The Get fit club!

Beside the Weathsheaf pub on the A167 Durham Road?

I'd been thinking about getting back into cycling for a good year or so, but there'd always been some reason not to, purchase price of the bike, "there's nowhere to put it" etc. But I went to see the Doc about my blood pressure a little while back and he was basically like "FFS, if you don't do something about this now you are going to have a heart attack or stroke and DIE. Do you want to see your kid grow up?".

I was like... man....

So, anyway, been cycling for a month now, dunno what my blood pressure is but my resting heart rate has gone down from 95-100 to a much more normal 75bpm, which is encouraging!

Have you been watching the Hairy Bikers Mark?

My dad has been doing what they are since Christmas and he is much much fitter and has lost a lot of weight, my mum and sister are embarking on it too. I don't need to lose weight but want to get fitter (just can't be bothered!)

Guys, I need to pick your collective brains.

I'm thinking of taking up cycling again, at least for commuting. I've got an old cheap cruddy mountain bike I've fitted road tyres to, and I'm thinking of upgrading. The questions I have are... Is it better for a given price to go for a better frame with rubbish components or a worse frame with better components? Also I've got a low budget but I keep seeing loads of bikes sold for £1k plus. What difference could I expect to notice if I got a really expensive bike?

Thanks in advance.

In all honesty, I would dust off your old bike for a few weeks before deciding to invest in a new one, particularly if you're thinking about spending £1000 on a whim. Although now is a good time to buy a 2012 bike as they on sale due to 2013 bikes just being released. I take it that you want a hybrid or road bike then?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by a better or worse frame. Do you mean aluminium versus carbon? A high spec alliminium bike will have far better components than a low spec carbon bike yet the difference will only be £100-£200. You would be paying extra for the lightness of the frame only and not the overall spec of the bike. You'd only get the decent spec on carbon by going up the range on a particular model but that would mean spending far more than it looks like you want to (£1500plus). One of the biggest differences you will notice going up the price range in road bikes is the brakes. Better spec will quite often mean better brakes. Then eventually it goes back to the issue of saving weight.

I can't really give you any more advice without knowing a bit more about what're specific bike you are wanting.

From GridGirl who didn't appear on The Cycle Show tonight unlike my other half! Grrrrr

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GridGirl

In all honesty, I would dust off your old bike for a few weeks before deciding to invest in a new one, particularly if you're thinking about spending £1000 on a whim. Although now is a good time to buy a 2012 bike as they on sale due to 2013 bikes just being released. I take it that you want a hybrid or road bike then?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by a better or worse frame. Do you mean aluminium versus carbon? A high spec alliminium bike will have far better components than a low spec carbon bike yet the difference will only be £100-£200. You would be paying extra for the lightness of the frame only and not the overall spec of the bike. You'd only get the decent spec on carbon by going up the range on a particular model but that would mean spending far more than it looks like you want to (£1500plus). One of the biggest differences you will notice going up the price range in road bikes is the brakes. Better spec will quite often mean better brakes. Then eventually it goes back to the issue of saving weight.

I can't really give you any more advice without knowing a bit more about what're specific bike you are wanting.

From GridGirl who didn't appear on The Cycle Show tonight unlike my other half! Grrrrr

---

Thanks, but no my budget is nowhere near £1000k plus. If anything it'd be about half that. As such I'd be looking more at aluminium vs steel with carbon nowhere on the horizon I guess :(

I really haven't decided what to do at all yet, I may ride my old bike till it breaks or gets nicked, might go for a foldaway or a proper bike so just checking my options at the mo.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Malbec

Guys, I need to pick your collective brains.

I'm thinking of taking up cycling again, at least for commuting. I've got an old cheap cruddy mountain bike I've fitted road tyres to, and I'm thinking of upgrading. The questions I have are... Is it better for a given price to go for a better frame with rubbish components or a worse frame with better components? Also I've got a low budget but I keep seeing loads of bikes sold for £1k plus. What difference could I expect to notice if I got a really expensive bike?

---

As GridGirl says, try your current bike for a while first, if for no other reason than you'll appreciate the upgrade when it comes!

If you are looking at just commuting exclusively on road - or gravel paths - I wouldn't bother upgrading the mountain bike but get a hybrid or even road bike.

When you say your budget is low - how low exactly? Sure you can spend £1k (and the rest!) on a bike, but in the same way you can spend £100,000 on a car too, it doesn't mean that it'll be better than one you'd pay £10,000 for, depending on what you want to use it for.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mark

If you are looking at just commuting exclusively on road - or gravel paths - I wouldn't bother upgrading the mountain bike but get a hybrid or even road bike.

---

If I get anything it'll be a hybrid or roadbike. I don't get to go off-road enough to make a mountain bike worthwhile.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Malbec

Thanks, but no my budget is nowhere near £1000k plus. If anything it'd be about half that. As such I'd be looking more at aluminium vs steel with carbon nowhere on the horizon I guess :(

---

£500 is not a bad budget at all. I started out with a budget of £200, realised it would get me something heavy and slow and it gradually crept up until it got to £350, even then I've got the base mode - Trek FX 7.1 2013 btw.

Quote:

---

I really haven't decided what to do at all yet, I may ride my old bike till it breaks or gets nicked, might go for a foldaway or a proper bike so just checking my options at the mo.

---

Personally for £500ish I'd go for one of these:
Trek 7.3 FX 2013 Hybrid Bike | Evans Cycles Trek FX 7.3 2013 all aluminium as opposed to mine which has steel forks.

But that's just my personal choice, something else might suit your personal situation better.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mark

£500 is not a bad budget at all. I started out with a budget of £200, realised it would get me something heavy and slow and it gradually crept up until it got to £350, even then I've got the base mode - Trek FX 7.1 2013 btw.

Personally for £500ish I'd go for one of these:
Trek 7.3 FX 2013 Hybrid Bike | Evans Cycles Trek FX 7.3 2013 all aluminium as opposed to mine which has steel forks.

But that's just my personal choice, something else might suit your personal situation better.

---

Funny, those bikes are the exact range that got me into trouble... and my hypothetical budget started off at the same point and grew to £500 for the same reasons.

I'll have to go off and have a proper think about the whole thing.

As said above, you have a bike at the moment, get riding it, and learn what you do and don't like about it, then you'll be better informed when you come to buy. The process will take a little while so better to be riding a junker than nothing! But don't let your budget fall too low - I'm wishing I'd gone for the 7.3 now myself!