from some place in Worsley. Found them on the internet.

Sold stuff that was classed as seconds or similar. Referred to as B grade. A £1200 bike for £800. Had a virtually invisible flaw in the paintwork iirc.

Had a look, Parker's of Bolton.

Certainly worth a look.

Edited June 20, 20205 yr by Tonge moor green jacket

will be places with them in stock, I'm assuming the small independents may have, the bigger ones don't as I've been looking. 

I won't get a new bike past the missus, but a white lie and a 500 quid bike is only 250 and I won't be sleeping in the shed 😛 Then it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission 😛

2 minutes ago, only1swanny said:

will be places with them in stock, I'm assuming the small independents may have, the bigger ones don't as I've been looking. 

I won't get a new bike past the missus, but a white lie and a 500 quid bike is only 250 and I won't be sleeping in the shed 😛 Then it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission 😛

https://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/

20% off for NHS staff too. Get Kent to get it for you?

28 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

https://www.parkersofbolton.co.uk/

20% off for NHS staff too. Get Kent to get it for you?

Thought they had gone, used to always buy from them when they were down shifnall street. 

Just messaged a guy off facebook and going looking at one in half an hour, may be a bit small though. Parkers had one bike that was 22 inch

Bit shit that. Seems the same all over. Shortage of new ones coming through.

I wonder if the fistmaster crew can adapt their 'tooling' to produce a range of bikes?

54 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Bit shit that. Seems the same all over. Shortage of new ones coming through.

I wonder if the fistmaster crew can adapt their 'tooling' to produce a range of bikes?

Bought a cube ltd in black. 

It's fairly high spec tbh, bit noisy when freewheeling but it's a decent solid bike. 

 

Buy a bike at Charnock Richard cycles.

I can’t wait for 6 months time. Ebay will be awash with unridden bargains 

On 09/05/2020 at 12:26, Burndens Bogs said:

It doesn’t help that some bikes come in sizes S,M,L, XL, and others are measured by frame size. At 6ft 1 i reckon you’d be fine with a Large or a 19” - 20” frame. Remember that you can raise/lower the seatpost & handlebar stem for fine tuning.

 

23 hours ago, Desert_monkey said:

You can't safely raise the stem, you can buy new ones that are raised and you could also replace the handle bars. Makes a massive difference.

You can invert most clamp - on stems for adjustment and also raise/lower the steerer to give extra height at the bars.

16 hours ago, Desert_monkey said:

I bought a mega bike from Leisure Lakes, a Kona Roast should have been £800 got it for £600 as it was ex display, it was put together beautifully. Then some cunt stole it. I highly recommend leisure lakes

These days £600- £800 doesn’t buy a “mega bike” but  it should buy a competent enough hardtail. If you’re happy with the bike though, thats all that matters.

Edited June 21, 20205 yr by Burndens Bogs

On 20/06/2020 at 10:13, superjohnmcginlay said:

So reading through this thread and being a total newbie to it all, look at around 800 for a good starter and not from Halfords try to go through a small independent retailer? 
 

we signed up to the cycle2work scheme so might take advantage of it?  

I got mine was like from Decathlon for £420 and that wasn't the cheapest but according to those who know bikes reckon its a good starting point

The nearest independent place was looking at £700

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rc120-disc-road-bike-blue-id_8554265.html

8 hours ago, ZicoKelly said:

I got mine was like from Decathlon for £420 and that wasn't the cheapest but according to those who know bikes reckon its a good starting point

The nearest independent place was looking at £700

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rc120-disc-road-bike-blue-id_8554265.html

Just looked at that. Now I know cunt-all about bikes, but when it says "Microshift CS-H081 11-34 cassette" I'm thinking surely for 500 quid you'd at least get a CD player? 

On 20/06/2020 at 23:53, Mr Grey said:

Spot on, also add gym equipment to the unridden items or used once.

Keep your eyes peeled next time you're walking alongside the canal.

Bound to be one or two nicked and dumped.

Just posting a random pic 

Any Zwifters on here? My indoor bike set up should be coming next month, setting up a ‘pain cave’ ready for a winter on Zwift 

Zwift the best way to go or would anyone recommend one of the other Apps 

54 minutes ago, birch-chorley said:

Any Zwifters on here? My indoor bike set up should be coming next month, setting up a ‘pain cave’ ready for a winter on Zwift 

Zwift the best way to go or would anyone recommend one of the other Apps 

Mate loves it. I just can’t br doing with it. Need to be outside

1 hour ago, mickbrown said:

Mate loves it. I just can’t br doing with it. Need to be outside

Is the correct answer 

Only problem in the U.K is the weather, at least half the year is a write off 

1 hour ago, birch-chorley said:

Only problem in the U.K is the weather, at least half the year is a write off 

You just need the right clothing to ride in winter -  and the good stuff doesn’t come cheap.

22 minutes ago, Burndens Bogs said:

You just need the right clothing to ride in winter -  and the good stuff doesn’t come cheap.

And you look like a bellend 

9 minutes ago, Rudy said:

And you look like a bellend 

Can you ride a bike in cowboy boots?asking for a friend 

32 minutes ago, Rudy said:

And you look like a bellend 

Cheers. Stone Island wouldn’t be much use out on the bike in a downpour up Winter Hill in January.

17 minutes ago, Burndens Bogs said:

Cheers. Stone Island wouldn’t be much use out on the bike in a downpour up Winter Hill in January.

Well fancy riding a bike up winter hill in January 

2 hours ago, Rudy said:

Well fancy riding a bike up winter hill in January 

Plenty do. Done it enough times myself in the past, but i think those  days are behind me.Goretex and Sealskinz  clothing would be De Rigueur in those conditions.

Edited July 7, 20205 yr by Burndens Bogs

2 hours ago, birch-chorley said:

Only problem in the U.K is the weather, at least half the year is a write off 

I plan my rides around the weather forecast,  yesterday was perfect example while it was windy it was a beautiful day, set of early afternoon and got back home about 5  stopped of on way home at Astley park to refuel with a large cappuccino and a coffee walnut cake and basked in the sun sheltered by the courtyard, I’ll be cycling through winter just cherry pick the brighter days and cycle morning so it’s still bright on the way home.  Wish I’d took this hobby up years ago. 

1 hour ago, Burndens Bogs said:

You just need the right clothing to ride in winter -  and the good stuff doesn’t come cheap.

And proper full length mudguards