[Closed] New Dad - Road club

Never underestimate a good wheel and a decent pair of tyres. Conti GP4000s are a great tyre, not cheap but pretty puncture proof, grippy and highly recomended around these parts. TBH I would think of spending just that little bit extra on wheels if you are carrying a bit of timber. I had shimano R500's on my bike as standared but I have broke two spokes due to being heavy and powerful. Now I am not so heavy they are fine. The comfort and fit of the frame is more important IMO that what it's made out of. When you are down to your fighting weight then frame materials will be a little more important. [url= http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ ]Ribble[/url] are worth a look for your first bike as you can spec double or triple on their bike builder thing. Where do you live and what are the hills like and what condition are your legs in.? These questions should tell you whether you need a triple. Skinny tyres will mean you are middle/ top ring most of the time. Pedalling a road bike is soooo easy compared to a MTB.
Get yourself a computer or GPS app for your phone so you can track and compare rides. This I have found is a great motivator.

As for the waste of time, will you ride it regualy.? I love the MTB but local stuff is not the best and by the time I put the bike in the car, drive to the good stuff, get the bike out of the car and ride I have lost an hours riding time. Factor in the return journey and I am two hours down. That two hours could get me 30-40 miles of road bike time.

How much lard are you hauling around with you? It is the wheels that will matter most anyway.

Any of the big American brands will offer you a good road bike for £500 or just a little more. IMO, Trek do the best at this price. Ribble do also have some great deals at just a little more. Make sure it has shimano and not campag, the Italians don't do cheap and nice. If possible, try to get a bike with Tiagra shifters or better, the wee button/lever on Sora or lower is very hard to shift when not in the drops. Make sure its 9 speed too

Also, look at Cross bikes as they often have better spec for less money but you will need to up from the £500 for one.

Do not be bothered about finishing kit at this price as you can chjange as you go along. Get sized up correctly, take them for a spin/ride and buy the one you like the feel and look of.

A compact will be best for any starter.

😀

1. Can you convert a double to a triple (New cranks or new shifter/derailier/cranks)

Yes, but you don't want to - new chainset, new derailleurs (probably front and rear), probably a new shifter.

2. What is "compact". I guess it's just smaller chainrings, i.e. You can convert to/from compact by buying new chainrings

Yes - smaller chainrings. Chainrings are not interchangeable due to different bolt pattern.

3. Will a 500 quid Allez wheels be able to take my 'bulk'

You don't mention your weight, but almost certainly.

4. Is there anything as cheap that is super strong (not light)

I wouldn't worry about strength. Road bikes don't fall apart just by looking at them.

5. Will this end up being a waste of cash?

Yes - there's a very real risk that you'll enjoy it, and get tempted to throw yet more money at this hobby.

To answer the specfic questions you asked;

1. Can you convert a double to a triple (New cranks or new shifter/derailier/cranks)

- you will need to buy a new chainset, shifter and front mech

2. What is "compact". I guess it's just smaller chainrings, i.e. You can convert to/from compact by buying new chainrings

- your right compact is a smallet of chainrings, you cannot convert a 'normal' chainset to a complact and visa versa. A compact chainset with two rings will give you enough gears to get up hills without using a triple

3. Will a 500 quid Allez wheels be able to take my 'bulk'

-Yes, depandant on how 'big' your are and how inclined on riding through and not round pot holes you are

4. Is there anything as cheap that is super strong (not light)

-Most of the major manufacturers will do decent bikes for that money, Ribble training/winter bikes are generally good value and sturdy (not sure how much though), theres always second hand.

5. Will this end up being a waste of cash?

-Definatlety not,

pdw beat me to it 🙂

OP you seem to be asking the right questions.

A triple or compact is a good idea for a starter, otherwise buy from a decent brand but do try first, fit and comfort are crucial.

The wheels etc are likely to be fine.

cross(ish) bike around your budget: [url= http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/35202/Marin_Lombard_Cyclocross_Bike_2011 ]Marin Lombard £550[/url]

Yes - there's a very real risk that you'll enjoy it, and get tempted to throw yet more money at this hobby.

As long as you don't tell the other half what and how much you are spending then the cost doesn't exist. 😉

I've had two bikes from around this price point over the last four or so years and they've not let me down yet. I had a Trek 1.5 to start with then got a new Allez Elite in 2010. The Allez has about 3000 miles on the clock and the Trek did something similar before I sold it.

Bikes at this price are a great starting point for getting in to road biking, if you can stretch to about £600 you'll get a piece of kit that will last you a long time. I weigh about 90kg and haven't found the quality to be compromised by my bulk in the slightest.

As mentioned by drinkmoreport above, getting the Tiagra shifters is a nice spec point to look out for and a 9 speed compact group set is ample for any sporting rider.

The good things about bikes at this price point is that the frame they use tends to run through the range up to the £1000 + models with only componentry changed. I worked for a Specialized dealer when I bought my Allez so once the standard Sora/Tiagra kit and standard Alex rimmed wheels started to get worn and needed replacing I managed to get my hands on some OEM 10 speed new style 105 kit and some Mavic wheels so I now basically have a bike with the equivalent spec of the £1100 model for about half that value.

Oh, and I'm also a new dad to a little monster of a one year old boy......time is very much at a premium 😀

Good luck

You might not need to change the shifters - a lot of manufacturer's supply triple shifters for use on doubles, particularly when they offer the same bike in a triple or double option. Chainring spacing is all the same, they just limit the use of the shifter using the mech end stop.

I've got a 2006 Allez.

Originally 8 speed Sora/ Tiagra mix, standard double chainset and Alexrims wheels.

Last year I replaced the groupset with a compact and 9-speed Sora and gave it a rattlecan respray and some lovely Shimano RS20s.

I bloody love it.

I've got a 2 year old and an 8-month old and it's ace to be able to get a quick hour's ride in my commute.

I've got a 2009 allez. bought as my first road bike, now used as a winter road bike. Out the box its a cracking first road bike, couldn't recommend it highly enough.

I got a compact, but after a year switched to a double. unless you're doing big miles, with lots of hills, I doubt you'll need a triple.

Thanks for the comments/advice.

I'm idling around 95 kilo heffer-wise, and live in Munich.
--pauL

I guess the fundamental question is - do you want to buy a road bike?

Time & opportunities to ride becomer fewer and further between as a new dad - maybe invest in some decent lights and do early mornings/night riding offroad? As above, depends if you have to drive somewhere to ride MTB.

Well I weigh the same as you and yet to break any roadbike bits. I do use 25mm tyres though, but whether that makes a difference is debatable.

On that budget I'd look on ebay, I got a Cannondale R500 for £300 in 2004 when it was a year old, they were ~£1000 new then spent the change on upgrades, it's now got Dura Ace bits, new wheels, carbon chainset and still cost me under £700.

You aren't very heavy. I weigh 20kg more than you and I have trouble with flexing wheels on road bikes. Ensure the wheels have a decent spoke count and they will be fine. As for the rest of the bike - no worries for weight.

Don't discount buying secondhand. I bought a barely used road bike from a STW forum member for £500 - half the original £1000 purchase price.

Nothing needed doing to get me out riding. However, in 5-6 years I've replaced the handlebars, saddle, tyres, chain (a few times, can't remember) and just recently the wheels.

Ultegra groupset, so better than you'd get new at that price point. Reason was the same as you - young kids. Road bike lets me go out for an hour at lunchtime.

I started on an Allez, it was second hand and had seem some half decent upgrading, it was OK but a bit harsh. However I'd ask you this, would you enjoy / aspire to riding a 500 mtb? You are going to be short on time for the next 20-25 years so maybe its worth a bit more of an upfront investment, perhaps 800 quid or so on something second had that would have retailed at double that a few years ago, its likely to be a much nicer ride...

I guess the fundamental question is - do you want to buy a road bike?

A bit of this ^^^ - if you already have a mtb go out and ride that on the roads (maybe get some slicker tyres/wheels). What you have is little time, so IMHO there is no point buying a bike that makes riding easier (ie less rolling resistance) which means for a proper workout you have to pedal further for longer. If you have 30 minutes to spare you'll do more work on an mtb with 2.4" tyres than a road bike with 23c ones.

I bought a 2011 allez double just after christmas (old model bargain time for £425) as found myself in a similar position to yourself - limited time to ride, especially in the winter with free time at weekends being a premium. While I have actually only managed a handful of short blasts on it in the last 6 weeks or so it is still a handul more than I was riding! While I could have spent plenty more I don't think it is particularly necessary when you are essentially a beginner in a sport. If you can afford it, go for it. My feeling was that if I hated it I could always stick it on e-bay and get a good proportion of my money back. They seem to go for decent money.

TBH I'm actually really enjoying it and can't wait til the clocks go back and I'll be able to get out in the lighter evenings, got no desire to ride the meta at the moment.

If you have 30 minutes to spare you'll do more work on an mtb with 2.4" tyres than a road bike with 23c ones.

Total Rubbish. Watts are watts. You'll just go faster on a road bike